Steven Trefz

Pablo Lopez broke "The Streak" last week. Tonight, he was tasked with breaking the serve of the defending champions on their home turf. It was just another Pablo Day in paradise, as the Twins delivered the runs early and often. Here's how the series-evening victory went down. Image courtesy of Erik Williams, USA Today Box Score: Starting Pitcher: Pablo Lopez - 7 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (105 Pitches, 69 Strikes, 66%) Home Runs: Kyle Farmer (1) Top WPA: Lopez (.261), Carlos Correa (.192), Kyle Farmer (.118) Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): The Twins came into Sunday evening's matchup with the defending World Series Champion Astros looking to end the next steak: a nine-game road playoff losing skid dating back to 2004 at Yankee Stadium. The right man for the job was on the mound in streak-breaker Pablo Lopez. The Twins' resurgent offensive attack against left-handed pitching was locked and loaded, with Carlos Correa feasting on lefties in his post-season career (.937 OPS career) Kyle Farmer (1.240 OPS against lefties over the past 20 games) in particular licking their chops with Framber Valdez on the mound for the Astros Cashing In Early...and Often! The crowd at Minute Maid Park was looking to get rocking yet again Sunday night, but due to an MLB decision the roof was open and there would be no resonating echoes this evening. If that didn't dampen the crowd's excitement, the Twins offense soon did. Valdez was all over the zone to start the top of the first inning, and Donovan Solano and Royce Lewis couldn't make solid contact. Luckily Jorge Polanco let Valdez's wildness garner him a walk, and Carlos Correa sat on a curveball to give the Twins their first lead of the series at 1-0. In Game 1, Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez controlled the game offensively. Tonight, Pablo Lopez took the early lead and endured a first inning that featured a lead-off bunt single by Jose Altuve and a "I thought it was gone!" fly out to right field by Yordan Alvarez. After one inning it was still 1-0 Twins. In the top of the second inning, Willi Castro ripped a single up the middle under the legs of Valdez. With the speedy Castro at first, Valdez should have paid more attention to the batter in the box, Kyle Farmer. Farmer took a first pitch sinker that didn't sink, and launched it up where fielders don't exist for a 2-run shot! 3-0 Twins! Things Settle Down, and Quiet Down Both starting pitchers won their battles in the third and fourth innings. Brilliant defense from Jeremy Pena snuffed out a potential Polanco hit, and a slick double play by Farmer and the Twins helped to keep the respective offenses at bay in the third. The Astros drew a walk and got a two-out single from Michael Brantley in the fourth to get runners at the corners and Chas McCormick up as the tying run. After getting squeezed on the strike zone throughout the inning. Lopez decided that a swinging strike three would be indisputable. Time to Blow This Game Wide Open The top of the fifth inning started with Valdez pitching to Michael A. Taylor. After he blooped his way to first base, Solano went opposite field for another single. Polanco dropped a bunt to advance the ducks on the pond, and Royce Lewis walked to load the bases with one out. Correa came to the plate with a chance to exorcise a season's worth of bases-loaded demons. And he delivered! That two-run single chased Valdez from the game, and the Astros brought in right-hander Phil Maton. On Maton's first pitch, Ryan Jeffers attempted a safety squeeze bunt. The curveball caused Jeffers to pull the bunt, Lewis was caught off third base in no man's land, and Twins Territory freaked out with every twist and turn that he took as he attempted to elude the pickle of his own making. Lewis got tagged out at home, appeared to stave off more injury to insult, and the Twins failed to score again as Farmer missed that same curveball for a swinging strike out on a full count with the bases loaded. Hopefully cashing in a few runs, but not all of the runs, wouldn't come back to bite the Twins. The Astros Have a Good Shortstop Too, but it's Pablo Day The reason the Astros allowed Correa to walk into free agency last season has a name and it's World Series MVP Jeremy Pena. Pena led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a rocket off of the top of the wall in left-center for a double. Lopez found great joy in the fact that Martin Maldonado was up next, and he retired him without allowing Pena to advance. Altuve popped up weakly to Polanco at second, and Alex Bregman swung and missed to send a pumped Pablo and the Twins into the late innings. In fact, Lopez took his shutout through seven full innings, silencing the most potent offense since the All-Star break and setting up the Twins for victory. Lewis Flies, Correa Rakes, and the Twins Add Runs No lead feels safe in Houston, and the Twins didn't let off the gas or the pinch-hitting pressure in the late innings. Correa continued to clobber the ball, driving another shot off of the wall to move Lewis to third with a double in the top of the seventh inning. After Jeffers took one for the team, Castro struck out looking at what he and most of the Twins dugout considered to be a ball. With two outs, Edouard Julien pinch hit for Farmer, and the rookie delivered with a single to right which plated Lewis, but got Correa caught out at home on a laser throw from Kyle Tucker. 6-0 Twins. Time to Bring this Series Home The Twins players and coaching staff stated over and over how much the Target Field environment helped lead them to victory in the Wild Card round. Heading home tied 1-1 in the ALDS was the goal, and it was up to Brock Stewart to take care of business in the eighth. Unfortunately for Stewart, Alvarez is a beast, and he delivered a two-run opposite-field home run to tighten the score to 6-2. This forced Rocco Baldelli's hand in the ninth, and he put in Jhoan Duran to leave no doubt that the Twins would leave Houston victorious. 1, 2, 3, ballgame. Twins Win! They head back to Target Field with a chance to win the series at home, and *Twins Territory plans to do their best to make it so. What's Next Game 3 pits Twins RHP Sonny Gray (1-0, 0.00 ERA) against Astros RHP Cristian Javier (0-0, 0.00; 10-5, 4.56 ERA in regular season). First pitch is scheduled for 3:07pm CDT for the next greatest sporting event in Twins history. Postgame: Bullpen Usage Chart: WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT Maeda 0 0 0 43 0 43 Stewart 13 0 0 0 22 35 Thielbar 4 0 0 18 0 22 Durán 13 0 0 0 7 20 Paddack 0 0 0 19 0 19 Varland 17 0 0 0 0 17 Jax 15 0 0 0 0 15 Pagán 0 0 0 14 0 14 Funderburk 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

