The urgency in second baseman Brian Dozier's voice was clear as he spoke about the Twins' playoff chances.
"Well, we can't wait around to see what happens," he said. "We've got to go. We've got to start putting pressure on them. We have to try to run four, five, six in a row.
"That's our goal. We can't keep waiting, waiting, waiting. We've got to go now."
There are a mere 13 games left in the regular season — barring a tie for the final wild-card spot, which would force a 163rd game — and the Twins are looking to put it all together and reach the postseason for the first time since 2010.
"We can win," said outfielder and spiritual leader Torii Hunter. "We can get this wild card. We just need to do the things we have to do to win."
The threats to their postseason hopes include the Astros, who beat the Angels on Monday night to move three games in front for the second, and final, wild-card spot. And the Angels became a threat after they took three of four at Target Field over the weekend.
The wild card could potentially go to Cleveland, only 1½ games behind the Twins thanks to a 19-10 stretch in their past 29 games.
The Twins have only themselves to blame for the four-team race. They were within a game of the second wild-card spot before losing five in a row last week. That and the Astros' five-game losing streak that dropped them behind Texas in the AL West enabled the Angels and Indians to join the group of believers. Seven of the Twins' final 13 games are against the Indians, starting with three games this week at Target Field.