A fifth straight loss Wednesday night has the Twins just two games over .500 (62-60) and four games behind the red-hot Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central. With 40 games to go, the Twins’ odds of advancing to the playoffs has crumbled to 22.6%.
According to FanGraphs, Minnesota has a 14.9% chance to win the division and just a 7.7% chance to grab one of the three wild card spots. Entering play Thursday, the Twins are in a fight with the Rays, Mariners, Blue Jays, Orioles and White Sox for the three wild cards.
But while the Twins don’t play the Rays, Jays, Mariners or Orioles again this season, they do play the Guardians and White Sox a combined 17 times before the end of September. The key is obvious: Beat the Guardians and White Sox.
But just as important is not falling further behind when they’re not playing their division rivals. The Twins play the Astros one more time Thursday night and then return to Minneapolis for a six-game homestand against the Giants and Red Sox.
It’ll be imperative for the Twins to dominate those home games, especially considering Cleveland has to head to Seattle for four against the Mariners. It’s far and away the best opportunity the Twins have to climb a little close to Cleveland.
Remember, the Twins went all-in at the trade deadline by acquiring Jorge Lopez and Michael Fulmer to bolster the bullpen, and they got Tyler Mahle to upgrade the starting rotation. Mahle, and perhaps Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach and others will return from injuries in early September.
But Minnesota cannot wait for them to put the pedal to the metal.