When a team gets next to no offensive production from its main superstars and still wins the division, somebody must have exceeded expectations and delivered in the clutch. Here are the 2023 winner of the Twins Daily "Most Improved Twin" award. Before we begin, a word of caution to this year’s winners. Last year's winners didn't find much success in 2023. Griffin Jax saw his advanced stats drop across the board after receiving honorable mention in 2022. Luis Arraez got traded after being mentioned. Gilberto Celestino barely made it back to the major league squad and just got designated for assignment. Nick Gordon won the honor in 2022 and then fractured his leg in Dodgers Stadium mid-May and has yet to return to the Twins. Usually you win an award such as “Most Improved” by struggling at some point, so regression might be inevitable. For now, let’s enjoy this celebration of improvement, and we’ll worry about next year…next year! 2023 Honorable Mentions Willi Castro: .257/.339/.411, .750 OPS, 8.3% BB rate, 24.2% K rate, 2.7 bWAR, 2.5 fWAR When the Twins signed Castro to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training before the 2023 season, expectations were low. It’s not often that a Detroit Tiger castaway finds success elsewhere, and the signing was viewed as a low-risk insurance policy on spring training injuries. In April, Castro found his way into the lineup, and it didn’t go well. His .176/.300/.324 line actually looks better than it felt in real time. But as Greggory Masterson pointed out in August, the misfortune and timing of teammates’ injuries allowed Castro to remain in the big leagues and he began to find his niche in the offensive and defensive game plans for the club. Perhaps most importantly, Castro single-handedly forced the Twins to start stealing bases again. His 33 swipes paced the club (team total was only 86), and it was his relentless pursuit of taking an extra base in May that put the strategy back on the map for a reluctant coaching staff. As Hunter McCall noted in July, Castro went from castaway to part of the long-term mix due to his utility and speed. Not many infielders could make this play a reality. And not many outfielders could make this play a reality. Castro made both plays, and then some. Therefore, we have honorably mentioned him. Emilio Pagan: 69.1 IP, 2.99 ERA, 23.8% K rate, 7.7% BB rate, 1.4 bWAR, 1.1 fWAR, 0.952 WHIP In a Week 3 game in Boston, Emilio Pagan surrendered six runs to the Red Sox, raising his ERA to 7.88 over six appearances, and all but guaranteeing a raging fan base and a relegation to low-pressure relief outings for the remainder of his disappointing Twins career. As the Twins head into the playoffs, Pagan found a way into the most crucial moments of the stretch run, lowered his OPS from .776 to .553 from 2022 to 2023, and limited his opponents to five home runs over the course of the entire season, down from 12 in 2022. The turn-around was everything that Twins management had expected, Twins fans had scoffed at, and the team desperately needed in a season where key bullpen arms continued to find their way to the IL or struggled in key situations. Lou Hennessy named the “Paganaissance” in July, and Matthew Taylor offered apologies on behalf of Twins Territory for our lack of faith. If the Twins finally break their postseason curse, Pagan will be a key reason why. Ryan Jeffers: .276/.369/.490, .858 OPS, 9/9% BB rate, 27.8% K rate, 3.3 bWAR, 2.7 fWAR Ted Schwerzler pointed out at the end of July that Jeffers was starting to figure out what everyone suspected he was capable of. The “breakout” tempered somewhat in September, but Jeffers’ power did come alive as the season ended (nine of his 14 home runs were hit in August/September). He found himself pinch hitting and being thought of as an offensive threat again as the year went on. Defensively, Jeffers improved behind the plate by throwing out 25% of runners, his highest rate in four seasons. He registered positive runs above average across the major defensive advanced stat metrics, and managed to stay consistently sharp despite platooning 50/50 with Christian Vazquez all season. How that ratio changes in the postseason remains to be seen, but since the Twins are undefeated in the games Jeffers has homered in his ability to contribute to playoff success as a game changer both at and behind the plate is obvious. 2023 Most Improved Twin! Max Kepler: .260/.332/.484, .816 OPS, 9.2% BB rate, 21.6% K rate, 2.9 bWAR, 2.6 fWAR At the Eating Crow diner, the number one spot on the menu is reserved for the Kepler-burger. Hopes were high for the long-time Twin with the removal of the shift and with his health finally operating at full speed. April couldn’t have gone worse for the Twins right fielder, or so we thought, but he proved us wrong with an even worse May performance. Kepler entered June with a slash line of .195/.273/.398 (.671), and yet the Twins held fast to their desire to send him out into the outfield day in and day out. Their resolve and belief paid off, and Twins Territory happily ate their Kepler-burgers. August’s line of .314/.392/.616 (1.008) couldn’t have come at a more necessary time, and his 24 home runs and 66 RBI paced the club. Most important for the Twins playoff hopes, Kepler came through in the clutch more often than any other Twin in history. Kepler’s rise from “bench him!/trade him!/cut him!” pariah to gold glove candidate with Team MVP potential has been well documented on Twins Daily. See Matt Braun’s or Greggory Masterson’s articles to ride the rollercoaster that was Kepler’s season. So it is with great jubilation and much satisfaction that we award Max Kepler with the Twins Daily 2023 Most Improved Player Award. He was the clear choice, and this redemption story couldn’t have found a better young man to star in it. Will the Twins pick up his option for 2024 and continue the story? Kepler’s ability to keep this feel-good season rolling through the playoffs will go a long ways towards answering that question. For now, let’s just enjoy the season that was before we turn our eyes towards World Series dreams. What are your thoughts on selecting Max Kepler as the Twins Most Improved Player? How about the other candidates? Anybody that you would remove or add to the list? View full article

I think with Varland it was a good place to get a taste, with room to come back if needed. So that the next time, in a one out needed one run game, he would have that taste.

