Toronto Blue Jays News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/toronto-blue-jays/ Minnesota sports, but different Mon, 18 Dec 2023 18:14:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,height=32,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-cropped-MSF-favicon-1.jpg Toronto Blue Jays News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/toronto-blue-jays/ 32 32 Blue Jays May be Interested in Trading for Both Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/blue-jays-trade-interest-jorge-polanco-max-kepler-twins/ Mon, 18 Dec 2023 18:11:55 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=45811 The Minnesota Twins have been so quiet so far this offseason that you have to wonder if the lights are even on and phones are connected at Target Field or the team’s spring training facility in Fort Myers. But they aren’t the only ones.

Eight teams across the league are yet to spend a free agent dollar this offseason and the list has two AL East teams on it… including the New York Yankees. But it’s the Canadian team in the East that, after missing out on Shohei Ohtani, could be saving their free agency dollars for a trade with the Twins.

Related: While Twins Cut Player Salaries, Division Rival Royals are Spending

Toronto Blue Jays + Minnesota Twins = Potential Trade Partners

Not only would the Toronto Blue Jays be a good fit for one of two known Twins position players on the trade block, Max Kepler or Jorge Polanco, but Jon Morosi is reporting on Monday morning that the Jays are potentially interested in taking both.

“One team here that makes a ton of sense, the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays, they were in on Ohtani. Of course, they missed him. They now need to bring in, I think, multiple bats. And I think they need to find a way to add in, whether it’s Polanco or Kepler, or maybe even both to be able to balance out that lineup.”

Jon Morosi – MLB Network

Blue Jays might want both Polanco and Kepler…?

The Blue Jays and Mariners have both been mentioned as possible landing spots for Polanco, prior to Monday, though this is the first time I have seen an MLB insider suggest that they could both be dealt as part of the same trade package.

Related: Minnesota Twins Trying to Trade 4 Specific Veterans

You’d think the Twins could get a pretty return for Polanco and Kepler, if they can get a team like Toronto to take both Kepler, Polanco and their combined $20.5 million salaries in 2024, as part of the same trade package.

Those are two proven, legitimate front or middle of the order hitters on a playoff team, which the Jays know better than anyone, given the Twins swept them in the Wildcard round of the 2023 MLB Postseason.

Whether it’s Toronto, Seattle or another team that wants to take Max Kepler and/or Jorge Polanco off the Twins’ hands, Morosi sees it as very likely (80% chance) at least one of the two gets shipped out. He puts it at a coin flip chance that both long-time Twins are wearing different uniforms in 2024.

“I would say is probably at about 80% and and and maybe both going is probably right around 50/50, maybe even a little above.”

Jon Morosi – MLB Network

When will the Minnesota Twins finally make their move, this offseason? Who knows, but it seems they still plan to eventually do something…

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Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:14:36 +0000 Minnesota Twins
Target Field Crowd Noise “a Weapon” that Made Pickoff Play Possible vs Blue Jays https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/target-field-crowd-noise-a-weapon-pickoff-play-minnesota-twins/ Thu, 05 Oct 2023 02:35:16 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=44224 The Minnesota Twins won their first playoff series since 2002 this week, in their 2-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL Wildcard round of the MLB Playoffs, exorcising 21 years of postseason demons in just two afternoon baseball games at Target Field.

Target Field crowd helps lead Minnesota Twins to Wildcard win

And Twins fans showed up at 1 Twins Way ready to perform an exorcism, leaving both the home and away teams stunned at the amount of energy reverberating through the 13-year-old downtown baseball stadium. Rocco Baldelli commented on the atmosphere after both wins but had extra fervor to his postgame speech following the game 2 victory.

Our crowd, it’s a weapon. It’s a weapon for us. I mean, they’re still going right now. They were going before the first pitch. The crowd just never stopped. It affects us, in a good way, it affects the other team… it’s a weapon.

Target Field fans get assist for game-changing pickoff

Not only was the Target Field crowd a weapon that could be felt throughout the series, it made a measurable difference on Wednesday, when Sonny Gray and Carlos Correa hooked up for a 5th inning pickoff play that ended the biggest threat Toronto mounted on the night.

