The written preview lands about a day and a half before the game, once the lineups, the injuries and the market have settled. Until then the boards below carry the matchup: recent form, how the two sides compare, and where each of them sits.
The full preview, matchup keys, probable starters and the storylines to watch, posts closer to game time, once lineups are set.
Where each side sits in its own division, with both clubs marked. These two are in different ones, so the tables are separate and the records are not directly comparable.
Chicago White Sox75-70.517L2
Cleveland Guardians74-73.503L1
Minnesota Twins69-77.473L1
Detroit Tigers67-79.459W1
Kansas City Royals65-82.442W1
Milwaukee Brewers91-56.619W3
Chicago Cubs81-66.551L4
Pittsburgh Pirates73-73.500W3
St. Louis Cardinals72-75.490L3
Cincinnati Reds69-77.473L3Taken from each club's most recent lineup. The official cards post 2 to 3 hours before first pitch, so a name here can still be scratched, and the batting order is the likelier thing to move than the nine men in it.
Minnesota Twins
Luke Keaschall#15RHB.274Right field
Brooks Lee#22SHBThird base
Kody Clemens#2LHBSecond base
Josh Bell#56SHBDesignated hitter
Kaelen Culpepper#12RHB.284ShortstopCincinnati Reds
Carlos Jorge#38LHBCenter field
Matt McLain#9RHBShortstop
Jose Trevino#35RHBPitcher
Tyler Stephenson#37RHBFirst base
Héctor Rodríguez#43LHB.255hotRight field