The Twins ended the longest losing streak in postseason history. End story. Here's how it happened. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Box Score: Starting Pitcher: Pablo Lopez - 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (93 Pitches, 62 Strikes, 67%) Home Runs: Royce Lewis 2 (2) Top WPA: Lewis (.243), Lopex (.165), Griffin Jax & Jhoan Duran (.074) Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): The Twins and Blue Jays split their season series this year, and both teams came into the playoffs with something to prove. Could the Twins erase the "streak" and start afresh with aces and rookies to guide them? Could the 2nd-generation MLB All-Stars from Toronto write a story of their own in this postseason? A packed Target Field showed up to find out, while the rest of Twins Territory got absolutely nothing done at their jobs this afternoon. After Tom Kelly threw the ceremonial first pitch to Kent Hrbek, it was time to play ball! The Game Begins One of the byproducts of Royce Lewis' uncertain return to the lineup as a DH involved finding a third baseman for this afternoon's pivotal contest. Jorge Polanco had played nine games there during the regular season, amassing a -29 Total Fielding Runs in the process. That skillset was on display in the very first at-bat, as George Springer sent an easy grounder to Polanco and he promptly threw the ball low and into the runnery. Alex Kirilloff caught the ball but Springer spiked his glove to start a somersault and to dislodge the ball. The questionable defense continued when Edouard Julien chose to get the second out at first instead of getting the lead runner Springer at second base. Lopez escaped the inning without allowing a run, but the tension level in Twins Territory remained high as the Twins came up to bat. Royce Lewis Removes All Tension, For All Time, Always Lewis wasn't sure he was going to play when asked yesterday. After Julien worked a magnificent lead-off walk, Polanco flew out to bring up Lewis. Lewis worked the count full on Gausman, and then he showed Gausman what he does with 3-2 fastballs. Target Field erupted, Lewis put on the fishing vest, and 19 years of collective angst appeared to get released. The defense in the top of the second inning tightened up and layed out. Michael A. Taylor made a sensational diving catch in center field. In the top of the third inning Polanco charged a Kevin Kiermaier chopper and whiffed, but Carlos Correa was on the spot to back up his teammate with a sensational play to nab a streaking Bo Bichette at home. Royce Lewis, Still Amazing After All These At-Bats Lewis led off the third inning, and Gausman fell behind in the count 3-1. He chose to throw another fastball for a strike, and Lewis decided to place the ball violently off of the second deck in right-center field to extend the Twins lead to 3-0, and to extend his heroic resume to another level. Two playoff at-bats, two home runs. Epic. Mid-Game Storyline: Managers Begin to Participate Both starting pitchers reached mid-70's in pitch count in the fifth inning. Gausman was relieved by LHP Erik Swanson in the bottom of the fifth after walking Lewis. Rocco Baldelli pinch-hit Donovan Solano for Kirilloff with two on and two out, Twins fans now knew that the same offensive replacement strategy that was employed throughout 2023 would not change for the playoffs. Solano flew out to end the threat. Lopez continued into the top of the sixth inning, and he got the first two outs of the inning while allowing a single to Bichette. Those were the last outs that he would achieve, as the umpire squeezed Lopez on an Alejandro Kirk walk. Kiermaier took Lopez to the opposite field for a line drive single to score Bichette, and Lopez exited the game ahead 3-1. First man up out of the bullpen for the Twins was rookie fireballer Louie Varland. Batter Matt Chapman blasted a ball deep to the right field gap, Target Field let out an audible gasp, and Taylor loped over to the wall to make a casually amazing leaping catch to end the threat. Which Bullpen Blinks First? In the bottom of the eighth, Griffin Jax got the call and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. blasted the first pitch to the wall in right field for a lead-off double. But before the anxiety could reach a fever pitch, Jax struck out Bichette and Cavan Biggio, and swept Kirk into a ground out to send the Twins into the ninth still ahead 3-1. One of the newest Blue Jays, Jordan Hicks, got the call for the bottom of the eighth, and two walks sandwiched a Correa single to load the bases with two outs. Willi Castro had entered the game in the seventh as a defensive substitution for Matt Wallner. Castro now was the man in the box with a chance to put the game away early. Hicks delivered the heat and struck out Castro looking on a tough, backdown slider. Time to turn out the lights and enter Duran. Closing Out History, and Starting a New Chapter The Twins turned to their best pitcher to collect three outs, and in so doing end 19 years of misery for an entire region and fanbase. From his first pitch bender that started his strike out of Kiermaier, to his curveball that caught Chapman looking for strike three, Duran looked to be in absolute control. Against Twin-killer Whit Merrifield, however, Duran struggled to command his fastball and Merrifield wouldn't bite on the splinker. Tension began to rise yet again, ESPN started showing highlights of sadness past, and Duran looked in to face playoff legend George Springer. One pitch. One miraculous dive by first baseman Solano. Ballgame. Streak that. Postgame: Bullpen Usage Chart: FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Funderburk 28 0 16 0 0 44 Paddack 0 39 0 0 0 39 Stewart 25 0 5 0 0 30 Jax 0 19 0 0 8 27 Durán 0 11 0 0 14 25 Pagán 9 15 0 0 0 24 Thielbar 3 9 0 0 10 22 Varland 0 0 0 0 2 2 Maeda 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

Because I cut and pasted, and apparently didn’t cut enough and pasted too little 😂

The Twins looked to survive Sunday's season finale injury-free and with some positive momentum as they awaited news of their Wild Card series opponent on Tuesday. Bailey Ober dominated, the Twins lineup regulars hit the showers early, and Jorge Alcala made his first appearance since May. Here's what went down Sunday afternoon. Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski - USA Today Box Score: Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober - 6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K (96 Pitches, 66 Strikes, 69%) Home Runs: None Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): The main question coming out of Sunday afternoon's completion of the regular season was "Who will the Twins face at Target Field on Tuesday?" As the Twins and Bailey Ober went about their business, the answer to that question emerged, and the Twins looked sharp throughout most of their final tune-up for the Wild Card series. Ober Hopes for a Division Series Opportunity As the late-season pitching auditions continued, Bailey Ober made his case for becoming the Game 1 ALDS starter. Ober started the game looking to build on a September of succes, having gone 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA over his three Fall starts. Through the first four innings, Ober struck out five and only surrendered one hit to Nolan Jones. Unfortunately that hit traveled 458 feet. Oppo-rific Second Inning The Twins carried a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning mainly because their offense got opposite-field happy in the top of the second. Four straight singles to where the defense wasn't by Max Kepler, Ryan Jeffers, Edouard Julien, and Alex Kirilloff plated two runs and gave Twins fans hopes of playoff offensive success. The offense went on snooze control from there, however, and the regulars began getting pinch hit for in the sixth inning. Seriously, Who Do We Play on Tuesday? Every game on the final Sunday started at 2pm CDT so that no one could unnecessarily tank. The Twins were locked and loaded to play either Houston or Toronto in their opening round, and by the time the sixth inning rolled around it looked fairly obvious that the Canadians would be invading Target Field on Tuesday. The Astros were taking care of the Diamondbacks, and the Rangers were losing to the Mariners. Twins fans were lamenting the Blue Jays' decision to skip Kevin Gausman for today's start implied that Toronto was setting themselves up for a loss today. Jose Berrios at Target Field on Wednesday doesn't sound wonderful either. Conspiracy theorists really took off once the Rays lit Wes Parsons (who definitely isn't Gausman) for seven runs in the second inning. Stay tuned... Intriguing Side-Story Part 2 The other Twins-worthy item of note involved the 2019 Bomba Squad home run record and the 2023 juggernaut Atlanta Braves. The Braves entered the day with 305 long balls, just three shy of the Twins' record 307. Marcell Ozuna took one deep in the third inning, putting them at 306 in their matchup with the Washington Nationals with Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson having been removed from the game in the fifth inning. Back to Coors Field for a Game Still Being Played Ober kept dealing through the middle innings. The Twins offense kept sputtering. But the highlight of the game in what might be the final appearance of Twins baseball on TV as we've known it, Justin Morneau and Trevor Plouffe caught Dick Bremer off-guard with a cake and some bourbon in honor of Bremer's 40th season of bringing Twins baseball to the midwest and beyond. The future is uncertain for all parties, but clearly Bremer has made an impact with former players and staff, as well as the Blyleven fill-in's. Bremer teared up, and I forgave him for causing me pain with his premature home run calls all season. A bunt single led to Solano chucking the ball to goodness knows where, but the Rockies couldn't cash the run in and it was still 2-1 after six. Roster News Earlier in the day, the Twins called up Jorge Alcala and sent Dallas Keuchel to the IL after he apparently pitched injured to eat up innings for his squad yesterday. This answers the "Will Dallas be on the Wild Card roster?" question, but we already knew that. The bigger news might have been Gilberto Celestino being designated for assignment as a corresponding move. Celestino went from being a most-improved and unsung hero last season to an afterthought on the roster this season. We wish him well wherever he lands. Side-Story Updates As the games reached their seventh innings, the results stayed the same. Blue Jay fans were aggressively monitoring SeatGeak for a Tuesday and Wednesday run to Target Field. Houston looks to sit atop the AL West after all thanks to an indifferent Diamondbacks playoff team and a Rangers almost epic full collapse in Seattle. Houston will enjoy the week off as the #2 seed alongside #1 Baltimore. The Twins will host the Blue Jays (at 3:38 CT) and the Rays will host the Rangers on Tuesday. The Braves are still sitting at 305 home runs as they head to the eighth inning. Things Turn Bitter at Coors Alcala got the call for the Twins in the eighth inning, and he got the first two outs without issue. After running up the count 3-1 on pinch-hitting right hander Sean Bouchard, Alcala got away with a cookie to run the count full, and lost a cookie to the left field bleachers on the next pitch to tie the game at two apiece, and add uncertainty to his ability to be called upon when the games really really really matter over the next few weeks. After allowing three home runs in just over five innings of work in May, Alcala needed to show that his long ball issues were behind him. That didn't happen. Alcala returned in the ninth inning and well, and got the first two outs again easily before being squeezed early in the count by the home plate umpire into a 3-0 count and an eventual walk where Morneau was quick to claim that all five pitches were actually strikes. Kris Bryant came up with a hero moment, and an attempt to send the 100+ loss Rockies faithful home happy. With Christian Vazquez manning second base, Jones took second base while Vazquez whiffed twice at the tag. Bryant walked. Kudos to Alcala, who took all of that misfortune in his first game back since May and got Ryan McMahon to dribble out to third to end the threat. Hope lingers a bit more in young Alcala than it did an inning ago. One Last Dance with Ghost Runners! The "runner at second" in extra innings goes away once we reach the postseason, so Sunday afternoon offered one last chance for fans to discuss how much they love or hate this rule that's here to stay in the regular season at least. The 10th inning came and went without a run. In the 11th, the Twins loaded the bases only to have Jordan Luplow strike out. Luplow's punishment was to go to the mound to pitch the bottom half of the inning in a full-surrender scenario. He enticed a pop fly to right to start the inning, but with the ghost runner Brenton Doyle streaking for third, Vazquez (now catching) missed the pitch allowing Doyle to scamper home to end this meaningless ballgame 3-2. To add another gloomy cloud to this afternoon, in Atlanta, the lone starter left in the lineup, Ozuna, went deep yet again for number 307, tying the Bomba Squad for the all-time season record for most home runs. It's better than 308, but it still stings. What’s Next: Twins RHP Pablo Lopez (11-8, 3.66 ERA in regular season) will lead the Twins into the most anticipated Twins playoff games in recent history. He will most likely face the above-mentioned Blue Jay RHP Gausman (12-9, 3.16 ERA in the regular season). The game will take place at 3:38pm CDT on Tuesday, October 3rd. Stay tuned to Twins Daily for the details that matter during the Wild Card Round! Postgame Interviews: Bullpen Usage Chart: WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT Maeda 0 62 0 0 0 62 Funderburk 0 0 28 0 16 44 Pagán 18 0 9 15 0 42 Paddack 0 0 0 39 0 39 Alcala 0 0 0 0 39 39 Stewart 0 0 25 0 5 30 Thielbar 18 0 3 9 0 30 Jax 8 0 0 19 0 27 Durán 14 0 0 11 0 25 Varland 0 19 0 0 0 19 View full article

