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Posted at 11:15 AM EST.

9:07 PM EST. Expectations were understandably high in Minnesota after the Twinkies made it to the playoff last season, but at 16-18, 2018 has been a disappointment. One bright spot has been Kyle Gibson (RHP) who has not been able to pick up very many victories despite some quality starts along the way. Gibson is winless in his last three starts even though he has a very nice 2.55 ERA that is supported by a strikeout to walk ratio of 24:7 over 17.2 innings. Gibson punched out 10 Yankees on April 26th and has continued his strong effort in starts against the Blue Jays and White Sox. Gibson has long been one of the most frustrating starters in the game because he has an abundance of good skills and he throws and but has not been able to put it all together until this season. The goods underneath Gibson's hood support his strong play so far in 2018, as his strikeout rate is way up over last season. Gibson is throwing more fastballs, while also mixing in extra curveballs, which is a slight change from his pitch mix a year ago. What makes the Twins even more appealing as a dog is their ability to score runs should the starter falter.

Nick Tropeano (RHP) is 1-2 with a 3.42 ERA in four starts this season, but he has not toed the slab since May 1st after suffering right shoulder inflammation. Prior to his trip to the DL, Tropeano had struggled after going 0-2 with an ERA of 4.76. That inflammation should be a big concern for Tropeano and the Angels, as he is coming off an elbow ligament-replacement surgery that saw him miss all of 2017. So far this season the results have been mixed, but the numbers don't lie and Tropeano's strikeout rate is down to 7.6 K’s/9 from its peak of 9.08 in 2015. Spotting a price with a huge question mark like Tropeano, especially when he's coming off a DL-stint is a risky proposition and a bet that we cannot recommend making, however, it does provide us with an opportunity to back the undervalued Twins in a very winnable game.

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