Buxton and the Twins Host a Struggling Athletics Squad at Target Field
Two teams on opposite ends of mediocrity meet Saturday night in Minneapolis, with neither squad able to claim much momentum heading into July's final stretch. Our model doesn't have a strong read on this one — which, honestly, tells its own story about how unpredictable both of these rosters have been.
The Athletics arrive at Target Field sitting at 44-59, a record that reflects a team still very much in the process of figuring out what it is. Brady Basso is expected to take the mound for Oakland, facing a Minnesota lineup that has enough pop to make any pitcher's evening uncomfortable. The Twins, at 51-54, aren't exactly setting the world on fire either, but they hold a clear edge in the standings and the lineup card. Mike Paredes is set to start for Minnesota — a matchup of pitchers that doesn't exactly scream marquee, but that's precisely why the bats become the story.
On the Oakland side, the players to watch are Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers. Kurtz is hitting .266 and leads the club with 66 RBI — a legitimate run-producer who can change a game's complexion in a single at-bat. Langeliers has quietly put together a power season, sitting at 23 home runs. Against a pitcher making his case for a rotation spot, both of those bats are worth tracking closely. For Minnesota, Byron Buxton is the conversation. He's batting .272 with 25 home runs, and when Buxton is locked in, he's one of the more dangerous hitters in the American League. Josh Bell adds depth to that threat with 62 RBI — a lineup that can string together damage in a hurry if the Athletics' pitching isn't sharp from the first inning.
With no validated model read available for tonight's game, this one is genuinely open. That's not a cop-out — it's a signal that the underlying numbers don't point cleanly in either direction. What we do know: Minnesota has the better record, the home-field edge at Target Field, and the more proven offensive weapon in Buxton. Oakland has the kind of lineup that can steal a game on the road when the power bats connect. First pitch is set for 7:10 PM ET, available on MLB.TV, Twins.TV, and NBC Sports CA.