Twins Look to Sweep Rangers in Thursday Afternoon Showdown

The Minnesota Twins will face the Texas Rangers on Thursday, June 18, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The game starts at 2:35 p.m. Eastern Time. Minnesota has a chance to sweep the series, meaning they could win every game played against Texas on this trip. Sweeping a series is a big deal in baseball because it shows a team can beat the same opponent multiple times in a row.

Joe Ryan will start on the mound for the Twins, coming in with a record of 4 wins and 3 losses and an ERA of 3.17. ERA stands for Earned Run Average, and a lower number means a pitcher does a better job of stopping the other team from scoring. Ryan has been one of Minnesota's most reliable starters this season. His strong ERA gives the Twins a good chance of winning Thursday's game.

For the Rangers, Jack Leiter is expected to take the mound. He holds a record of 3 wins and 6 losses with an ERA of 4.86, which is higher than Ryan's. A higher ERA can put a pitcher's team at a disadvantage before the first pitch is even thrown. The Twins will be looking to take advantage of that difference early in the game.

The Twins are 35-40 on the season and sit third in the American League Central. The Rangers are 35-38 and third in the American League West. Neither team is leading their division, so every win is very important right now. A sweep would give Minnesota a big boost as they fight to stay in the playoff picture.

Both teams are dealing with injuries heading into the game. The Twins are missing key players like pitcher Pablo Lopez, who is on the 60-day injured list with an elbow problem, and catcher Ryan Jeffers, out with a hand injury. Long injury lists make it harder for a team to stay strong during the long baseball season. Staying healthy is one of the biggest challenges in Major League Baseball.

The Rangers have an even longer list of injured players. Star shortstop Corey Seager is listed as day-to-day with a concussion, meaning his status for the game is not certain. Pitchers Jordan Montgomery and Cody Bradford are also out with elbow injuries. Teams with many players hurt often struggle to put their best lineups on the field.

Minnesota outfielder Byron Buxton has been one of the top hitters in all of baseball this season. He is batting .275 with 23 home runs, which ranks third in the entire Major League, along with 36 RBIs and 51 runs scored. His OPS of .936 ranks ninth in MLB, showing he is both a powerful and consistent hitter. Buxton is one of the most exciting players to watch in the American League.

Infielder Brooks Lee has also stepped up for the Twins this year. In 278 plate appearances, he has hit 11 home runs and driven in 39 runs while batting .239. Young players like Lee are very important to a team's long-term success. His growth this season has been a bright spot for Minnesota fans.

For Texas, third baseman Josh Jung and first baseman Jake Burger have led the offensive charge. Jung is batting .299 with 8 home runs, 30 RBIs, and an OPS of .810. Burger has been even more productive with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs on the season. If the Rangers hope to avoid the sweep, these two hitters will need to have big days.

Fans can watch the game on RSN or Twins.TV, and it is also available to stream on Fubo. Tickets for fans who want to attend in person are available on StubHub. No matter how you watch, Thursday's matchup is a great opportunity to see two competitive teams fight for an important series result.