The Los Angeles Dodgers will try to make it two wins in a row against the Minnesota Twins when the teams meet Tuesday night in Minneapolis.
The Dodgers are coming off a 4-2 victory in the series opener Monday night. Shohei Ohtani hit two doubles and a solo home run to lead Los Angeles to its ninth win in 13 games this season.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani is fitting in perfectly with his new team.
“I think each day we’re learning more,” Roberts said. “I think each day he’s becoming more comfortable. He’s laughing a ton. He’s asking questions.”
Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ opponents are looking for answers.
The latest example is Minnesota, which is mired in a three-game losing streak. The Twins have scored two runs or less five times in their last six games.
The Twins recorded only three hits in the series opener against the Dodgers on Monday. Manuel Margot accounted for all of Minnesota’s scoring with a two-run homer in the third inning.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said Margot provided a bright spot in a dreary start to the season.
“I think we got a taste of what he does,” Baldelli said. “This is kind of what it looks like. … He sees the ball good. He can get on top of some pitches. He uses the whole field, shoots the ball the other way, and then he can turn on one every once in a while as well. He puts a lot of balls in play, too. He doesn’t strike out much. He does a lot of really good things.”
Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (2-0, 3.18 ERA) is set to make his third start of the season. Glasnow is coming off victories against the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants in his last two starts.
Glasnow, who spent the past five-plus seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, said he feels strong in his first month of action with his new team.
“I think when I’m right, I prefer going through the order a third time,” Glasnow said. “I think later in the game, as my pitch count gets up, I think the rhythm takes care of itself and I usually feel better the last 60 to 100 pitches.
“I just feel better. Every game is unique and different, and I think (against the Giants) wasn’t necessarily that case, but I think for the most part in my career, once you find a rhythm, you get out of your mind and you’re out there just pitching. So I enjoy it.”
In two career appearances (one start) against Minnesota, Glasnow is 1-0 with a 5.00 ERA. He has walked four and struck out 13 in nine innings.
The Twins will counter on Tuesday with right-hander Louie Varland (0-1, 6.75), who will make his second start of the season and the 17th of his career. The 26-year-old is coming off a bumpy season debut in which he allowed three runs on six hits in four innings against the Milwaukee Brewers last Tuesday.
This will be Varland’s first career start against the Dodgers. He is 1-1 with a 4.67 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) in interleague contests.
–Field Level Media
