Carlos Correa delivers some much-needed good news for Twins fans

Things are getting dire for the Minnesota Twins. A roster being held together by duct tape and bubblegum is starting to come apart, and a team that ownership refused to meaingfully invest in is collapsing in the middle of a playoff race.

Just a week ago the Twins were within striking distance of a first-round bye, but now they're trending hard toward outright missing the postseason. Only three games separate Minnesota from three teams looking to take a spot in October the Twins have established they don't really want, at least that's how it seems based on what fans are being forced to watch on the field.

Rocco Baldelli called the team 'unprofessional' after an embarrassing weekend sweep at the hands of the Royals, and the team's response was another lifeless loss on Monday to the hapless Angels. Still, there's over 15 games left in the season and plenty of scenarios where the Twins turn things around and get back on the right track.

One way the team can do that is to get one of its most important players back from the IL.

Twins first positive update on Carlos Correa in weeks couldn't come at a better time

Correa is reportedly 'very encouraged' after starting to sprint again the last few days, and sounds like a guy who is getting closer to returning to the lineup.

"I was waiting to get to this point so I could push the envelope," Correa said. "Today's a good day. We've come to the right time, I feel like. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I'm very encouraged about the way I've been feeling the last few days."

When exactly he returns is still up-in-the-air, but the holding pattern seems to be breaking. It couldn't come at a better time, as the Twins desperately need to get Correa back in the lineup if they want any hope of making the postseason.

Minnesota still technically controls its own destiny, but nobody really feels good about where things stand. The Twins have a slim three-game lead on Detroit, Boston, and Seattle, one that continues to shrink as games like we saw on Monday get fumbled away.

Getting Correa back would be huge, but the longer it takes the more it begins to feel like too little too late. Over the summer, when Correa was on the war path to silence his doubters, he single handedly sparked the Twins' offense in ways we hadn't seen before. Correa went through a stretch where he hit .548/.576/.871 with three home runs and nine RBIs, and became just the tenth player in team history to record 22 or more hits over a ten game span.

Correa used that surge to earn a trip to the All-Star Game, one he skipped due to injury which ended up being an unfortunate turning of the tide for Minnesota. Like last season, he's dealing with plantar fasciitis in his foot, this time in the one that gave him problems during those infamous medicals when he was a free agent.

There's still time for Correa to return and the Twins to turn things around, but everyone is quickly running out of road ahead of them.

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