THE YANKEES - TWINS MATCHUP IS WORTH THE HYPE

Source: ESPN

There has been so much banter out there about this series against the Twins. And with the fire Minnesota has had after going 7-13 in their first 20 games to turn around and win the next 17, one could see why. Seeing them Tuesday night, as they wore down Carlos Rodon and came out swinging- yeah, Minnesota appears to be the real deal. And so The Yankees - Twins matchup is definitely worth the hype.

Source: The Athletic

"Entering the three-game series that begins Tuesday at Target Field, the Twins have won 17 of their last 20 games, keyed by a 12-game winning streak in which they beat up on the White Sox, Angels and Red Sox. And since then, they have won series against the Mariners and Blue Jays as well, looking poised to give the Yankees a formidable challenge this week," reported The New York Post.

With Aaron Judge finally getting hot and Giancarlo Stanton producing in the DH spot, the Yankees are certainly up for the challenge this three-game series brings. "After batting .174 with a .645 OPS through his first 23 games, Judge is batting .313 with a 1.147 OPS over his last 19 games," reported the Post.

And on the Twins side of the field you have Ryan Jeffers who has been unstoppable. “Jeffers has become one of the better adjustment-making hitters in the league,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He’s got a plan for pretty much everything, and he can execute the plan. He’s competing against off-speed and fastballs, up and down, inside and out. And rarely are you able to find a guy who can actually hit all of these different types of pitches,” reported The Athletic.

The Yankees have held their opponents at bay despite not having their ace, Gerrit Cole, on the hill. Starters have fared well and the bullpen has been a powerhouse. It will be telling if the Yankees pitchers can keep Jeffers, Max Kepler and Carlos Correa quiet over the next couple of games.

Source: MLB.com

"The Yankees' relief corps is again among the best in the sport, with the second-highest Win Probability Added and second-best ERA in the majors. The anchor is the most prominent holdover: Clay Holmes, the only qualified reliever yet to surrender an earned run in 2024," reported ESPN.

This series against Minnesota will definitely keep my attention. Honestly, the Twins have earned it. As the Post admirably said, "The Yankees no longer have a punching bag in red-hot Twins." From the look of things in game one of three at Target Field, it will be a great contest; one we may see again later in the fall. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof