:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50440057/usa-today-9396826.0.jpg)
Just a few days removed from the last time they played the Minnesota Twins, the World Champion Kansas City Royals will play host to the cellar dwellers of the American League Central. This four-game tilt against the owners of the worst record in the A.L. could allow the Royals to get back into the playoff hunt as they attempt to move past the current .500 record that they sport. As the Twins and Royals just played last weekend, there isn't much to talk about this time around.
*All stats courtesy of FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference
Pitching match-ups
Game One - Thursday, 7:15 PM CDT
| Pitcher | G | IP | K | BB | ERA | FIP | xFIP | SIERA | fWAR | rWAR |
| Tyler Duffey | 20 | 108.2 | 90 | 25 | 5.71 | 4.56 | 3.84 | 4.01 | 1.0 | -0.3 |
| Dillon Gee | 24 | 86.2 | 70 | 29 | 4.78 | 5.37 | 4.75 | 4.42 | -0.4 | -0.0 |
In a rematch from Saturday, Duffey and the Twins got their one win last weekend against Gee. Bad Luck Duffey outpitched the completely pedestrian Gee en route to his third-straight win. While his peripherals suggest that he's pitched significantly better than his ERA would seem to indicate, his home-run and strand rates have both undone him. With the Royals offense heating up, they just might get revenge from this past weekend.
Game Two - Friday, 7:15 PM CDT
| Pitcher | G | IP | K | BB | ERA | FIP | xFIP | SIERA | fWAR | rWAR |
| Jose Berrios | 7 | 28.0 | 30 | 14 | 9.32 | 5.97 | 4.74 | 4.51 | -0.2 | -1.0 |
| Edinson Volquez | 25 | 147.1 | 107 | 54 | 4.95 | 4.39 | 4.44 | 4.56 | 1.4 | -0.2 |
In his first four major-league starts, Berrios had virtually nothing go right for him. Then he got sent down to AAA-Rochester, tore up the competition, and got recalled at the beginning of August. Upon being summoned back to the bigs, he strung together another three completely underwhelming starts. His prospect pedigree is still waiting for him to realize even a fraction of his potential. Until then, hopefully the Royals can feast upon his ineffectiveness.
Game Three - Saturday, 6:15 PM CDT
| Pitcher | G | IP | K | BB | ERA | FIP | xFIP | SIERA | fWAR | rWAR |
| Hector Santiago (L) | 25 | 135.0 | 117 | 60 | 4.80 | 5.17 | 5.14 | 4.78 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Ian Kennedy | 24 | 140.1 | 139 | 46 | 3.78 | 4.95 | 4.53 | 4.07 | 0.7 | 2.3 |
In his three starts for the Twins, the former Angel and Pale Hoe has been brutal. While he was serviceable in Anaheim, Santiago has yet to make it out of the sixth, and he's yielded at least four earned runs in all three of his starts, including seven in four innings on Sunday against the Royals.
Game Four - Sunday, 1:15 PM CDT
| Pitcher | G | IP | K | BB | ERA | FIP | xFIP | SIERA | fWAR | rWAR |
| Ervin Santana | 22 | 133.2 | 99 | 33 | 3.43 | 3.79 | 4.33 | 4.40 | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| Danny Duffy | 34 | 132.0 | 143 | 27 | 2.73 | 3.23 | 3.69 | 3.29 | 3.0 | 3.9 |
By any measure, Santana would be the Royals' second-best pitcher this season. Sadly, he's not a Royal.
The Batsmen
| Name | Pos | PA | HR | R | RBI | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ | fWAR | rWAR |
| Brian Dozier | 2B | 506 | 26 | 72 | 72 | 8 | .267 | .341 | .527 | .364 | 128 | 3.7 | 4.1 |
| Joe Mauer (L) | 1B | 482 | 10 | 62 | 44 | 2 | .284 | .384 | .417 | .346 | 116 | 1.7 | 2.7 |
| Max Kepler (L) | RF | 299 | 15 | 42 | 53 | 4 | .259 | .342 | .502 | .354 | 122 | 1.7 | 2.7 |
| Miguel Sano | DH | 363 | 20 | 44 | 50 | 1 | .250 | .342 | .491 | .354 | 122 | 1.6 | 0.7 |
| Trevor Plouffe | 3B | 259 | 7 | 25 | 32 | 1 | .259 | .295 | .399 | .298 | 83 | -0.1 | -0.3 |
| Eddie Rosario (L) | CF | 263 | 8 | 39 | 28 | 5 | .269 | .295 | .438 | .309 | 90 | 0.9 | 0.5 |
| Jorge Polanco (S) | SS | 106 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 3 | .320 | .356 | .454 | .347 | 117 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Kurt Suzuki | C | 294 | 6 | 30 | 38 | 0 | .281 | .321 | .431 | .323 | 100 | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| Danny Santana (S) | LF | 226 | 2 | 29 | 14 | 12 | .256 | .298 | .351 | .283 | 73 | -0.2 | -0.7 |
| Bench | Pos | PA | HR | R | RBI | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ | fWAR | rWAR |
| Juan Centeno (L) | C | 135 | 2 | 13 | 19 | 0 | .272 | .321 | .400 | .313 | 93 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Robbie Grossman (S) | OF | 288 | 8 | 39 | 28 | 1 | .266 | .385 | .432 | .359 | 125 | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| Eduardo Escobar (S) | IF | 266 | 5 | 24 | 31 | 1 | .259 | .283 | .380 | .284 | 73 | 0.0 | -0.3 |
| Kennys Vargas (S) | 1B | 103 | 6 | 19 | 13 | 0 | .259 | .379 | .576 | .397 | 151 | 0.8 | 1.0 |
Stats through Tuesday, August 16
This offensive unit is the same one that put up 12 runs over the past weekend with Ventura, Volquez, and Gee getting their starts. They've got some pop, and Brian Dozier is red hot. The Twins offense is capable of doing some damage, but so is their defense, and that damage is of the self-inflicted variety. As a unit, the Twins defense has been prone to mental lapses that have cost them dearly, particularly against the Royals.
Editor's Note: New players win cash in their first daily fantasy league or get their entry fee refunded! Offered in SB Nation's partnership with FanDuel, your hub for daily fantasy baseball and more.