That, my friend, is the correct answer!

Easier said than done! Humans are not rational creatures or spreadsheets after all :) We will win, hopefully after enjoying a first round bye due to a Texas implosion this week!

Anytime a professional sports club achieves a record that spans across all type of sport, the fanbase realizes that this is a "special" event. When that "special" event represents the longest postseason losing streak in all of professional sport, the trophy loses its shine. How did the Twins actually get to this record of records, and what must they learn from that story of 0-18 before 0-20 becomes a reality? Image courtesy of Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports October 5, 2004. Yankee Stadium (the elder), New York Yankees, American League Divisional Series Game 1 That was the last time the Minnesota Twins won a playoff game. When the Twins take the field to kick off the playoffs in October of 2023, it will 19 years since the last taste of playoff victory lingered on the lips of Twins Territory. Johan Santana scattered nine hits over seven scoreless innings, and Juan Rincon and Joe Nathan finished off the shutout with an inning each. Shannon Stewart drove in Michael Cuddyer for the game's first run, and Jacque Jones took Mike Mussina deep for the last run. 2-0 Twins, and the 2004 squad was on the verge of toppling Goliath and grasping the decade for their own. In fact, even the most pessimistic of Twins fans couldn't have predicted just how terrible the narrative would turn for over a generation of teams and fans. In 2004, the margin between ecstasy and misery was a fine one, as the Yankees needed extra innings to win two of the next three games to take the series. No part of the series screamed out that "This is the beginning of a two-decade curse!" If anything, the Twins squad was left thinking optimistically at just how close they were to climbing back into the World Series conversation despite the disappointing loss of the series. How were we to know that losing three games in a row would become a trend and not a mirage? That's how 18 losses in a row in the MLB Playoffs becomes a reality. In three and four day spans of playing baseball after long and successful seasons. One at-bat at a time. Fueled by late season injuries and unexpected bullpen misfires. Therein lies the lesson of 0-18, for those brave enough to go there. Like when the Harry Potter squad realized that in saying Voldemort's name you took away some of his power, perhaps if Twins fans can name what happened perhaps we can neuter the streak. It's time to take the narrative out of the realm of myth and to break it down into real, live, human action and inaction on the baseball diamond. Here are the true stories that stuck out upon closer inspection., and are worthy of being named lest they be repeated. Prologue - Twins Postseason Losing Streaks Existed Before 2004 The Twins playoff losing streak actually begins before the collective memory of the event formed. The Twins' very first World Series trip ended in valiant defeat to the Dodgers in 1965. The years between that appearance and the Twins next playoff victory would span 22 years. Yes, even longer than their current winless streak. In that era of "only the two division winners make the playoffs," to make the dance at all was a rare gift, and the victories once you got on the dance floor were icing on the cake. The Twins got swept 0-3 by the Baltimore Orioles in both 1969 and 1970. That was the extent of their playoff opportunity until the magical run of 1987 came to pass. Again, after the ecstasy of 1987, the homer hankies stayed in the closet until 1991. The Twins were able to win the Central Division that year, and survived two playoff rounds to clinch their second miraculous World Series trophy in only four seasons. Here is where the narrative of 0-18 makes its first turn from reality. When a fanbase ignores the fact that two decades went by without a playoff victory, and leans into the belief that World Series victories happen all the time, disappointment lurks right around the corner. Indeed, the Twins would take another decade off from the playoffs completely, not seeing the lights of October again until 2002. It was here that they experienced the only time in history that the Minnesota Twins won a playoff series, but didn't reach the World Series. They managed to win the AL Central, and then overcame the 103-win Oakland A's to advance to the ALCS against the eventual World Series Champion Anaheim Angels. The Rally Monkeys won the series by dropping the opener, but winning the final four games of the series. More importantly for Twins fans, in 2002 the Twins started a decade of regular season success that would lead to ample opportunities for playoff games...and therefore playoff losses. 2003 saw the Twins reach the postseason again, and Johan Santana took down the Yankees in Game 1. The offense never scored more than one run in any of the remaining three games in the series, however, and the Twins exited the series after getting swept after winning the first game yet again. In summary, from 1965's World Series team to 2003's playoff effort, the Twins made the playoffs six times in 38 years. In the four years that they didn't win the World Series, they were bounced from the playoffs by losing three or four games in a row. The Formative Years - Without "Winning Streak Builders," Sweeps Happen Now that we've addressed the themes of the first 38 years of Twins postseason life, we can more fully understand what has transpired in the last 20 years: Nothing new, nothing unheard of, just more of the same. The Twins of the 2000-2010's maintained balanced clubs that made the playoffs more often than most, but they never could put together two aces and offensive consistency when October rolled around. 2004 - Lose to New York Yankees 3-1 in ALDS Again the Twins enjoy having the greatest Twins pitcher of recent decades, Johan Santana, and his ability to defeat the Yankees. Unfortunately, the trend of getting swept out of the series after winning game one continues. But how? Why? Does it all boil down to the fact that the Twins only had one starting pitcher worthy of winning a playoff game? Would you be surprised if I told you the answer for the past two decades was "Yes"? Looking more deeply into the 2004 series, Santana came back for Game 4 on only three days rest, and it almost worked. He held the Yankees to one run over five innings while running his pitch count up to 87. Juan Rincon's eighth inning was one to forget, unless you are Ruben Sierra, because Sierra's three-run homer capped the four-run rally and sent the game into extra innings. But games two and three were decided because the Twins didn't have a number two that had dominant "stuff" to throw at their playoff opponent. Without having winning streak builders up and down the rotation, losing streaks are inevitable. 2006 - Swept by Oakland A's 3-0 in ALDS Starting pitching did the Twins in yet again, with Santana taking the hard-luck loss in Game 1. An expired Frank Thomas still tasted good enough to clobber two solo shots, including the game winner in the ninth off of Jesse Crain. Boof Bonser got the call for Game 2, and Brad Radke couldn't make it to the fifth inning of Game 3. Once Santana didn't get his victory, the Twins felt the pain of Francisco Liriano's absence all the more acutely. When Liriano went down in August of his rookie campaign with elbow inflammation, he was unhittable. Cruising at 12-3 with a continuously shrinking 2.13 ERA, Liriano was going to be the second ace that got the Twins back into playoff success. He was going to be the losing streak-breaker or winning-streak builder that the Twins had missed having since 1991. The trend of Twins bats tightening up in playoff action also continued, with outputs of two, two, and three runs in each game. The first two games were in the dome, and the last game was in Oakland, so temperature can't be the excuse. The Twins averaged 4.9 runs per game in 2006, but couldn't find their groove against a talented A's staff. Combine a lack of a dominant number two starter, and a failure to string together quality at-bats against quality pitching, and you have a recipe for misery that the Twins have been trying to make taste gourmet for the past decade. 