Cody Christie

Josh Donaldson is sick and tired of poor umpiring and he doesn’t care who knows it. In one of the team’s most memorable moments this season, Donaldson was ejected after hitting a home run and kicking dirt on the plate as he touched home. It might not have been the best way to respond, but he was unhappy about a bad strike call. Now, the Twins third baseman is calling out umpires during the MLB Postseason and he might be right about how poor balls and strikes have been called in recent years.Former Twins player Trevor Plouffe started the conversation on Twitter when he brought up the fact that umpires “aren’t held accountable” and thy have “as much job protection as a Supreme Court justice.” Josh Donaldson responded by saying, “It’s embarrassing. It’s tough to watch any game.” He went on to say, “This isn’t high school where you can say that’s too close to take. As a MLB hitter our job is to take close pitches that are out of zone.” Plouffe went on to talk about the difference between a hitter’s count or a pitcher’s count and Brandon Warne brought up some interesting numbers. First, let’s examine Donaldson and his 2020 season. Not all the pitches he took went against him. In fact, he took 10 pitches in the zone that were called balls, which is very similar to his numbers stretching back to 2017. His biggest discrepancy was on pitches outside the zone that were called for strikes. From 2017-2019, Donaldson saw 2.7% of those pitches called for strikes. In 2020, that percentage jumped all the way to 3.8%, the highest mark of his career. Complaining about umpires has been part of the fabric of baseball. One of the biggest changes is the fact that technology has allowed fans from home to see pitches and plays multiple times in slow motion where an umpire must make a call in real-time. Baseball broadcasts also put up a strike zone box, which makes it easy for fans to see if an umpire made the correct call. So, how have umpires fared when calling balls and strikes in recent years? During the 2019 season, MLB umpires made 33,277 incorrect calls which means there were 13.8/game and 1.5/inning. Looking back to 2018, MLB umpires made 34,294 incorrect calls for an average of 14/game and 1.6/inning. While those numbers may seem high, a 2019 Boston University study showed that bad calls have been declining every year since 2008. The 2020 season was unique in many ways with most teams playing 60 games and other rule changes for extra-innings and double-headers impacting how long games lasted. This meant umpires had fewer opportunities to make mistakes and the data backs that up. In 2020, MLB umpires made 11,920 incorrect calls for an average of 13.3/game, but with fewer innings the bad calls per inning was up to 1.54/inning. Do you agree with Donaldson? Do you feel umpires have gotten worse at calling balls and strikes? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Three AL Central teams qualified for MLB’s expanded playoffs and all three were bounced out of the Wild Card Series. After beating up on each other, the future of the division is up in the air. What went right and what went wrong for all three teams in October?Cleveland Indians What went right? The Indians seemed to be set up well to find a way to win. Shane Bieber was the American League’s best pitcher for the entire season and the rest of the rotation was strong with Zach Plesac, Carlos Carrasco, and Triston McKenzie making strong contributions. After struggling through parts of 2019, Jose Ramirez posted a .993 OPS while leading the AL in runs. Cesar Hernandez, an eight-year vet, made an impact by leading the AL with 20 doubles. The club won 9 of its final 11 games to pass the White Sox and finish in second place in the division. What went wrong? Cleveland was one of the hottest teams entering the playoffs, but the Yankees were just that much hotter as the Bronx Bombers got healthy at just the right time. New York pounced on Beiber for seven runs in Game 1 as Gerrit Cole cruised through seven innings with 13 strikeouts. Cleveland jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in Game 2, but New York scored nine runs in the last six innings to seal the deal. When Cleveland needed it the most, their pitching didn’t hold up and their season came to an end. What’s next? Francisco Lindor has one arbitration year remaining before he can hit the open market. He’s one of the top players in baseball and he plays a premier defensive position. He turns 27-years old so he could just be entering his prime year and it seems likely for the Indians to try and move him before the start of next season. Chicago White Sox What went right? It seemed like almost everything was going well for the White Sox as the season entered its final weeks. Jose Abreu played like an MVP candidate, Tim Anderson continued to be a masterful hitter, and Luis Robert broke onto the scene as one of the most exciting young players in the game. With eight games remaining, the team held a comfortable three game lead as they looked to lock up their first AL Central title since 2008. Things seemingly couldn’t have gone much better in what was certainly a strange 2020 campaign. What went wrong? After losing seven of their final eight contests, Chicago went from the AL Central frontrunner to the AL’s seventh seed and a first-round match-up against Oakland. The A’s couldn’t solve Lucas Giolito in game 1 and it looked like the White Sox could be the only Central team to make it out of the Wild Card round. In Game 2, Oakland got out to an early 4-0 lead and two unearned runs turned out to be the difference in the game. Both teams went with a bullpen game in Game 3 with no pitchers throwing more than two innings. Chicago outhit Oakland in every game, but the A’s walked away winners. What’s next? Chicago’s young core showed plenty of promising signs and they certainly look like they will be a threat in the AL Central for years to come. With few holes in the line-up, the White Sox could be looking to add to their pitching staff this off-season. Last off-season, the front office gave out some large contracts to fill areas of need and that could be the case again this year. They fired their manager Rick Renteria too, so that's another hole to fill. Minnesota Twins What went right? For the second straight year, the Twins ended up as AL Central Champions. A year removed from the Bomba Squad, the Twins sought ways to improve their starting staff and acquiring Kenta Maeda turned out to be the team’s best off-season move. He helped the Twins’ pitching staff to finish second overall in fWAR behind Cleveland. Minnesota’s bullpen was also a strength for much of the season as they finished tied with Tampa Bay for the AL’s highest fWAR. Nelson Cruz led