Luis Arraez did not play in the series opener against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night but the Minnesota Twins second baseman expanded his lead in the American League batting race after a 3-2 loss at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Arraez entered the night with an average of .315, which was four points ahead of New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge. After Judge went 1-for-4 in a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers, his average dropped to .310, giving Arraez a five-point lead.
Judge will play a doubleheader against the Rangers on Tuesday, giving him three games to make up ground, but Arraez has just two games remaining as he looks to claim his first career batting title.
With Arraez out of the lineup, the Twins got off to a fast start in Chicago with Gio Urshela’s two-run homer off Johnny Cueto in the first inning.
GIO!!!! #MNTwins grab a 2-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/Fm48rp2WGB
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) October 4, 2022
Despite the 2-0 lead, the Twins couldn’t hang on as Josh Harrison hit a two-run homer against Bailey Ober in the bottom of the second inning. With the game tied at 2-2, Carlos Perez delivered the go-ahead RBI, driving in A.J. Pollack and giving the White Sox the victory and second place in the American League Central.
The Twins will look to even the series on Tuesday night when Josh Winder battles Lucas Giolito.
