Twins @ Rays

Who will WIN this matchup?

Minnesota Twins (37-17)

@ Tampa Bay Rays (34-19)

Starting Pitchers:

Perez (MIN): 7-1; 2.95 ERA

Morton (TB) 5-0; 2.54 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Minnesota Twins: 8-2

Tampa Bay Rays: 7-3

Current odds:

Minnesota Twins: (+128)

Tampa Bay Rays: (-138)

• The Minnesota Twins are among the biggest surprises of the early season, owning the best record in the major leagues and threatening to turn the American League Central race into a runaway before the calendar flips to June. Minnesota’s sizable division lead could take a hit as it kicks off a 10-game road trip with the first of four at the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night. The streaking Twins have won 14 of their last 16 games behind an offense that leads the majors in homers (106) and runs (324). Eddie Rosario is tied for the AL lead with 17 homers, going deep four times in six games to help give Minnesota 56 blasts in May — a franchise record for any month.

• The Rays have won five in a row, matching their longest winning streak of the season, after completing a three-game sweep of Toronto to remain one back of first-place New York in the AL East. While Tampa Bay features a pitching staff with a majors-low 2.93 ERA, its offense has averaged more than five runs over the past eight games led by a red-hot Austin Meadows at the top of the lineup.

• Perez started the year in the bullpen but he has thrived since joining the rotation, improving to 6-1 in his eight starts after permitting two runs on six hits over five innings at the Los Angeles Angels on May 23. He limited Seattle to one run over 6 2/3 innings in his previous turn, marking the fifth time he permitted one run or less and the sixth time that he worked at least six innings. Guillermo Heredia is 10-for-22 against Perez, who is winless (0-3) with a 4.91 ERA in five appearances (four starts) versus the Twins.

• Morton rebounded from his worst start at Yankee Stadium with a stellar performance at Cleveland on Saturday, notching a season-high 10 strikeouts while allowing one run and three hits over six innings to earn the victory. He lasted a season-low four innings but escaped with a no-decision versus New York despite giving up four runs and a pair of homers that matched his total from his previous 10 starts. Morton, who last faced the Twins in 2017, is 34-10 over two-plus seasons since moving to the American League.

• Twins RF Max Kepler, the reigning AL Player of the Week, has three homers and 12 RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.

• Meadows is 14-for-27 with three homers and seven RBIs during a six-game hitting streak and has multiple hits in four straight.

• Twins CF Byron Buxton is day-to-day after bruising his right knee in Tuesday’s win over Milwaukee.