The Minnesota Twins Need To Get It Together

The Minnesota Twins had a solid first half of the regular season. They were only out of first place by four and a half games and held the second wild-card spot. However, since the all-star break, the Minnesota Twins haven’t been the same team. While Minnesota has had a lot of key players hurt, their play on the field has been very inconsistent. The Twins only hold the final postseason seed by three and a half games, they need to get it together going forward.

A Successful First Half Of The Regular Season

Despite key players being forced to spend time on the injured list; the Minnesota Twins had a solid first half of the regular season. They entered the all-star break with a 54-42 record and in second place in the AL Central. Minnesota only trailed the division-leading Cleveland Guardians and held the second wild-card spot. At one point, the Minnesota Twins went on a memorable 12-game winning streak. Willi Castro and Carlos Correa would be all-stars as well. However, the Twins haven’t been the same since the second half of the regular season began.

They Haven’t Been The Same Team Since The All-Star Break

While injuries to Carlos Correa, Joe Ryan, and Byron Buxton haven’t helped, the Twins have struggled in the second half of the regular season. Since the all-star break, Minnesota has gone 22-26. They’ve also recently dropped six of their past nine games including being swept in their last series by the Royals. The Twins offense and pitching staff have had problems as well since coming back from the all-star break. Minnesota has been mediocre offensively, only averaging just over four runs per game. Their pitching staff has been one of the worst since the break concluded with an ERA of 4.35. With how badly Minnesota has struggled, they’ve since dropped down to the sixth and final postseason seed.

The Twins Shouldn’t Get Too Comfortable

The Twins currently hold the final wild-card spot with 18 games to go in the regular season. They are currently ahead of the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, and Boston Red Sox by three games. In theory, it would be easy to think the Twins are in pretty good shape the rest of the year. However, given how they’ve played since the all-star break, Minnesota shouldn’t get too comfortable. Detroit has gone 23-19 since the all-star break and has also won five of their last eight games. The Seattle Mariners have also crept back into the postseason hunt most recently winning four of their last five games. Given the momentum gained by both the Tigers and Mariners, the Minnesota Twins’ second-half struggles cannot continue.

A Mostly Favorable Schedule Ahead

The Twins’ last 19 games are favorable for the most part. Minnesota has a series against non-playoff teams in the Red Sox, Angels, Reds, and Marlins. However, the Twins also take on likely postseason teams in the Orioles and Guardians. Meanwhile, the Tigers and Mariners have a less favorable schedule. This is the perfect time for the Twins to put their recent struggles behind them and get to the postseason.

Missing The Postseason Would Be A Big Disappointment

While the Twins have recently dealt with key players being injured, it doesn’t hide how they’ve struggled since the all-star break. Their offense has been mediocre, and their pitching staff has been one of the worst in the second half. If the Twins were to miss the postseason, it would be a big disappointment, and any momentum gained from their postseason run in 2023 would disappear. All of this hinges on what the Twins do in their final 18 regular season games.

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