Tigers, Twins Set for Afternoon Finale at Target Field

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (Interstat) — The Detroit Tigers look to salvage a game in their four-game series against the Minnesota Twins in an afternoon matchup Thursday at Target Field.

The Tigers (4-7) have dropped the first three games of the series and five of their last six overall. The Twins (5-6) have won three straight, all against Detroit, outscoring the Tigers 18-6 in that span.

Detroit will send right-hander Mick Abel (0-2) to the mound. Abel has struggled early, taking losses in both of his starts. He will face a Twins lineup that has found its rhythm during the homestand.

Minnesota counters with right-hander Taj Bradley, who dominated the Tigers last Tuesday. Bradley (3-0) allowed one run on six hits while striking out 10 over 6 1/3 innings in a 4-2 victory. He has been stellar to open the season, posting a 0.73 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings across three starts.

A player to watch for Detroit is reliever Tyler Holton. The left-hander has been a bright spot, tossing 5 1/3 scoreless innings over five appearances this season, including 1 1/3 perfect frames against the Twins on Tuesday.

For Minnesota, Bradley looks to continue his early-season mastery. His 10-strikeout performance against Detroit last week showcased his swing-and-miss stuff.

The weather forecast calls for cloudy skies and a temperature of 58 degrees at first pitch.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the projected final score is Twins 6, Tigers 3. Despite the projection, Detroit has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The over/under is set at 8.5 runs.

After the series concludes, the Tigers return home to open a three-game set against the Miami Marlins on Friday. The Twins hit the road to begin a series against the Toronto Blue Jays.