The Twins don't have a ton of drama left in the American League Central race, but there is plenty of intrigue on how they will fill their 26-man playoff roster.
Several players are nearing rehab assignments and will put themselves in consideration for the postseason. Then there are wild cards, like pitcher Chris Paddack, who hasn't played in the major leagues for more than a year but hopes to factor into the bullpen mix.
Six of the eight teams that played in the best-of-three Wild Card Series last year opted to carry 14 position players and 12 pitchers. If the Twins follow those same numbers, there are a few positional battles to play out over the final weeks of the season.
Here's a look at where a potential playoff roster stands:
Position player locks (13): Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vázquez, Alex Kirilloff, Edouard Julien, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Max Kepler, Michael A. Taylor, Matt Wallner, Willi Castro, Donovan Solano, and Kyle Farmer.
Bubble (1 open spot): Byron Buxton, Jordan Luplow, Joey Gallo, Andrew Stevenson and Nick Gordon.
Apart from minor injuries, the Twins have stuck with their 13 roster locks throughout the second half of the season. Taylor is expected to be activated from the injured list on the current road trip. Wallner sat against a righthanded starting pitcher this week because of a slump, but he's drawing walks and possesses a strong arm.
Buxton's health is the biggest question on the roster after his rehab assignment was cut short Sept. 1. The Twins haven't ruled out a return this season after he received a cortisone shot in his right knee Sunday, but the calendar won't allow any setbacks. If Buxton returns, there is room for him to at least start as the designated hitter against lefthanded pitching.
Luplow, acquired off waivers shortly after the trade deadline, has hit as well as the Twins hoped against lefty pitching — .256 with a .838 OPS in 51 plate appearances. The Twins struggled mightily against lefties in the first half of the season.
Gallo remains on the injured list with a foot injury, but his playing time dwindled at the end of August. Gallo is batting .157 in 100 plate appearances after the All-Star break with 47 strikeouts and 17 walks. Kirilloff's return probably makes Gallo's role redundant although Gallo is a former Gold Glove outfielder, and has value in the field.
Stevenson can play anywhere in the outfield and his speed is an asset, but the Twins may choose to carry a righthanded bat over the lefty-hitting Stevenson.
Gordon is expected to begin a rehab assignment this week. His versatility and speed are valuable in the postseason, but he hasn't played in an MLB game since May and Castro fills a utility role.
Starting pitching locks (3): Pablo López, Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan.
López and Gray will likely receive down ballot Cy Young votes and they are obvious candidates to start playoff games. Ryan has allowed six runs in 19⅔ innings (2.75 ERA) in his four starts since returning from the injured list, putting him in position to be one of the three starters for the Wild Card Series.
Bullpen locks (4): Jhoan Duran, Caleb Thielbar, Griffin Jax and Emilio Pagán.
Likely in bullpen (1): Louie Varland.
Bullpen bubble (4 open spots): Brock Stewart, Dylan Floro, Kody Funderburk, Kenta Maeda, Dallas Keuchel, Bailey Ober, Brent Headrick, Josh Winder, Cole Sands, Chris Paddack and Jorge Alcala.
Varland has seemingly shown enough to earn a spot in the postseason bullpen. The Twins are trying to insert him into different types of situations, but he's handled everything to his point. Multi-inning relievers gain value in the postseason because of the quick hook for starters.
Stewart moves to the lock column as long as he shows he's healthy on his rehab assignment. He said he was throwing his fastball in the upper-90s when he faced teammates in live batting practice sessions. He's been out since June, but he had a 0.70 ERA in 25 appearances.
The Twins acquired Floro at the trade deadline for Jorge López, but he hasn't pitched in many high-leverage situations. Used as a middle reliever to face righthanded-heavy parts of the lineup, Floro does carry postseason experience from his seasons with the Dodgers. Funderburk is a middle reliever to face lefties, but he's pitched only once since Sept. 6.
Which Twins starters will transition to the bullpen for the first round of the playoffs? Maeda allowed four runs in 22 innings (1.64 ERA) as a postseason reliever with the Dodgers. Keuchel doesn't generate many whiffs, but he's a lefthander. Ober hasn't been used as a reliever before, but they have managed his innings to keep him available. Paddack is coming back from Tommy John surgery and will need to show dominant stuff to impress in a short window.
If the Twins move a couple of starting pitchers to the bullpen, it probably decreases the odds they carry one of their long relievers, Headrick, Winder or Sands, on the postseason roster. Alcala, who has been on the IL since May, began a rehab assignment, but it's an uphill task to develop trust with the coaching staff in such a short time.
