Tuesday’s game between the Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park features two under-the-radar clubs trying to build momentum as they near the midpoint of the 2025 season. The Twins, at 40-44, remain within striking distance in the American League Central, a division that has been surprisingly competitive despite inconsistency across the board. They’ll send Joe Ryan to the mound, who has been their most reliable starter this season, entering the game with an impressive 8-3 record, 2.86 ERA, and 104 strikeouts over 91.1 innings, routinely giving Minnesota a chance to win every fifth day. His mix of control and deception has helped neutralize both right-handed and left-handed batters, and he’ll face a Miami offense that has found its rhythm during a hot stretch. The Marlins, though still under .500 at 37-45, come in on a seven-game winning streak and have won a franchise-record nine consecutive road games, a run fueled by solid starting pitching, defensive improvement, and timely hitting. Offensively, Kyle Stowers (.279 AVG, .498 SLG), Otto Lopez (.260 AVG, .331 OBP), and Agustin Ramirez (.485 SLG) have stepped up, offering a mix of gap power, contact hitting, and on-base presence to a team that struggled to produce early in the year. Ronny Henriquez and Lake Bachar have become dependable arms in the Miami bullpen and rotation, both sporting sub-3.40 ERAs and holding opponents in check during key stretches.

However, Miami will need to replicate that success at home after dominating away from loanDepot Park during their recent surge. On the Minnesota side, Byron Buxton continues to be their spark plug, slashing .281 with a .566 slugging percentage, and Trevor Larnach (.257) and Ty France (.263) provide competent support in the lineup, though run production has been sporadic without Royce Lewis and with Carlos Correa providing only steady, not elite, numbers. The Twins have gone 4-1 ATS in their last five, showing some promise against the spread, and they’ll be favored heading into this one with the more dominant starting pitcher on the mound. However, the Marlins have been even better against the spread recently, posting a 7-3 ATS record over their last 10 and outperforming expectations thanks to better bullpen usage, improved plate discipline, and a resurgence in offensive confidence. The key battlegrounds in this game will be Ryan versus Miami’s contact-heavy lineup and how well the Minnesota bullpen can contain Miami in the later innings. If Ryan dominates early and Minnesota jumps on Miami’s starter quickly, the Twins should be able to control the pace. But if the Marlins continue their run of excellent situational play and get another strong outing from Henriquez or Bachar, the hot streak could continue. Both teams have plenty to prove, and though playoff implications may not be on the line just yet, this matchup could shape the trajectory of July for two clubs still trying to find their best version of themselves. Expect a low-scoring, tactical game where execution and bullpen stability could decide the final outcome.