Minnesota Twins: A Twins Fan’s Guide on who to root for to end 2021
By Otto Johnson
The Minnesota Twins are now officially out of the playoff hunt, meaning Twins fans who want to watch playoff baseball may need to choose a new team for the upcoming stretch run. While some fans (myself included) already have a a team picked out, we’ve got the breakdown on who you can root for the rest of the way.
There are only two teams that have guaranteed their spot in the playoffs while there are 15 other teams still vying for spots. We’ll look at these teams’ rosters, player and manager likeability, Twins connection, and chances of making the playoffs.
We’ve broken it down into five groups to make it easier: the archrivals, the heavyweights, the division contenders, the wild cards, and the longshots. Here’s to hoping you find your team to root for (or against)!
Minnesota Twins Archrivals to Cheer Against
There are currently two teams that the Minnesota Twins consider archrivals that you shouldn’t root for under any circumstances. If you’re a Twins fan, it’s encouraged to actively root for these teams to lose for the pain they’ve caused the hometown team.
New York Yankees (82-64, 8 GB in Division, Current First American League Wild Card)
The Twins’ postseason bane of existence (and team that they can never seem to beat in the regular season) likely won’t catch the Rays in the AL East, but they’re currently sitting in the first wild card spot. They’re in a bit of a slump currently, so if that continues, they may end up on the outside looking in (fingers crossed!).
Aaron Hicks, Ryan LaMarre, and Luis Gil all have Minnesota ties, and they’ve pushed through a lot as a team this year, but that’s not enough to justify rooting for the team that bullied the Twins through the 2000s and 2010s.
Chicago White Sox (83-62, First in the AL Central)
Of the Twins’ central division rivals, the White Sox have been the biggest thorn in the team’s side over the past couple years, and with Cleveland 11.5 games back, Chicago’s magic number to win the division sits at 7. They’ll hit it sooner, rather than later.
Lance Lynn and Liam Hendriks are the only former Twins, but neither are well-liked here so we shouldn’t have any trouble rooting against them. Here’s hoping both teams don’t make it past the first round.