Rays vs Twins Official MLB Pick 6/18

After missing a whopping 58 games this season due to a severe right quadriceps injury sustained in the season opener. Third baseman Royce Lewis re-emerged on June 4 and has been swinging his bat like it’s a magic wand ever since. Rays vs Twins Official MLB Pick 6/18

This talented 25-year-old will aim to keep his sizzling streak alive when the Twins kick off a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

“I love where the swing’s at right now,” Lewis said. “It’s in a great spot.” And by “great spot,” he apparently means hitting .390 in 12 games with seven homers and 11 RBIs. The guy’s been hitting home runs like they’re on clearance sale—homering in each of his past two games, three of his past four, and four of his past six. Someone should check if he’s part robot.

Not only has Lewis been on fire, but he’s also been the wind beneath Carlos Correa’s wings. Correa has been hitting a scorching .511 in his last 11 games, with four homers and 13 RBIs, all thanks to Lewis batting behind him and making pitchers sweat bullets. “Absolutely,” Correa said. “You know you’re getting a pitch to hit. He’s a guy who will go deep at some point in the game, so (the opposing pitcher) doesn’t want to have people on base when he’s hitting. So, yeah, it’s great having that protection.”

Together, this dynamic duo has propelled the Twins to five consecutive victories and wins in seven of their last eight games. They even swept the Oakland Athletics clean in a four-game series over the weekend and got to put their feet up on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Rays also enjoyed a day off on Monday. They had a rough start against the Atlanta Braves, losing the first two games, but managed to pull off an 8-6 win to wrap up the series. Jose Siri, Tampa’s own superhero, hit the go-ahead homer on Sunday, making his manager, Kevin Cash, beam with pride.

Starting Pitchers

For Tuesday’s showdown, the Rays are sending right-hander Aaron Civale to the mound. Civale, sporting a 2-5 record and a 5.20 ERA, is desperately searching for his first win since April 9. In his last start, he managed to hold the Chicago Cubs to one run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Civale has faced the Twins nine times, with a record of 1-4 and a 3.78 ERA. Let’s hope he’s got his lucky socks on.

Minnesota will counter with right-hander Pablo Lopez, who’s 6-6 with a 5.33 ERA. Lopez is looking to string together back-to-back wins after taming the Colorado Rockies in his last outing, allowing just two runs in five innings. In six career starts against Tampa Bay, Lopez is 1-3 with a 3.25 ERA. He’ll be hoping to channel his inner wizard for this matchup.

This series marks the first time this season the Twins and Rays will clash. Last year, Tampa Bay had Minnesota’s number, winning five out of six games and outscoring them 27-14. Let’s see if the Twins can flip the script this time around or if the Rays will continue to rain on their parade.