It’s overcast and warm -- but a bit cooler than the last two nights -- as the Minnesota Twins prepare for the rubber game of a three-game weekend set with the Detroit Tigers. It’ll be a pair of lefties doing battle in this one, as Adalberto Mejia (4.22 ERA/5.07 FIP in 70.1 innings) will toe the rubber for the Twins against Matt Boyd (5.58 ERA/4.60 FIP in 61.1 innings) of the Tigers.

More on that in a bit.

It’s Armed Forces Appreciation Day at Target Field, and in addition to some pregame stuff, there’ll be a helicopter fly over just before first pitch.

Here’s how the Twins will line up in the finale:

Here's how the Tigers will counter:

Mejia doesn’t exactly have the sexiest stats — 7.4 strikeouts per nine, 4.1 walks per nine and a WHIP of 1.44 — but he’s been markedly better since the middle of June. Over his last six starts, Mejia has an ERA of 2.62, a K/BB rate of 25-13 (34.1 innings) and a slash line against of .235/.313/.386. Efficiency has been an issue all season long, but manager Paul Molitor sees Mejia as a work in progress who gives the team a chance to win far more often than not.

“I think we’ve seen the development of a young pitcher,” Molitor said. “Obviously there are ways you continue to get better, but I think compared to earlier in the year…I think you can make a bit of a Gibson comparison to where he’d get tentative and pitch from behind. It didn’t work out particularly well. I think he’s more confident with his stuff in the zone, which leads to quicker outs. His pitch counts have been staying down a bit more consistently.”

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