Related: Minnesota Twins Sweep Blue Jays in AL Wildcard; First Playoff Series Win Since 2002

Correa noticed earlier in the game that Blue Jays baserunners could not hear their 3rd base coach, because the Target Field crowd was too loud. That led to the inning-ending pickoff that will be talked about by Minnesota Twins fans forever.

Correa and Gray both confirmed after the game that Correa notified him after the first inning that the crowd was making it difficult on the baserunners and that led to the called the pickoff play in the 5th.

We all thought that the big Minnesota Twins homefield playoff advantage imploded with the Metrodome but, clearly, Target Field can have the same effect as long as fans bring it like they did during the ALWC.

The Twins will get at least two more home games next series vs the Houston Astros, in their best-of-5 series.

Related: Minnesota Twins End 18-Game Postseason Losing Streak with Victory Over Blue Jays

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Thu, 05 Oct 2023 16:12:38 +0000 Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins Sweep Blue Jays in AL Wildcard; First Playoff Series Win Since 2002 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-sweep-toronto-blue-jays-al-wildcard-2023/ Wed, 04 Oct 2023 23:35:41 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=44222 The Minnesota Twins quickly forgot about their game 1 American League Wildcard victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, on Tuesday, knowing they had to do it all over again less than 24 hours later.

Minnesota Twins come ready to play in game 2

So outside of another Jorge Polanco error at 3rd base, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that they came to Target Field on Wednesday, for game 2, ready to play a clean baseball game void (mostly) of mental and physical mistakes.

Related: Minnesota Twins End 18-Game Postseason Losing Streak with Victory Over Blue Jays

The Blue Jays cannot say the same. After the loss, fans and reporters in Toronto are sure to question coaching decisions and mental mistakes at the plate and on the basepaths.

Jose Berrios lights out before questionable early hook

Both starting pitchers, Sonny Gray and Jose Berrios, were lights out during the first half of game 2, which calls into question Toronto’s decision to pull him in the 4th inning, after walking the leadoff hitter that half-inning, Royce Lewis.

At the time of the walk, Berrios had pitched 3 full innings, allowing 3 hits. 1 walk and striking out 5 Twins hitters. His replacement, lefty pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, rewarded his manager’s questionable decision-making by allowing an infield hit to lefty batter Max Kepler, before walking Donovan Solano and then giving up the go-ahead base hit to Carlos Correa.

Kikuchi bounced Willi Castro, who was pinch-hitting for lefty batter, Matt Wallner, into a double play. That scored one more Twins run before Jeffers made the 3rd out. The score remained 2-0 Minnesota Twins until the final out of the game, in part due to Toronto’s advanced ability of shooting themselves in the foot.

Twins take advantage of sleeping Blue Jays

One of the Blue Jay’s self-inflicted wounds, however, came with the helpful aim of postseason savvy veteran, Carlos Correa, who hooked up with Sonny Gray for a 2nd base pickoff play that ended a major Blue Jays threat in the 5th-inning.

Related: How to watch Minnesota Twins Playoff Games in 2023

Vlad Guerrero Jr was on 2B and George Springer was on 3B. Toronto’s best hitter, Bo Bichette, was at the plate. Carlos gave Sonny the wink as he walked back to the mound and both guys timed it perfectly. You know a play was on because Correa was not worried about getting back to shortstop for a pitch.

Carlos Correa has shown, throughout the first two games of this postseason, just how valuable he is. Not only did he drive in one of two runs on Wednesday and rack up three hits between the two games, but he made a run-saving defensive play in game one and then called and executed that pickoff play in game two.

Minnesota Twins bullpen shows up again

The Twins bullpen came up huge again, on Wednesday evening. Converted (for now) starter, Louie Varland, got one out (strikeout) in the 6th, before needing a bailout via fellow Minnesotan, Caleb Thielbar, who surrendered an infield hit to his first batter, which loaded the bases, before Thielbar forced Matt Chapman to ground into a game-saving double play to end the inning.

