The Philadelphia Phillies travel to Target Field in Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, August 16, 2026, with first pitch scheduled for 2:10 PM ET. Right-hander Andrew Painter takes the ball for Philadelphia against Minnesota's Dean Kremer in what shapes up as a pitching-centric afternoon matchup. With the regular season deep into its second half, every game carries real weight in the standings, and how Painter handles a full Twins lineup will be one of the cleaner tests of the day.

Andrew Painter Takes the Mound for Philadelphia

Painter gets the start for the Phillies. The young right-hander has been one of the most closely watched arms in the Philadelphia organization, and outings like this one — on the road, in an afternoon game, against a lineup with legitimate offensive threats — are exactly the kind of situations that define a pitcher's season. No current ERA or won-loss line is available in the data for this matchup, so the focus falls squarely on execution and stuff.

Dean Kremer starts for the Twins. Like Painter, specific ERA and record figures are not available for this preview, but Kremer is a proven major league arm capable of keeping lineups off-balance with a mix of offerings.

Minnesota Twins Starting Lineup

The Twins are sending out a lineup that has some recognizable names. Byron Buxton hits second and plays center field — when healthy, he is one of the more dynamic players in the American League. Royce Lewis slots in at first base and bats fifth. Brooks Lee is at third base, batting sixth, and represents one of Minnesota's more intriguing young position players. Trevor Larnach leads off in left field, and veteran catcher Victor Caratini bats eighth.

• Trevor Larnach, LF — Leadoff
• Byron Buxton, CF — 2nd
• Josh Bell, DH — 3rd
• Kody Clemens, 2B — 4th
• Royce Lewis, 1B — 5th
• Brooks Lee, 3B — 6th
• Luke Keaschall, RF — 7th
• Victor Caratini, C — 8th
• Kaelen Culpepper, SS — 9th

The Phillies' lineup has not been released as of this preview. Watch for how Philadelphia's offense sets up against Kremer's arsenal once the card is posted.

Keys to Watch Sunday at Target Field

Painter's Command and Pitch Mix

A road start in the second half of the season asks a lot of any pitcher. Painter's ability to establish his fastball early and keep hitters off his secondary offerings will be the primary storyline on the mound for Philadelphia.

Buxton as a Threat

Byron Buxton batting second gives Minnesota an elite speed-and-power combination near the top of the lineup. Painter and the Phillies' battery will need to be smart with how they attack him, particularly with Larnach potentially on base ahead of him.

Phillies Offense Against Kremer

Kremer is capable of pitching deep into games when his command is sharp. Philadelphia will need to work counts and find traffic in the middle innings if this game is going to break open.

Prediction

This one figures to be close through five or six innings. Painter has the talent to keep Minnesota's lineup manageable, but Target Field on a Sunday afternoon with Buxton in the lineup is not a soft assignment. Phillies find a way to scratch out a win, 4–2, behind a quality Painter outing and timely hitting in the middle of the order.

Catch the game on NBCSP locally or listen on 94 WIP.