Twins have a chance to potentially flip the entire playoff picture this week

We've reached the final stretch of the regular season, but there's plenty of business that still needs to be settled. It may seem strange given how terrible things have been, but the Minnesota Twins hold the keys to causing some potential chaos and flipping the entire American League playoff picture based on how things play out this week.

The Twins have plenty at stake with 14 games left in the season. Minnesota holds a slim 2.5 game lead over the Detroit Tigers for the final wild card spot, and sit 6.5 games out of first place in the AL Central. There's also still a chance that the Twins make a late surge and land a first round bye or potentially host a Wild Card series.

A lot needs to happen for that to become reality, but there's a very clear path for that to happen and for things to look much different than they do now.

Twins could create total chaos in the AL playoff picture this week

Minnesota is about to start perhaps the most important series of the season on Monday, and one that could have a ripple effect that a few teams will be paying attention to.

The Twins head to Cleveland for a four game series against the Guardians. It's one that has a massive impact on Minnesota's playoff scenarios as well as Kansas City and whoever comes out on top in the AL East.

Minnesota can't dethrone the Guardians in this upcoming series, but a sweep would put them just 2.5 games behind them with nine games left to play. That outcome would also likely mean the Royals leap into first place and take control of a first round bye.

That's easier said than done for more than just the Twins, though. Kansas City is about to start a series against the Tigers. The Royals are just 2.5 games behind Clevealnd, but a sweep by Detroit coupled with a Minnesota collapse against the Guardians could mean the Tigers take over second place in the AL Central.

Simply put, Minnesota's series against Cleveland can completely scramble the Wild Card standings based on how things go.

The Twins end their week by traveling to Boston for a series in which it can put the Red Sox down and out of the playoff race. The Yankees helped in that department by beating up their rivals over the weekend, but the Twins have been looking at the Red Sox in their rearview as the race for the final wild card spot tightens up.

It's also impossible to overstate what a confidence booster it would be for the Twins at the exact right time for them to go out and have a strong series against Cleveland. Winning the AL Central remains a long shot, but to end the season and punch a playoff ticket while riding a hot hand could be the thing that inspires a run in October.

Things are about to get truly wild, and despite how frustrating things have been the Twins are in a prime position to come through the chaos in a fantastic position.

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