The Minnesota Twins wrap up their series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, August 9, with first pitch set for 2:10 PM ET at American Family Field in Milwaukee. Left-hander Connor Prielipp draws the start for Minnesota against Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski. This is an interleague matchup between two clubs fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, and how both young starters handle the assignment will go a long way toward determining how this one plays out.
Probable Pitchers: Connor Prielipp vs. Jacob Misiorowski
Prielipp is the headliner for Twins fans to watch on Sunday. The left-handed prospect has been one of the more closely followed arms in the Minnesota organization, and every start at the big-league level carries weight as the Twins gauge what they have in him going forward. His command and ability to keep the ball in the yard against a Milwaukee lineup that can punish mistakes will be the central question of the afternoon.
On the other side, Misiorowski is a name Brewers fans have circled for a while now. The hard-throwing right-hander brings the kind of stuff that can make a lineup look silly when he is on. Minnesota's hitters will need to stay disciplined and work counts rather than expanding the zone early in at-bats.
Keys to Watch for the Minnesota Twins
- Prielipp's command: If he can locate his fastball and keep his secondary pitches sharp, the Twins have a real shot at shutting down a dangerous Milwaukee offense. Walks and falling behind in counts would be the quickest path to a short outing.
- Plate discipline against Misiorowski: The Brewers' starter has the kind of velocity that punishes free swingers. Minnesota will need to grind at-bats and force him deeper into counts to expose any inconsistency.
- Bullpen depth: Depending on how deep Prielipp goes, the Twins bullpen could be asked to cover a significant portion of innings. Managing that workload wisely matters, especially with more games on the schedule ahead.
- Run support: Young starters are easier to evaluate when they receive some offensive cushion. The Twins lineup needs to put runs on the board early and take pressure off Prielipp.
Prediction
This one has the feel of a competitive, lower-scoring Sunday afternoon game. Both Prielipp and Misiorowski are the type of arms that can generate momentum-shifting strikeouts, and neither offense is likely to light up the scoreboard in bunches if the starters are executing. The edge goes to Minnesota if Prielipp is sharp and the Twins hitters manage to scratch across a couple of runs in the middle innings. Expect a close game decided by three runs or fewer, with the Twins holding on for a series-ending win on the road.
Catch the game on Twins.TV Presented by Progressive or listen on WCCO 830 AM and The Wolf 102.9 FM in the Twin Cities.
