Twins Notebook 9/25: Hanging on Against the Redlegs

[Ted Schwerzler]

With just three games to go in the 60-game sprint Minnesota finds themselves in control of their own destiny. Needing to win a single game more than the White Sox to repeat as AL Central champions, they’ll look to knock off a hot Cincinnati Reds club looking to make the Postseason on their own.Today

Twins vs Tigers 7:10 pm CDT

Betting Line: MIN -150 O/U 8.5

 

Twins Starter: Jose Berrios (5-3) RHP 3.72 ERA

 

Jose Berrios will take his final turn of the season for the Twins tonight. After a rough start to the year he’s been on cruise control of late. His last six outings have resulted in a 2.14 ERA with a 37/11 K/BB. Opponents have just a .547 OPS against him during that stretch and five of those outings have come against teams vying for Postseason spots. Interestingly, this will be Berrios’ fifth start against an NL Central team in 2020. He’s 4-0 with a 1.57 ERA and 27/7 K/BB in those contests. This serves as a tune up for game two of the Wild Card round and making sure he can keep things rolling against a playoff bound Reds team would be nice to see.

 

Reds Starter: Tyler Mahle (2-2) RHP 3.57 ERA

 

Cincinnati’s 25-year-old Mahle is having a breakout season. His 3.57 ERA is a career best, and it’s substantiated by a 3.96 FIP. He’s got an 11.1 K/9, reaching double digits for the first time in his career, and his 1.103 WHIP is well below the career norm. Although he hasn’t been overly dominant at any point this year, Mahle has been extremely consistent. He’s never allowed more than three runs in an outing, and he’s completed at least six innings in four of his eight starts. Shutting down the White Sox in his last time out, Mahle saw the Reds win for the first time when he was on the mound against an AL Central opponent.

 

Twins Lineup

 

 

Reds Lineup

 

 

Division Recaptured

Minnesota comes into tonight leading the AL Central Division by a full game. The Cleveland Indians swept the Chicago White Sox, coming from behind in the final three games, to give the Twins new life. Not holding a tiebreaker over Chicago, Rocco Baldelli’s club will need a win in hand to repeat.

 

Postseason in Flux

Minnesota could finish as high as the two seed and as low as the four seed. They’re looking at opponents such as the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Chicago White Sox.

 

Postseason Staff Taking Final Turn

Kenta Maeda threw the last game against Detroit for Minnesota, lining him up to open the Wild Card round. Rocco Baldelli confirmed that was the intention, and Jose Berrios will be penciled in for game two with Michael Pineda slotting behind him after his final outing tomorrow night.

 

Around the AL Central

Cleveland 5, Chicago 4

Kansas City 8, Detroit 7

 

MIN 35-22 +57 run differential

CWS 34-23 1.0 GB +68

CLE 33-24 2.0 GB +44

KC 24-33 11.0 GB -26

DET 22-33 12.0 GB -67

 

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[SconnieinTC]

Not that it will happen, but it's technically possible for the Twins to finish in the 7 seed. A win tonight would erase that chance, so go Twins!

[4twinsJA]

Would be nice to win tonight and tomorrow, making Sunday's game less significant. Twins can't look past the Reds, they have been playing well lately.

[Joey P]

Can we not mathematically be the top seed in AL? If Tampa loses out and we win out?

[stringer bell]

 

Would be nice to win tonight and tomorrow, making Sunday's game less significant. Twins can't look past the Reds, they have been playing well lately.

While it depends on what the White Sox do, most likely there will be at least seeding position on the line for Sunday's game and it's entirely possible that the division title will be on the line even if the Twins win both tonight and tomorrow.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Not that it will happen, but it's technically possible for the Twins to finish in the 7 seed. A win tonight would erase that chance, so go Twins!

A Cleveland loss would also erase that chance, and their game tonight starts an hour earlier so it will likely conclude before our game too. But it's against Pittsburgh, so Cleveland is expected to win, and anyway, go Twins!

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Can we not mathematically be the top seed in AL? If Tampa loses out and we win out?

It is still mathematically possible, but that is the only way. A single Tampa win, or a single loss each by Minnesota and Oakland, and Tampa clinches the #1 seed.

 

Tampa is hosting the Phillies, so it seems exceptionally unlikely that they will lose out. Tampa is 17-9 at home, and the Phillies are 9-16 on the road -- and just lost 3 of 4 to the last place (albeit reigning champs) Nationals.

[TouchEmAllGuy]

Homer Bailey DFA'd

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Homer Bailey DFA'd

Wow.

 

Edwar Colina has been added to the active roster in his place. An option for the playoff pen?