Unfortunately, it's time for Twins fans to root for a full-on tank for the rest of the season. After Thursday night's 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, the Twins fell seven games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final American League Wild Card spot with a 71-82 record. Minnesota isn't technically eliminated yet, but FanGraphs gives the club a 0% chance to reach the playoffs.
It may be hard to root for your favorite team to lose, but losing is the best thing the Twins could do for the rest of the season. All teams that fail to reach the playoffs this year will be entered into a lottery pool for the top six draft picks. However, the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates are ineligible for the lottery due to anti-tanking regulations. The Chicago White Sox are too, but they will likely make the postseason anyway.
It's worth noting that the current CBA is set to expire on Dec. 1, and the new one could include draft changes. Also, if a lockout extends through the summer, there could be no draft at all. But for this article, let's assume the draft won't have any major changes in 2027.
MLB Draft lottery odds amid Twins' rough stretch
Team/Record | Odds |
|---|---|
1. Colorado Rockies (56-97) | Top 6 (87.9%), 1st Overall (19.19%) |
2. Los Angeles Angels (59-94) | Top 6 (87.9%), 1st Overall (19.19%) |
3. Athletics (61-92) | Top 6 (87.9%), 1st Overall (19.19%) |
4. Kansas City Royals (67-86) | Top 6 (73.5%), 1st Overall (11.63%) |
5. New York Mets (69-84) | Top 6 (63.2%), 1st Overall (8.72%) |
6. Washington Nationals (71-82) | Top 6 (51.6%), 1st Overall (6.40%) |
7. Minnesota Twins (71-82) | Top 6 (39.6%), 1st Overall (4.53%) |
8. Cincinnati Reds (71-82) | Top 6 (29.0%), 1st Overall (3.14%) |
9. Seattle Mariners (71-82) | Top 6 (20.1%), 1st Overall (2.09%) |
10. San Francisco Giants (64-89) | Highest they can pick is 10th. |
11. Detroit Tigers (72-81) | Top 6 (16.0%), 1st Overall (1.63%) |
12. Baltimore Orioles (75-78) | Top 6 (12.7%), 1st Overall (1.28%) |
13. St. Louis Cardinals (75-78) | Top 6 (10.5%), 1st Overall (1.05%) |
14. Pittsburgh Pirates (76-77) | Highest they can pick is 10th. |
15. Miami Marlins (76-77) | Top 6 (7.1%), 1st Overall (0.70%) |
16. Texas Rangers (76-77) | Top 6 (5.9%), 1st Overall (0.58%) |
17. Toronto Blue Jays (76-77) | Top 6 (4.8%), 1st Overall (0.47%) |
18. Arizona Diamondbacks (80-73) | Top 6 (2.4%), 1st Overall (0.23%) |
The odds above are courtesy of Tankathon.
It's obviously a major disappointment that the Twins are this far out of a playoff spot after adding reinforcements before the trade deadline. Minnesota acquired two top bullpen arms in Jeff Hoffman and A.J. Minter, a decent reliever in Tommy Nance and a solid rotation-depth piece in Dean Kremer. While those players have mostly performed well for Minnesota, it hasn't been enough to keep the Twins in playoff contention. Injuries to Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan, arguably the team's biggest stars, are a major reason for the club's regression.
However, even when it appeared the Twins had a decent shot at reaching the postseason, most doubted they could go far. Sure, the American League is weak, but the Twins would have a tough time beating the top three AL East teams in a playoff series. And if Minnesota had somehow made it to the World Series, the NL teams are even better. All things considered, it might be best that the Twins won't make the playoffs and instead get a better draft pick, possibly one in the top five. If Minnesota can get another player as talented as catcher Vahn Lackey, Minnesota's 2025 first-round pick, fans should be very happy.
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