Surging Phillips questionable as Reds take on Minnesota

A shaky bullpen has contributed to a recent rough stretch for the Minnesota Twins. For the Cincinnati Reds, the lack of offense was the culprit in a lost week in New York.

The two teams set out to regroup starting Monday night in Cincinnati in this three-game interleague series.

Minnesota (40-35) is still in second in the AL Central, 5 1/2 games behind Kansas City, but has dropped three games in the standings since June 20 as its relievers have been inconsistent. They have a 6.15 ERA in that span, made higher after Blaine Boyer and Casey Fien allowed all five runs in their 5-3 defeat at Milwaukee on Sunday for their fifth loss in eight games.

For Fien, who served up two homers and allowed four runs in the eighth without retiring a batter, the five runs he's yielded in his last three outings matched his total from his first 18 appearances.

"There's strikes and then there's quality strikes and I didn't throw enough quality strikes," Fien said. "The strikes I did throw, they hit."

Mike Pelfrey (5-4, 3.06 ERA) is winless in three starts but has pitched better in his last two after getting roughed up for eight runs and 11 hits in 3 2-3 innings of an 11-7 loss at Texas on June 13. He took the loss Tuesday versus the Chicago White Sox, who reached him for three runs and 10 hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 6-2 defeat.

While Pelfrey is 2-4 in his last eight starts, he has been backed with only 14 runs in those games and never received more than three in any contest over that span. The right-hander is facing Cincinnati for the first time since 2011 after going 4-2 in seven starts while with the New York Mets.

Manager Paul Molitor said he will likely rest outfielder Torii Hunter for one game in this series, but it likely won't be this one after he hit three homers in the previous two games. Though it's the first time Hunter will play at Cincinnati and face the Reds for the first time since 2001, he is 9 for 22 with a homer, five doubles and a triple in six lifetime games.

Cincinnati (34-40) was held to four runs in three losses to the Mets, going a combined 1 for 19 with runners in scoring position. After their defense contributed to a 2-1, 13-inning loss in the completion of Saturday's suspended game Sunday, the Reds let Stephen Matz have arguably the best start to a major league career of any player as the pitcher limited them to two runs in 7 2-3 innings and went 3 for 4 with four RBIs in Sunday's 7-2 defeat.

Brandon Phillips was one of the few offensive bright spots over the weekend, hitting safely in all three games, and is 9 for 29 with two homers, a triple and a double in a six-game hitting streak. He's also 7 for 19 with a homer against Pelfrey but is questionable after injuring both his hands Sunday.

"He had a problem with the left hand on a swing," manager Bryan Price explained to MLB's official website. "But then on his right hand when he went back in to try and tag Granderson at second, he got his hand jammed on that play.

"Right now both hands are probably on ice."

Mike Leake (5-4, 3.91) will try to win his third consecutive start and fourth straight decision for the Reds. He limited Pittsburgh to two runs in seven innings of a 5-2 victory Wednesday and is trying to wrap up a solid June during which he's gone 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA in five starts.