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Minnesota Twins Begin Their Downfall in the MLB Power Rankings

By Jordan Ison

Apr 20, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano (22) walks back to the dugout in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano (22) walks back to the dugout in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Minnesota Twins had a tough stretch of games over the last week. Their lack of success has been proceeded by dropping in this week’s MLB Power Rankings.

It seems like years since the Minnesota Twins were 5-1 and atop the AL Central. Now, the Twins sit at 8-10 and don’t show many signs of improvement. After a 1-5 week, the Twins have now dropped to number 20 in this week’s MLB Power Rankings.

The pitching for the Twins has dropped off badly, but it’s the issues at the plate that most haunt Minnesota. The Twins posted 21 runs in 6 games this week, while allowing 41. Obviously, averaging 3.5 runs per game is not good enough to get wins, but allowing 6.8 runs per game is atrocious.

With how strong the Minnesota Twins started the season, and how bad they’re looking now, it’s surprising the Twins are not lower than 20th in the power rankings. That may have to do with the success of Ervin Santana, who is still having a phenomenal season.

The unfortunate part for the Twins is since they are still in rebuilding mode, Santana may be only building his trade value for a potential contender. Besides Ervin Santana, the Twins’ roster has had little success since their 5-1 start.

The frustration is starting to settle in for the Minnesota Twins. This is evident by the benches clearing scuffle that happened on Saturday after Miguel Sano nearly got hit by a pitch.

While frustrations are evident, they’re not necessary. The baseball season is a long one, but this could be a very important stretch for the Minnesota Twins. This could be a turning point for the Twins, or it could be the beginning of another 100-loss season. At this point, the outcome depends on the Twins and only the Twins.

After such a strong start, it’s unfortunate to see the Minnesota Twins struggling so much. But with the season being this young, it’s not too late to turn things around.

Next: What the Twins Need to do to Get Back on Track

It begins with pitching. A +21 run differential quickly turned into +3 after an awful week of pitching. The bats need to up their consistency as well. With a solid combination of these two, the Minnesota Twins can get out of this slump and start rising again next week in the MLB Power Rankings.

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