Brock Stewart pitched a flawless 7th before Griffin Jax, for the second-straight night, got three outs in the 8th; the last of which he put his body on the line for. Then, after some blister and/or fingernail problems delayed the start of the 9th inning, Jhoan Duran secured the series victory with a dominant closing performance.

With Correa and other postseason vets on this roster, the Minnesota Twins feel unflappable, which they will need vs the defending World Series champion Houston Astros, in the ALDS.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Wed, 04 Oct 2023 18:55:53 +0000 Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins Clubhouse Atmosphere Businesslike After Game 1 Win https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-clubhouse-atmosphere-businesslike-after-game-1-win-blue-jays/ Wed, 04 Oct 2023 16:09:02 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=44215 As Minnesota Twins fans celebrated their favorite baseball team’s first postseason win since 2004, its players were in the locker room showering and getting dressed with a “businesslike” mentality.

Minnesota Twins unfazed by game 1 win over Blue Jays

LaVelle E. Neal (Star Tribune) was in the Twins’ locker room after the game and that’s how he described the atmosphere while on Michael Rand’s Daily Delivery podcast Wednesday morning. They’ll let the fans have this one. Twins players have bigger things on their mind and it starts with winning one more Wildcard game.

Michael Rand: How did the Twins handle the streak being over?

LaVelle: “It was more businesslike. It wasn’t as pulsating, in the club house afterwards, as I thought it would be. Guys were getting ready, getting dressed, you know, preparing for the next day. I had the chance to talk to Pablo Lopez alone, a little bit, to kind of get his thoughts on some strategy stuff. But Duran, Paddack, Thielbar and some other guys were around and it wasn’t like they lost or won. It was just like, ‘you know what, it has to be wash, rinse, repeat here in a few hours so let’s get after it’.”

Honestly, I was already feeling good about Wednesday’s game, just given the pitching matchup between Sonny Gray and Jose Berrios, but hearing this from LaVelle pushed that confidence to another level.

Related: Minnesota Twins game today: TV schedule, channel, and more

This team feels… different and it’s because of playoff veterans like Carlos Correa

Of course, the Twins will eventually need Carlos Correa to find his inner postseason self, if they are going to make any sort of run at the World Series. But there’s no doubt he and other postseason veterans, like his former Astros teammate and current Twins catcher, Christian Vazquez, mean everything to this team’s attitude and approach during these playoffs. Not to mention, what game-winning defensive plays like this one do for a team’s confidence.

Even when the Blue Jays got runners were on base late in the game on Tuesday, there was never that feeling of existential dread that has often fallen over the Minnesota Twins fanbase.

Griffen Jax, for example, gave up a lead-off double when he entered the game in the 8th inning. He took a deep breath and followed that potential game-changing extra base hit with three of his most impressive outs of the season.

None of this guarantees the Minnesota Twins will make a run at the World Series, let alone win another playoff game this postseason. But there’s no doubt this iteration of the Twins has much less of a ‘just happy to be here’ feel to them.

Related: How to watch Minnesota Twins Playoff Games in 2023

We’ll see if that’s enough to break the next losing streak on this franchise’s radar. It was 19 years (2004) since their last playoff win. It’s been 21 years (2002) since their last series win. That can change this afternoon.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Wed, 04 Oct 2023 11:09:07 +0000 Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins End 18-Game Postseason Losing Streak with Victory Over Blue Jays https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-end-18-game-postseason-losing-streak-with-victory-over-toronto-blue-jays/ Tue, 03 Oct 2023 23:27:01 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=44205 The Minnesota Twins are no longer 0 for their last 18 tries at winning an MLB Playoff game. On Tuesday afternoon, they defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 to take game 1 of the best of three 1st round AL Wildcard series.

Minnesota Twins end 18-game postseason losing streak

All three runs came off of Royce Lewis homers. He hit a two run bomb in the 1st inning and followed it with a solo shot in the 3rd. His two-home run game tied an MLB record for most home runs in a playoff debut.

But Lewis wasn’t the only hero of the day. The others did it with their glove. The leather was first flashed by Byron Buxton’s permanent 2023 centerfield replacement, Michael A. Taylor, who laid out superman style to rob Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk of a base hit in the top of the 2nd inning.

