Twins, Royals start three-game series in battle to avoid AL Central basement

Griffin Jax will start for the Twins tonight as they open a three-game weekend series against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field (7:10 p.m., BSN).

The rookie righthander, auditioning in September for a starting job in 2022 along with John Gant and Bailey Ober, is 3-3 with a not-so-attractive 6.79 ERA. Lefthander Daniel Lynch (4-4, 5.29) starts for the Royals.

Kansas City is 17 games out in the AL Central Division, a game ahead of the last-place Twins.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, who left the team on Sunday in Tampa Bay, returns tonight from his paternity leave. He and his wife, Allie, had a baby girl, Louisa, on Tuesday morning.

ROYALS LINEUP

Whit Merrifield, 2B

Nicky Lopez, SS

Andrew Benintendi, LF

Carlos Santana, 1B

Adalberto Mondesi, 3B

Michael Taylor, CF

Hunter Dozier, RF

TWINS LINEUP

Byron Buxton, CF

Jorge Polanco, 2B

Rob Refsnyder, LF

Josh Donaldson, 3B

Brent Rooker, DH

Max Kepler, RF

Ryan Jeffers, C