MINNESOTA vs. TEXAS 8/31/2018 MLB Odds, Pick & Preview

The Minnesota Twins are a second-place club while the Texas Rangers are buried in last place in their division, but neither team has much to play for as they close out the month of August. The Twins and Rangers are separated by only 4 1/2 games in the standings as they prepare to kick off a three-game series Friday night at Texas’ Globe Life Park.

Minnesota lost two of three in Cleveland to open a nine-game road trip to fall 14 games behind the first-place Indians in the American League Central. The Twins are in a 1-5 slide and struggling to stay healthy – shortstop Jorge Polanco (hamstring) has missed the past three games and Eddie Rosario left Thursday’s loss with a strained right quadriceps that could sideline him for the weekend series. The punchless Rangers have dropped four in a row and six of eight, scoring one run or fewer four times in that span. Adrian Beltre had an RBI double in Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers to move into a tie with Robin Yount for 17th on the career hits list (3,142).

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Southwest Plus (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Stephen Gonsalves (0-2, 11.37 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Drew Hutchison (2-2, 6.52)

Gonsalves will make his third career start and first on the road after giving up four runs and seven hits, including a three-run homer, over five innings in a loss to Oakland on Saturday. He had a forgettable major-league debut against the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 20, lasting only 1 1/3 innings while allowing four runs and six hits. Gonsalves was 9-3 with a 2.96 ERA at Triple-A Rochester.

After making 11 relief appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies, Hutchison is poised for his fifth start since joining the Rangers. A former 13-game winner with Toronto in 2015, he was tagged for six runs and seven hits in a no-decision at San Francisco last time out. Joe Mauer is 3-for-7 with four RBIs against Hutchison, who has failed to pitched past 5 1/3 innings in his four starts with Texas.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins 3B Miguel Sano homered Thursday but is 3-for-35 with 15 strikeouts in his last 10 games.

2. Rangers LHP Martin Perez, who was scheduled to start the series finale, was moved to the bullpen for the rest of the season.

3. Minnesota traded C Bobby Wilson to the Chicago Cubs for C Chris Gimenez.

PREDICTION: Rangers 5, Twins 4