2008 - Defeated in Game 163 by the Chicago White Sox, 1-0 You might be checking your Twins playoff history coloring book and wondering why you don't have a 2008 page. I'm counting the time Jim Thome broke our hearts in Game 163 here because if we will allow it, it actually proves that 0-18 doesn't really exist! Back when one-game extensions of the regular season determined who would advance to the playoffs, the Twins found themselves knotted up with the Chicago White Sox. Nick Blackburn did his best to get the Twins into the dance, but Thome took him deep and the Twins offense could only muster two hits off of John Danks and crew. This time the offense again proved to be the Achilles heel, when Ken Griffey Jr. threw a missile to A.J. Pierzynski to catch Michael Cuddyer at the plate on a sacrifice fly attempt. You read that correctly. Griffey Jr. to Pierzynski. This 1-0 loss was a crushing way to end the season, but realistically the Twins didn't have the starting staff to manage playoff success anyways. Glen Perkins, Scott Baker, and Livan Hernandez were good to average, and weren't going to strike fear into opposing lineups. 2009 - Defeat the Detroit Tigers in Game 163, Swept by New York Yankees 3-0 in ALDS This is where, I would argue, that the 0-18 streak actually stopped at seven! That's because 2009 also featured a Game 163 tiebreaker, and the Twins won it in epic fashion against the Detroit Tigers at the Metrodome. As staff was actively trying to clean out the dome for the move to their new Target Field home in 2010, the Twins just kept playing baseball. By the time Twins Territory was told they would be "Ca-see-ya'd tomorrow night," the team and its fans had a glimpse of "post-season" victory. Legally, this game is considered an extension of the regular season. Emotionally, it felt like the Rally Monkey had finally been tossed off of our backs. We all know what happened next. A Joe Mauer double gets called foul, 54,735 fans say goodbye to the Metrodome with a loss. But what else was at play here? Again the starting staff was a middling mix with 4.50 or higher ERA's. The offense held there own in the regular season, but could again only muster an average of two runs per game in the playoffs. This series wasn't an outlier, and the Twins weren't robbed. It was the norm. 2010 - Swept by New York Yankees 3-0 in ALDS If we toss out Game 163 in 2009, the streak of losses just runs right through 2010 again. The Yankees again play the willing villains, and the injury gremlin gets a participation award. 2010 saw the launch of Target Field, a whole lot of success, and a horrible injury to Justin Morneau mid-season. He never recovered from his concussion, and the offense he was carrying never recovered either. The starting staff continued to be average at best, even with a mildly resurgent Liriano and a surprisingly able Carl Pavano leading the way. Jon Rauch and Matt Capps were the closers, so those who could see clearly knew that playoff success was going to be hard to find. Game 1 against the Yankees started out hopeful enough, with Michael Cuddyer launching a two-run shot in the second and Liriano catching lightning in a bottle through five scoreless innings. The bottle burst in the sixth, and four runs later the Twins had lost again. The offense went dormant in the final two games of the series, and the official playoff loss streak reached 12 games and counting. 2017 - Defeated in one-game Wild Card round by New York Yankees 8-4 New York Yankees, rinse and repeat. This time it was only a one game Wild Card playoff (a then-legal form of Game 163), but the result was the same. The offense started strong and went quiet. The pitching struggled mightily after Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios took turns giving up runs. It turns out that Miguel Sano wasn't the only injured Twin that was missing, as we later learned Santana was pitching injured as well. Again the Twins were left wondering what might have been after their season long heroes were unable to perform in playoff time. The Modern Era - When the Pieces Aren't in Place, the Results Repeat 2019 - Swept by New York Yankees 3-0 in ALDS This series was the last time a sellout crowd at Target Field got to try to will their favorite squad to victory. The first two games were at Yankee Stadium (the younger), and Game 1 started with a couple of bangs. Jorge Polanco homered in the first, and Nelson Cruz also hit a solo shot in the third. The Berrios start couldn't make it past four innings, and the Yankees put up crooked numbers on the Twins bullpen in the fifth, sixth, and seventh. The Twins offense, the vaunted Bomba Squad, had beaten the Yankees in the regular season for the home run record, but come playoff time it was the Yankees' ability to manufacture runs against the Twins' pitchers that led to three lopsided victories. Randy Dobnak was a great story, but he wasn't a number two starter. The Twins once again averaged just above two runs a game of offense. Rinse and repeat indeed. 2020 - Swept by Houston Astros 2-0 in AL Wild Card Round 2020 brought a global pandemic and an eerie shortened season of empty stadiums. The Twins survived the divisional race of attrition without fully regaining their Bomba identity. This was the season that the Twins thought the curse would be reversed, because they had two aces in Kenta Maeda and Jose Berrios and a more balanced offense that didn't rely solely on the home run to find victory. Maeda and Berrios were aces, but were both pulled after only five innings of work. Taylor Rogers, Sergio Romo, and Tyler Duffey didn't perform up to their regular season standards, and therefore the Astros scored late while the Twins stayed stuck in neutral. The Twins offense only generated a run in each game, and only seven hits total in the two-day sweep. Opportunity lost, and the streak rolls on. 2023 -? On paper, the Twins have two aces again in Pablo Lopez and Sonny Gray. The Twins offense, unfortunately, is more likely to get two runs or less per game than they are to break out crooked numbers against quality pitching. Can Lopez and Gray pitch shutout baseball into the seventh inning or later? That answer will determine whether or not the Twins can break the curse. History shows that five innings of quality pitching won't get the team to playoff victory lane, so now is not a time for quick hooks when things are going well. The Twins also will have the home field again for this best of three opening round. The problem being, of course, that if the Twins can't take Game 1 the curse narrative amplifies and Game 2 suddenly becomes a one-or-done scenario. You can hear the nerves tightening from here. In nine of the 12 best-of-three playoff series in 2020 and 2022 (2021 briefly went back to the one-game model), the series ended with a 2-0 sweep. The emotional realities of such a short series stand out in this statistic, and Game 1's importance becomes magnified. This is why the Twins traded the AL batting champion Luis Arraez for Lopez before the season. This is why the Twins have been filling their bullpen tank with gas late in the season. This is why the Twins have been nurturing along their lineup for optimal postseason health. Will the Twins break the streak and journey forward towards World Series glory like the legends of old? Or will Game 1 disappointment fuel the fires of the myth of 0-20? Do the Twins finally have the right kinds of pieces in place for playoff success, or is 2023 another prime example of a punchless offense not supporting a moderately decent rotation? Ready or not, it's time to find out how this story goes. View full article

