deGrom vs. Ryan: Two Losing Teams, One Compelling Pitching Duel

Neither the Rangers (79-80) nor the Twins (75-84) are playing for much at this point in September, but Friday night at Target Field offers something worth watching anyway. When Jacob deGrom is expected to take the mound against Joe Ryan, the baseball itself tends to be the story.

Texas arrives in Minneapolis as a team that has spent most of 2026 treading water. At 79-80, the Rangers are a game below .500 and running out of runway to make anything meaningful of this season. Minnesota isn't in better shape at 75-84, but Target Field is home, and late-season games against sub-.500 opponents are exactly where you try to salvage some dignity heading into the offseason. The pitching matchup is the one legitimate reason to tune in — deGrom is expected to start for Texas, with Joe Ryan projected to take the ball for Minnesota.

On the offensive side, Jake Burger is the name to watch for the Rangers. He's sitting at 27 home runs and 89 RBI on the season — the kind of production that makes him a genuine threat every time he steps in the box, regardless of what's at stake in the standings. Brandon Nimmo brings a .260 average to the lineup, giving Texas a contact option at the top. For Minnesota, Josh Bell leads the club with 92 RBI, making him the most dangerous run-producer in this lineup. Kody Clemens has quietly put together a 26-home-run season, and Luke Keaschall is hitting .276 — the Twins' best average among their key contributors. Neither offense is elite, but both have legitimate power threats who can change a game in a single swing.

Our model doesn't have a validated read on this one, so we're not going to manufacture a lean where there isn't one. What we can say is this: two below-.500 teams, a pitching matchup with real intrigue, and enough power in both lineups to keep things interesting deep into the night. Sometimes that's enough. First pitch is set for 8:10 PM ET at Target Field.