Minnesota takes 4-game skid into matchup with Kansas City

Minnesota Twins (22-35, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Kansas City Royals (29-26, third in the AL Central)

Kansas City, Missouri; Saturday, 4:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Twins: Jose Berrios (5-2, 3.36 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 69 strikeouts) Royals: Mike Minor (4-2, 4.65 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 68 strikeouts)

LINE: Royals +102, Twins -119; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota enters the game as losers of their last four games.

The Royals are 15-18 against teams from the AL Central. The Kansas City offense has compiled a .244 batting average as a team this season, good for seventh in the MLB. Andrew Benintendi leads the team with an average of .296.

The Twins are 10-15 in division play. Minnesota has hit 80 home runs this season, fourth in the American League. Miguel Sano leads the team with 10, averaging one every 14 at-bats.

The Royals won the last meeting 14-5. Brad Keller earned his sixth victory and Whit Merrifield went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for Kansas City. Matt Shoemaker registered his seventh loss for Minnesota.

TOP PERFORMERS: Salvador Perez leads the Royals with 14 home runs and has 40 RBIs.

Sano leads the Twins with 10 home runs and is batting .157.

LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 7-3, .278 batting average, 3.67 ERA, outscored opponents by 21 runs

Twins: 4-6, .236 batting average, 5.69 ERA, outscored by 18 runs

INJURIES: Royals: Daniel Tillo: (undisclosed), Josh Staumont: (knee), Jesse Hahn: (shoulder), Danny Duffy: (forearm), Adalberto Mondesi: (hamstring).

Twins: Caleb Thielbar: (groin), Devin Smeltzer: (elbow), Kenta Maeda: (groin), Edwar Colina: (right elbow), Rob Refsnyder: (concussion), Max Kepler: (hamstring), Jake Cave: (back), Byron Buxton: (hip), Luis Arraez: (shoulder), Mitch Garver: (groin).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.