First pitch at 12:40 PM CT from Target Field, and the matchup on the mound could not be more lopsided on paper. Fedde is 0-5 with a 5.40 ERA and was last seen getting yanked after 3 innings against the Cubs (4 ER, 4 walks, 92 pitches). Taj Bradley is 5-1 with a 3.21 ERA and has been the steadiest thing in a Twins rotation that has been gutted by the IL.
Chicago came in hot — sweeping the Tigers at home with a trio of tight wins — and has now dropped back-to-back games in Minnesota by scores of 9-6 and 6-4. Will Venable's group is still 32-29 and playing the best baseball anyone expected from them, but the bullpen is taped together and the offense is short two everyday bats. The Twins, meanwhile, were getting curb-stomped in Pittsburgh just a week ago and have used the White Sox as a stress reliever.
The Sox infirmary is doing real damage. Munetaka Murakami (hamstring) got a PRP injection and stayed back in Chicago, Austin Hays got pulled off his rehab assignment with more calf trouble, and the rotation is missing Noah Schultz, Drew Thorpe, and Ky Bush, who just had a Tommy John setback. Minnesota isn't exactly whole either — Bailey Ober is shut down 10-14 days with a flexor strain, Ryan Jeffers is out 6-to-8 weeks after hamate surgery, and Pablo Lopez is on the 60-day.
- 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-ILMunetaka Murakami 1B — White Sox manager Will Venable said Monday that Murakami (hamstring) stayed back in Chicago during the team's road trip and was given a platelet-rich plasma injection, James Fegan of SoxMachine.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-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.
- 60-Day-ILJordan Leasure RP — Leasure (forearm) said Friday that he will be shut down from throwing for four weeks, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- 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-ILKendry Rojas RP — Rojas (elbow) could begin throwing as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic.
- 15-Day-ILBailey Ober SP — Ober has a mild flexor strain and will be shut down for 10-14 days, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic
- 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-ILMick Abel SP — Abel (elbow/triceps) resumed playing light catch Wednesday, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
The market sees this exactly how the eye test does. Pinnacle has the Twins at -145 with an 8.5 total, and there's a reason Bradley's a heavy chalk against a 0-5 starter. Fedde's last outing was a mess, his control has been shaky all year, and he's facing a Twins lineup that just put up 15 runs across the first two games of this series.
The angle for Chicago is simple: get to Bradley early. His last start against the Pirates was a no-decision where he gave up 4 earned in 4 innings on 87 pitches, so the leash is shorter than the ERA suggests. If the Sox can chase him by the 5th and force the Twins to dig into a banged-up bullpen, they steal the finale and fly home 1-2 on the road trip. If not, this is a sweep waiting to happen.