Kyle Gibson, assistant pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and director of team travel Mike Herman had their kids on the Target Field grass this morning, something they all do regularly. But it's more poignant on Father's Day.
Like all MLB teams, the Twins will wear tie-dyed baby blue caps today to mark the holiday. The Twins lost on Mother's Day and Memorial Day, one of the few categories where they haven't succeeded.
They'll try to reverse that today without Byron Buxton for a second straight day. The center fielder, hit on the right wrist by a pitch on Friday, is getting treatment and is doing better, Rocco Baldelli said, "but we'll always err on the side of caution" with a player as valuable as Buxton.
Max Kepler moves to center in Buxton's place again, and Marwin Gonzalez will be in right. Both homered on Friday, by coincidence.
Here are the lineups for the finale of the three-game series with Kansas City:
ROYALS
Merrifield 1B
Mondesi SS
Gordon LF
Soler DH
Cuthbert 3B
Bonifacio RF
Lopez 2B
Maldonado C
Hamilton CF
Junis RHP
TWINS
Kepler CF
Polanco SS
Cruz DH
Rosario LF
Sano 3B
Gonzalez RF
Schoop 2B
Castro C
Adrianza 1B
Perez LHP