Twins defense up and down in win

The Twins’ defensive brilliance didn’t end with Taylor, but it didn’t spread to the entire defense. Eddie Julien missed an easy double play attempt in the 1st inning and Jorge Polanco had two errors of his own, at 3rd base.

Related: Twins Need Postseason GOAT Carlos Correa to Show Up vs Blue Jays

Luckily, Carlos Correa was ready on Jorge’s second defensive mishap, when he made one of the better defensive plays I’ve ever seen in the postseason. Polanco charged a slow grounder that slipped right underneath his glove. Correa chased it down on the backhand and fired home, on the run, as Bo Bichette tried to go from 2nd to home on the error. Correa had other ideas, though.

Pablo Lopez turned out to be the right choice as the Minnesota Twins’ starter for game 1. He was dominant all afternoon, surrendering just 1 run, 5 hits, 2 walks and striking out 3, in 5.2 innings pitched. Jays starter, Kevin Gausman, had yet another rough outing against his MLB nemesis Twins.

He gave up 2 runs in the 1st inning and was chased from the game after just 4 innings. On Wednesday, the Twins will go for the series win and a birth in the American League Division Series. Sonny Gray will take the mound for Minnesota, former Twin Jose Berrios will be on the bump for Toronto.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Tue, 03 Oct 2023 18:28:55 +0000 Minnesota Twins
Twins Have Mashed Blue Jays Ace Kevin Gausman His Entire Career https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-mash-kevin-gausman-during-career/ Tue, 03 Oct 2023 01:22:33 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=44192 We are a mere hours away from the latest chance for the Minnesota Twins to win their first playoff game since 2004 and their first playoff series since 2002. Their opening round Wildcard series vs the Toronto Blue Jays will start on Tuesday afternoon and their ace, Kevin Gausman will be on the mound.

Kevin Gausman ages like a fine wine

Gausman has been a really good pitcher for most of his 11 seasons in Major League Baseball. His career 3.84 ERA, multiple All-Star appearances and $90 million in earnings tells enough of a story. But the 32-year-old veteran has only gotten better with age, throwing all three of his best seasons after the age of 30.

That’s right, all three of his All-Star appearances and Cy Young candidacies have come in the past three seasons. But that doesn’t mean he’s been good against everybody, in that time. Gausman’s career vs the Minnesota Twins, for example, has left plenty to be desired.

Related: Royce Lewis Seems Pessimistic About His Availability for Wildcard Round

Minnesota Twins mash Kevin Gausman

Toronto’s ace has started 11 games in his career vs the Twins, that’s 5th most of any team he has faced in his career. He has a 6.35 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 56.2 innings pitched. The Twins knock Gausman out of the game early in the 5th inning, on average. That’s because they have a .816 OPS against him during his career.

TwinsHittersvsKevinGausman
YearWLERAGSIPHERHRBBSOWHIPSO9BAOBPSLGOPSBAbipOPS+
2014014.9117.1540270.9558.6.192.241.308.549.25054
2015017.59210.210921121.03110.1.233.261.442.703.26796
2016004.5016.0531291.16713.5.227.280.409.689.30886
20170011.2514.0950072.25015.8.429.455.5711.026.643168
2018019.0029.012943101.66710.0.300.349.6751.024.308176
2022012.7929.21530181.6557.4.341.356.409.765.417114
2023106.30210.011719122.00010.8.290.438.474.911.400145
Career146.351156.26740818651.50010.3.286.341.474.816.360
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/2/2023.

What’s most interesting about Kevin Gausman’s numbers vs Minnesota, though. As mentioned earlier in this blog, Gausman’s best years of his career have been his last three. That includes 2023, where he placed 9th in Cy Young voting.

Yet, the Twins have gotten more successful against the former LSU stud, as he’s gotten better. That includes this season, when they faced him twice, posting a .290 batting average and .911 OPS. Gausman threw a total of 10 innings, surrendering 7 earned runs (6.20 ERA) and a 2.000 WHIP. He walked 9 Twins hitters and struck out just 12.

