The Minnesota Twins head to American Family Field in Milwaukee for a Friday night matchup against the Brewers, with first pitch set for 7:40 PM ET on August 7. Zebby Matthews gets the ball for Minnesota against Milwaukee's Shane Drohan in what shapes up as an intriguing pitching duel between two arms still carving out their place in the big leagues. Road games in Milwaukee are never easy — American Family Field is a loud, hitter-friendly environment — and the Twins will need to execute on both sides of the ball to come away with a win.
Twins vs. Brewers Pitching Matchup: Zebby Matthews vs. Shane Drohan
Zebby Matthews gets the start for the Twins. The right-hander has been one of the more watchable young starters in Minnesota's rotation, and every outing at this stage of the season carries weight as the Twins sort out their pitching hierarchy heading into the stretch run. Matthews will be facing a Brewers lineup that is capable of making life difficult for starters who miss their spots.
On the other side, Shane Drohan draws the start for Milwaukee. Drohan is a left-hander who relies on deception and movement, and he'll be working in front of his home crowd. The Twins' lineup will need to stay disciplined against him, particularly early in the game when a starting pitcher is at his freshest.
Keys to Watch for Minnesota
- Matthews' command early: How Zebby Matthews handles the first time through the Brewers' lineup will set the tone for Minnesota's night. If he can work efficiently and limit free passes, the Twins' defense and bullpen will have something to work with.
- Plate discipline against Drohan: Left-handed pitchers who work the edges can expose aggressive hitters. The Twins need to be selective, take pitches, and work counts to get into Milwaukee's bullpen as early as possible.
- Situational hitting: Road wins often come down to cashing in on scoring opportunities. Minnesota can't afford to leave runners stranded in high-leverage spots against a Brewers team that will battle at home.
- Bullpen management: With Matthews' workload and pitch count always a consideration, the Twins' relief corps will likely be called upon. Keeping the high-leverage arms fresh and deploying them wisely is critical.
Prediction
This is the kind of mid-season road game that separates teams with genuine postseason ambitions from those just going through the motions. Matthews has shown the ability to compete against quality lineups, and if he can give Minnesota five or six solid innings, the Twins have the pieces to close it out. It won't be easy in Milwaukee, but the Twins take a close one, 4-3, on the strength of a quality start from Matthews and timely hitting in the middle innings.
Catch the game on Twins.TV Presented by Progressive or listen locally on WCCO 830 AM or The Wolf 102.9 FM.