the offense through the first part of the season and Byron Buxton showed again why he is one of baseball’s most dynamic players. What went wrong? Minnesota struggled to consistently score runs as the team finished 10th in the AL behind non-playoff teams like the Angels and the Red Sox. Injuries played a big part in Minnesota’s struggles. Josh Donaldson (calf), Byron Buxton (concussion), Jorge Polanco (ankle) and Luis Arraez (knee) were all playing through injuries down the stretch. Houston limited the Twins offense to two runs in the two-game series and Minnesota was eliminated before the calendar turned to October. What’s next? Minnesota has four free agent hitters and up to five free agent pitchers if the team doesn’t pick-up Sergio Romo’s $5 million option for next season. The Twins are going to need to add to their starting rotation depth with Jake Odorizzi and Rich Hill becoming free agents. Another option is turning the reins over to a young core of top prospects that are on the cusp of being big league ready. What do you think happens next in the AL Central? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

There are plenty of decisions for Minnesota’s front office to consider in the months ahead. The Twins have won back-to-back AL Central titles, but their playoff frustrations have continued. No one knows what the beginning of next season will look like and there is wide speculation about teams reducing payroll after a shortened 2020 season. One strategy the team can explore is turning the reins over to a young core of top prospects that are on the cusp of being big league ready.Alex Kirilloff is Here to Stay Minnesota made it clear how highly they thought of Alex Kirilloff by having him on the postseason roster and starting him in an elimination game. There are a couple different ways to get Kirilloff in the line-up as a regular in 2021. Eddie Rosario is in his final year of arbitration and he is scheduled to get a raise to around $10 million. He likely isn’t worth that much especially if the Twins are trying to cut costs. If Rosario isn’t offered arbitration, the Twins could start next year with an outfield of Kirilloff along with Byron Buxton and Max Kepler. Kirilloff also can slide in at first base and the easiest way to make this happen is to not try and resign Nelson Cruz. Sano could move from first to being the team’s full-time designated hitter and Kirilloff could become Minnesota’s first baseman for the better part of the next decade. Finding Room for Brent Rooker Before the Twins turned to Kirilloff, Brent Rooker was the player the Twins turned to from the alternate site. Unfortunately, his season ended early after being hit by a pitch from Cleveland’s Zach Plesac. The 25-year old was still able to make a strong impression in his first taste of the big leagues. In 21 plate appearances, he went 6-for-19 with half of his hits being for extra bases. Much like with Kirilloff, the Twins could find a scenario where Rooker takes over at first base with Sano moving to DH. Minnesota could decide what can be better for the team’s defense which seems like Kirilloff in the outfield and Rooker at first base. Would the Twins want two unproven bats in the line-up from season’s start? Meet Ryan Jeffers, Everyday Catcher Ryan Jeffers quickly made his presence known on the Twins roster this season and there is little chance he will be going anywhere in the years ahead. Things get tricky when considering that Mitch Garver struggled in 2020 after one of the best hitting seasons ever for a catcher. Over the last couple of seasons, the front office has preferred to have one younger catcher, Mitch Garver, and pair him with a more veteran backstop (Jason Castro, Alex Avila). Both Castro and Avila made a good complement to Garver because they bat left-handed. Would the Twins be willing to trade Garver and resign a player like Avila as the back-up to Jeffers? Others on the Way Outside of the trio of players mentioned above, there are also other players closing in on Target Field. Trevor Larnach was the team’s 2019 Minor League Player of the Year and he adds some depth in the outfield. If Buxton misses time, an outfield of Kirilloff, Kepler and Larnach could certainly be intriguing. Another option could be to trade Larnach to fill a need at another spot on the roster. Royce Lewis is going to be talked about a lot this offseason and rightfully so. He is the team’s consensus top prospect, and he is one of baseball’s top prospects. With no minor league season, it’s tough to know how he progressed at the team’s alternate site. He ended 2019 at Double-A and there was a chance he made his big-league debut this season. Would the Twins be willing to trade Jorge Polanco and his team friendly deal? By midseason next year, the Twins line-up could include: C: Ryan Jeffers 1B: Brent Rooker 2B: Luis Arraez 3B: Josh Donaldson SS: Royce Lewis LF: Alex Kirilloff CF: Byron Buxton RF: Max Kepler DH: Miguel Sano The Twins farm system has kept them relevant and it continues to be the key to sustainable contention. Do you think the Twins should go with a youth movement in 2021? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Injuries are part of professional sports and one key injury can significantly alter the course of a franchise. This season in Minnesota’s most important game neither Josh Donaldson or Byron Buxton were on the field and both players have a lengthy injury history. Donaldson and Buxton can impact multiple facets of the game, so who’s injury history is more concerning?Josh Donaldson’s Recent Injury History 2017: Right-calf strain (38 games missed) 2018: Right shoulder inflammation, left-calf strain (110 games missed) 2020: Right-calf strain (32 games missed) Minnesota was well aware of Josh Donald’s calf issues when they signed him this off-season. He was coming off a healthy season in Atlanta and the Twins felt their training staff could continue to keep him healthy in the years ahead. That didn’t happen as he missed over half of the regular season and he was forced to sit out both the team’s playoff games. Now the Twins have three more guaranteed years left with Donaldson and a team option for a fourth year, which includes a large $8 million buyout. This year was certainly strange with players not being able to go through their normal ramp-up to a season with a shortened Summer Camp leading into the year. Would Donaldson have fared better if the season had been longer and the Twins medical staff could work with him on a more regular basis? Donaldson will turn 35 before the start of next season and age is always a question when it comes to recovering from injuries. Big expectations surrounded the team’s signing of Donaldson and there are plenty of question marks at the