The Twins are still hanging around the postseason picture in early September, but the margin for error is tiny. Minnesota had a 10.1% chance to make the playoffs as of Wednesday morning, according to FanGraphs, and sits 3 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final Wild Card spot. The Toronto Blue Jays are 2 1/2 games back, while the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles are 1 1/2 games out.
That leaves the Twins in a spot where September has to bring more than just decent baseball. If Minnesota is going to keep its playoff hopes alive, it needs a few key players to shake off the uneven stretches that have slowed the club down.
Royce Lewis is one of the biggest names on that list. The 27-year-old second baseman/first baseman gave the Twins exactly the kind of jolt they need on Tuesday, going 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, a double and a walk in Minnesota’s 15-2 win over the Detroit Tigers at Target Field.
That blast traveled 427 feet. But before that outburst, Lewis had been stuck in a deep slump, hitting just .155/.194/.172 with no home runs over his previous 62 plate appearances.
Lewis has been a streaky hitter all season, and the Twins need the hot version of him to show up now, not later.
Ryan Jeffers is another bat Minnesota badly needs to get right. He went cold in August, posting a .171/.256/.257 line over 39 plate appearances with no home runs from Aug.
16-29. The Twins could use the version of Jeffers that had him looking like an All-Star candidate before a fractured hamate bone interrupted his year.
There are signs he may be turning that corner again. Over his last three games, Jeffers has gone 5-for-10 with three home runs, one double, two walks and seven RBI.
The other name is Joe Ryan, and his importance goes beyond the box score. Ryan was one of baseball’s best pitchers in the first half, putting up a 2.85 ERA with 128 strikeouts over 110 1/3 innings before the All-Star break. Then came a rough stretch after the break, when he gave up 16 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings across three starts before landing on the injured list in early August with a left glute strain.
He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday, and the outing was a solid first step.
Ryan allowed one run on one hit, a homer, while striking out four and walking none over three innings. He threw 42 pitches, and his fastball averaged 91.4 mph.
If the Twins are going to make any kind of push, they probably need a few more starts that look like the Joe Ryan from the first half.
In Other News...
Former Twins Infielder Finds Another Opportunity After Brief St. Paul Run
Orlando Arcias stint in the Twins organization never really got out of the proving-ground phase. He opened the 2025 season at Triple-A St. Paul after losing the backup shortstop job to Tristan Gray, then earned a look in Minnesota in May before the club designated him for assignment in June. Even after that, he kept his value on display in the minors long enough to stay on the radar.
Now Arcia has landed another chance, this time with the Cincinnati Reds on a minor-league deal and an assignment to their Triple-A club. The fit makes some sense for a team that could use infield insurance after the injury to shortstop Elly De La Cruz, and it gives Arcia a fresh path back toward the majors after a brief run through St. Paul. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Fans Have Every Right To Demand Accountability For This Collapse
September has arrived with the Twins still hanging around the Wild Card chase, but not in the way anyone expected after that promising midseason stretch. A rough August, in which the club went 10-17, left Minnesota with little room to breathe and plenty of familiar frustrations resurfacing. The roster has been tested by injuries and uneven production, and the end result is a team that looks far closer to the middle of the pack than a club that once seemed positioned to make a stronger push.
That kind of slide naturally raises the larger questions around how the franchise is being run, from ownership to Jeremy Zoll in the front office to Derek Shelton in the dugout. The Twins have obvious limitations on the roster, but those do not erase the disappointment of a season that has drifted this far from its earlier promise. With the standings still tight, the next few weeks will say a lot about whether this is just a bad stretch or the latest sign that accountability has to start at the top. [Read more 🡒]
Former Twins Starter Gets Another Shot After Quick Toronto Exit
Simeon Woods Richardson is getting another opportunity to reset his season, this time with the Seattle Mariners after being waived by Toronto. The 25-year-old right-hander opened the year with the Twins, then was sent to the Blue Jays in June, a move that gave him a new organization but not much time to settle in.
Now back on the market, Woods Richardson has landed a minor league contract with Seattle, where his background as both a starter and reliever gives him some flexibility. For Minnesota, it is another reminder of how quickly a pitchers path can change, and for Woods Richardson, the next stop offers at least a chance to rebuild some momentum after a brief Toronto stay. [Read more 🡒]