The Minnesota Twins' recent struggle continued at Progressive Field where they suffered a crushing 4-3 defeat to the Cleveland Guardians. Leading by three runs, the Twins let the game slip away as the Guardians scored the decisive blow in the bottom of the eighth inning, courtesy of a two-run homer by Kyle Manzardo off reliever Griffin Jax.
Turbulent Stretch
This loss adds to a worrying trend for the Twins, who have now dropped 18 of their last 27 games. Over this stretch, offensive struggles are evident, with the team failing to score more than three runs in nearly half of those games. Their batting average has slumped to .236, with an on-base percentage of .296 and a slugging percentage of .381.
In critical moments with the bases empty, the Twins are hitting .272, placing them as the fourth worst in this scenario across the league. The team's recent performance starkly contrasts their early-season form when the bullpen maintained a respectable 3.84 ERA and ranked tenth in win probability added. Over the recent 27-game period, however, those numbers have ballooned to a 5.47 ERA and a league-worst minus-2.75 win probability added.
The pitching staff is feeling the strain as well. The rest of the rotation, apart from the bullpen, has posted a 6.07 ERA, averaging just 4.38 innings per start. The heavy workload is also taking its toll, with the Twins having played 17 games in the last 18 days.
Postseason Hopes in Jeopardy
Despite their struggles, the Twins are clinging to the third AL wild-card spot with a rapidly shrinking lead of just 1 1/2 games. As recently as September 5, FanGraphs projected their postseason odds at a robust 95.4%. That figure now stands at a more precarious 76.4%.
In a division where every game matters, the Twins' recent form is a cause for concern. "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," said pitcher Pablo López, encapsulating the team’s current mindset.
Manager Rocco Baldelli echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of a holistic effort. "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. 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."
Looking for Reinforcements
In a bid to bolster their pitching options, the Twins recently claimed left-hander Cole Irvin off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. Irvin brings a 4.86 ERA from 16 starts and nine relief appearances. "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 versatility Irvin might offer.
Meanwhile, the return of Max Kepler is expected, providing a potential boost to an ailing offense. Amidst the struggle, there are bright spots—Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa have combined for a 5 for 15 performance with two doubles and a homer so far this month.
Competition in the standings remains fierce. Both the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners trail the Twins by two games. Nevertheless, the Twins hold crucial tiebreakers over both these teams. The Tigers, in particular, have been formidable lately, having gone 23-10 in their last 33 games, adding pressure to the Twins' pursuit of postseason contention.
The Road Ahead
The path forward is fraught with challenges. "It's pretty heartbreaking. We're kind of running on fumes as a staff," admitted Griffin Jax, emphasizing the toll the season has taken. The task now is to refocus and, as Baldelli outlined, put together a complete nine-inning effort on both sides of the ball.
As the race tightens, every game has increased significance, and the Twins must find a way to rediscover their form. With key players returning and recent reinforcements added, the hope remains that the Twins can navigate through their current slump and secure their place in the postseason.