The Twins entered Tuesday night's game on the edge of "having something left to play for." It turns out that they played anyways, and played dominantly over the hapless A's. Here's how the rout went down. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson, USA Today Box Score: Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober - 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K (86 pitches, 60 Strikes, 70%) Home Runs: Matt Wallner (13, GS), Alex Kirilloff (11) Top 3 WPA: Wallner (.228), Ober (.143), Kyle Farmer (.106) Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): The Twins looked to continue to build momentum toward next week's playoff games. An essential part of that story involved eating innings and allowing a couple of needed bullpen arms to make their returns to the mound. All of that happened, and then some! Cashing in Early Gifts A's starter Paul Blackburn quickly retired the first two batters. The following five did not go away quietly. Four straight walks plated the first Twins run. Then Matt Wallner plated four more all by himself. The Twins' offense didn't need much more, thanks to Bailey Ober's five innings of two-hit ball. But in the bottom of the fifth, Alex Kirilloff decided to go oppo-taco to steal that pretty vest back from his fellow lefty slugger. 7-0 Twins. Welcome Back Gunslinger Chris Paddack's tenure with the Twins has been a struggle. Tommy John surgery left the righty starter without a chance to help his team in either season until today. When Paddack took the mound in the bottom of the sixth, he was on fire and throwing fire. The Game Tightens and Then Loosens Paddack returned to pitch his second inning of work to much less success. The A's struck for three runs before he could escape the inning. Griffin Jax and the return of Brock Stewart handled the rest. Granted, their load was lighter thanks to Christian Vazquez and his angry response to having the bases intentionally loaded to face him. What’s Next: Operation Playoff Push continues Wednesday evening as Pablo Lopez (11-8, 3.61 ERA) works his final tune-up before the Playoffs. The A's counter with RHP Joey Estes (0-1, 9.64 ERA), with first pitch going at 6:40pm CDT. Postgame Interviews: Bullpen Usage Chart: FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Paddack 0 0 0 0 40 40 Winder 0 35 0 0 0 35 Durán 34 0 0 0 0 34 Funderburk 0 0 27 0 0 27 Varland 11 0 15 0 0 26 Thielbar 20 0 0 0 0 20 Jax 0 0 0 0 17 17 Stewart 0 0 0 0 16 16 Pagán 0 10 0 0 0 10 Keuchel 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

The Twins were locked into a dogfight on Sunday afternoon with the Angels, until the skies opened up and stopped the game. When the seventh inning resumed the Twins' bats unleashed five unanswered runs to seal the victory. Here's how the series winner transpired. Image courtesy of Matt Blewett - USA Today Box Score: Starting Pitcher: Joe Ryan 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 10 K (91 pitches, 64 Strikes, 70%) Home Runs: Jorge Polanco (14), Max Kepler (23), Ryan Jeffers (12) Top 3 WPA: Jeffers (.216), Trevor Larnach (.150), Matt Wallner (.137) Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): The Twins entered Sunday afternoon's final matchup with the Angels with a major league lineup, and a quality starter on the mound. After Saturday's hangover game, the time to get the positive momentum flowing again was now. Joe Ryan pitched good enough for the win, the offense delivered just enough for the win, and the Twins Young Lefties for the Lead Angels opener Andrew Wantz came into today's contest with a 2.53 ERA in September. He encountered Alex Kirilloff (single), Matt Wallner (walk), and Trevor Larnach (RBI single) but limited the damage to a 1-0 Twins lead. Ryan offered the lead right back in the top of the third when Brandon Drury laced a two-out double that plated two Angels to make the score 2-1. Old Lefty for the Tie The Angels lead was short-lived, however, because Jorge Polanco was back in the lineup, and he likes to get clutch hits. Twins fans like it when he gets clutch hits too. Trading Runs Ryan failed to hold the lead yet again when a Randal Grichuk sent a fly ball one inch further than Larnach could travel for a double. Zach Neto followed immediately with another double to push the Angels back into the lead. Ryan completed his six innings without allowing any more runs to cross, and finished the day with a quality start and 10 strikeouts as he continues to make a case for a spot on the playoff rotation. Unlike on Saturday, the Twins offense came alive in support of their starting pitcher in time to get him the win. Ryan Jeffers crushed a triple to center field, scoring Wallner. With only one out, Larnach had a variety of options for plating Jeffers. He chose the ground out to first base method, and just like that the Twins had regained a 4-3 advantage. Rain Rain Go Away...or Stay Long Enough So That We Win! The game was suspended in the top of the seventh inning as the rain began to pour down upon Target Field. Chris Paddack was warmed up to make his season debut (after missing 16 months following Tommy John surgery), but Louie Varland got the spot instead after the delay. The rain went away, but the Twins offense definitely was around to stay. After a leadoff Edouard Julien walk, Max Kepler came up to the plate with visions of hitting the ball a long way. He succeeded, and it was 6-3 Twins. The bottom of the seventh continued, and the usual suspects were involved. Wallner doubled, Kyle Farmer stayed hot with an RBI single, and then Jeffers hit another rocket that went a little bit higher than the last one. 9-3 Twins, and the rout was on. Game, set, match...to the AL Central Champions. What’s Next: Operation Playoff Prep-Work continues on Tuesday evening, with Twins RHP Kenta Maeda (6-7, 4.28 ERA) getting the start against the Oakland A's and a pitcher or four to be named later. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40pm CT at Target Field. Postgame Interviews: Bullpen Usage Chart: WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT Winder 29 0 0 35 0 64 Durán 21 0 34 0 0 55 Funderburk 0 0 0 0 27 27 Varland 0 0 11 0 15 26 Thielbar 0 0 20 0 0 20 Floro 0 0 0 1 17 18 Jax 17 0 0 0 0 17 Pagán 0 0 0 10 0 10 Paddock 0 0 0 0 0 0 Keuchel 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

