Pick on the Moneyline for Twins-Orioles on July 2

Despite entering the weekend with a record below .500, the Minnesota Twins are in first place in the American League Central and will look to grow that lead on the road against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.

Minnesota Twins (-115, 8.5) vs. Baltimore Orioles

The biggest issue for the Twins this season is getting consistent hitting with the team entering Saturday 29th in the league in road batting average, but eighth in percentage of at-bats that result in a home run and face struggling starter Cole Irvin.

Irvin owns a 7.18 ERA with 1.7 home runs and 3.4 walks per nine innings allowed this season with at least three runs allowed in four of his five appearances that have lasted more than three innings.

On the other end of the starting pitching matchup, Sonny Gray has a 2.67 ERA with three runs or fewer allowed in all 16 of his starts this season, giving up just three home runs across 87 2/3 innings and 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings.

The bullpen advantage also favors the Twins with the team entering Saturday, entering ranked sixth in the league in bullpen ERA while the Orioles were 10th in this category.

An additional concern for the Orioles is how top-heady the bullpen is as Yennier Cano and Felix Bautista both owning ERAs below 1.20 and just one other reliever that has thrown at least four innings this season has an ERA below 4.00.

With Irvin having yet to exceed 5 1/3 innings in a start this season and having completed five innings in just one of his eight pitching appearances this season, the Twins will close out this series with a win on Sunday.

The Play: Twins -115