Clean slate when the playoffs start?

Of course, these numbers could wind up meaning nothing, on Tuesday. It’s the playoffs and slates are wiped clean in the postseason, right? Sure, that’s true to an extent. But anyone who has played sports knows that there are some teams you play better against and certain places you feel best playing at.

Related: How to watch Minnesota Twins Playoff Games in 2023

And knowing that to be true, I think it is safe to say, based on his career numbers, that the Minnesota Twins are not one of the MLB teams Gausman likes playing against and Target Field isn’t one of his favorite away stadiums.

Speaking of playoffs… Gausman hasn’t had a lot of success in that area, to this point, either. Kevin’s career playoff ERA is an unimpressive 4.57 ERA (21.2 IP). His only playoff starts have come in the past two seasons. He had a 6.00 ERA in 6 innings (1 start) for the Giants in 2021 and a 6.57 ERA in his only start (5.2 IP) last postseason for the Blue Jays.

YearAgeTmSeriesRsltOppWLGGSIPHERHRBBSOWHIPH9HR9BB9SO9
201423BALALDSWDET00103.2310151.0917.40.02.512.3
201423BALALCSLKCR00204.1100120.4622.10.02.14.2
201827ATLNLDSLLAD00102.0221242.0009.04.59.018.0
202130SFGNLDSLLAD01216.0440371.1676.00.04.510.5
202231TORALWCLSEA00115.2540171.0597.90.01.611.1
Total4 Yr017221.2151118251.0626.20.43.310.4
1 ALWC00115.2540171.0597.90.01.611.1
1 ALDS00103.2310151.0917.40.02.512.3
2 NLDS01318.06615111.3756.81.15.612.4
1 ALCS00204.1100120.4622.10.02.14.2
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/2/2023.

Of course, none of Gausman’s struggles in the playoffs or in the regular season vs the Minnesota Twins, hold a candle to the Twins’ 18-game losing streak or their 2-decade drought void of any playoff series wins.

We’ll find out whose past haunts more on Tuesday.

Read all of our Minnesota Twins blogs

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Mon, 02 Oct 2023 20:56:35 +0000 Minnesota Twins
It’s Twins vs Blue Jays in 1st Round of MLB Playoffs After Chaotic Season Finale in AL https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-vs-toront-blue-jays-1st-round-mlb-playoffs-2023/ Sun, 01 Oct 2023 21:54:56 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=44164 The Minnesota Twins have been a playoff team for awhile now but their 1st round playoff opponent has been a mystery up until Sunday, when the Toronto Blue Jays fell to the bottom of the American League playoff picture and netted the Twins in the ALWS as a result.

Astros win AL West, Twins Land Blue Jays in 1st round

It was the Houston Astros who entered Sunday as the 6-seed in the American League but their 8-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, combined with a Toronto Blue Jays loss vs Tampa Bay, meant a last moment season finale mix up in the AL Wildcard standings.

Related: Alex Rodriguez Will Call Minnesota Twins AL Wildcard Series

In fact, the Texas Rangers lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to the Seattle Mariners, so not only did Houston surpass Toronto in the Wildcard standings. They stole the AL West and a 1st round playoff bye from the Rangers, who were forced to settle for the 5-seed (2nd wildcard).

That leaves the Toronto Blue Jays as the AL’s 6-seed (3rd wildcard), meaning they will jump the border to Target Field to play the Twins in the 1st round best-of-three ALWS. The series will start on Tuesday and all three games will be broadcast at 3:38 p.m. on ESPN.

Date TimeSeriesTeamsChannel
Tuesday, Oct. 3 3:38 p.m.Game 1Twins vs Blue JaysESPN
Wednesday, Oct, 43:38 p.m.Game 2Twins vs Blue JaysESPN
**Thursday, Oct. 53:38 p.m.Game 3Twins vs Blue JaysESPN
** If Needed

Related: How to watch the Minnesota Twins in the 2023 Playoffs

Quick Facts on 2023 Toronto Blue Jays

The 2023 Toronto Blue Jays finished the season with an 89-73 record, good for 3rd place in a weird American League East that saw both the Yankees and Red Sox finish in the basement of the division.

