First pitch is set for 6:40 PM CT at Target Field, and Pinnacle has the Twins as a slim -139 home favorite with a total of 7.5. The pitching matchup is the headline: David Sandlin, who just no-hit the Twins through 6 in his MLB debut, against Joe Ryan, who was the guy on the other side of that game.
Sandlin's debut was absurd. 6 innings, 1 hit, 1 earned run, 4 strikeouts, no walks, 61 pitches. Per Elias, the 18 straight batters he retired were the most by a Sox starter in a debut in 100 years. The only damage was a Byron Buxton solo shot. Ryan, for his part, was excellent in that same game — 7.2 IP, 2 ER, 9 K, 0 BB on 98 pitches — and walked out with a no-decision. He carries a 2.94 ERA into this one and has been on a quality-start tear all month.
The vibes could not be more lopsided. The White Sox are 32-27 and have ripped off 5 straight wins, including a sweep of these same Twins last week (15-2, 6-2 in the first 2 games of that series). Minnesota is 27-33 and has lost 5 in a row, getting swept by Pittsburgh after the White Sox beating. They've been outscored brutally in this skid and the bullpen has been bleeding leads — the 10-9 and 9-3 losses to the Pirates were the kind that linger.
- Day-To-DayDerek Hill RF — Hill has been removed from Saturday's starting lineup versus Detroit due to upper-back tightness, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- Day-To-DayMason Adams RP — The White Sox announced that Adams underwent successful Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILAustin Hays LF — Hays has been pulled off his rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte due to a recurrence of left calf soreness, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILMunetaka Murakami 1B — Murakami has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain and is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILEverson Pereira RF — Pereira (pectoral) resumed throwing Monday, MLB.com reports.
- bereavementTyler Gilbert RP — The White Sox recalled Gilbert from Triple-A Charlotte on Friday.
- 15-Day-ILNoah Schultz SP — Schultz (2-4) took the loss against the Giants on Sunday, allowing six runs on six hits and one walk while striking out one batter across four innings.
- 15-Day-ILJordan Hicks RP — Hicks was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right lat strain.
- Day-To-DayWalker Jenkins CF — Twins manager Jeremy Zoll said Saturday that Jenkins (shoulder) is "reporting improvements daily" and could begin light baseball activity in about a week, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune 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 needs surgery to remove a fractured left hamate bone and is expected to be sidelined 6-to-8 weeks, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILCole Sands RP — Twins manager Derek Shelton said Monday that Sands (forearm) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday, Theodore Tollefson of Zone Coverage reports.
- 15-Day-ILBailey Ober SP — The Twins placed Ober on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to right elbow inflammation.
- 15-Day-ILKendry Rojas RP — Rojas will not start against the White Sox on Thursday due to posterior elbow soreness, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic.
- 15-Day-ILMick Abel SP — Abel (elbow/triceps) resumed playing light catch Wednesday, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
The Twins' injury sheet is the other story here. Pablo Lopez and David Festa are on the 60-day IL, Bailey Ober just hit the 15-day with elbow inflammation, and catcher Ryan Jeffers is out 6-to-8 weeks after hamate surgery. Walker Jenkins is still day-to-day with the shoulder. Minnesota is basically running half a rotation right now, which is why leaning on a healthy Joe Ryan tonight matters so much.
Chicago isn't exactly whole either — Austin Hays just had a rehab setback with calf soreness, Munetaka Murakami is down 4-to-6 weeks with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, and the rotation depth is gone with Schultz, Bush, and Thorpe all on the IL. But Sandlin showing up and immediately pitching like that papers over a lot. If he can give the Sox another clean 5 or 6, the bullpen lines up fine and a sixth straight win is right there.
Take: the market price on Minnesota at -139 feels mostly about the Ryan-at-home factor, not about anything the Twins have actually done lately. The under at 7.5 (+104) is the more interesting number given how both starters threw last Wednesday.