end of his first year. Byron Buxton’s Recent Injury History 2017: Groin strain, migraines (22 games missed) 2018: Migraines, fractures toe, strained wrist (134 games missed) 2019: Wrist contusion, concussion, left shoulder dislocation, labrum surgery (75 games missed) 2020: Concussion symptoms, left shoulder injury, sprained left-foot (21 games missed) There’s no question Byron Buxton can be one of the most exciting players in baseball when he is healthy and on the field. Unfortunately, Twins fans have only seen Buxton play over 95 games once in his big-league career. Minnesota took a proactive approach with Buxton this year by trying to alter some of his in-game behavior, but a high and tight fastball resulted in a head contusion and concussion symptoms. One way the Twins tried to alter Buxton’s behavior this year was to have him play deeper in centerfield. This allows him to start closer to the wall so he can minimize the risks involved with colliding with the wall. Another change has been the coaching staff working with him to try and jump off two feet instead of one foot. This was supposed to give him more control of his body in the air, but there were times this season where Buxton struggled to do this in the heat of the moment. Even with his injury history, Buxton is one of the most valuable Twins as evident by him ending 2020 with the team’s highest WAR total according to Baseball Reference. There were multiple defensive plays this season where Buxton made a concerted effort to avoid crashing into the wall or diving for the ball. One pitch altered the end of his season, but Twins fans have seen that with another centerfielder in team history. Donaldson and Buxton now have a full off-season to get ready for what will hopefully be a more regular 2021 campaign. Moving forward, fans are going to continue to have questions every time either one of these players is out of the line-up. If the current Twins core wants to find postseason success, Donaldson and Buxton need to be on the field and playing at something close to peak performance. Whose injury history are you more worried about? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Twins entered play on Tuesday with losses in 16-straight playoff games and the team hadn’t be favored in a playoff series since 2006. That series didn’t turn out so well as Minnesota ended up being swept by Oakland. Now the Twins are going to have to win two straight games against the Astros to make it out of the Wild Card Series. Fans are going to overreact to many things from one game and here are five of the easiest to pinpoint.Overreaction 1: The Twins can’t score with runners in scoring position. The first inning was rough as the Twins loaded the bases with one out in the frame. Eddie Rosario hit a scalding line drive at over 100 mph that happened to find the glove of the first baseman. With two outs, Miguel Sano hit a slow roller and nearly beat it out for an infield hit. His sprint speed on the play was 28.9 ft/sec which is 1.5 ft/sec fast than his average this season. The Twins didn’t score, but the club made Greinke throw 30 pitches in the frame. Even though Minnesota didn’t capitalize, the Twins got Greinke out of the game early enough to give them time to strike against the bullpen. Overreaction 2: Kenta Maeda is the Twins best playoff pitcher since Jack Morris. Kenta Maeda wasn’t perfect on Tuesday with three walks and five strikeouts over five shutout innings. He got out of one bases loaded jam to keep a zero on the board, but many fans might have forgotten about how good a former pitcher was in October. Johan Santana was outstanding during the playoffs near the end of his Twins tenure. In his last three postseason starts, he allowed three earned runs over 20 innings with 20 strikeouts and five walks. The Twins only won one of those games and it was the team’s last postseason win. Overreaction 3: Rocco Baldelli overmanaged his catchers. Ryan Jeffers was the correct choice to start the game and he put together two solid at-bats that both resulted in line outs at over 100 mph. Overall, this sounds great, but Baldelli turned to Mitch Garver as a pinch hitter for Jeffers in the bottom of the 7th. Garver struggled mightily down the stretch after returning from injury. He promptly struck out on four pitches and then he was replaced behind the plate by Alex Avila. Last season, Garver had an offensive season for the ages when it came to catchers, but that isn’t the player he has been this year. Jeffers should have stayed in the game to get the at-bat and this might be the easiest decision to question. Overreaction 4: Minnesota’s bullpen is broken. Tyler Duffey has been outstanding for most of the last two seasons and he gave up the Twins first run of the game. Sergio Romo allowed back-to-back singles to start the top of the ninth inning. He saw the Twins middle infield botch the final out of the inning on an easy throw to second base. Romo ran the next count full before walking in the go-ahead run. Caleb Thielbar came into a no-win situation with the lead already gone and Houston’s best hitters coming up with the bases loaded. Minnesota used their best arms in the appropriate spots and it just didn’t work out. Overreaction 5: Jorge Polanco is a bad defensive shortstop. No one can argue that Polanco’s error wasn’t a turning point in the game. On a play that looked very routine, the Twins middle infield duo messed up the play. While fans are going to remember this play, Polanco was remarkably better on the defensive side of the ball. He committed only two errors the entire season and FanGraphs Defensive Runs Above Average had him ranked as the fourth best shortstop in the AL. Polanco is never going to win a Gold Glove at shortstop, but he made positive strides this season and it’s disappointing that one play could define his season. What are some of your reactions to the first game against the Astros? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Everyone is aware of what happened to the Astros this off-season and now the Twins get the chance to knockout a team that has been a perennial favorite in the American League. Both lineups have struggled through different parts of the 2020 season, so which team has an edge heading into their three-game series? The answer may surprise you.Catcher Mitch Garver and Ryan Jeffers vs. Martin Maldonado and Dustin Garneau Catching depth will be critical in a three-game series with no off-days. Houston’s Martin Maldonado will likely start two of the three games and he compiled a .727 OPS this year with a 98 OPS+. It’s going to be interesting to see how Rocco Baldelli uses his catching duo. Mitch Garver has struggled throughout the season to replicate his breakout 2020 campaign. Ryan Jeffers might be better than advertised on both sides of the ball and he ended the regular season with a .791 OPS and a 118 OPS+. If he starts two of the three games, the Twins have the advantage. Advantage: Twins First Base Miguel Sano vs. Yuli Gurriel Twins fans are aware of Sano’s up and downs throughout the 2020 season. He is a very streaky hitter and he has been for his entire career. Over the team’s final 11 games, Sano hit .095/.116/.238 with 22 strikeouts in 42 at-bats. Back in 2019, Gurriel posted an .884 OPS on his way to hitting 31 home runs and 40 doubles. He’s 36-years old this season and he posted a career worst .658 OPS and a 76 OPS+. Twins fans will have to hope Sano can find one of his hot streaks as the postseason begins. Advantage: Twins Second Base Luis Arraez vs. Jose Altuve It’s no secret that Luis Arraez is playing through a knee injury, but he came back from the IL this weekend with a flurry by collecting three doubles in one game. Even with some early season struggles, he ended the year with a .321 batting average and a .765 OPS. In the wake of the Astros cheating scandal, Jose Altuve struggled this season for the first time in his career. In 48 games, he hit .219/.286/.344 with a 71 OPS+. His career track record is so much better even with the cheating allegations. Will he be able to turn it on for October? Advantage: Astros Third Base Josh Donaldson or Marwin Gonzalez vs. Alex Bregman Josh Donaldson left a game against the Reds on Friday with a calf injury and he hasn’t been back on the field yet. He was limited to 28 games this season because of this reoccurring injury but he was still able to post an .842 OPS and a 131 OPS+. Alex Bregman has been in the MVP conversation in each of the last two seasons, but he lost over 200 points from his OPS this year compared to 2019. Donaldson will likely be a game-time decision and the back-up option is Marwin Gonzalez. Maybe Gonzalez can have something to prove to his old team, but Donaldson’s injury gives the edge to Houston. Advantage: Astros Shortstop Jorge Polanco vs. Carlos Correa After making the All-Star team last season, Jorge Polanco struggled at the plate in 2020. His OPS dipped from .841 to .658 and his OPS+ also dropped by nearly 40 points. Correa posted a career worst .709 OPS which was a drop of over 200 points. He still got on base 32.6% of the time, but he was lacking in the power department. Like many other Houston hitters, fans have to wonder how much he was benefiting from their in-game video systems. Looking at the numbers, this is a close match-up and Houston gets the slight edge. Advantage: Astros Left Field Eddie Rosario vs. Kyle Tucker Eddie Rosario did about what fans expect from him every season. He’s posted an OPS around .800 for three consecutive years and he gets on base roughly 31% of the time. His 19 walks in 57 games nearly matched his 22 walks from 137 games last year, but it remains to be seen if that patience will carry over into the postseason. Twins fans may not know about Kyle Tucker, but he might have been a savior for the Astros offense in 2020. As a 23-year old, he compiled an .837 OPS and a 123 OPS+ while leading the AL with six triples. Twins fans can hope he has some October growing pains, but Houston still has the advantage. Advantage: Astros Center Field Byron Buxton or Jake Cave vs. George Springer Much like with Donaldson, there are questions surrounding Byron Buxton’s health heading into October. He was hit in the head with a fastball over the weekend and he was suffering from mild concussion like symptoms. If Buxton remains out, Jake Cave is the next man up and he has a tough time comparing to Houston’s center fielder. George Springer posted an OPS of nearly .900 and an OPS+ of 140 while watching other key Astros hitters take a step back at the plate. If Buxton is healthy, this is a much tougher match-up. Advantage: Astros Right Field Max Kepler vs. Josh Reddick Max Kepler wasn’t able to reproduce his 2019 numbers, but his 2020 slash line of .228/.321/.439 is very close to his career averages. Also, he was able to post an OPS+ of over 100 for the second consecutive season. Reddick is in his 12th big league season and age might be catching up to him. After posting a career high .847 OPS back in 2017, his OPS has dropped in recent years and he finished 2020 with a .693 OPS. Even with Kepler’s struggles this season, he gets the edge over Reddick. Advantage: Twins Designated Hitter Nelson Cruz vs. Michael Brantley Twins fans saw what Nelson Cruz meant to this team as he carried much of the offensive load during the early part of the season. Even though he turned 40 before the season’s first game, his 169 OPS+ was a point higher than his first season in a Twins uniform. Michael Brantley did what the Astros asked of him as he posted an OPS+ of over 120 for the third straight season. His 15 doubles were the most on the team, but Cruz is clearly the better hitter this season. Advantage: Twins Minnesota’s key injuries to Donaldson and Buxton can certainly make this lineup battle a little closer. Even with their offensive struggles this season, Houston gets the slight edge heading into the series. How worried are you about the Astros lineup? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The strange and unique 2020 regular season is coming to a close, but there is plenty of things left to be decided for the Twins. Weird records were bound to come to fruition within the confines of a 60-game season. Plenty of fans will look back at the 2020 campaign for what it was: a strange and unusual time in baseball history. Here are just a handful of the records on the table for the Twins this weekend.Best Home Winning Percentage Minnesota enters the weekend with the highest home winning percentage in baseball history. The Twins enter play on Friday with a 23-5 record at home, which calculates out to a .821 home winning percentage. In 1932, the Yankees went 60-15 at home and finished with an .805 winning percentage. In a quirky season, the Twins have also played an extra game at Target Field and that gets them closer to this record. To beat the Yankees record, the Twins need to win two out of their final three games against the Reds who are also fighting for a playoff spot. Bomba Squad Part Deuce? A year after setting the all-time home run record, the Twins are quietly close to leading the American League in home runs for the second consecutive season. It’s down to a three-team race with the White Sox currently leading the Twins and the Yankees by one home run. The Bomba Squad likely wants to beat Chicago and New York in the playoffs than beat them out for the home run title, but who says the team can’t have both. Hit a bunch of homers against the Reds pitching staff