Bo Bichette is Toronto’s best hitter (.307 BA, .812 OPS, 20 HR, 72 RBI) but he hates walking (26 BB, 114 K on season). He’s surrounded by a lot of all or nothing bats including Matt Chapman, Vlad Guerrero Jr, Brandon Belt and Carlos Correa’s former World Series teammate, George Springer.

RkPosNameAgeGPARHRRBIBBSOBAOBPSLGOPS
OPS+TB
1DHBrandon Belt*3510239952184261140.251.368.482.850134161
2SSBo Bichette2513459668207326114.307.339.473.812123268
31BVladimir Guerrero Jr.2415668278269467100.264.345.444.788117267
43BMatt Chapman3014058166175462165.240.330.424.755108216
5CFKevin Kiermaier*33129408588362986.265.322.419.741104155
6RFGeorge Springer3315468387217260125.258.327.405.732102248
72BWhit Merrifield3414458766116736100.275.320.386.70695209
8UTCavan Biggio*28110333529394088.232.336.368.70596105
9CAlejandro Kirk24123422348434245.250.334.358.69293133
10LFDaulton Varsho*2615757665206045135.220.286.391.67786204
Team Totals28.916161757381876995471296.256.328.416.7441052296
Baseball-Reference.com

The Blue Jays rank 6th in the MLB in OPS and 5th in batting average but they’ve also struckout 3rd most in the league this season. Still, as a whole, Toronto has one of the more potent lineups in Major League Baseball. It will be a huge test for the Minnesota Twins pitching staff, both the starters and bullpen.

Related: Royce Lewis Injury Could Cost Byron Buxton a Spot on Twins’ Wildcard Roster

Toronto pitching

The Toronto starting staff is led by four workhorses, including Chris Bassett (200 IP), Kevin Gausman (185 IP) and former Twin, Jose Berrios (189.2 IP), who has had a big time bounceback season, after a disappointing start to his career in Toronto.

RkPosNameAgeWLERAGGSCGSHOIPHRBBSOHBPERA+FIPWHIPH9HR9BB9SO9
1SPChris Bassitt341683.60333311200.02859186121174.281.1757.91.32.78.4
2SPJosé Berríos2911123.65323200189.2255218491154.001.1868.21.22.58.7
3SPKevin Gausman321293.16313100185.0195523731332.971.1787.90.92.711.5
4SPYusei Kikuchi*321163.86323200167.2274818141094.121.2708.91.42.69.7
Baseball-Reference.com

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Sun, 01 Oct 2023 18:53:07 +0000 Minnesota Twins
MLB Expanded Postseason Explained; How Twins Stack Up https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/mlb-expanded-postseason-explained-how-minnesota-twins-stack-up/ Sat, 20 Aug 2022 17:40:58 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=40084 The 2022 Major League Baseball Postseason is coming up fast and there are a lot of changes to how this year’s playoff bracket will work. Yes, the Minnesota Twins are locked in a battle with the Cleveland Guardians and (to a lesser extent) the Chicago White Sox, for the AL Central crown. But they’re also nipping at the heels of all three American League wildcard teams too.

Yes, three wildcard teams will make the MLB Postseason in 2022, and going forward. That means 6 teams in each conference and 12 playoff teams in total. Two teams in each conference will receive a 1st-round bye and will not participate in Wildcard Weekend. That leaves the worst division winner of the three (the AL Central this season), and three wildcard teams to duke it out.

Twins’ Playoff Picture

The AL West (Astros) and AL East (Yankees) have far better records than the teams battling for AL Central superiority. That means, unless the Yankees continue to lose at the same pace they have been lately, the Twins will play on Wildcard Weekend, even if they win the division.

As of Saturday morning, the Minnesota Twins sit 1 game back of the Cleveland Guardians, in the AL Central standings. The White Sox are 3.5 games behind the division leaders. But winning the AL Central isn’t the Twins’ only opportunity to get into the postseason.

