Twins

Not on top of the division at the All-Star break? For Twins, it often hasn’t mattered.

Of the 10 times since 1998 a team has rallied to win the AL Central after not leading it at the All-Star break, the Twins were that team six times.

By Phil Miller

The Minnesota Star Tribune

July 19, 2024 at 11:41PM

Twins players celebrate with champagne in the locker room after clinching the American League Central title on Sept. 22, 2023. (Renée Jones Schneider/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Since the current five-team lineup of the AL Central — Twins, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland, Detroit and Kansas City — began in 1998, the Twins have won the division nine times. Six of those times, including last year, they won the division despite not leading it at the All-Star break; 10 times in all, the AL Central leader at the break did not go on to win the division crown, indicated in bold.

2024: At break: Cleveland up 4½ games on Twins. Final: TBD.

2023: At break: Cleveland up ½ on Twins. Final: Twins up 9 on Detroit.

2022: At break: Twins up 2 on Cleveland. Final: Cleveland up 11 on Chicago.

2021: At break: Chicago up 8 on Cleveland. Final: Chicago up 13 on Cleveland.

2020: No All-Star break. Final: Twins up 1 on Cleveland and Chicago.

2019: At break: Twins up 5½ on Cleveland. Final: Twins up 8 on Cleveland.

2018: At break: Cleveland up 7½ on Twins. Final: Cleveland up 13 on Twins.

2017: At break: Cleveland up 2½ on Twins. Final: Cleveland up 17 on Twins.

2016: At break: Cleveland up 6½ on Detroit. Final: Cleveland up 8 on Detroit.

2015: At break: Kansas City up 4½ on Twins. Final: Kansas City up 12 on Twins.

2014: At break: Detroit up 6½ on Kansas City. Final: Detroit up 1 on Kansas City.

2013: At break: Detroit up 1½ on Cleveland. Final: Detroit up 1 on Cleveland.

2012: At break: Chicago up 3 on Cleveland. Final: Detroit up 3 on Chicago.

2011: At break: Detroit up ½ on Cleveland. Final: Detroit up 15 on Cleveland.

2010: At break: Chicago up ½ on Detroit. Final: Twins up 6 on Chicago.

2009: At break: Detroit up 3½ on Chicago. Final: Twins up 1 on Detroit.*

2008: At break: Chicago up 1½ on Twins. Final: Chicago up 1 on Twins.*

2007: At break: Detroit up 1 on Cleveland. Final: Cleveland up 8 on Detroit.

2006: At break: Detroit up 2 on Chicago. Final: Twins up 1 on Detroit.

2005: At break: Chicago up 9 on Twins. Final: Chicago up 6 on Cleveland.

2004: At break: Chicago up ½ on Twins. Final: Twins up 9 on Chicago.

2003: At break: Kansas City up 7 on Chicago. Final: Twins up 4 on Chicago.

2002: At break: Twins up 7½ on Chicago. Final: Twins up 13½ on Chicago.

2001: At break: Twins up 5 on Cleveland. Final: Cleveland up 6 on Twins.

2000: At break: Chicago up 10½ on Cleveland. Final: Chicago up 5 on Cleveland.

1999: At break: Cleveland up 13 on Chicago. Final: Cleveland up 21½ on Chicago.

1998: At break: Cleveland up 10½ on Twins. Final: Cleveland up 9 on Chicago.

*-teams were tied after 162 games; division champion determined by one-game tiebreaker

about the writer

Phil Miller

Reporter

Phil Miller has covered the Twins for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2013. Previously, he covered the University of Minnesota football team, and from 2007-09, he covered the Twins for the Pioneer Press.