Series Preview: Twins @ Yankees

Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

With an off day on Thursday, the Yankees have the option to pitch Tanaka Friday and Nuno Saturday instead of the way it lays out now with Nuno picthing the first game and Tanaka the second. It seems as if they will keep the rotation in sync for now. The Yankees are finally back home as they open up a three-game series against the Twins. Let’s preview the series that begins tonight at the Stadium!

                                           Probable Pitching Match-ups

         Twins                                                @                                            Yankees

  Ricky Nolasco             Friday, May 30th:  7:05 pm EST                 Vidal Nuno

   Kevin Correia           Saturday, May 31st: 1:05 pm EST           Masahiro Tanaka

    Phil Hughes              Sunday, June 1st: 1:05 pm EST                 Chase Whitley

Who’s Hot?  Eduardo Escobar has been about the only hitter doing anything lately for the Twins. In the last week, he is hitting .333 with a few doubles as well. You know things are not going as well as you want when Brendan Ryan and Brian Roberts are your hottest hitters, but even with that being the case, The Yankees are not doing too shabby. Roberts has 7 hits in his last 22 at-bats (.318) while Ryan is 5 for his last 14 (.357).

Who’s Not?  Joe Mauer has been really struggling of late, hitting just .240 in his last seven games with just two RBI. Mauer isn’t having a terrible year, but his bat is crucial to the Twins’ line-up. Brian Dozier, the Twins’ biggest power threat, has been doing even worse, hitting just .174 with one RBI in the same span.

                                                      *What To Watch For*

Vidal Nuno most likely will get the first start of the series against Minnesota. Just like Tanaka and Whitley after him, this will be the first time he pitches against the Twins. Although there is noting to look at regarding the history between the Twins’ hitters and Yankees’ pitching in this series.

However, there is one thing to keep an eye on in this series. Phil Hughes returns to Yankee Stadium for the first time since signing with the Twins. He’s put together a good year, going 5-1 with a 3.23 ERA. The one thing that hurt him with the Yankees though was pitching in Yankee Stadium. Luckily for the Yankees, that is where they’ll face him.