11
Brewers (72-43) vs. Twins (57-59): Can Minnesota Shock Milwaukee?
Brewers Welcome Twins for Weekend Series: Game Preview
The Big Picture
The Milwaukee Brewers just finished beating the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning 3 games to 1 in their series. Now they’re turning around to host their neighbors from across the western border — the Minnesota Twins — for a three-game weekend set.
Series Schedule: Three games, starting tonight at 6:40 PM
Meet the Opponent: Minnesota Twins
They’re Better Than Expected
Before the season started, not many people thought the Twins would be good. But here they are, still alive in the American League playoff race!
Recent Struggles
They’re coming off a disappointing series where they lost 2 of 3 games to the Kansas City Royals — a team that’s been struggling all year.
Strength: The Bats
The Twins’ lineup packs a serious punch:
- 5th most runs in the American League (just 5 behind the Chicago White Sox for the lead)
- 10th overall in MLB (the top 7 are all National League teams)
- And they’re doing this without their star player Byron Buxton, who’s on the injured list
Weakness: The Pitching
The problem has been keeping runs off the board, especially in the bullpen (relief pitchers).
- They tried to fix this at the trade deadline by adding:
- Relievers: Jeff Hoffman, AJ Minter, Tommy Nance
- Starter: Dean Kremer
Tonight’s Starting Pitchers
Minnesota: Zebby Matthews (Right-Handed)
- Just recalled from Triple-A St. Paul (the minor league team one step below the majors)
- Replacing Joe Ryan, who went on the injured list with a glute injury
- 15th start of the season for the Twins
- Previous 14 starts: 81 innings, 4-8 record, 5.22 ERA, 5.03 FIP
- Concerns: Not many walks, but home runs allowed are UP and strikeouts are DOWN — a tough combination
ELI5 Definitions:
- ERA (Earned Run Average): How many runs a pitcher gives up per 9 innings (lower is better)
- FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching): A stat that measures what a pitcher controls — strikeouts, walks, home runs (lower is better)
- Triple-A: The highest level of minor league baseball, one step below the majors
- IL (Injured List): Where players go when they’re hurt and can’t play
Milwaukee: Shane Drohan (Left-Handed)
- 13th start, 23rd appearance overall for the Brewers
- 88 innings this season: 3.48 ERA, impressive 3.03 FIP
- Superpower: Consistency
- In 6 July starts: Went at least 5⅔ innings every single time
- Allowed 3 runs or fewer in 5 of those 6 starts (one rough game vs. Colorado Rockies)
Brewers Lineup Notes
| Position | Player | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1B | Jake Bauers | Back after missing games with abdominal issues |
| LF | Jackson Chourio | |
| CF | Garrett Mitchell | |
| RF | Luis Lara | |
| C | William Contreras | |
| 2B | Brice Turang | Usual spot |
| SS | Cooper Pratt | |
| 3B | David Hamilton | Starting vs. right-handed pitchers (4th straight game) |
| DH/6th | Christian Yelich | Moved down from leadoff to 6th in the order (originally planned for 7th) |
| Bench | Joey Ortiz | On bench for 4th straight game |
Why This Matters: Getting Bauers back finally lets the Brewers move Yelich lower in the lineup — something they wanted to do earlier this week but couldn’t when Bauers was hurt.
Big News: Twins Rookie Debut!
Kaelen Culpepper is making his Major League debut tonight!
Who Is He?
- #2 prospect in Twins organization (per MLB Pipeline)
- #29 prospect in all of baseball
- 23 years old
- 1st round draft pick in 2024
- Not related to Daunte Culpepper (former NFL quarterback) — despite what Google’s AI might say!
Minor League Numbers (74 games at Triple-A St. Paul):
- .271 batting average / .367 on-base% / .478 slugging%
- 15 doubles, 14 home runs, 17 stolen bases (in 20 attempts — great success rate!)
- Solid tools across the board (scouting talk for: good at everything)
Tonight’s Role:
- Starting at shortstop
- Batting 7th (right in front of former Brewer Victor Caratini)
How to Watch
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| First Pitch | 6:40 PM |
| TV | Brewers TV |
| Radio | Brewers Radio Network |
Summary
- Brewers (hot off series win) host Twins (playoff contenders but struggling lately)
- Twins offense = strong | Twins pitching = shaky (especially bullpen)
- Tonight’s matchup: Shane Drohan (consistent, good numbers) vs. Zebby Matthews (struggling with HRs/Ks)
- Brewers lineup: Bauers back, Yelich drops to 6th, Hamilton at 3B, Pratt at SS
- Twins storyline: Top prospect Kaelen Culpepper makes MLB debut at shortstop, batting 7th
- Game time: 6:40 PM on Brewers TV/Radio
FAQ
What does "trade deadline" mean?
It’s the last day during the season when teams can trade players with each other. After this date (usually late July), no more trades allowed until the offseason.
Why does batting order position matter?
Players at the top of the order (1st, 2nd) get more at-bats over a season. Moving a good hitter like Yelich to 6th means he’ll come up less often, but might have more runners on base when he does.
What’s a "prospect"?
A young player in the minor leagues who scouts think could become a good major leaguer. Rankings (#2 in org, #29 overall) compare them to other prospects.
What’s the difference between ERA and FIP?
ERA measures actual results (runs allowed). FIP tries to measure how well the pitcher pitched by only counting things they control: strikeouts, walks, hit batters, and home runs. FIP removes luck and defense from the equation.
Why is Culpepper starting at shortstop if he just got called up?
The Twins clearly think he’s ready! His Triple-A numbers were excellent, and they need help at shortstop. Plus, playing him now lets them evaluate him for next season.
