The Minnesota Twins will be without a pair of their most vital two-way players to kick off a weekend series with the Cubs on Friday, as catcher Joe Mauer and outfielder Denard Span have each been held out of the lineup.
Mauer is still nursing a thumb injury and will miss his fourth consecutive game. Span, who sat out Thursday's win due to a hitting cold streak, remains on an 0-for-14 skid from the plate and was given yet another day off by manager Ron Gardenhire. With Ben Revere assuming Span's spot in center, reserve Darin Mastroianni will bat eighth and play right field. Mastroianni is hitting just .152 over 14 games with the Twins, but has recorded hits in each of his last two games (both starts).
Here are Friday's starting lineups:
Twins
1. Ben Revere- CF
2. Jamey Carroll - 2B
3. Josh Willingham - LF
4. Justin Morneau - DH
5. Ryan Doumit - C
6. Chris Parmelee - 1B
7. Trevor Plouffe - 3B
8. Brian Dozier - SS
9. Darin Mastroianni - RF
P.J. Walters - SP
Cubs
1. Reed Johnson - LF
2. Starlin Castro - SS
3. David DeJesus - RF
4. Alfonso Soriano - DH
5. Bryan LaHair - 1B
6. Joe Mather - CF
7. Steve Clevenger - C
8. Darwin Barney - 2B
9. Ian Stewart - 3B
Travis Wood - SP
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