Game two of this interleague series sees the Twins (57-54, 31-24 home) and Diamondbacks (57-54, 29-26 away) facing off at Target Field. The starting pitcher for the Twins will be Kenta Maeda, while the Diamondbacks are turning to Ryne Nelson. Find out who I like to win in this Minnesota Twins and Arizona Diamondbacks showdown.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS VS MINNESOTA TWINS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks +137

This game will be played at Target Field at 7:10 ET on Saturday, August 5th.

WHY BET THE ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS:

  • The Diamondbacks will be taking on a Twins club that is just 4-6 over their last ten games.
  • Over their last ten games as the favorite, the Twins are just 4-6 (straight-up).
  • The Twins’ are just 5-6 in Kenta Maeda’s 11 starts.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS LOOKING FOR UPSET AS ROAD UNDERDOGS

Entering game 112 of their season, the Diamondbacks are 7.5 games out in the NL West and are in 3rd place. So far, their overall series record stands at 19-14-3. Arizona’s road winning percent is currently 52.7% (29-26) compared to 50.0% at home (28-28).

Starter Ryne Nelson has had a solid season for the Diamondbacks, boasting an overall record of 6-5 in 22 appearances. His ERA stands at 4.84, and his K/9 is 5.67. His FIP is 5.02, while his OBP is .322.

The Diamondbacks emerged victorious the last time Ryne Nelson took the mound, defeating the Giants 4-3. Despite recording a quality start, going 6 2/3 innings and allowing two earned runs, Nelson was unable to secure the win and ended up with a no-decision.

Over their last ten games, the Diamondbacks are ranked 18th in the league in scoring at 2.7 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 4.8 per contest puts them 10th in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Arizona is 10th, with an OBP currently sitting at .323. The team’s collective batting average is .255 (8th).

Over the Diamondbacks’ last five contests, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has been a force at the plate, leading the team in hits and batting .363. This season, Gurriel Jr. is hitting .253 with 59 RBIs to his name.

WILL THE MINNESOTA TWINS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Coming in with an overall record of 57-54, the Twins are winners of three straight games. Through 35 series, they are 16-15-4 and in 1st place in the AL Central. At home, they have gone 31-24 compared to 26-30 on the road.

The Minnesota Twins will turn to starter Kenta Maeda, who has an overall record of 2-6 this season. Through 11 appearances, his ERA is 4.53 with a K/9 of 10.9. Maeda has put together a FIP of 3.44 and an OBP of .293 thus far in 2023.

The Twins were defeated by the Royals in their most recent outing, with Maeda taking the loss after going five innings and giving up two earned runs on four hits in a 2-1 final.

During their last ten games, Minnesota is the 18th ranked offense in terms of batting average. In these games, they have hit a combined .233 and are averaging 4.5 runs per game. Across the entire season, the Twins are hitting .236 with an OBP of .314 while averaging 4.4 runs per contest. This figure puts them 17th in the league.

The Twins’ Carlos Correa is the team’s leader in hits, boasting a .220 batting average. He has a .383 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .295 entering the game.