Was at seven road getaway afternoon games, and they played terribly in all seven. That’s what made me dig into the stathead splits to see if I was just imagining things. I don’t think you can ignore it, because the sample size is large enough to average out the good teams/bad teams and back to back appearance variables. This is one area where the eye test and the quantitative realities aligned. except where they didn’t!!!! That’s why the names that I listed really stuck out to me. would love to here more on this from everyone though!

18 playoff losses in a row. 19 years since their last playoff victory. Twins fans have heard these sad and sorry answers to questions that they are sick and tired of getting asked. It's time to get some new answers, and for that we must ask some bold new questions. Here are the top three new questions that face the Twins as they head into the 2023 playoffs. Image courtesy of Brock Beauchamp & Twins Daily The Minnesota Twins are headed to the 2023 Major League Baseball Playoffs. This phrase should excite and inspire Twins fans of all generations, but the reality is that as the playoffs approach a Twins fan who knows history can't help but feel some fear and trembling. Nobody wants to face the potential for another year of failure, losses, records in futility, and missed opportunities. For those bold enough to ask new questions, however, the 2023 Twins present an exciting team with a real shot at making a run towards the World Series. The answers that Twins fans want to give this winter depend upon the Twins finding a way to tackle three key “new” questions during this postseason run. New Question #1: What will the Twins do to adjust their lineups for success when the lights aren't on? It would be easy to focus upon the pressure of full stadiums and bright lights when we get to playoff time, but the odds are that most of the Twins early rounds of playoff games will take place in the afternoon. Due to the fact that the Twins' fan base pales in comparison on a national scale, the prime time spots will probably go to other teams. Therefore, the Twins would do well to consider how to put their best mid-day roster forward as they seek to break the playoff losing streak. The Twins played 64 day games in the 2023 campaign before last week’s action, and the day/night splits provide considerable data worth reckoning with. In the day time, Matt Wallner rakes to a 1.004 OPS, while dropping to .753 when night falls. In another case of reverse-dracula splits, Alex Kirilloff achieved a .924 OPS during the sunlit hours while shrinking to .693 in the night time hours. The hero of our hearts, Royce Lewis, also is not immune to the hours of the day. Lewis slugged his way to an impressive 1.027 OPS at night, while only scrapping .749 during the day. Max Kepler rounds out our vampire statistics by hitting .945 OPS in the evening, while melting to .565 during afternoon play. Ryan Jeffers, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, and Michael A. Taylor all prefer the night when it comes to providing consistent offense. Will this keep them out of the playoff lineup during day game heavy series? No, but perhaps it should influence pinch hitting. Edouard Julien, Byron Buxton, and Joey Gallo are the only Twins batters to show consistent performance as clearly in the night as they do during the day. We can argue about whether or not Buxton’s or Gallo’s current consistency is the kind we want in the playoffs. Julien is the only Twins guaranteed to be available at the moment, and has earned the right to be penciled in regardless of scheduled first pitch time. Pitchers are not immune to the sands in the hour glass either. In fact, the results bare out even starker splits. Those who show reverse-dracula splits (performing better in the daytime) are Brent Headrick (2.25 ERA in daytime/11.70 at night), Dylan Floro (2.57 ERA in daytime/9.39 at night), and Dallas Keuchel (2.21 ERA in daytime/11.70 at night)! While all three of those hurlers might not even be on the Twins pitching staff in the playoffs, maybe they should be if the Twins see multiple daytime games in the schedule. Emilio Pagan (6.12 ERA at night, 1.41 during the day), Kenta Maeda (5.40 ERA at night, 3.38 during the day), Sonny Gray (3.47 ERA at night, 2.02 during the day), and Pablo Lopez (4.25 ERA at night, 3.20 during the day) definitely will be on the roster, and their splits bode well for the Twins in the early rounds of the playoffs. The vampires of the Twins pitching staff are Caleb Theilbar (2.40 ERA during the day/ 1.46 at night) and Brock Stewart (1.74 ERA during the day/ 0.00 at night!), but their results are awesome any way you split it, and that bodes well for breaking the playoff curse as well! New Question #2: What "earns" a Twins player the right to be in the lineup for the 2023 playoffs? Even the casual Twins fan has noted that rookies are driving the offense in 2023, but will they still be in the lineup when Game 1 of the postseason finally rolls around? Lewis, Julien, Wallner, and even Kirilloff to a certain mathematical extent fit the rookie bill. Playoffs tend to tighten up the roster, and drive the opportunities towards the veterans who have paid their dues over the course of many seasons. For every Jeremy Pena, Randy Arozarena, and Kyle Schwarber there are hundreds of mid-level journeymen and all-star level veterans that take up the majority of playoff at-bats. The last time the Twins had a shot at winning a game in the postseason, Kirilloff surprisingly got the nod and sent Eddie Rosario to the pine. Kirilloff responded with a bases loaded pop up, and Rosario responded with an NL Championship MVP and World Series ring with the Braves. The trivia answer "the first player to make his major league debut in the postseason" was a neat story at the time for Kirilloff in 2020, but its not the narrative that is playing out in 2023. The main four Twins rookies this season have combined for 1,078 plate appearances (Lewis 227, Wallner 213, Julien 354, Kirilloff 284). Add in Trevor Larnach's 188 from early in the season when he was the one carrying the offense, and the Twins find themselves with rookie bats that have experienced an unusual amount of seasoning and responsibility come playoff time. One need look no further than the weeping and gnashing of teeth that ensued when rookie Lewis had to leave the game due to injury Tuesday night in order to determine just how important the young talent has been to the Twins success both now and into any potential playoff matchup. Manager Rocco Baldelli loves to pinch hit for these rookies based on pitching splits and game situations, but their success while in the lineup will be the necessary answer to the question "How did the Twins manage to start winning again in the playoffs in 2023?" Which brings us to the most vital new question facing the Twins in the coming weeks... New Question #3: Did the Twins win the season-long game of "injured list roulette"? Buxton, Maeda, Stewart, Gordon, Taylor, Kirilloff, Lewis, Polanco, Farmer, Alcala, Paddock, Gallo, Correa... In previous years, the focus might have been about who wasn't available for the playoff run. New Twins head trainer Nick Paparesta was brought in to change the question, and thereby change the Twins playoff answers. This hire didn't lead to less injuries, but it did lead to a shift in seasonal perspective. Time after time, a player's injury was discussed with the playoff timeline in mind regardless of how the club was doing at the time. How does this impact the 2023 playoff roster? Twins fans will have to wait for a few more weeks to tell for sure. We know that Buxton will get thrown into center field at some point in the next week, but we don't know if he will be healthy enough to stay there. For now, a DH turn on Thursday night became the first step. We know Stewart is coming back to the bullpen, but we don't know if he will be able to regain his crucial role there. Chris Paddock is pitching with explosive energy, but we don't know where in the roster he will fit and if his arm will be able to hold on for a few more weeks. Is Maeda trending up or down? Will Nick Gordon find a place in the field or on the base paths? Will Lewis, Correa, Polanco, and Kirilloff's respective bodies hold up to the challenge of extra weeks of baseball around the infield? Can Jorge Alcala find the strike zone when he returns, and will Joey Gallo keep pitches from beating him in the zone? Tyler Mahle and Jose Miranda won’t be helping the Twins break the curse. That much we know. Carlos Correa found his way to the injured list after his plantar fasciitis "popped" in Cincinnati, but as his teammates continue to point out: Carlos will not miss the playoffs even if he needs a wheelchair. Royce Lewis didn't find his way onto the IL in Cincinnati, but his presence for round one of the playoffs isn't a certainty. Again, the plan in place appears to be "get healthy for postseason" even with an outside chance of the second seed in front of the team. Even amidst all of this uncertainty, one thing is clear. The Twins hope to be the healthiest on paper that they have been all season long when the first pitch of Game 1 of the 2023 playoffs is thrown. That was their plan all along, and it looks like it worked to the best that it could have given the circumstances and the fact that baseball is 162 games of constant sprints, stops, throws and lunges. What do you think the answers will be as the Twins enter the 2023 playoffs? What questions did I miss? Now its your turn Twins Territory, let us know what your answers to these three bold new questions would be. What did I overstate? Anything I missed? What questions keep you up at night, and what potential answers help you to wake up in the morning? Ready or not, the 2023 playoffs are coming to Target Field. Here's to hoping that the Twins have what it takes to be ready to answer the bell whether it be day or night, rookie or veteran, full strength or walking wounded. View full article

