Minnesota Twins: 3 questions for their series against the Chicago White Sox
The Minnesota Twins are on the doorstep of the American League Central title, but just as important is getting healthy during their series with the Chicago White Sox.
The Minnesota Twins came out of Progressive Field on a high note last weekend despite losing the final game of the three-game series with the Cleveland Indians. Even though they had to use their bullpen for their most critical series of the year, the Twins took two out of three games, reducing their magic number to clinch the first American League Central division to nine.
Looking at that, it might be easy for the Twins to go full bore over the next couple series and wrap up the division in order to get their key cogs some rest ahead of the postseason. The reality is that they simply can’t wait that long.
As the Twins head into a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox on Monday night, they also are dealt with the task of managing several injuries. Max Kepler (shoulder) and Nelson Cruz (wrist) are at the top of the list of players who could use some time off and with the Twins wrapping up their season against the White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals (who have a combined record of 154-283) they can afford to get a jump start on that process.
In the end, these games are still important to the Twins as long as the Indians are not mathematically eliminated. Although this should be an easy series on paper, the White Sox can still mount a challenge after taking two of three games during their last visit to Minneapolis.
Can Jose Berrios take another step forward?
Since the trade deadline, Jose Berrios has been a shell of the pitcher he can be. Although his final start before the deadline saw him hurl seven shutout innings (and 11 strikeouts) against the Miami Marlins, those results haven’t been duplicated as Berrios has 2-3 with a 6.64 ERA since the calendar turned to August.
While those numbers are brutal, Berrios has started to show signs of improvement in his last couple of starts. Although he was victimized by a pair of Mookie Betts home runs in a loss to the Boston Red Sox, the right-hander has started to show signs of his former self including his last start against the Washington Nationals.
In that Sept. 10 outing, Berrios looked confident on the mound and attacked the strike zone throwing 63 of 94 pitches (67%) for strikes and limited the Nationals to just two hits over seven shutout innings. While the strikeout total of four wasn’t spectacular, it’s starts like this is what the Twins need to be successful down the stretch.
With Berrios getting the start on Monday, it’s a chance to build off his recent outings. The White Sox are a great place to start as Berrios has gone 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA against Chicago this season including an Aug. 29 start where he allowed three runs over six innings while striking out eight. If he can come close to duplicating that effort, he could be on the right track to leading this pitching staff.
Can the Twins win while trying to get healthy?
The biggest challenge of the White Sox series is trying to get closer to winning the American League Central but also managing the injuries of several players that are banged up. As mentioned earlier, Cruz and Kepler headline the list of the wounded, but others such as C.J. Cron, who is dealing with a thumb injury and Miguel Sano, who played with a sore back this weekend, could also need an extra day or two off to get right.
At times, manager Rocco Baldelli has opted to err on the side of caution as opposed to winning games down the stretch. With a 4 1/2 game lead in the division, but sitting over seven games between the Houston Astros and New York Yankees for home-field advantage in the ALDS, this is a luxury that the Twins can afford between now and a potential postseason performance.
In this series, the White Sox will throw a pair of pitchers the Twins have had success against in Reynaldo Lopez (0-2, 10.24 ERA vs. Twins in 2019) and Dylan Covey (0-2, 13.50 ERA), which should allow Baldelli to get by with his B-lineup.
Although they will also have to face off against ace Lucas Giolito, who pitched a three-hit complete game with 12 strikeouts against the Twins on Aug. 21, there should be enough for the Twins to take advantage of.
Can the Twins get back to winning at Target Field?
As mentioned prior to their series with the Washington Nationals last week, the Twins have had a hard time winning at Target Field recently. With the Nationals taking two out of three games in that series, the Twins now own a series record of 2-7-1 and an overall record of 13-18 in Minneapolis since the All-Star break.
Although it is unlikely that the Twins will have home-field advantage at any point during the postseason, they still need to re-establish their winning ways at Target Field if they want to make a run.
On the season, the Twins have actually played well at home, compiling a record of 41-33. That record should go up against a team like the White Sox, who may look to play spoiler, but are also a team that’s looking forward to October golf plans while the Twins have their eyes set on a World Series championship.
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If the Twins can take advantage of some solid pitching matchups and get another great performance from their bullpen, they should be able to take two out of three games and get another step closer to winning their first AL Central title since 2010.