The Twins have won six division titles in the past nine seasons, and in three of those championship runs they made up at least a seven-game deficit after mid-July:
Year Deficit in AL Central Rest of way
2003 7 1/2 GB on July 17 (45-49) 45-23 (.662)
2006 12 GB on July 14 (48-40) 48-26 (.649)
2009 7 GB on Sept. 6 (68-68) 19-8 (.704)
LOOKING BACK
It's rare, but not unheard of, for a team to make up a double-digit deficit after July 1 and rally to finish first:
1951: The New York Giants trailed the Brooklyn Dodgers by 13 games on Aug. 12 but rallied to win the pennant on Bobby Thomson's dramatic home run.
1978: The Yankees were 14 games behind in the AL East on July 20, then won 52 of their final 73 games.
1989: Toronto was 38-45, in sixth place and 10 games back in the seven-team AL East on July 5. The Blue Jays went 51-28 the rest of the way to edge Baltimore by two games.
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More From Sports
Twins
Brewers analyst, former All-Star Davey Nelson dies at 73
Davey Nelson, a Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster and former All-Star infielder who also coached in the majors, has died. He was 73.
Twins
Brewers analyst, former All-Star Davey Nelson dies at 73
Davey Nelson, a Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster and former All-Star infielder who also coached in the majors, has died. He was 73.
Twins
Brewers analyst, former All-Star Davey Nelson dies at 73
Davey Nelson, a Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster and former All-Star infielder who also coached in the majors, has died. He was 73.
Wolves

Why Derrick Rose, of all people, can be Wolves' difference-maker
North Score: The former MVP is leading the Wolves in usage rate, an indicator he has become the No. 1 X-factor in this first-round series.
Vikings

Mock, mock. (Who's there?) Our quarterback-centric mock draft
Star Tribune pro football writer Mark Craig sees an NFL draft in which the first round is dominated by the selection of quarterbacks, both in numbers and where they'll pick, So what's the Vikings' angle?
StarTribune.com welcomes and encourages readers to comment and engage in substantive, mutually respectful exchanges over news topics. Commenters must follow our Terms of Use.
Comments will be reviewed before being published.