Twins Look to Bounce Back in San Diego

The Minnesota Twins have announced their starting lineup for game two of their series against the San Diego Padres, with right-hander Dean Kremer set to take the mound. The move comes after the Twins fell 6-2 in the series opener, a game in which the offense struggled against a Padres team that has been one of the hottest in baseball.

Kremer, acquired from the Baltimore Orioles ahead of the trade deadline, will be making his fourth start with the Twins. Over the season with both teams, he has posted a 2-4 record with a 5.40 ERA in 53⅓ innings pitched, recording 53 strikeouts. This will be his second career start against the Padres, against whom he holds a 0-2 record with a 3.00 ERA.

A Familiar Foe on the Mound for San Diego

The Padres will counter with right-hander Casey Mize, a pitcher the Twins have seen frequently from his time with the Detroit Tigers. This season, Mize owns a 5-8 record with a 3.18 ERA and has struck out 95 batters in 102 innings. Against the Twins, he has a career 5.34 ERA over 60⅔ innings.

Mize, however, has been dealing with a lingering groin issue, which was evident in his most recent outing. In that game, he left with a trainer in the third inning. Despite the early exit, the Padres bullpen—Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon, and Yuki Matsui—combined to complete a three-hitter. Mize had three strikeouts and threw 22 splitters that produced no whiffs or called strikes, but generated outs on all six balls put into play.

Mize's velocity has been a concern, with his fastball down 0.7 mph and his slider down 1.4 mph from season averages in that start. He had allowed eight runs and nine hits, both season highs, in his Padres debut, and walked three, matching his season high. Mize was a last-minute addition at the trade deadline after posting a strong 2.70 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and an 85/19 K/BB ratio across 86 2/3 innings for the Tigers.

Lineup Notes and Key Matchups

First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. CT at Petco Park. The Twins are going with the same lineup as in the opener, featuring Ryan Jeffers behind the plate, Byron Buxton—who had the wind knocked out of him on a play in center field—and Josh Bell as the designated hitter.

The full lineup includes Luke Keaschall in right field, Buxton in center, Bell at DH, Jeffers catching, Kody Clemens at second base, Royce Lewis at first, Trevor Larnach in left, Brooks Lee at third, and Kaelen Culpepper at shortstop.

Two matchups stand out. Xander Bogaerts has the most experience against Kremer among Padres hitters, posting an .817 OPS with three RBIs in 14 at-bats. On the Twins' side, Byron Buxton has fared well against Mize, with a 1.087 career OPS in 23 at-bats, including two home runs and four RBIs. Trevor Larnach, who has struggled recently—batting .210 with 22 strikeouts and 12 RBIs in his last 100 at-bats—has a .968 OPS with a home run against Mize in his career.