and let the rest take care of itself. Lots of Sano Records in the Forecast Miguel Sano has been his usual self this year with some incredible hot streaks and some incredible low streaks. He’s on pace to lead the American League in strikeouts, but The Athletic’s Jayson Stark points out some dubious company Sano can enter this weekend. Sano can become just the third strikeout champ to have twice as many Ks as hits joining Rob Deer (1991) and Mark Reynolds (2010). That isn’t the only feat facing Sano this weekend. He enters the weekend with 11 singles and 12 home runs so far in 2020. Plenty of hitters have done this before, but no strikeout leader has finished a season with more home runs than singles. Sano has struggled in recent games, so some home runs before the playoffs might get him back on track. If Sano collects another homer, he can tie Jacque Jones for 13th on the Twins all-time home run list. He’s also climbing the Twins leaderboard for most home runs through a player’s age-27 season. Sano (131 HR) is two home runs behind Justin Morneau (133 HR) for fourth on that list. Out of the other players on the list, only Harmon Killebrew played fewer games than Sano. When Sano makes contact, it is usually with authority and he is on pace to lead the AL in average exit velocity this season. Currently, he sits at a 95.4 mph average exit velocity which is second best in baseball behind Fernando Tatis Jr. Other AL challengers include Matt Chapman (93.6), Mike Trout (93.6) and Teoscar Hernandez (93.4), but there may not be enough games left for the anyone to catch him. Walk-Off Winners With Minnesota’s walk-off win earlier in the week, the team has already had as many walk-off wins as in all of 2019. Last season, Twins walk-off wins were more allusive because the team scored 939 runs on their way to the all-time home run title. This season Minnesota’s +57 run differential is the second highest in the AL (trailing Chicago by 11 runs). Cruz, Polanco, Buxton and Kepler have all ended a game in dramatic fashion. Can the team add one more walk-off against Cincinnati? Watch Me WHIP Kenta Maeda won’t be pitching this weekend, but at the season’s conclusion he will enter some elite company when it comes to his WHIP total this year. Only two pitchers in baseball history, Clayton Kershaw and Pedro Martinez, have posted a WHIP lower than Maeda’s 0.75 WHIP this season. Martinez did it in 2000 on his way to his third Cy Young in four seasons, while Kershaw did it in 2016 when he was limited to under 150 innings. What will you be watching for this weekend? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

It is hard not to be impressed with Kenta Maeda’s first season in a Twins uniform. He might be in the conversation for winning the Cy Young, if not for the season being compiled by Cleveland’s Shane Bieber. For better or for worse, playoff baseball is where a pitcher can go from great to legendary. Maeda has that opportunity with the Twins this season and his playoff track record puts him in rarified air.Maeda’s first playoff experience came as a starter back in 2016 and things were a little rocky. In his first start, the Nationals knocked him around for four runs on five hits in three innings. The Dodgers were still able to win the series and Maeda would get two opportunities to start against the Cubs in the NLDS. In Game 1, the Cubs got to him early for three runs in the first two innings. He would pitch four frames with two strikeouts and three walks. His turn in the rotation came up again in Game 5 and this time he couldn’t make it out of the fourth. He struck out six in 3 2/3 innings and he held Chicago to one earned run on three hits. The Dodgers would lose the series and Maeda’s time as a playoff starter was also over in LA. Over the next two seasons, the Dodgers would make back-to-back runs to the World Series and Maeda was one of their best bullpen weapons. He made 21 playoff relief appearances from 2017-2019 and only allowed four earned runs on 15 hits with a 27 to 5 strikeout to walk ratio and two of his walks were intentional. Opponents hit .185/.233/.272 against him with five extra-base hits in 81 at-bats. There was only one game where he allowed more than one earned run in a relief appearance. Another one of his earned runs came in the 2017 World Series against the Astros when Houston likely knew what pitches were being thrown. What might be even more astonishing is the fact he pitched 2 2/3 innings during Game 3 in Houston, and he limited batters to one hit. Even if Houston knew what pitch was coming, the Astros still couldn’t hit it. While it’s hard to ignore his previous playoff performance, the 2020 version of Maeda is more dominant than his years in Los Angeles. His four-seam usage is down to 18.9% from a career high 41.9% back in 2018. He has been relying more on his slider (39.7%) and changeup (28.8%) and one of the biggest changes has been his willingness to throw his slider to left-handed batters. Last year, he only threw his slider to lefties 11.1% of the time and this season he has used it over 30% of the time. Maeda’s playoff experience certainly doesn’t hurt, but the Twins are only going to be able to use him once in their three-game first round series. Minnesota’s recent playoff experience has been a little painful as the Twins haven’t won a playoff game since 2004 and they haven’t won a playoff series since 2002. Maeda will look to help the Twins end both of those streaks, and while he has been great this season, legends are born in October. Do you think Maeda’s previous playoff performance will impact his 2020 performance? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Bullpens can be fickle from one year to the next. Take the case of Zack Littell. Last season, he was one of Minnesota’s most trustworthy arms as he was entering the game in the late innings in some tough spots. One year later, the Twins were able to pass him through waivers and take him off the 40-man roster. With less than a week remaining, how should the Twins bullpen rank heading into October?October is going to look different this season with no off days in scheduled in each of the first three rounds. There is some time off between each round, but bullpens are going to be even more important in this tight schedule. These power rankings aren’t about who should be used in a specific spot because the manager can be creative in the playoffs. The rankings below are about who is pitching well and who has the best stuff to succeed in October. 