5 Weeks To Go: Breaking Down the Twins' Remaining Schedule

[Nick Nelson]

Image courtesy of David Frerker-Imagn Images

We're closing in on the end of August and while the Minnesota Twins haven't clinched anything, they have pretty firmly secured one of their most openly stated priorities for the season: playing meaningful baseball in September. The Twins entered this weekend in a tie for the final Wild Card spot in the American League, and they'll spend the home stretch of the schedule battling to stay in that mix.

With one game left to go against the Padres followed by five more weeks of regular-season action, here's a quick overview of what's left for the Twins.

Remaining Twins Schedule, at a Glance

• Games Remaining: 32
• Home / Road: 15 / 17
• Games vs. .500+ Teams: 10
• Remaining Strength of Schedule: 5th-easiest in MLB

Key Storylines in the Final 5 Weeks

 

Soft September Schedule
One of the Twins' biggest advantages relative to the field is their weak strength of schedule, which really presents itself in the month of September. As things currently stand, 18 of their 24 games in September will come against sub-.500 teams. That includes a road trip out west from the 17th through the 23rd where Minnesota will face the Angels and Giants, who are both on track for nearly 100 losses. 

The Twins haven't always fared as well as you hope in these softer matchups — see the Kansas City Royals — but they'll have a chance to make hay on bottom-dwellers in September, and that's not including their upcoming series against the Athletics who have a worse record than either. 

The Toughest Remaining Matchup
While there are a number of unintimidating opponents on the schedule, one heavy-hitter does stand out. From the 14th through the 16th, just ahead of the soft pocket mentioned above, the Twins will go toe to toe with the New York Yankees at Target Field. It's possible they'll have Aaron Judge, who's been out since May, back by then. 

The Twins didn't demonstrate their usual submissiveness against the Yanks earlier this year, taking two of three in New York, but this is always a tough test and it comes in the midst of a 13-day stretch with no break, the biggest remaining gauntlet on the schedule.

A Final Push for the AL Central Title?
With Cleveland and Detroit failing to make strides, the Twins have risen to second place in the AL Central. They're still 4 ½ games behind the White Sox, which is a somewhat sizable gap to make up in five weeks, but the Twins control their destiny to some extent. They face Chicago six times in the final 32 contests. Going, say, 5-1 in those matchups would potential give Minnesota a chance to make a charge for one of the more unlikely division titles in franchise history. 

A Photo Finish in the Wild Card Race? 
The final weekend of the season could be a doozy if things stay the way they are now. The Twins are one game behind the last Wild Card spot, which is currently held by the Texas Rangers. Those two teams will face off at Target Field in the final series of the season, September 25th through 27th, in what could be an epic high-stakes showdown.

What strikes you most about the Twins' remaining schedule? What are the biggest keys to coming out on top of this crowded postseason race?

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[mikelink45]

Since you wrote this (I presume before last night's loss) the Twins have been passed by the Guardians (how do they do that?) in division standings and in Wild Card both Blue Jays and Guardians have a lead on us and Blue Jays are tied with us. 

This is not a good time for Buxton, Larnach, Lewis to stop hitting.  Nor is it time for MN pitching arms to get tired.  Time for the team to get fired up.  Tight race, but only because they keep expanding the wild card number.  

[Peter]

Every twins game is must must must watch and win especially against central division!!!! No more blown leads or 1 run losses!!!

[GNess]

Nice breakdown, but it always concerns me when. a team's chances to succeed are linked in any meaningful way to SOS as opposed to a team ascending by is performance.

[Patzky]

We are no longer forecast to lose 100 games! Truly how far we have gone to squander an opportunity.

[old nurse]

How the Twins finish may rest on how many above average pitchers they face. They seem to hit well against the poorer pitching hence the mediocre record 

[terrydactyls]

50 minutes ago, old nurse said:

How the Twins finish may rest on how many above aerate pitchers they face. They seem to hit well against the poorer pitching hence the mediocre record 

I've read this numerous times and I still can't figure out what you are trying to say.  I'm assuming you really don't mean "aerate" the pitchers they face?  And if they hit well against poor pitching, should 't their record be better than "mediocre"?

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, Peter said:

Every twins game is must must must watch and win especially against central division!!!! No more blown leads or 1 run losses!!!

Want to bet?

[MeleMouth]

Unstated is that the White Sox and Guardians will face a similarly weak strength of schedule. Note also that the Rangers, who the Twins play at the end of the season, are classified as a "losing" team in the strength of schedule table, but as well as also competing for the wild card, they recently got Corey Seager back after he was injured for most the prior two months and he is heating up.

[AceWrigley]

And on the who really needs to know this list, James Outman has been designated for assignment by the Tigers to make room for pitcher Andrew Sears. Who knew Sears could replace anything these days.

[IndianaTwin]

2 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

And on the who really needs to know this list, James Outman has been designated for assignment by the Tigers to make room for pitcher Andrew Sears. Who knew Sears could replace anything these days.

Andrew is pretty much a craftsman on the mound…

[JADBP]

Well, I think the Twins need to be aerated!  Jeez...what just happened? 

Its as if the entire time stepped onto the down elevator at the same time.

I just can't believe how poorly the Twins are playing right now.  Take three from the Braves, then lose three to the Padres.  WTH just happened?  

 

[thelanges5]

37 minutes ago, JADBP said:

Well, I think the Twins need to be aerated!  Jeez...what just happened? 

Its as if the entire time stepped onto the down elevator at the same time.

I just can't believe how poorly the Twins are playing right now.  Take three from the Braves, then lose three to the Padres.  WTH just happened?  

 

Unfortunately, this is what they’ve been doing all season long. They don’t play consistent enough baseball to win more than 2 to 3 games before they lose 2 to 3 games. Teams are probably looking at the Twins and thinking about their soft September schedule.

[Whitey333]

I agree with a couple of otherwise posters.  Just because we may be headed into a softer schedule doesnt guarantee Twins.  After we play the As we have 12 straight games against the white sox and tigers.  That's the only 2 teams we play during that nearly 2 week period.  I imagine the Sox and Tigers are looking at playing the Twins is their chance to claim playoff status and improve their position in the standings.  The writer says if the Twins go 5-1 against the Sox they are in greatly shape.  I submit they could just as easily go 1-5.  Let's hope Twins do well.  They are so unpredictable.  The need to sweep the As.  If we somehow lose the series to the lowly As they are in big trouble.