Duffy expected to start as Kansas City hosts Minnesota

Updated Jul. 3, 2021 3:40 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Minnesota Twins (33-47, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Kansas City Royals (34-47, fourth in the AL Central)

Kansas City, Missouri; Saturday, 4:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Twins: Griffin Jax (1-0, 7.82 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 11 strikeouts) Royals: Danny Duffy (4-3, 2.44 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 55 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Twins head to take on the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

The Royals are 19-19 in home games in 2020. Kansas City has slugged .392 this season. Adalberto Mondesi leads the team with a mark of .833.

The Twins are 16-24 in road games. Minnesota hitters have posted a team on-base percentage of .314 this season, led by Nelson Cruz with a mark of .370.

The Royals won the last meeting 7-4. Richard Lovelady earned his first victory and Hanser Alberto went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBIs for Kansas City. J.A. Happ took his fourth loss for Minnesota.

TOP PERFORMERS: Whit Merrifield leads the Royals with 93 hits and has 45 RBIs.

Cruz leads the Twins with 30 extra base hits and 45 RBIs.

LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 1-9, .257 batting average, 7.75 ERA, outscored by 41 runs

Twins: 4-6, .264 batting average, 5.87 ERA, outscored by 12 runs

INJURIES: Royals: Daniel Tillo: (undisclosed), Jesse Hahn: (shoulder), Wade Davis: (forearm), Ronald Bolanos: (flexor), Andrew Benintendi: (rib), Emmanuel Rivera: (hand), Adalberto Mondesi: (oblique), Cam Gallagher: (shoulder).

Twins: Cody Stashak: (back), Devin Smeltzer: (elbow), Michael Pineda: (elbow), Luke Farrell: (oblique), Randy Dobnak: (finger), Edwar Colina: (elbow), Rob Refsnyder: (hamstring), Kyle Garlick: (hernia), Jake Cave: (back), Byron Buxton: (hand), Andrelton Simmons: (undisclosed), Mitch Garver: (groin).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.