10. Sean Poppen (4.70 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 10 K, 7 2/3 IP) Poppen has seen limited time for the Twins this year and it seems unlikely that he would be called on in October. His lone role might be to eat some innings if there was a blowout. He also hasn’t pitched in a game in nearly two weeks. Twins fans don’t want to see him on the mound in the playoffs, because that likely means something went wrong in the game. 9. Caleb Thielbar (1.69 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 20 K, 16 IP) Thielbar has been a feel-good story for the Twins this season as his pitching performance certainly has matched a player that hasn’t pitching in the big leagues since 2015. If you take out his first appearance, he has a 0.66 ERA while holding batters to a .149/.259/.149 (.408) slash-line. Also, he has been asked to get more than three outs four of his fourteen games, which is likely something he wouldn’t be asked to do in the postseason. On other teams, he’d rank much higher. 8. Cody Stashak (3.09 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 15 K, 11 2/3 IP) Stashak has been really good and him being this low shows the depth of the Twins bullpen. He’s only allowed runs in two of his nine appearances and he has multiple strikeouts in over half of his outings. His one bad appearance was an inning where he allowed three runs to Kansas City. Rocco Baldelli has shown faith in using him in the late innings of close games. With few off days in each series, Stashak might be needed for some big outs. 7. Jorge Alcala (2.91 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 27 K, 21 2/3 IP) Alcala might have helped Twins fans to forget about Brusdar Graterol since he is basically filling the same role on the team. He’s also been better than Graterol this season. His fastball will certainly play in October and he’s used his slider nearly as often. His Baseball Savant page is also the thing of dreams as he ranks as ranks higher than the 80th percentile in all but one category. He could be the team’s closer of the future and October could be his month to shine on the big stage. 6. Matt Wisler (1.11 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 34 K, 24 1/3 IP) Wilser has been the Twins diamond in the rough this year. Claimed off waivers, the Twins have helped him to morph into one of the American League’s best relief pitchers. According to Baseball Reference, he is tied with Jose Berrios for the fourth highest WAR on the team behind Byron Buxton, Kenta Maeda, and Nelson Cruz. He’s been used as an opener, earned a save, and has five holds to his name. His versatility could be useful with how effective he continues to be. 5. Tyler Clippard (2.78 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 22 K, 22 2/3 IP) Minnesota saw plenty of Clippard last year in Cleveland and he’s been nearly as good so far this year. He could actually move down this list with some recent poor performances. In three of his last four appearances, runs have been scored against him, so his worst stretch of the season might be coming at the wrong time. Baldelli will likely continue to turn to him because he is a 14-year veteran with 14 playoff appearances during his career. 4. Sergio Romo (2.89 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 22 K, 18 2/3 IP) Since the Twins acquired him last year, Romo has been getting plenty of late inning opportunities out of the Twins bullpen. Taylor Rogers has struggled at times this year and this has led the Twins to continue to use Romo in late inning situations. Fans saw this as recently as Sunday night in Chicago with Rogers getting the eighth and Romo getting the ninth. Things got a little shaky in that game, but he has a long playoff track record and he’s going to be trusted to get outs in the eighth and ninth inning. 3. Taylor Rogers (4.58 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 22 K, 17 2/3 IP) Rogers and his struggles have been well documented throughout this season. In such a small sample size, luck might be accounting for some of his poor performance. His BABIP is one of the highest among all relief pitchers and his 4.58 ERA comes with a 2.84 FIP. Some of his issues this year might also be tied to the use of his breaking pitches. As Nick wrote about last week, his curve spin rate has flattened out and this could be one reason for more solid contact against him. Whether it’s luck or a poor breaking ball, the Twins need Rogers to be in peak form by the start of next week. 2. Trevor May (4.35 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 34 K, 20 2/3 IP) Back on September 6, May blew up in a loss to Detroit as he allowed three runs on four hits and saw his ERA rise to 5.74. In his last five appearances, he has been nearly unhittable with opponents limited to two hits, both singles. He has struck out eight in five innings and nearly 60% of his WPA for the season has come during this recent stretch. Even though his season hasn’t been perfect, he’s been Minnesota’s hottest reliever to end the season. 1. Tyler Duffey (1.69 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 28 K, 21 1/3 IP) Duffey is the Twins best relief pitcher and it might not be close. If an opponent’s heart of the line-up is coming up in a key spot, Duffey gets the call in the bullpen. These types of situations will only be more amplified in the upcoming postseason. So far this season, he has pitched in any inning from the fourth to the eighth, because Baldelli trusts him in any situation. He isn’t the Twins closer, because he is better than any of the closing options for the Twins. How would you rank the Twins bullpen? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

For 13 years, Ron Gardenhire was at the helm of the Minnesota Twins. He would win six division titles and finish his Twins tenure with the second most wins in franchise history. On Saturday, he announced his retirement from baseball, but his legacy will be long lasting in Twins Territory.News broke on Sunday that Ron Gardenhire was retiring, effective immediately. The former Twins manager had been Detroit’s skipper for the last three seasons. He’s had a losing record in every season for the Tigers as they have been in full rebuild mode. Initially, his plan was to retire at the conclusion of the 2020 season, but a case of food poisoning and underlying health conditions pushed him into an early exit. In a press release, Gardenhire said, ““This is a bittersweet day for myself and my family. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the countless players and coaches that I’ve had the honor of working alongside for the last 16 seasons as manager. I’d also like to thank the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins for giving me the privilege of leading their clubhouses. While I’m stepping away from managing, I’ll be watching this group of Tigers closely in the next few years. There’s a lot of talent on this team, and a lot coming through the farm system. Tigers fans are going to enjoy the exciting times on the horizon.” Gardy’s Twins tenure started back in 1986 in his final year as a professional player. He played 117 games for the club’s Triple-A affiliate and hit .272/.347/.380 with 26 extra-base hits and a 70 to 45 strike out to walk ratio. He must have impressed the Twins, because he retired following the season and immediately started coaching in the Twins system. He quickly made his mark in his first three years as a minor league manager. He led teams in the Midwest League (Class A) and Southern League (Class AA) to one second place and two first place finishes. From there, he was promoted to being a coach on the big-league squad and he served as a coach for over the next decade (1991-2001). When Tom Kelly retired, Gardy took over with a flurry. In his first season as manager, he would lead the Twins to the AL Central crown and all the way to the ALCS before eventually losing to the eventual World Series champions, the Anaheim Angels. The Twins have yet to win a playoff series since that run, but Gardenhire’s impact was far from over. Minnesota would complete a three-peat of AL Central titles in 2004 before winning the title again in 2006. The club lost to the White Sox in Game 163 to end the 2008 season before coming back and winning a Game 163 against the Tigers to close out the Metrodome one year later. His final AL Central crown came in 2010 when he won his lone the AL Manager of the Year award. Many great players came to stardom under Gardenhire’s watchful eye. Johan Santana went on one of the greatest pitching runs in franchise history as he won two Cy Young awards before being traded to the Mets. Joe Mauer made his debut in 2004 and played a large portion of his potential Hall of Fame career under Gardenhire. Other players like Torii Hunter, Corey Koskie, Denard Span, Joe Nathan, Justin Morneau, and Michael Cuddyer would have long careers tied to Gardy’s tenure. Gardenhire’s personality was what separated him from previous Twins managers. He was able to connect with players and fans and he brought a passion that would overflow into the game. His club record 71 ejections would attest to that fact. If Twins teams were in contention, he pulled the right strings to be able to keep them in the race. Overall, he seemed to be able to get the best out of his players and to guide young players as they entered the league. Following the 2010 season, things went the wrong way in a hurry for Gardenhire and the Twins. For four straight seasons, the club lost over 90 games in the worst stretch of losing in franchise history. At his final Twins press conference, he said, “Sometimes people need to hear a different voice. They need a new face. I just want this organization to win; I’ll be rooting just like everybody else.” His 27 years in the Twins organization were over, but he was still part of the Twins family. Twins President Dave St. Peter said, “Baseball has always been better with Ron Gardenhire part of it. His legacy is highlighted by the hugely positive impact he made on players and staff. I will always remember his authentic connection to the fans. The Gardenhire family will always be part of the Twins family.” Twins fans might not have agreed with every on-field decision during the Gardenhire era, but his legacy will be felt throughout Twins Territory for years to come. Congratulations on retirement to Gardenhire and his family. May he stay healthy and enjoy the years ahead. What are some of your favorite Gardy memories? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

In the midst of a pandemic, there has been plenty to question about MLB’s approach to the 2020 season. Luckily, baseball is in the home stretch and it looks like the 60-game season will be completed on time. Next on the checklist is to unravel a new expanded playoff format that took on a much different look earlier this week.Expanded Playoffs In the hours before the season began, MLB and the Players Association agreed to a deal that would expand the playoffs from 10-teams to 16-teams. This means more than half of baseball’s teams will qualify for postseason play. MLB did more than just add more teams and some of those changes could make this year’s playoffs tough to digest for more traditional fans. The first round will be a best of three-series with all the games played in the ballpark of the higher seed. With no fans in the stands, the biggest advantages for the home teams are being able to sleep in their own beds and to be the last team to bat in the final inning. After this first round, things will change for the Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series. Neutral Site Bubbles MLB and the Players Association agreed to a deal earlier this week that would set up two neutral site bubbles for every round beyond the first round. All American League teams will play their games in California between Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles and Petco Park in San Diego. All National League teams will play their games in Texas between Minute Maid Park in Houston and Globe Life Park in Arlington. The World Series will also be held at Globe Life Park. All players will be tested daily inside the bubbles. It also sounds like families will be able to enter the bubble and stay with players on contending teams. They must quarantine with the players for seven days leading into the postseason and remain together while their spouse is still playing. Families of managers and coaches will not have this option because of the capacity issues in the hotels. No Off Days Another change that will be added to this year’s playoffs is nearly all off days have been eliminated. The first-round series would be played over three consecutive days, the Division Series would be played over five consecutive days, and the League Championship Series would be played over seven consecutive days. Only the World Series would keep it regular off days following Game 2 and Game 5. For teams and managers, a condensed schedule could mean more strategy throughout each series. Bullpens will be come even more important, which certainly could help the Twins since they have a strong bullpen. Another change could be that back-up catchers play more of a role in a shortened series. Teams might not want their starting catcher to log three straight starts behind the plate, especially since playoff games tend to be longer than regular season contests. What do you think about the changes to MLB’s playoff format? Will the bubble system work? