Riding a six-game winning streak and having won eight of 11 games in August, the Twins are back in the playoff discussion.
If the postseason started on Saturday Aug. 12, the Twins would meet the New York Yankees (gulps) in the winner-take-all Wild Card game.
Even though the starting pitching has been inconsistent, the team’s offense and bullpen have carried them to victories this month. The remaining schedule in August has a feast or famine look to it.
Here’s how the competition stacks up following the conclusion of this weekend’s series with the Detroit Tigers.
- Aug. 15-17: Three game against the Cleveland Indians.
- Aug. 18-20: Three games against Arizona Diamondbacks.
- Aug. 20-24: Five games in Chicago against the White Sox.
- Aug. 24-27: Three games in Toronto against the Blue Jays.
- Aug. 29-31: Three against the White Sox.
Both the Indians and Diamondbacks are over .500 and will prove to be tough opponents. Let’s assume the Twins split those six games down the middle.
If they can beat up on the lowly White Sox and Blue Jays, Minnesota could be in prime position to be significantly over .500 heading into final month of the season.
Considering the White Sox own the worst record in the American League, the Twins should be able to take at least six of eight, anything less and you could rule it as a disappointment.
Toronto is in the basement of the American League East and is no longer the juggernaut that it used to be.
If the Twins aren’t over .500 to begin September, things could get rough.
Their first 11 games are against Tampa Bay and Kansas City – who are all within a game of the Wild Card. Plus they’ll close their season series with the Yankees and Indians.
Who would have thought this year’s Twins would be talking about the postseason after their disastrous 2016 campaign?
Yet here they are in mid-August, and were still talking about the playoffs.
