The Minnesota Twins have 37 games left in what can only be described as an underwhelming season. Carrying a 65-60 record in easily the weakest division in the game, the AL Central is theirs to lose. With the Cleveland Guardians 6 games back and slowly fading, the Detroit Tigers (yes, you read that right) are hanging on to third spot in the AL Central over the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals.
The Twins aim to return to the postseason for the first time since 2020, but their lineup hasn’t produced at the level it should all season. Despite the batting struggles at the plate, they chose not to make any trades to improve it at the deadline. Instead, they remain confident in their current lineup and have been adjusting to eliminate RISP issues that have hindered the team all season. Given the team’s high strikeout rate, the third-worst in the league, they needed to change their batting order. However, their lineup has been more productive recently, which could be a sign of what’s to come in the postseason.
Minnesota’s most surprising change was moving Carlos Correa from lead-off to clean-up in hopes of jumpstarting his bat. Since moving to the clean-up spot on June 30, Correa is slashing .255/.343/.342, comping that to his lowest career batting just before the All-Star Break .221/.295/.382.
Having Royce Lewis back in the lineup since his return from IL on Aug. 15 has helped the team remain competitive down the stretch. Lewis has been a significant contributing factor for the Twins this season, batting .319/.358/.460 with four homers and 17 runs batted in.
Ryan Jeffers‘ role on the team has changed from being a backup catcher to alternating with Christian Vázquez. He’s earned a bigger role with his impressive improvement in offensive and defensive skills. He is currently slashing .276/.377/.473 and has hit nine home runs. The Twins have even used Jeffers as the designated hitter a few times lately, an indication of how far he’s come as a hitter.
The Twins are slashing .250/.334/.437 in August. The wheels are in motion, and the lineup changes allow Minnesota to better control their games. Although there is room for improvement, the Twins have slightly improved their RISP percentage, ranking 12th compared to 13th last month, according to TeamRankings.com. With no trades at the deadline to bolster the lineup, Minnesota will continue making fine-tuned adjustments with what they have if they want a solid offense that can compete in the postseason.
If the Twins are going to win their first playoff game since 2004, they’ll need to prove they can score runs against good pitching. So far, it’s working, but it could be better from a division leader. The lineup could get even better with a boost from Byron Buxton when he returns from IL later this year.
Many fans eagerly anticipate Buxton’s return. The question on everyone’s mind is what the Twins will do with him once he’s back in action. It’s been a disappointing season for Buxton, slashing .207/.294/.438 in 85 games with 109 strikeouts. Rocco Baldelli said that Buxton won’t return to the lineup again until September. What does that mean for everybody else, though? What if by September, everybody else in the current lineup is hitting well, driving in runs, and making things happen to propel the team into the postseason? Do you make changes?
I’d imagine the Twins would take the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach. They’d be cautious with Buxton rotating him out of the DH spot again before putting him back in center field, allowing the current lineup to remain productive in their current roles. Hopefully, Buxton returns with the power he had last season.
Unless the Twins miss an opportunity to win a weak division or something unexpected happens with other contending teams around the league, the Twins are most likely to face the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round. The Blue Jays are a well-rounded team and still have a 64% chance of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs.
However, the Seattle Mariners have surprised everyone recently. They’ve won seven straight and are securing a spot in the wild-card race, leading the Blue Jays by 1 game for the final spot in the playoffs. Whether it’s Seattle or Toronto, the Twins have an impressive lineup that should be a force to be reckoned with in a best-of-3 playoff series. They will combine Buxton, Matt Wallner, and Jeffers’ power with Edouard Julien and Donovan Solano’s offensive prowess. Minnesota is built for postseason success and has the potential to make a push in October if they continue to make the necessary adjustments in the lineup while staying consistent.
