The Twins would like to add a pitcher with shut-down stuff who's not afraid of late-game situations. And as the trade deadline approaches, that could hardly be illustrated better than at last week's All-Star Game.
After the Twins won a challenged play at first base in the seventh inning, Jorge Polanco took advantage of the extended inning and ripped a two-run double to spark the comeback.
There's a lot the Twins can achieve as it comes out of the All-Star break with three games in Cleveland. What needs to happen for them to carry on their first-half success?
The Twins threatened to run away with the AL Central before hitting a 9-10 stretch right before the All-Star break that allowed Cleveland to chop Minnesota's lead to 5 1/2 games. Tonight is the first of 13 remaining games between the teams.
The Twins are expected to activate Eddie Rosario (left ankle sprain) in time to play Friday and Jake Odorizzi (right middle finger blister) in time to start Saturday.
Major League Baseball traded midsummer's pennant race for a wild-card race in baseball lexicon. It's a trade that had to be made to serve the modern sports consumer.
Four teams are currently tracking toward exceeding baseball's single-season record of 267, set only last year by the Yankees, and the Twins, incredibly still on a 300-homer pace at midseason, lead the pack.