Before the 2019 season began for the Minnesota Twins pretty much everyone agreed that the Twins fate this season hinged on how well Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano performed. Both were coming off a 2018 season in which they underperformed and/or were injured or both.
Buxton played in just 28 games hitting .156 for Minnesota and finished the 2018 season in AAA and didn’t even get called up in September, he was miffed to say the least. Sano didn’t do much better appearing in just 71 games and hit .199 with 13 home runs, a career low for him. He played so poorly he was sent all the way back to High A ball in Fort Myers to lose weight and regain his batting form.
The Twins signed free agent Martin Perez on January 30th and expected him to fight for a starting spot. Twins fans were not happy with the signing since the soon to be 28-year old lefty was 2-7 with a 6.22 ERA in 15 starts for the Rangers in 2018. Twins fans wanted the front office to sign a legitimate Ace starting pitcher and some bullpen help and when that did not happen, fans were upset and just didn’t buy tickets for the 2019 season.
The Twins opened the season in front of a sell-out crowd on March 28th at Target Field but the Twins luck with cold and wet weather this year was all bad and the team set new record low attendance numbers time and time again. The Twins played good baseball however; matter of fact, the Twins have either been tied for first or have been in sole possession of first place every day this season. But Twins fans don’t care, they aren’t go out to watch their home team.
The Twins bullpen is workable but still needs help, the Twins starting staff however; is pitching like no one could have expected. Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, and Martin Perez have each won 6 while Kyle Gibson has won 4 and Michael Pineda has won 3 games. Kohl Stewart who was called up as the 26th man to start games in two doubleheaders is 1-1.
Byron Buxton hitting out of the nine hole all season is hitting .274 with 8 stolen bases and is playing center field like no one else. Miguel Sano has been out all season with a cut on his heel that he incurred in the off-season but he came back a couple of days ago and should help out a line-up that took a hit when catcher Mitch Garver went on the IL with an ankle sprain. Garver has been playing like a crazy man hitting .329 with a 1.164 OPS.
Before the 2019 season started the Cleveland Indians were expected to cake-walk in the American League Central and win it without breaking a sweat while the Twins and their fans were hoping to sneak into the playoffs.
Now with just over 27% of the season in their rear-view window, the Twins find themselves with a five-game lead over the Indians. If the Twins were to continue to win games at the rate they are currently doing so, they will finish the season with between 105-110 wins. Are you kidding me? The Cleveland Indians have suffered some injuries and they probably underestimated the Twins and barring a historic collapse it all adds up to what looks like a Central Division title for the 2019 Minnesota Twins. It will be interesting to see if Twins fans start going to Target Field and setting money aside for those playoff games in October.
It will take the owners and GMs to start attacking needs in the bullpen NOW instead of waiting until teams have already snatched up top available arms. Let’s face it, that will be the problem in the postseason if we get there. We were up 16-2 going into the 9th, and we won 16-7. There’s no pressure and still we gave up 5 in the 9th? That’s not gonna cut it against the Yankees, Houston, Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox, Rays take your pick. We have a legit shot at something THIS YEAR, if we address the pen.