Minnesota at Cincinnati 7:10 ET
Twins over Reds- Right-hander Kenta Maeda (5-7, 4.50 ERA) will start on Tuesday for Minnesota (79-72), which has a magic number of five to clinch the American League Central. Maeda is coming off one of his best starts of the season. On Thursday, he gave the host Chicago White Sox just two runs on four hits and one walk over seven innings. He fanned eight in Minnesota's 10-2 victory. The Twins are 9-10 in games Maeda has pitched in this season. Maeda is 2-1 with a 4.62 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Reds. Cincinnati, which has been piecing together a rotation for most of the season due to injuries and lately COVID-19, will go with right-hander Fernando Cruz (1-1, 4.05 ERA) as an opener. The rookie has never faced the Twins. Right-hander Ben Lively (4-7, 5.22 ERA) is expected to pitch as well. Lively has made 12 starts this season, but he has logged just one relief appearance since returning from the COVID injured list last week. the Reds (79-73) back into a tie with the Chicago Cubs (78-72) for the National League's third and final wild-card berth, one half-game ahead of the Miami Marlins (78-73). Take MINNESOTA!