Earlier in the year, many believed the AL East was so good that they would run away with all three wildcard sports in the American League. But with 45 games remaining on the Twins schedule, they sit just 0.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the 3rd wildcard spot and just 2 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the 1st wildcard.

Wildcard Weekend explained

There are more significant changes that need to be mentioned, as it pertains to the 1st round of the upcoming playoffs. There will be two wildcard series in each conference (four total). Three wildcard teams and the worst of the three division winners. All 1st round series will be “best-of-3”. So, the first team to win two games will move onto the Divisional Round.

The other twist? All three games of each series will be played at the higher seed’s stadium. No switching locations. That means, should the Minnesota Twins win the AL Central, but miss out on a 1st round bye, they’d play all 1st round games at Target Field (vs the #3 wildcard team). The #1 wildcard will also play all of that weekend at home (vs the #2 wildcard team).

After the wildcard round, the playoff bracket looks much more familiar. Eight teams battling through the Divisional and Championship rounds, to reach the World Series. All games, from the Divisional round on will be “best-of-7”.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Sat, 20 Aug 2022 12:41:00 +0000 Minnesota Twins
Jose Berrios Traded to Blue Jays for Two Top-100 Prospects https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/jose-berrios-traded-to-blue-jays-for-two-top-100-prospects-minnesota-twins/ Fri, 30 Jul 2021 16:57:31 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=35882 The writing has been on the wall for nearly 48 hours but it’s finally happening. The Minnesota Twins are trading Jose Berrios to the Toronto Blue Jays for a package that reportedly includes the #16 and #68 prospects in Major League Baseball. Austin Martin is the #2 prospect in the Toronto farm system and can play both middle infield and outfield. Simeon Woods-Richardson is the Jays’ #4 prospect and he’s a right-handed starting pitcher.

Martin was playing in AA New Hampshire until this morning. Woods-Richardson is now the 2nd Twins minor league starter who’s in Japan pitching for Team USA. What a haul.

If Jose Berrios was going to be dealt, we knew the return package would be big. I’m not sure anyone thought they’d get anything this substantial. Through two major trades so far during this deadline season, the Minnesota Twins’ front office (which has a checkered trade deadline past) appears to have hit two homeruns. But only time will tell.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Fri, 30 Jul 2021 12:29:40 +0000 Minnesota Twins
Twins Banned from Canada After Abusing Blue Jays 20-1 During Series Sweep https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/twins-banned-from-canada-after-abusing-blue-jays-20-1-during-series-sweep/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/twins-banned-from-canada-after-abusing-blue-jays-20-1-during-series-sweep/#respond Thu, 09 May 2019 02:04:35 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=15419 [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.22.7″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.22.7″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.22.7″]

I tried to warn the Blue Jays last weekend, that if the Twins lost the series they were playing to the Yankees, at that time, Toronto was in big fucking trouble. The 2019 Minnesota Twins HATE losing, especially a series in New York.

And holy Canada… was I right.. First, there were games one and two from Monday and Tuesday. Martin Perez and Jose Berrios + the Twins offense combined for an 11-0 score over 18 innings and they had the Blue Jays wondering if boycotting baseball would have been the better early week option..

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But sweeping a team in the MLB isn’t easy so the Twins had probably thought they had a tough and difficult task ahead of them tonight. I mean hell, the law of averages says the game would have to at least be close… that Toronto might put a few runs on the board…

Well, not really. They did get one, which is one more than they had the first two night combined… The Twins, though… they didn’t have any problems once again.

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It was a good start to the week, in Toronto. But, it’s just the first 3 games of a stretch that includes 20-straight games vs teams that didn’t make the postseason last year. That means, by the time we start discussing the All-Star rosters, the Twins have a chance to build a gap between themselves and Cleveland that would be hard to kick a rock across.

Cleveland was able to sneak a W in tonight, between all of their recent L’s, so the gap between the two teams remains 4 games until tomorrow…

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/twins-banned-from-canada-after-abusing-blue-jays-20-1-during-series-sweep/feed/ 0 Wed, 08 May 2019 21:34:04 +0000 Minnesota Twins