Twins Aim for Sweep Against Cubs in Series Finale
The Minnesota Twins will attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs on Thursday afternoon, wrapping up the series at Target Field.
Minnesota took the first two games with convincing performances — winning 8–1 on Tuesday and following up with a 4–2 victory on Wednesday. The club has now won four of its last five games, inching closer to the .500 mark with only four matchups left before the All-Star break.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli praised his team’s aggressiveness on the basepaths during Wednesday’s win. The highlight came on two key sequences: catcher Ryan Jeffers raced to third and then scored on a late relay throw, while Royce Lewissprinted home on a delayed steal after Matt Wallner got caught in a rundown.
“You’re going to have to find a way to push some runs across,” Baldelli said. “They’re not all going to come easily… You put the pressure on the other side, make something happen.”
While the Twins are manufacturing runs, the Cubs are still looking to find their offensive rhythm. After scoring 28 runs in a three-game series against the Cardinals, Chicago has managed just three runs in the first two games in Minneapolis.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted the team’s struggle against the Twins’ pitching staff.
“It was a quiet night again,” Counsell said. “The Twins have a very good bullpen, so it’s kind of inherent that you get their starters. And the first two days of the series, we have not.”
The Cubs will try to avoid the sweep with right-hander Colin Rea (6–3, 4.13 ERA) on the mound. Rea is aiming for his third consecutive win after solid outings against Houston and St. Louis. His lone career start against Minnesota came in 2023, where he allowed four runs over five innings and took the loss.
Minnesota counters with Chris Paddack (3–7, 4.64 ERA), who will make his 19th start of the season. Paddack is coming off a no-decision versus the Rays, where he gave up two runs in five innings. He holds a 1–1 record with a 4.35 ERA in two career starts against the Cubs.
Outfielder Byron Buxton, who was hit on the pinky by a pitch on Tuesday, remains questionable for Thursday. Though he stayed in the game initially, he exited later due to soreness.
“It looks like he’s going to be OK,” Baldelli said. “He had some imaging done and it came back all right. He was pretty sore, though, so we’ll see (about Thursday).”
With momentum on their side, the Twins look to continue their push heading into the All-Star break, while the Cubs hope to spark their offense and salvage the finale.
