Minnesota Twins: 5 goals for the team to complete before the postseason

Get the pitching staff ready for the playoffs

Though Jose Berrios looked like a true ace we’ve been missing last Tuesday, it’s hard to be sure if the performance was just a one-time outing or if he is back for real. The Minnesota Twins need Berrios to be his front-of-the-rotation self and to likely start two games in the playoffs, something that would be tough for him to do if he plays like he has most of the second half.

In addition to Berrios, the Twins need to see the best versions of Odorizzi, Kyle Gibson, and Martin Perez the rest of the way. In the playoffs, pitchers don’t typically go more than five or six innings, so one of Gibson or Perez will have to be an elite innings eater (this is where Michael Pineda will REALLY be missed). The team also needs to decide on a fifth starter for the rest of they way, and if the opener continues to work, who follows them.

Finally, the Twins need to decide who makes the bullpen rotation for the playoffs. Sending out the wrong player at the wrong time could destroy even the best teams, so the Twins need to figure out who they will trot out in the back half of playoff ball games. Tyler Duffey and Taylor Rogers should be the closer and setup man, but who takes the ball in front of them? Ryne Harper, Trevor May, and Sergio Romo have been good, but are they October ready?

Prediction: Berrios finds his form and looks to be himself again, and Kyle Gibson sets himself up as the third starter, but the bullpen order remains unsolved.