At this point, winning the AL East is a pipe dream for the Yankees. Still, New York needs to keep winning in order to secure a wildcard spot. That means taking care of business tonight against a rebuilding Minnesota club. The Twins almost pulled off an improbable comeback victory on Tuesday; can they earn an upset tonight? Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Wednesday’s meeting between the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins.
New York is favored (-156) over Minnesota, with the over/under set at nine runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s contest.
Yankees vs. Twins prediction, preview
All eyes will be on Luis Gil tonight as he makes his ninth start of the season. During that time, he’s notched a 2.83 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 34 strikeouts. Last week, against Boston, the right-hander tossed six no-hit innings at Fenway Park. He’ll look to keep the good times rolling against a far worse Minnesota offense. Other than Byron Buxton, this lineup is lacking quality hitters. When Gil last faced the Twins, in June of 2024, he went six innings while allowing just one hit.
If Minnesota is going to keep things close, it’ll take a solid outing from Taj Bradley. At this point, the 24-year-old’s performance on any given night can be described as a coin flip. Over 132.2 innings pitched this season, he’s recorded a 4.88 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 114 strikeouts. The former Rays hurler has looked off since joining the Twins, as well. In four starts with his new team, Bradley has posted a 6.33 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. None of those appearances have come against elite offenses, either (CHW, SD, LAA).
Due to his tenure with Tampa Bay, the Yankees have plenty of history facing Bradley. Overall, he’s actually had a fair amount of success against the Pinstripes. Through four career meetings with New York, the young righty owns a 3.42 ERA. When he last faced the Bronx Bombers, Bradley tossed 5.1 innings of two run ball. However, he also coughed up six earned runs in this matchup one month prior. The third-year pro’s biggest issue has been his command (3.5 BB/9). That could be disastrous against a Yankees team averaging the most walks per game in all of baseball (3.88).
Yankees vs. Twins pick, best bet
Best Bet: Yankees -1.5 (+102)
The Twins have shown some fight over the past two days, nearly winning this series on Tuesday. With that being said, Bradley is one of the league’s most erratic arms. Barring sudden pinpoint accuracy, it’s difficult to envision a dominant performance tonight. On the flip side, Gil appears to be rounding into form as a frontline starter. Expect the Yankees to earn a comfortable win in this one.
