The Twins limped into the All-Star break a season ago with a sub-.500 record (45-46) and all sorts of questions about their direction.
But they were also only a half-game out of first place thanks to the comically weak AL Central. By going 42-29 after the break, the Twins ended up cruising to a division title and building the sort of momentum that led to their most successful postseason in more than two decades.
This year’s Twins are objectively better at the break, sitting 12 games over .500 (54-42) even after a concerning 7-13 start. But they trail Cleveland by 4½ games, while Kansas City is not far behind the Twins and Detroit is much improved.
A wild-card berth or a repeat division title are both within reach for this year’s Twins, but each is far from being guaranteed.
Three big factors will determine how the Twins fare the rest of the way, as Patrick Reusse and I talked about for part of Monday’s Daily Delivery podcast.
Health: In the final game before the break on Sunday, the Twins started Diego Castillo at third base, Willi Castro at shortstop and Manuel Margot in center. Royce Lewis has been out for two weeks, Carlos Correa is managing a foot injury, Jose Miranda recently went on the injured list because of a back issue and Byron Buxton was held out as a precaution after crashing hard into a wall Saturday.
The good news? None of the injuries seems too serious, and most (if not all) those players could be back when play resumes Saturday. But it does show how perilous a roster is when there’s a wave of injuries.
Starting pitching: The Twins rank No. 24 in ERA by starting pitchers this year after finishing No. 2 in that stat last season. And that’s with relatively good health for their preferred starters this season.
