The Twins are hoping Kyle Gibson is still in hot territory when they kick off their three-game series with Kansas City later tonight. Minnesota has been unbeaten in all of Gibson’s last three starts. Over that stretch, Gibson has allowed just three earned runs on 19 hits across 19.2 total innings.
That span of course includes the Twins’ absolute trashing of the same Royals team they’ll face tonight, with Gibson tossing six scoreless innings on their way to a 17-0 home victory on Sep. 2. As what the score suggests, Gibson didn’t even need to pitch like a major leaguer to defeat Kansas City and its pathetic offense. On the season, Gibson is 9-10 with a 5.33 ERA on 24 starts.
Facing Royals pitcher Sam Gaviglio could be good news for Minnesota’s long-ball threats, as Gaviglio is a gift to home-run hitters that keeps on giving. Among MLB starters this season with at least 60 innings on the mound, Gaviglio is 14th with 2.09 home runs given per nine innings.
Minnesota is 4-3 in its last seven games at Kauffman Stadium.
While Gibson has been fantastic of late, Kansas City’s Sam Gaviglio (3-5, 4.62 ERA) stands directly on the opposite end of the spectrum. The 27-year-old right has gone 0-4 with a 6.65 ERA in his past four starts.
His last start was bad, allowing five earned runs on eight hits (with two homers) in six innings of a 6-2 road loss to the Houston Astros on Jul. 18, though that was when he’s still part of the Seattle Mariners.
Acquired by the Royals earlier this month, Gaviglio will look to have a sweet start in new threads. He’s faced the Twins once this year, giving up four earned runs on five hits in 5.1 innings of a 6-4 win back in Jun. 14.
As for the offense, the Royals could get some action from the pair of Alex Gordon and Alcides Escobar. Gordon is 10-for-34 in his career against Gibson, while Escobar is 12-for-37 in the same matchup.
