Braves @ Twins

Who will WIN this matchup?

Atlanta Braves (66-47)

@ Minnesota Twins (69-42)

Starting Pitchers:

Soroka (ATL): 10-2; 2.37 ERA

Odorizzi (MIN) 12-5; 3.73 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Atlanta Braves: 6-4

Minnesota Twins: 8-2

Current odds:

Atlanta Braves: (-105)

Minnesota Twins: (-105)

• The Minnesota Twins are slugging home runs at a record-setting pace as they continue to try and solidify their lead in the American League Central, winning eight times in their past 10 games entering Monday’s home series opener against the Atlanta Braves. The Twins have hit at least one homer in 18 of the past 19 contests going into the three-game interleague series that features two of the major league’s most productive power hitters during the past two months. Minnesota designated hitter Nelson Cruz went deep three times Saturday – his second three-homer game of the season – and boasts 30 longballs in 2019, a big-league best 19 coming since June 11. Atlanta third baseman Josh Donaldson starts the series with a seven-game hitting streak after recording a single and a homer Sunday, and has 18 blasts since June 11.

• The National League East-leading Braves open the week after a disappointing split of a four-game home series against Cincinnati, as newly-acquired closer Shane Greene gave up a three-run homer in the 10th inning of Sunday’s 6-4 defeat. Twins catcher Jason Castro hit a solo homer in the seventh inning of Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Kansas City, giving Minnesota 46 longballs in their past 18 contests and a major league-leading 217 for the season – eight off the Twins’ franchise record of 225 set in 1963.

• Soroka makes his 20th start of the season one day after turning 22 years old, and the rookie entered Sunday leading the majors in homers allowed per nine innings (0.52). He held Washington to one run on three hits over seven innings on Wednesday, five days after allowing one run on eight hits with one walk and five strikeouts in 4 2/3 frames against Philadelphia. Soroka, who entered Sunday second in the NL in ERA, eighth in WAR for pitchers (3.8) and eighth in WHIP (1.11), has limited opponents to a .233/.291/.308 slash line in 114 innings pitched.

• Odorizzi went 10-4 with a 3.15 ERA in the first half to earn his first career All-Star appearance but has pitched to a 6.30 ERA in four starts since the break. Most of the damage to the 29-year-old’s numbers since mid-July came in an ugly outing July 24 when he gave up nine runs on 10 hits over four innings against the New York Yankees, but he rebounded nicely with 5 2/3 innings of one-run, four-hit pitching with five strikeouts Tuesday to beat Miami. Odorizzi is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in two career appearances against the Braves, both coming in 2015.

• Minnesota placed newly-acquired RHP Sam Dyson, who had allowed six runs in two appearances since coming from San Francisco, on the injured list with right biceps tendinitis.

• Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman did not start Sunday for just the second time this season, drawing a pinch-hit walk and later scoring in the ninth inning.

• The Braves finished 4-for-26 with 23 runners left on base in the final two games of the Cincinnati series.