At Progressive Field, the Minnesota Twins witnessed another crushing defeat, as they blew a three-run lead and fell 4-3 to the Cleveland Guardians. The critical moment came when Griffin Jax surrendered a game-winning two-run homer to Kyle Manzardo in the bottom of the eighth inning, sending the Twins to their 18th loss in the last 27 games.
This recent stretch has been particularly brutal for the Twins, whose postseason odds have plummeted from a robust 95.4% as of September 5th, down to 76.4%. Their struggling offense has failed to score more than three runs in 12 of these 27 games, hitting just .236 with a .296 on-base percentage and a .381 slugging percentage. Even more troubling, they are batting a mere .272 with the bases empty, which ranks among the worst in the league.
Challenges in the Bullpen and Rotation
Throughout their slump, the Twins' bullpen, which had a solid 3.84 ERA and ranked tenth in win probability added (plus-3.41) in their first 123 games, has unraveled. Over the last 27 games, the bullpen’s ERA has ballooned to 5.47, accompanied by a league-worst minus-2.75 win probability added. Griffin Jax summarized the team's current state, saying, "It's pretty heartbreaking. We're kind of running on fumes as a staff."
The rotation has not fared much better, producing a 6.07 ERA during the same span and averaging only 4.38 innings per start. With 17 games played in the last 18 days, the exhaustion among the pitching staff is palpable. The fatigue has been evident in crucial moments; in five of their last 18 losses, the Twins held the lead in the seventh inning or later and were tied in two other instances.
Offensive Inconsistencies
Manager Rocco Baldelli did not mince words about the team’s offensive struggles. "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," Baldelli stated. He pointed out that the team needs to find consistency to overcome this challenging period. "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," he added.
The Twins' recent roster moves reflect their urgency to bolster a stretched pitching staff. They 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 viewed as a versatile addition who can serve multiple roles. Derek Falvey, Twins' executive vice president and chief baseball officer, commented on the acquisition: "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."
Race for the Postseason
Despite their struggles, the Twins still cling to the third AL wild-card spot, though their lead has shrunk to just 1 1/2 games. The Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners are hot on their heels, only two games back. However, the Twins hold crucial tiebreakers over both teams, a slight cushion in an otherwise tense playoff race. The Tigers, in particular, have been red-hot, posting a 23-10 record in their last 33 games.
Max Kepler’s expected return marks a glimmer of hope for the Twins. Meanwhile, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa have shown signs of life, going a combined 5 for 15 with two doubles and a homer this month. Even with these positives, the prevailing sentiment within the clubhouse is one of urgency.
Pablo López encapsulated the mood succinctly: "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."
The Twins will need to summon resilience and consistency in their remaining games to secure a playoff berth. As their postseason dreams hang in the balance, every pitch, at-bat, and game will be critical in defining their season.