Twins vs Yankees Preview: Big July 4 Showdown

The Yankees are in trouble. They've lost seven straight games and sit at 48-38. Their bats went quiet after scoring just 5 runs yesterday against Minnesota. But here's the thing: they're still at home in Yankee Stadium where the crowd gets behind them. Brendan Beck takes the mound for New York and needs to shut down the Twins' offense early. Minnesota is hungry too, coming off a win with a 42-46 record. The Yankees' bullpen, led by closer David Bednar, holds the key to stopping this losing streak dead in its tracks.

Both teams are running on fumes without their superstars. The Yankees' Aaron Judge, a three-time MVP, won't play until August at the earliest. He's resting from a serious rib injury. Minnesota's Byron Buxton, their center fielder, is still out with a hip problem. Yesterday, Grisham went deep twice for the Yankees while Clemens connected for Minnesota. Without Judge leading the charge, New York needs other bats to wake up. Minnesota needs its everyday players healthy to compete. This game belongs to whoever fills the void left by their injured stars.

Zebby Matthews takes the bump for Minnesota, looking to stop the Yankees' scary slide. He steps into a stadium with thousands of eyes watching every pitch. New York's Brendan Beck has the same mission on the other end. Both pitchers know this game matters huge for their teams' momentum. The Twins' rotation is built on consistency and steady performances from guys like Matthews. The Yankees want their bullpen anchored by Bednar to lock down late innings. Whoever throws strikes and keeps hitters off balance wins this Fourth of July showdown.