MINNEAPOLIS (Interstat) — The Cleveland Guardians, riding a late-season surge, open a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Friday night.

Cleveland (81-71) arrives in Minneapolis after sweeping a three-game set in Detroit, including a 3-1 victory on Thursday. José Ramírez powered the win with a two-run homer, and starter Tanner Bibee was sharp, allowing one run over six innings with eight strikeouts. The Guardians have won 11 of their last 15 games to remain in the American League playoff picture.

Conversely, the Twins (66-86) are limping toward the finish line. They were swept at home by the New York Yankees, including a 10-5 loss on Wednesday. Shortstop Brooks Lee provided a bright spot in the defeat, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Minnesota has lost six of its last eight games.

The season series has been tightly contested, with Cleveland holding a 6-3 edge. The teams last met in early August, splitting a three-game set in Cleveland. The Guardians took the most recent meeting in Minneapolis, a 5-1 win on May 21.

Despite the disparity in records, betting markets have installed the Twins as a slight favorite with a -1.5 run spread. The over/under for the game is set at 8 runs. However, Interstat’s game simulator projects an 8-4 Cleveland victory, and its ELO rating system gives the Guardians a 56.7% probability to win.

Following this series, Cleveland returns home for critical matchups against Detroit and Texas. The Twins hit the road for interleague play, facing Texas and Philadelphia to close out their season.

This preview was constructed using simulated data for the 2025 MLB season.