We always hear that defense wins championships. The Minnesota Twins won their Wild Card Series with the Toronto Blue Jays thanks to some outstanding pitching and defensive play, with the offense doing just enough to complete the sweep.
The Twins had a few standout plays in the field in Games 1 and 2 that helped them hang onto their leads. They’ll have to continue that defensive effort if they’re going to overcome a 0-1 deficit to the Houston Astros in the ALDS. Let’s take a look at some of those plays and how Minnesota constructed their Wild Card Series roster to ensure they were defensively sound.
First, let’s take a look at Michael A. Taylor’s center field play in Game 1. In the second inning, with the Twins leading 2-0 thanks to Royce Lewis’ home run, Taylor laid out to make a diving grab and perhaps deny an extra-base hit from Alejandro Kirk. It’s these kinds of plays that make Taylor an excellent option in center with Byron Buxton unable to play, and he would make an even more impactful play in the 6th inning with the game hanging in the balance.
With the Twins leading 3-1 with two outs and runners on first and second, Matt Chapman put a charge into Louie Varland’s fastball, sending Taylor back to the right-centerfield wall. But Taylor made a leaping grab up against the wall, saving two runs to end the inning and preserving the lead.
If Taylor was unable to make that play, the game would have been tied 3-3. Who knows how the final score would have ended up if those two runs had scored? It literally ended up being a game-saving play for Taylor, which ended up leading to Minneosta’s first playoff win since 2004.
Twins shortstop Carlos Correa also made a couple of spectacular plays during the series. In Game 1, he nabbed a runner at home by fielding a ball Jorge Polanco misplayed and firing a strike to Ryan Jeffers for the third out of the 4th inning.
In Game 2, he helped pull off another inning-ending play with runners on second and third. On a 3-2 pitch, Sonny Gray turned to second base and then threw to Correa, who was there to apply the tag on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. That pickoff helped Minnesota get out of a massive jam and get back in the dugout.
Correa has faced heavy criticism this year because of his frequent struggles at the plate. But by making those two huge defensive plays, he showed why the Twins front office wanted to resign him this offseason.
As it turned out, there would be one more jam that Minnesota’s defense would have to get out of. The bases were loaded for Matt Chapman in the 6th inning of Game 2. Chapman hit a line drive down the left field line that landed just foul. On the next pitch, Minnesota turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
In the past, Minnesota’s opponent would turn that play instead of them. That double play could not have come at a better time for Minnesota. The Blue Jays could not put together another threat for the rest of the game.
If the Twins are going to make a deep run in October, they will need to perform well in all phases of the game. The offense was unproductive in the Wild Card Series, but it did just enough. The pitching and defense definitely helped get the Twins over the line, and they will have to continue this in the ALDS in Houston and beyond. As long as the pitching staff keeps putting together solid performances and the position players keep turning in stellar plays behind them, the Twins may have a legitimate shot to go all the way.
