Twins Clinging to Top Spot in AL Central
The Minnesota Twins look to snap a two-game losing streak when they host the Baltimore Orioles in the first of a three-game weekend series on Friday night. Minnesota has lost three of its last four and seen its lead in the American League Central shrink to one game over the second-place Cleveland Guardians.
Baltimore has also lost two in a row and three of four and is in last place in the AL East standings. These teams split their previous series, so this should be a competitive contest and one you’ll want to check out our in-depth preview before you do your betting online.
Check the latest MLB picks, stats, injury reports and MLB odds for Orioles vs Twins. There are plenty of MLB predictions.
Orioles Need More at Plate
The Baltimore Orioles scored nine runs in the series opener against the Seattle Mariners on Monday to earn the victory, but they then scored just three runs over the next two games to drop both. Baltimore is 22nd in baseball with 314 runs heading into Friday’s action,.
Designated hitter Trey Mancini had a double for the third time in five games and drove in two runs in Wednesday’s loss to Seattle. Mancini is batting .280 with 14 doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 30 RBIs and 30 runs scored.
Outfielder Austin Hays had his third 0-for-4 day at the plate in his last four games on Wednesday. Hays is batting .279 with 19 doubles, a triple, 11 home runs, a team-high 45 RBIs and 39 runs scored.
Right-hander Spenser Watkins will make his 10th start on Friday night. The 29-year-old is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA, striking out 18 over 35 innings. He’s coming off a win against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday in his first game back after a forearm injury sidelined him. He went five innings and allowed one unearned run on five hits, striking out four and walking one.
Twins: Tough Losses
The Minnesota Twins didn’t just lose their last two games against the Cleveland Guardians to cut their lead in the AL Central down to one game. They lost both on walk-off home runs to lose a series that they should have dominated if not for a leaky bullpen.
“Probably the most difficult series I’ve ever been a part of,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said after Thursday’s loss. “I’ve never seen five games against one team in four days that felt like that.”
Right-hander Joe Ryan will try to keep the bullpen from having to do too much work on Friday night when he makes his 12th start. Ryan is 6-3 with a 3.20 ERA, striking out 53 in 59 innings. He earned a win in his last start against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, going five innings and allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out one and walking one.
First baseman Jose Miranda accounted for all of the Twins’ offense in Thursday’s loss, going 1-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Miranda is batting .240 with 11 doubles, five home runs, 20 RBIs and 11 runs scored in 44 games.
Second baseman Jorge Polanco was 0-for-5 in Wednesday’s loss to the Guardians after driving in three in a win on Tuesday to up his team-high RBI total to 36. Polanco is batting .244 with 10 doubles, eight home runs and 29 runs scored.
Orioles vs Twins Head-To-Head
The Minnesota Twins are looking for their fifth straight season series win against the Baltimore Orioles. Minnesota was 21-5 against the Orioles since the start of the 2017 campaign entering this season, though the two teams split their first four games in Baltimore in early May.
The Twins have swept the last three series between the two teams in Minnesota, going 10-0 over that span. A look at the MLB lines for Friday’s series opener shows that the oddsmakers are counting on that streak continuing, with Minnesota a heavy favorite.
Orioles vs Twins Game Information
- Game: Orioles (35-42) vs Twins (43-36)
- Location: Target Field, Minneapolis
- Day/Time: Friday, 8:10 p.m. ET
- Orioles vs Twins Live Stream: MLB.TV
Orioles vs Twins Betting Lines
Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
Baltimore Orioles
S. Watkins -R |
+1½ -115 | +185 | 9 -125o | 3½ -115o
3½ -115u |
Minnesota Twins
J. Ryan -R |
-1½ -105 | -215 | 9 +105u | 5½ +115o
5½ -145u |
Orioles vs Twins Prediction
The Baltimore Orioles have shown some fight on their current road trip, going 4-3 despite losses in their last two games. Unfortunately, they’re facing a team in the Minnesota Twins that can’t afford more losses right now.
When doing your MLB betting, take Minnesota to win at home.