I did wonder if in all of the role changes, they forgot to "replace" Tingler's duties for the short term so that he could focus on other game management aspects. They sounded like they got caught unawares, and hopefully learned from it.

The Twins' magic number lowered to three, the Twins' arms pitched a shut-out, and no Twins fan went home happy after Royce Lewis left the game mid-at-bat. Here's how the ecstacy and agony transpired. Image courtesy of Kareem Elgazzar - USA Today Box Score: Starting Pitcher: Kenta Maeda 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K (83 Pitches, 51 Strikes, 61%) Home Runs: Ryan Jeffers (11), Willi Castro (8) Top 3 WPA: Maeda (.305), Matt Wallner (.185), Jeffers (.097) Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): Tuesday night's matchup between the Twins and the Reds saw two clubs at very different ends of the playoff push spectrum. The Twins came into the game with a magic number at 5, and the opportunity to rest some players and to experiment with their approach, with a fill-in manager Jayce Tingler to boot (thanks to Rocco Baldelli's twins arriving this week!). The Reds came into the game tied with the Cubs for the last wild card spot in the NL, with little to no room for error. The Twins sent a veteran starting pitcher to the mound in Kenta Maeda. The Reds sent an opener to the mound in Fernando Cruz, with plans for a bullpen game. In order to figure out which of those narratives lent itself towards victory, they played a baseball game. It turns out the Twins' approach was the way to go. No one could foresee, however, the cost that would come with this victory. Kenta Maeda Made His Case Known Pablo Lopez and Sonny Gray will be the Game 1 & 2 starters for the Twins in the playoffs. Game 3 is up for grabs, and on Tuesday night Maeda made an excellent case for the role. On the heels of a dominating seven-inning, two run performance against the White Sox, Maeda kept the Reds young hitters off of the basepaths in the opening innings, and escaped cluttered bases in the top of the fourth. Twins Open the Scoring The Twins faced an opening pitcher, and ended up seeing five different pitchers in the first five innings. They had planned on seeing Ben Lively as a longer relief option earlier in the game, but insetad the Reds went to Buck Farmer as the second man out of the pen to get the Reds out of a dicey situation in the top of the second inning. Max Kepler reached on a walk and stole second thanks to an Elly De La Cruz botched catch and tag. Farmer promptly accelerated the anxiety of the situation by walking Ryan Jeffers. Matt Wallner looked overmatched by Farmer's fastball, but luckily he ended up getting a slider which he deposited past the infield to plate Kepler to make it 1-0 Twins. Jeffers got into the scoring mix again in the top of the fourth, when he lined a solo shot into the left field bleachers off of the next reliever up, Daniel Duarte. 111.5 mph of pure Twins magic number reduction power. The Middler Finally Arrives, and the Twins Were Ready for It By the time Lively finally arrived in the game the Twins bats were warmed up and took what he gave him. Four straight singles in the top of the sixth led to two more runs. The top of the seventh inning brought more runs as well, this time provided by the daddy power of one Willi Castro. Let's Talk About Twins Pitching Some More Maeda ended up completing five innings of one-hit baseball. Full counts early in the game ended well, but Maeda's pitch count rose to 83 by the end of the fifth and the keys to the mound were handed to Kody Funderburk, Emilio Pagan, Caleb Thielbar, and Dylan Floro kept the shutout intact. Castro and his home run robbing skills also kept the shutout intact, which cannot go overlooked in the analysis of "how well the pitchers did tonight." The Only Thing That Could Ruin Tonight Is... Royce. Lewis. Injured. Lewis attempted to stay in the game after tweaking something while running out a double-play grounder in the sixth inning. He was forced to leave the game mid-at-bat in the top of the eighth. The words "oblique" and "despair" circulated on social media. The Twins added on to their lead in this game, but their lead on the division and hope for the playoffs will rest with the post-game news on just what level of injury is facing the heart of this team. Initial reports focus on a tight hamstring, but until more details emerge its our heartstrings that will be clenched. What's Next: Twins RHP Bailey Ober (7-6, 3.67 ERA) against Reds RHP Hunter Greene (4-6, 4.45 ERA) in the series finale Wednesday, with the Twins looking to continue their push for the second seed in the AL. First pitch is scheduled at the Great American Ball Park for 11:35am CDT. Yes, you read that right, its time for some morning baseball in Twins Territory. Postgame Interviews: Bullpen Usage: FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Keuchel 0 0 0 58 0 58 Funderburk 16 0 0 0 20 36 Pagán 0 0 22 0 8 30 Jax 16 0 13 0 0 29 Varland 29 0 0 0 0 29 Winder 0 25 0 0 0 25 Thielbar 0 0 0 0 16 16 Floro 0 0 0 0 16 16 Durán 0 9 0 0 0 9 View full article