Tigers, Twins Focus on Turning the Page

Detroit and Minnesota look to bounce back from early-season struggles

Apr. 6, 2026 at 12:22pm

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The Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins will open a four-game series on Monday night in Minneapolis, both teams seeking to turn the page on their early-season woes. The Tigers are 2-4 on the road so far, while the Twins have struggled to produce runs, scoring just one run in four of their first nine games. Twins right-hander Joe Ryan will make his third start of the season, looking for his first win, while the Tigers will counter with right-hander Casey Mize, who is coming off an impressive season debut.

Why it matters

This series presents an opportunity for both teams to gain some momentum and get their seasons back on track. The Tigers and Twins were division rivals last year, with Detroit winning the season series 8-5, so this matchup carries added significance as they look to establish themselves in the AL Central.

The details

The Tigers are coming off a prime-time loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, but they'll have a chance to quickly put that behind them as they head to Minnesota. The Twins, meanwhile, are struggling to generate offense, scoring just one run in four of their first nine games. Twins manager Derek Shelton acknowledged his team's struggles at the plate, saying they're 'in a little bit of a funk' and need to 'figure it out.' The pitching matchup features two right-handers looking to build on their early-season performances, with Ryan seeking his first win and Mize looking to build on a strong debut.

  • The Tigers and Twins will open their four-game series on Monday night in Minneapolis.
  • The forecast for Monday's game calls for cold temperatures in the 30s.

The players

Derek Shelton

The manager of the Minnesota Twins, who is aware of his team's early-season offensive struggles and is looking for them to find their rhythm.

Joe Ryan

The Twins' right-handed starting pitcher, who is making his third start of the season and seeking his first win after matching a career high with 13 victories last year.

Casey Mize

The Tigers' right-handed starting pitcher, who is coming off an impressive season debut in which he limited the Arizona Diamondbacks to one run on four hits in six innings.

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What they’re saying

“We're a little in between right now, and I think that's showing. I think that's why we're not getting a lot of hard contact. … We need to make some hard contact.”

— Derek Shelton, Twins Manager

“On a personal level, it was a pretty good start. It's just unfortunate we didn't win the game.”

— Casey Mize

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This series between the Tigers and Twins presents an opportunity for both teams to turn the page on their early-season struggles and gain some much-needed momentum in the AL Central. With the pitching matchup featuring two right-handers looking to build on their recent performances, the outcome of this series could have significant implications for the divisional race.