Miranda is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Astros.

EDGE Analysis

Miranda will take a seat for the second day in a row after getting on base at a .167 clip over 18 plate appearances through his first five starts of the season. The Twins haven't indicated that Miranda is dealing with an injury, so his consecutive benchings seem to be performance-related. The 26-year-old doesn't bring much value defensively at third base, so if he's unable to pick up the pace at the plate anytime soon, Miranda could lose hold of a regular spot in the lineup. Edouard Julien will pick up another start at the keystone Thursday while super-utility man Willi Castro shifts over to third base.