This implies that the Twins will still be in the playoff chase, considering they are doing everything possible as of late to stay home come November.
The latest fiasco was Sunday afternoon, a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in 10 innings. The loss, coupled with the Cleveland Guardians’ win, reduced Minnesota’s lead in the AL Central Division to just one game. For most of the season, the Twins have led the division over the Guardians. However, the lead has fluctuated between one and six games for the better part of the past three months. Each time the Guardians pull within distance of overtaking the Twins, Cleveland loses a key series at the same time Minnesota warms up.
The Twins are 5-5 in their past 10, which has also allowed the Chicago White Sox to enter the chat. The Sox are just two games back, which is the closest they have been in months, which is long overdue. Remember that many predicted Chicago would be supposed to have run away with the division by the trade deadline at the outset of the season.
With the score tied at 2-2 and newly-acquired Whit Merrifield on third for Toronto in the top of the 10th, Cavan Biggio lofted one to Minnesota’s Byron Buxton in centerfield. Merrifield tagged up on the catch, but was tagged out at home by catcher Gary Sanchez. Immediately, Merrifield motioned to the umpire that he beat the throw, while imploring Blue Jays’ interim manager John Schneider to challenge the call. Schneider did just that.
After conversing for several minutes, the ruling was that Sanchez did not give Merrifield a clear lane in the basepath, overturning the call and awarding Merrifield home plate. Replay confirmed that Sanchez’s leg obstructed the path of Merrifield’s slide, but also that Merrifield’s toe may have touched the plate before Sanchez applied the tag.
Twins’ manager Rocco Baldelli, as expected, went berserk, where he was almost immediately ejected. It would be the third time Baldelli was tossed in 2022, calling the play “...pathetic what just played out” during the postgame press conference.
No word as yet as to the size of the fine Baldelli is likely to receive from Rob Manfred’s office.
Minnesota sits at 57-51 going into action on Tuesday, the worst record of any division leader in baseball. The Twins are the only division leader yet to reach 60 wins, while four are over 70 wins. The leader in the clubhouse, the Los Angeles Dodgers (75-33) host Minnesota for a quick two-game series. Meanwhile, the Guardians (56-52) and White Sox (55-53) travel to lowly Detroit and Kansas City respectively.
For a team that has been in first place most of the season, the Twins could be on the receiving end of a scenario where they fall as far as third place by the weekend. Chicago’s 4-1 victory over Oakland on July 31 put them at 51-50, marking the first time over .500 since being 22-21 on May 25.
Picking up starting pitcher Tyler Mahle and relievers Michael Fulmer and Jorge Lopez at the trade deadline should give a boost to Minnesota’s staff. Ranking 19th in ERA (4.02), 20th in strikeouts (891) and having the second-fewest quality starts (23) means Minnesota needs all the help they can get on defense. Offensively, the Twins rank in the top 10 in batting average (.251 - 8th) and home runs (133 - tied for 8th), but rank 12th in runs scored (488).
With Cleveland and Chicago’s bats coming alive and gaining steam, Baldelli cannot have enough arms to call on down the stretch. That is, unless he wants to be tossed out and leave the decision to one of his other coaches in his absence.
-JC24