Twins-Rays 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, 3:10 p.m.: RHP Zack Littell (7-7, 3.61 ERA) vs. RHP Chris Paddack (3-7, 4.70)

Saturday, 1:10 p.m.: RHP Taj Bradley (5-6, 4.84 ERA) vs. TBA

Sunday, 1:10 p.m.: RHP Drew Rasmussen (7-5, 2.78 ERA) vs. RHP Joe Ryan (8-4, 2.75)

TAMPA BAY UPDATE

The Rays (48-39), whose $79.2 million payroll is the third-lowest in MLB (only the Athletics and Miami are lower), are 27-13 since May 20. The Rays, who were idle on Thursday after closing a three-game homestand with a 6-5 victory over the Athletics on Wednesday, are starting a 10-game road trip which will take them up to the All-Star break. Wednesday’s victory ended a three-game losing streak.

2B Brandon Lowe has a career-high 18-game hitting streak — the longest current streak in MLB. He is hitting .380 (27-for-71) during the streak. ... 3B Junior Caminero is third in the AL with 21 home runs and 1B Jonathan Aranda is third in the AL with a .320 batting average. ... SS José Caballero (30) is first and rookie OF Chandler Simpson (23) is tied for second in stolen bases in the AL. Caballero stole 44 bases in 139 games last season. Simpson has appeared in 44 games.

The Rays are an MLB-best 25-16 against teams with a .500 or better record and 23-23 against teams with a sub-.500 record (26th in MLB). They are 7-5 against American League Central teams and are 20-14 in road games this season.

LHP Shane McClanahan (left triceps nerve irritation), RHP Manuel Rodriguez (right forearm strain), RHP Hunter Bigge (right lat strain, facial fractures) and OF/INF Richie Palacios (right knee sprain) are out. SS Ha-Seong Kim (right shoulder surgery) was activated for the series.

TWINS UPDATE

The Twins (41-46) open a nine-game homestand after going 2-4 on a six-game road trip, which concluded with a 4-1 loss to the Marlins in Miami. ... They have won just six of their past 22 games. ... The Twins lost two of three to the Rays May 26-28 in Tampa.

IF Royce Lewis, who was activated from the 10-day injured list on July 1, went 2-for-7 in the three-game series in Miami. He has hit safely in six of the past seven games. ... Manager Rocco Baldelli is two victories away from 500 victories as the Twins’ manager. He is fourth on the Twins’ managerial victories list — behind Sam Mele (522), Ron Gardenhire (1,068) and Tom Kelly (1,140).

RHP Bailey Ober (left hip impingement) was placed on the 15-day injured list July 2 (retroactive to June 29) and is expected to be sidelined until late July. ... RHP Zebby Matthews (right shoulder strain), RHP Pablo López (right teres major strain) and 2B Luke Keaschall (right forearm fracture) are out. ... After the Tampa Bay series, the Twins open a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs on July 8.