Minnesota Twins

Twins pitchers at home away from home

Published Apr. 20, 2018 3:34 p.m. ET

The Minnesota has played only five road games this season, but thus far the Twins pitching staff hasn't minded toiling away from Target Field.

It's certainly a small sample size -- although the Twins' schedule, littered with postponements, is a small sample size in itself; Minnesota has played a league-low 13 games -- the Twins are 3-2 on the road thanks in part to a pitching staff limiting opponents from getting on base.

Minnesota pitchers are holding opposing batters to a .155 average on the road thus far, easily the best mark in the majors. Only two other teams are below .200 -- Boston (.189) and Houston (.199).

PITCHER	IP	AVG
Kyle Gibson	6	.000
Trevor Hildenberger	3.1	.000
Addison Reed	4.1	.077
Jose Berrios	9	.100
Ryan Pressly	2	.143
Zach Duke	1.2	.143
Jake Odorizzi	10.1	.184
Lance Lynn	4	.200
Taylor Rogers	1.2	.400
Gabriel Moya	1	.400
Fernando Rodney	1.2	.500

While limiting opponents to such a low batting average obviously won't be sustainable, Minnesota could continue its success in this weekend's three-game series at Tampa Bay. The Rays, which sport a 5-13 record including just 3-7 at home, are batting just .232 at Tropicana Field and have just one batter on the entire roster hitting over .270 (Mallex Smith, .373).

Other notes:

-- Brian Dozier is third in the major leagues in OPS among leadoff hitters (minimum 50 plate appearances) at .903.

-- Dozier also has a hit in each of Minnesota's 13 games, which the longest active hitting streak in the majors. The last Twins player to have a longer hitting streak from the start of the season was Josh Willingham, who had 1+ hit in each of team's first 15 games in 2012.

-- Joe Mauer leads the majors in on-base percentage (.500), is third in batting average (.364) and fifth in walks per plate appearance (4.67).

-- Jake Odorizzi will be making his first career start versus his former club. Odorizzi (1-0), who was traded by the Rays to Minnesota in February, is the first pitcher to be undefeated in his first three career starts with the Twins since Ervin Santana went 2-0 in his first four starts with the club, July 5-23, 2015.

-- Tampa Bay is tied for last in the American League in extra-base hits (38).

Statistics courtesy STATS and baseball-reference