The Minnesota Twins wrap up their midweek home slate on Wednesday, August 19, when they welcome the Atlanta Braves to Target Field for a 1:40 PM ET first pitch. Taj Bradley gets the ball for Minnesota, squaring off against Atlanta's AJ Smith-Shawver in what shapes up as a compelling pitching matchup between two young arms. With the regular season grinding toward its final weeks, every home win at Target Field carries real weight in the standings race.
Pitching Matchup: Taj Bradley vs. AJ Smith-Shawver
Bradley has been one of the more intriguing arms in the Twins rotation this season. The right-hander brings power stuff to the mound and has shown the ability to miss bats when he's working at his best. How he manages the Atlanta lineup — one of the more dangerous offensive groups in the National League — will be the central storyline of this game.
Smith-Shawver is a young pitcher the Braves have been developing, and he's capable of keeping lineups off-balance when his command is sharp. The Twins will need to make him work deep into counts and look for opportunities to exploit any early-inning inconsistency. Minnesota's lineup has the potential to string together big innings when opposing starters lose the strike zone.
Keys to Watch in Twins vs. Braves
- Bradley's command early: If Bradley can get ahead in counts and keep Atlanta's hitters from working deep into at-bats, the Twins' defense and bullpen will be in a much better position to hold serve at home.
- Twins lineup vs. a young starter: Smith-Shawver has upside, but Minnesota's offense should look to be aggressive early and force the Atlanta bullpen into action. Working pitch counts and staying patient will be critical.
- Bullpen management: A 1:40 PM afternoon start can sometimes produce short outings. Both managers will need to be sharp about when to pull their starters and how to deploy their relief options in the middle innings.
- Home field advantage: Target Field has been a genuine asset for Minnesota this season. The crowd for a Wednesday afternoon game may be smaller, but the Twins have shown they can take care of business on their home turf regardless of the circumstances.
Prediction: Twins 4, Braves 2
Bradley has the stuff to keep Atlanta in check through five or six innings, and Minnesota's offense should be able to do enough against a young starter finding his footing at the big-league level. Target Field gives the Twins the edge in a close one. Expect a competitive, low-scoring game that stays tight until the middle innings — and then watch the Twins find a way to pull away late. Minnesota takes this one.
Catch the game on Twins.TV Presented by Progressive or listen locally on WCCO 830 AM or The Wolf 102.9 FM.
