First pitch is 7:05 PM CT and the pitching matchup is the whole ballgame. Mike Paredes (0-0, 4.35) makes his second career MLB start after a 3-inning, 58-pitch cameo against Detroit on June 10, while MacKenzie Gore (4-5, 4.18) takes the ball for Texas off a 5-inning, 87-pitch no-decision in Kansas City.
Paredes is the story here, because he isn't really a starter — he's an opener with a tab. He hasn't crossed 68 pitches in a pro outing all season, so the Twins are essentially asking their bullpen to cover 6 innings on a Monday in Arlington. With Bailey Ober, Pablo Lopez, David Festa and Mick Abel all on the IL, this is what the rotation looks like right now.
- Day-To-DayKaelen Culpepper SS — Culpepper was promoted to Double-A Wichita after hitting .293/.385/.479 with nine home runs and 15 stolen bases in 54 games for High-A Cedar Rapids.
- Day-To-DayWalker Jenkins CF — Jenkins (shoulder) could start a rehab assignment with Single-A Fort Myers as soon as Saturday, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.
- Day-To-DayJulian Merryweather RP — Merryweather (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the Twins' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday, Theodore Tollefson of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
- Day-To-DayMatt Canterino SP — Canterino (shoulder) will be with the Twins in big-league spring training but isn't expected to pitch during camp as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILRyan Jeffers C — Jeffers had the cast and stitches removed from his surgically repaired left hand and has resumed throwing, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILMick Abel SP — Abel (elbow) struck out five and permitted two hits and no walks over three scoreless frames in his first rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.
- 15-Day-ILKendry Rojas RP — Rojas (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Wednesday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
- 15-Day-ILCole Sands RP — The Twins returned Sands (forearm) from his rehab assignment Tuesday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayCorey Seager SS — Seager (ribs/jaw) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Twins.
- Day-To-DaySebastian Walcott SS — Rangers GM Ross Fenstermaker said Tuesday that Walcott could be ready for game action in August, "if all things according to plan" in his rehab from the internal brace procedure he underwent on his right elbow, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
- 10-Day-ILMichael Helman CF — The Rangers placed Helman (hand) on the 10-day injured list Sunday.
- 10-Day-ILEvan Carter CF — The Rangers placed Carter (oblique) on the 10-day injured list Saturday.
- 10-Day-ILJosh Smith 2B — Smith (glute/wrist/illness) moved his rehab from Double-A Frisco to Triple-A Round Rock.
- 10-Day-ILDanny Jansen C — Jansen is not in the Rangers' starting lineup against the Guardians on Friday.
- 15-Day-ILJalen Beeks RP — Beeks (2-1) earned the win in relief Saturday against the Cubs after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings. He struck out one with no hits or walks allowed.
- 15-Day-ILChris Martin RP — The Rangers placed Martin on the 15-day injured list Monday with a right shoulder impingement.
The other side has its own mess. Corey Seager is out again with rib and jaw soreness plus mild concussion-like symptoms from a home-plate collision with Royals catcher Carter Jensen last week, and he's still working through the protocol. Evan Carter (oblique) and Michael Helman (hand) are on the 10-day IL, Danny Jansen is down behind the plate, and Josh Smith is rehabbing in Round Rock. Jake Burger and Josh Jung carry an awful lot of the lineup on a night like this.
Form-wise, both clubs are wobbling around .500-adjacent. Minnesota took 2 of 3 from the Cardinals at home over the weekend, sandwiched around a 9-0 beating in Detroit on June 11. Texas just dropped a series in Boston, salvaging Sunday's finale 6-4, and now flies home to open a 3-game set against an AL Central team they don't see much.
Gore's the comfortable read at home — he's allowed more than 2 earned runs just once in his last 6 starts — but the walks (15 in 7 starts) keep him from being a clean lay. Against a Twins lineup leaning on Byron Buxton and Josh Bell, with Kaelen Culpepper still in the minors and Walker Jenkins on a slow rehab path, the Rangers' edge is real but it's not 1.5 runs of edge.