MLB’s Tuesday schedule is highlighted by an interleague series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins. At home, the Twins are favorites with a moneyline of -158 compared to Milwaukee’s +143.
Milwaukee has quietly become one of the hottest teams in baseball after taking three of four games from the Cubs over the weekend. On the heels of a three-game winning streak, the Brew Crew has climbed back to .500. The Brewers are now 3.5 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central, putting them within striking distance if they can stay hot.
Meanwhile, there is little doubt that the Twins are among the best teams in the American League. Minnesota is 5-2 in its last seven games, including last week, when they took two of three games in Milwaukee.
However, the Twins are holding a slim 1.5-game lead in the AL Central with Cleveland hot on their tail, so the Twins can’t afford to become complacent.
Surprise Ace
Kenta Maeda will get the start for Minnesota on Tuesday. With Jose Berrios and Jake Odorizzi struggling to find consistency this year, Maeda has stepped into the role of Minnesota’s ace this year. Over four starts, Maeda is 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA after coming to Minnesota in a trade over the winter.
As a former National League pitcher, Maeda has some experience against most of Milwaukee’s batters. More importantly, he tossed 6.2 innings against the Brewers last week, giving up two runs on five hits. Naturally, Maeda has struggled against Christian Yelich, who is 5 for 11 against the new Minnesota starter in his career.
Yelich is also starting to heat up in August after getting off to a slow start. Unfortunately for the Brewers, the rest of their lineup has also been inconsistent this year. Orlando Arcia is the team’s only regular hitting better than .234 on the season.
Feel the Burn
Corbin Burnes is set to start for Milwaukee on Tuesday. Burnes made a start early in the season but has served as the team’s long-man ever since. Over four appearances, he is rocking a solid 3.38 ERA. He threw 3.2 innings in his last appearance five days ago, so he should be stretched out enough to give the Brewers at least five innings, assuming things go well.
Of course, nothing should be assumed against Minnesota’s lineup. The Twins have picked up where they left off in 2019 as one of the most powerful lineups in baseball. The trio of Nelson Cruz, Eddie Rosario, and Max Kepler have combined for 20 home runs this year, averaging nearly one long ball per game.
Jorge Polanco and Byron Buxton have also emerged as two regular contributors this season, adding length to Minnesota’s lineup with Buxton having a breakout season with five home runs.
Easy Call
Despite the Brewers winning three games in a row, there is little reason to think they will beat the Twins. Against Maeda, the Brewers will struggle to match Minnesota’s lineup, which has a decent chance to get it going against either Burnes or the Milwaukee bullpen.
Bet on the Twins to beat the Brewers on Tuesday.
