With the pennant contenders gone, the Twins will take on a different look for the next three days. Joe Mauer and Brian Dozier are out of the lineup tonight, Kurt Suzuki will get Tuesday off, and it's pretty likely that Trevor Plouffe and Oswaldo Arcia are due for a breather, too.
Mauer, after all, has been in the starting lineup for every game but one since he returned from a quad injury on Aug. 11, and Dozier has sat out just twice since July 1. Manager Ron Gardenhire said he felt an obligation to play his regulars every day when the games could affect the pennant races. But with Arizona, a last-place team that has five more losses than the Twins' 89, making its first visit to Target Field, the way is clear for some of the rookies and reserves to play a little more. I'm sure the regulars will all be back in the lineup for the season-ending four-game series in Detroit.
That's why Chris Herrmann is batting second tonight despite his .193 batting average, and why Plouffe has moved up to third. Chris Parmelee will man first base, and Doug Bernier gets just his second big-league start of the season, and his first one at second base.
Figure on the bullpen usage to be shuffled a bit, too, although Gardenhire said Jared Burton will remain the Twins' closer if there is a save situation.
It's a beautiful night at Target Field, but with such an unappetizing matchup between last-place teams, it will be interesting to see how many fans show up for tonight's matchup between Ricky Nolasco and Josh Collmenter.
Here are tonight's lineups:
DIAMONDBACKS
Inciarte LF