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Minnesota is a virtual lock to make the playoffs and their possible first round opponent is becoming a little clearer. While a division title is still attainable, there are other things that are more important for the team to make a sustained run in October. Here are three questions the team needs to answer before heading into the playoffs.1. Can the line-up get healthy? Two of Minnesota’s scheduled regulars, Mitch Garver and Luis Arraez, are both on the injured list. The good news is Garver has been getting at-bats and working behind the plate at the team’s alternate training site in St. Paul. Rocco Baldelli told the media that Garver could join the team on the road trip if everything continues to go well. Ryan Jeffers has done more than hold his own with Garver out as his pitch framing has been outstanding and his has a .819 OPS. Arraez has been fighting with knee issues that date all the way back to spring training. He has been playing through the issue and this is the first time he went on the injured list this season. He can’t come off the IL until September 19 which will give him a little over a week to get ready for the playoffs. Marwin Gonzalez and Ehire Adrianza can fill-in at second but both have been struggling offensively. 2. How will the team line-up the rotation for the first round? It’s clear that Kenta Maeda will be starting in Minnesota’s first game of the playoffs. He’s been the best starting pitcher on the staff, and he has plenty of playoff experience from his time with the Dodgers. He’s currently projected to start on Thursday to close out the White Sox series and then he should get one more start before the regular season concludes. Outside of Maeda, it seems likely for the Twins to give Jose Berrios the nod in the second game of the playoffs. He had a shaky start to the season, but he seems to be getting back to form as of late. In his last four starts, he has held batters to a .183 BA and he has struck out 31 in 22 2/3 innings. He has been trending in the right direction and hopefully he is peaking at the right time. The third spot in the playoff rotation isn’t as clear, but it might be Michael Pineda’s spot to lose at this point. Randy Dobnak was terrific to start the year, but his last start was a little concerning as he hit two batters and allowed five runs on only two hits in one inning. Rich Hill has seen his strikeout totals increase in each of his last two starts, but he has yet to pitch more than five innings. Jake Odorizzi is coming back from injury and the team might not trust him in a winner-take-all game. 3. What’s the bullpen pecking order? Even with some recent struggles, Minnesota’s bullpen was outstanding to start the season. However, managing a bullpen in the postseason can be a little trickier. Baldelli seems to be set on Taylor Rogers being used in the closer role even though he has given up 21 hits in 16 1/3 innings. Sergio Romo and Tyler Clippard continue to get work in the late innings. Tyler Duffey might be the bullpen’s best pitcher and Baldelli has show flexibility to use Duffey in a variety of situations. Matt Wisler has been outstanding in nearly every role he has been given. Jorge Alcala has shown some of the flame throwing ability that made him one of the team’s top pitching prospects. There could also be some bullpen spots for starters that don’t make the playoff rotation. This could add even more depth to an already strong relief core. How do you think the Twins will answer these questions? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Following two off-days, the Twins are going to enter the toughest part of their remaining schedule. The club will have seven games scheduled against the other teams atop the AL Central standings and fans might know the fate of the division by the end of next week. This grueling part of the schedule should result in a playoff like atmosphere for all clubs involved as they try to clinch one of the top-3 seeds in the American League.Cleveland Indians (Twins up 4-3 in season series) What We Know The Indians haven’t had an off-day since last Thursday, so they won’t be exactly rested heading into a three-game series this weekend. Unfortunately for the Twins, Shane Bieber is lined up to pitch Game 1 at Target Field. He’s faced the Twins twice this season and picked up the win in both contests while striking out 10 batters or more. Minnesota hitters have gone 7-for-49 (.143 BA) against him with one extra-base hit. He’s the front runner for the AL Cy Young and he’s the type of pitcher that could wreak havoc in a playoff series. What’s Left to Find Out Cleveland’s offense has been anemic for a majority of the season, so will they find enough offense to win the division? Only five teams have a lower OPS than the Indians and their wRC+ is also near the bottom of all of baseball. Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor and Franmil Reyes have carried the offensive load, but who’s to say if they will be able to carry the team all the way to October glory. Cleveland’s pitching is good enough to keep them in any game and they will have to take a wait and see approach with the team’s offense. Chicago White Sox (Twins up 4-2 in season series) What We Know Chicago was a wild card coming into the season, because few knew how their young players were going to gel at the big-league level. It turns out their offense is legitimate as they have the American League’s highest wRC+ and highest OPS. They also have barreled up the ball over 10% of the time and only the Padres have done it more often. Eloy Jimenez, Jose Abreu and Luis Robert all have Hard Hit %’s north of 40%. For Twins fans, their offense is reminiscent of what was expected from Minnesota this season, even though that hasn’t come to fruition. What’s Left to Find Out It has become clear throughout the Twins six games with Chicago that the White Sox defense certainly struggles. Could these defensive woes be an Achilles heel for the club? Minnesota currently has the highest Defensive Runs Above Average (DEF) in baseball and the fourth highest Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). In comparison, Chicago’s defense doesn’t rank that low. They rank one spot better than the Twins in DRS, the highest total in the AL, and they are third in baseball in DEF. Chicago’s defensive blunders come through in other statistics such as having 29 errors, which is the fourth highest in baseball. All three top teams in the AL Central will make the postseason, so some of the drama is removed from these late-season games. However, there are bragging rights that come with being the team that wins the division and having homefield advantage in the first round would certainly be helpful. The Twins don’t need to win the division, but the club is in control of its own destiny over the next seven games. How do you feel about the up-coming seven games? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article