The 2019 Hall of Fame class loved to terrorize the Minnesota Twins
By Chris Schad
Mariano Rivera
While Mussina didn’t have a high level of postseason success against the Twins, the Yankees were still able to reap the benefits of running into Minnesota come October. That was because while the Twins may have gotten to Mussina at the beginning of the game, it was Mariano Rivera standing tall on the mound at the end of it.
The Twins haven’t won a postseason game since Game 1 of the 2004 ALDS and Rivera was a big reason why. In 15 2/3 innings of postseason appearances against the Twins, Rivera didn’t allow a run and converted five saves while striking out 13 batters.
What’s more astonishing is that the Twins couldn’t even mount a rally against The Sandman. Rivera would allow just eight hits in those appearances and walk one batter as his blown save in Game 2 of the 2004 ALDS came when he allowed an inherited runner to score.
Even outside of his postseason dominance, Rivera would put together an impressive track record against the Twins, collecting 26 saves and registering a 1.24 ERA.
Like all of the members of this class, those numbers exceeded his career totals with a 2.21 ERA and as a 13-time All-Star, five-time World Series Champion and baseball’s All-Time leader with 652 saves, there is no shame in being dominated by the greatest closer in baseball history.