TORONTO — The Twins can finish up this eight-game road trip with a 4-4 record if they beat converted starter Joe Biagini today, which might not sound like much considering they've played two last-place teams on this trip. But a .500 record on the road seems like enough to keep a team in the AL wild card race, which looks a little like corks bobbing in a swimming pool — each team up a day, then down, then up again.
The Twins left home tied for the final AL wild card spot, went 3-4 so far on this trip to Chicago and Toronto, and find themselves up by a half-game. So it's not exactly a dogfight yet.
Kyle Gibson gets the start today, coming off his best performance of the season, a seven-inning, one-run, eight-strikeout victory over the White Sox. This isn't a great ballpark for him — or for any Twins starter lately — with Gibson having allowed 12 runs over 10 innings in two starts, a 10.80 ERA. He hasn't beaten the Jays since 2014, and is allowing a career-high 1.40 home runs per nine innings, a problem in this park.
But the Twins need him to be the pitcher he was in Chicago, as they wrap up their weekend in Canada.
Eduardo Escobar bats eighth today, after going 0-for-4 as the cleanup hitter on Friday, then hitting a home run as the No. 9 hitter Saturday. Here are the lineups for the finale of this three-game series:
TWINS
Dozier 2B
Mauer 1B
