At Progressive Field on a tense evening, the Minnesota Twins suffered yet another setback, blowing a three-run lead to fall 4-3 to the Cleveland Guardians. The crushing moment came when Griffin Jax surrendered a game-winning two-run homer to Kyle Manzardo in the bottom of the eighth inning. This loss epitomizes the struggles the Twins have faced in the latter part of their season.
The Twins' recent form has been troubling, losing 18 of their last 27 games. Despite clinging to the third AL wild-card spot, their lead has been reduced to just 1 1/2 games. FanGraphs had rated their postseason odds at a commanding 95.4% as of September 5, but that number has now dwindled to a more precarious 76.4%. The team’s underwhelming offense during this period has been a key issue, as they failed to score more than three runs in 12 of those 27 games. The collective batting average has dipped to .236, with an on-base percentage of .296 and a slugging percentage of .381. When the bases are empty, the Twins are hitting .272, placing them among the worst in this scenario.
Offensive Woes and Bullpen Struggles
Max Kepler’s expected return is a rare piece of good news, but the team’s offensive challenges have been a persistent theme. As manager Rocco Baldelli succinctly put it, "If we're able to do what we need to do on the offensive end, we win, but we did not. We have to do better and we have to put nine innings together." The Twins’ bullpen, once a reliable unit with a 3.84 ERA, has also faltered. Over the recent 27-game period, the bullpen's ERA has ballooned to 5.47, accompanied by a league-worst minus-2.75 in win probability added.
Rotation Woes Compound the Problem
In addition to the bullpen’s decline, the rest of the rotation has been underwhelming, posting a 6.07 ERA over the same period and averaging just 4.38 innings per start. This has had a taxing effect on the entire pitching staff. "It’s pretty heartbreaking. We're kind of running on fumes as a staff," admitted Griffin Jax, encapsulating the collective sentiment among the pitchers.
Tight Races and Crucial Tiebreakers
The Twins still possess crucial tiebreakers over both the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners, who trail them by just two games in the standings. However, the Tigers have been on a tremendous run, going 23-10 in their last 33 games, further narrowing the Twins' margin for error. "Our margin of error keeps shrinking and shrinking. Now it's to the point where you've got to take it one day at a time, one pitch at a time, one at-bat at a time. Today will be a tough pill to swallow," noted Pablo López, stressing the importance of immediate focus and execution.
Seeking Reinforcements and Rediscovering Form
In a bid to bolster the roster, the Twins recently claimed lefty Cole Irvin off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. Irvin had a 4.86 ERA in 16 starts and nine relief appearances, and the team has varied plans for him. "We were thinking, how do we lengthen out what we already have? He could be your prototypical swingman who can pitch out of the bullpen. We don't have a left-handed starter in the mix right now either. He just adds another guy that we think can help," explained Derek Falvey, highlighting the strategic reasoning behind the move.
As the Twins navigate this challenging stretch, the focus is clear: rediscovering their form and identity as a team. "We have to find ourselves as a team. We've been looking over the last month as far as who we are and how we're going to do this," asserted Rocco Baldelli. The coming weeks will determine if the Twins can regroup and secure their postseason aspiration. Yet, the need for a comprehensive team effort, both offensively and defensively, cannot be overstated. "We have to put nine innings together," Baldelli reiterated, emphasizing the central requirement for a turnaround.