Twins-Pirates series preview: Pitching probables, radio-TV information, injury report

THREE-GAME SERIES AT TARGET FIELD

All games on Twins.TV, 830-AM and 102.9-FM

Friday, 7:10 p.m.: RHP Paul Skenes (4-7, 1.94 ERA) vs. RHP Joe Ryan (8-4, 2.76)

Saturday, 1:10 p.m.: RHP Mike Burrows (1-2, 3.63 ERA) vs. TBD

Sunday, 1:10 p.m.: RHP Mitch Keller (3-10, 3.58 ERA) vs. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 4.08)

PITTSBURGH UPDATE

The Pirates (38-56) conclude a nine-game, 11-day road trip with their first visit to Target Field since August 2023. The Pirates, in last place in the NL Central, are 0-6 on the trip after a 4-3 loss at Kansas City on Wednesday. The Pirates began the road trip by being swept — and shut out in each game — in a three-game series at Seattle before losing the first two games to the Royals 9-3 and 4-3. The Pirates have played 38 one-run games — the most in MLB — and are 7-20 against AL teams. ... The Pirates are 5-7 all-time at Target Field. The Twins won two of three in that 2023 series. ... OF Oneil Cruz, who will participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday in Atlanta, is one of eight players in MLB history with at least 16 home runs and 28 stolen bases prior to the All-Star break. ... OF Tommy Pham is 20-for-45 with three home runs and 15 RBI in 16 games since June 22. ... Skenes, in his second MLB season, will be facing the Twins for the first time. Last year’s NL Rookie of the Year leads the major leagues in ERA, but Pittsburgh is only 9-10 when he starts.

TWINS UPDATE

The Twins (45-48) end their nine-game homestand before the All-Star break after having won two of three from both the Rays and the Cubs. The Twins won the first two games against NL Central-leading Chicago before the Cubs won 8-1 Thursday. The Twins are 26-19 at Target Field this season, including six victories in their past eight home games. ... The Twins, who are in a stretch of 15 consecutive interleague games, are 11-16 against NL teams this season. They lost two of three at Pittsburgh last year. ... Joe Ryan starts opposite Skenes in a matchup of All-Star righthanders. Ryan lost his only career start against the Pirates last year, when he gave up two runs in seven innings but was outpitched by Keller in a 3-0 loss. ... 3B Royce Lewis is hitting .367 (18-for-49) in his past 15 games. He has hit safely in seven of his past eight games. ... RHP Bailey Ober (left hip impingement), RHP Zebby Matthews (right shoulder strain), RHP Pablo López (right teres major strain) and 2B Luke Keaschall (right forearm fracture) are out. Matthews, sidelined since June 4, is nearing a rehab assignment after facing live hitting over two simulated innings on Tuesday.