Game 144: Twins at Tigers

First Pitch (CT): 2:10 PM
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App
Know Yo’ Foe: Bless You Boys

The playoff hunt isn’t over quite yet, but we’re just about there. For the sixth time in the past five seasons, the Minnesota Twins went into the trade deadline with a decent shot to make the postseason, and then fell apart in the second half.

That’s largely represented by their best players. Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan, and Carlos Correa have all had issues staying healthy and have missed large chunks of time late in the season and been ineffective when healthy. Pablo Lopez missed all of 2026 and most of 2025. Royce Lewis has missed plenty of time and simply hasn’t been a good enough hitter the past two seasons.

Now, we should add some caveats here. In most of those seasons, the past two in particular, the Twins came in projected to go about .500 and miss the postseason. They likely would have ended about in the same spot as they will this year if they hadn’t sold off every good reliever in their bullpen. Also, this season has come with quite a few positive signs that haven given Twins fans a glimpse at an exciting future.

Kaelen Culpepper looks like he can hold down shortstop for the foreseeable future and is plenty athletic enough to contribute in other places if he eventually has to move off of it. Luke Keaschall has been one of the 10 best hitters in baseball since his awful April. Brooks Lee still has plenty of questions about his sustainability on offense, but looks excellent defensively at third and has 23 homers despite his approach. Walker Jenkins hasn’t lit it up, but the at-bats look better than the results and is still only 21 years old. Zebby Matthews and Connor Prielipp have flashed great stuff throughout the season and would likely be talked about much better with a better defense behind them. Plus, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Alan Roden might be the two best hitters at AAA while 2026 draftees Vahn Lackey and Carson Tinney have been among the best players in the minors since debuting last month.

It’s hard to not be disappointed as the season winds down, but unlike the end of last season, this one has left me feeling very optimistic about the future of the Minnesota Twins. If Tom Pohlad sticks to his word and significantly increases the payroll, this team should be the AL Central favorites in 2027.

Today, we’ll get to see the Joe Ryan Experience make his grand return to the pitcher-friendly Comerica Park, a nice soft landing for the Twins’ ace. The bats will be facing Troy Melton, who may be the Tigers’ next ace, but the Twins have shown the ability to hit him the two times they’ve seen Melton earlier this season. Let’s see if they can do it again!

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