The Minnesota Twins close out their Sunday home slate at Target Field on September 27, 2026, hosting the Texas Rangers at 3:10 PM ET. Dean Kremer takes the ball for Minnesota against Rangers left-hander MacKenzie Gore in what shapes up as a quality pitching matchup to cap the weekend. With the regular season winding toward its final days, every game in the standings carries real weight, making this afternoon contest one the Twins faithful at Target Field cannot afford to sleep on.
Starting Pitchers: Dean Kremer vs. MacKenzie Gore
Kremer gets the nod for the Twins in what is a significant assignment this late in the regular season calendar. The right-hander has been a rotation piece Minnesota has leaned on, and his ability to command the strike zone and work through lineups efficiently will be the central variable on the Minnesota side. He'll need to keep the Rangers' lineup off the bases and avoid the big inning.
Gore is a formidable opposing arm. The Texas left-hander generates swing-and-miss with his fastball-slider combination and has the stuff to give right-handed-heavy lineups fits. Minnesota's hitters will need a disciplined, patient approach to work pitch counts early and get into the Rangers' bullpen before Gore can lock down six or seven innings on his own terms.
Keys to Watch in This Matchup
- Kremer's command: Walks are the enemy in a game where the margin may be thin. Kremer keeping the ball in the zone and staying out of deep counts will dictate Minnesota's defensive efficiency behind him.
- Cracking Gore early: The Twins' best chance against Gore is doing damage in the first two times through the order before he settles into a rhythm. Patience at the plate and working deep counts is essential.
- Bullpen management: With the regular season in its final stretch, both clubs may be navigating roster decisions and workload limits. How each manager deploys relief arms in the middle and late innings could swing the outcome as much as the starters.
- Situational hitting: In a tight, low-scoring Sunday afternoon game, runners-in-scoring-position production will likely separate the winning side from the losing one. The Twins need timely hits, not just volume.
Prediction
This has the feel of a grind-it-out, low-run game where pitching and a few key at-bats do the deciding. Kremer has the home-field comfort of Target Field working in his favor, and the Twins' lineup has enough competence against left-handed pitching to scratch out the runs necessary. Minnesota takes this one in a close, well-pitched affair — call it a 3-2 Twins win that sends the Target Field crowd home happy on a Sunday afternoon.
Coverage begins at 3:10 PM ET. Catch the game on Twins.TV Presented by Progressive, or listen on WCCO 830 AM or The Wolf 102.9 FM. Spanish-language coverage is available on KFLC 1270 and LosTwins.com.
