Chicago Hope: Twins' magic number is 3 as they face White Sox in matinee

CHICAGO -- The Twins' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 3 entering this afternoon's game against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field (1:10 p.m., FSN).

Chicago has a two-game lead on the second place Twins in the American League Central Division race with Cleveland six games behind. Top two teams in each division make the playoffs; the Twins have the best won-loss percentage of any second place team, and would host a postseason series as the No. 4 seed if the playoffs started today. The No. 5 seed would be the Yankees. Panic time?

Kenta Maeda (5-1, 2.43 ERA) has been the best Twins starter this season and will face Reynaldo Lopez (1-2, 5.52) today. Maeda has allowed only 31 hits in 56 innings and leads the majors in WHIP. Lopez threw five scoreless innings vs. Detroit his last time out.

Reliever Zack Littell, on the injured list because of a sore elbow, cleared waivers and has been outrighted to the St. Paul site. That leaves an open spot on the 40-man roster.

The Twins rolled to a 5-1 victory last night.

TWINS

Max Kepler, RF

Jorge Polanco, SS

Nelson Cruz, DH

Eddie Rosario, LF

Miguel Sano, 1B

Byron Buxton, CF

Ryan Jeffers, C

WHITE SOX

Tim Anderson, SS

Yasmani Grandal, C

Jose Abreu, 1B

Edwin Encarnacion, DH

Yoan Moncada, 3B

Luis Robert, CF

Jarrod Dyson, RF

Nick Madrigal, 2B