At Progressive Field, the Minnesota Twins experienced a devastating setback, as they surrendered a three-run lead to fall 4-3 to the Cleveland Guardians. Griffin Jax gave up a game-winning two-run homer to Kyle Manzardo in the bottom of the eighth inning, epitomizing the club’s recent struggles.
The Twins have now dropped 18 of their last 27 games, a stretch disheartening to both players and fans alike. Currently holding on to the third AL wild-card spot, their lead has been slimmed down to just 1.5 games, a precarious position by any standard.
The team’s playoff prospects, once all but assured, have taken a significant hit. On September 5, FanGraphs placed their postseason odds at 95.4%. In a stark contrast, those odds have now dropped to 76.4%. Offensive woes have severely hampered the Twins' success, as they have failed to score more than three runs in 12 of their last 27 games. Throughout this rough period, the team has posted a .236 batting average, with a .296 on-base percentage and a .381 slugging percentage.
Offensive Struggles and Bullpen Challenges
Much of the offensive struggle can be attributed to a glaring issue when the bases are empty, where the Twins' .272 batting average places them as the fourth worst in this scenario. The return of Max Kepler is anticipated, but whether his comeback can provide the necessary spark remains uncertain.
The bullpen, once a model of reliability, has seen its performance dip drastically. In their first 123 games, the relievers had upheld a respectable 3.84 ERA, ranking tenth in the league in win probability added with a figure of plus-3.41. However, over the recent 27-game period, the bullpen's ERA has ballooned to 5.47, coupled with a league-worst minus-2.75 in win probability added. The rest of the rotation hasn't fared much better, posting a 6.07 ERA over the same stretch, averaging only 4.38 innings per start.
"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," lamented Pablo López, capturing the collective frustration of the team.
Manager Rocco Baldelli echoed this sentiment: "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." His words underscore the need for the Twins to address their offensive inefficiencies promptly. "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."
Fatigue Sets In
The grueling schedule has also taken its toll on the players, with the Twins having played 17 games in the last 18 days. Griffin Jax put it succinctly: "It’s pretty heartbreaking. We’re kind of running on fumes as a staff." This grueling pace is reflected in their recent late-game performance, where they had the lead in the seventh inning or later in five of their last 18 losses and were tied in the seventh inning or later on two other occasions.
In a move to bolster their dwindling pitching resources, the Twins recently claimed left-hander Cole Irvin off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. Irvin, who has a 4.86 ERA in 16 starts and nine relief appearances, is expected to offer versatility to the staff. Derek Falvey, the Twins' Chief Baseball Officer, explained the decision: "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."
Playoff Race Intensifies
As the Twins fight to secure their playoff spot, they hold crucial tiebreakers over both the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners, who are both two games behind in the standings. The Tigers, in particular, have been surging, with a 23-10 record in their last 33 games, adding extra pressure on the Twins.
Despite the challenges, some players have shown glimpses of resilience. Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa have combined to go 5 for 15 with two doubles and a homer this month. Yet, the rest of the team will need to elevate their game to avoid a complete collapse.
The path forward for the Minnesota Twins is clear yet fraught with peril. To avoid squandering their postseason hopes, the team must find a way to synchronize their efforts both on the mound and at the plate. The words of Rocco Baldelli resonate with urgency: "We have to put nine innings together."