However, the Indians rode a ridiculously hot streak over the next two months (due in large part to playing the AL's bottom feeders) to not only catch the Twins but take over first place for exactly one day (August 12 to be precise). The very next day, the Twins reclaimed first place where they have been ever since.
It appeared the Twins weathered the worst of the storm this season and thus would cruise to the AL Central title and automatic postseason berth after an 8-2 road trip from August 27 thru September 5. That impressive showing gave them a 6-1/2 game lead over the Indians. Unfortunately, a 2-4 home stand over the past week has trimmed that cushion to 3-1/2 games with a 3-game series in Cleveland occurring this weekend. That means if a once again resurgent Indians club sweeps the Twins, all bets are off for their first division title since 2010.
I would feel pretty good about the prospects of the Twins winning, minimum, one game of this weekend, maybe even 2 of 3 were it not for a suddenly decimated roster.
But (Ehire) Adrianza is only the latest Twins player to enter athletic trainer Tony Leo’s realm.
Outfielder Jake Cave strained a groin Friday night and hasn’t played since. Michael Pineda was suspended Saturday for 60 games for a violation of the performance-enhancing drug policy — the same day Miguel Sanó, who has been dealing with a sore back, last played. Max Kepler exited Sunday’s game with inflammation in a scap muscle and is yet to return.
Prior to the series opener against Washington on Tuesday, the Twins announced Byron Buxton wouldn’t return this season after he had surgery to repair a torn labrum. Buxton’s recovery is expected to take five to six months.
Reliever Sam Dyson left Boston early to have his right arm reevaluated earlier this month; his second MRI since joining the Twins showed only inflammation. Marwin Gonzalez injured an oblique in Chicago in late August.
The Twins don’t have any timelines for the returns of Dyson, Gonzalez or Cave, though veteran Nelson Cruz suggested several players, perhaps Sanó and Kepler, could return to the lineup Friday.
With Pineda and Buxton gone for the rest of the season, several others out indefinitely and a few playing banged up, the margin for error is as tiny as it has been all season.
If the Twins can get through the series in Cleveland without getting swept, their final 13 regular season games are against the bottom three teams (Chicago, Kansas City and Detroit) in their division. That would likely result in their sealing the division championship the final week of the season. But then the big question mark is how they'd fare in the playoffs. Even if the Twins were at full strength as well as starting pitcher Jose Berrios resembling the guy who was lights out in June and July, I had a difficult time seeing them overtaking the Houston Astros or New York Yankees. That said, it sure would have been nice to gauge where they are in terms of being a legit World Series contender.
Since I consider myself a relative optimist, I will say that I'm incredibly grateful that this entire summer of Twins baseball has been relevant, even exhilarating at times (unlike six of the previous eight seasons). At least that's how I'm consoling myself right now.
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