The Twins are walking straight into the deep end to open the second half.
Minnesota’s first series after the All-Star break comes at Wrigley Field against a Cubs club that is 54-42 and sitting atop the National League Wild Card picture. For a Twins team that reached the break at 48-49, three games behind in the American League Central, this is exactly the kind of early test that tells you whether a club is ready to make noise or still stuck proving it belongs in the race.
That matters because the margin for error in Minnesota is already thin. The Twins have enough talent to put together a run, but this series feels important because it can either give them a clean launch out of the break or leave them chasing questions again.
A strong start would help set the tone before a key divisional stretch. A rough one would only feed the doubt about whether they can keep pace with the better teams.
Chicago is not exactly limping into the matchup, either. The Cubs won five of their last seven before the break and finished the first half with an 8-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Alex Bregman was a big part of that push, going 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBI. Pete Crow-Armstrong is another major problem for Minnesota to solve, coming into the series with a .291 average and 21 home runs while also providing excellent defense in center field.
The biggest concern for the Twins, though, is Byron Buxton. He went into the break with 25 home runs and a .903 OPS, but now he is on the 10-day injured list with a right hip strain. That is a major hit to Minnesota’s lineup right as the second half begins.
If Buxton is out, the pressure shifts fast. Josh Bell, Ryan Jeffers, Trevor Larnach and the rest of the offense will have to pick up the slack against a Cubs team that is playing well and defending its home field.
There is recent history here, and it has been tight enough to keep both sides interested. Minnesota took two of three from Chicago at Target Field last season, winning 8-1 and 4-2 before the Cubs responded with an 8-1 victory in the finale. Chicago also won two games against the Twins at Wrigley Field in 2024, which gives the home team another edge heading into this series.
For the Cubs, this is a chance to tighten their grip on the Wild Card race and keep pressure on the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. For the Twins, it is a chance to show they are more than a team hanging around .500. Doing that without Buxton makes the assignment even tougher.
In Other News...
Brewers Just Made The Pitching Move Cubs Fans Were Dreading
The Brewers just added another arm to a division race that already had the Cubs watching every move in Milwaukee. In a deadline-season trade with the Astros, they picked up veteran right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. and left-hander Colton Gordon, a move aimed at bolstering pitching depth as clubs position themselves for the stretch run.
For Cubs fans, the intrigue is less about the names than the possibility that Milwaukee is still shopping for more stability on the mound. McCullers has battled injuries and uneven results in recent years, including a 6.51 ERA in 16 appearances last season and a 6.86 mark in eight starts this year, but the Brewers are clearly betting there is still value in the profile. Whether this is the first step in a bigger push or just a depth play, it is the kind of transaction that can change the feel of a deadline chase in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cubs Pitching Depth Suddenly Finds Himself In Limbo Again
Charlie Barnes is back on the open market after another quick turn through a big-league organization, this time with the Dodgers. The left-hander, who once came through the Cubs system via a waiver claim, was designated for assignment by Los Angeles and cleared waivers before his latest roster move sent him into limbo again.
Barnes had gotten into four games for the Dodgers this season, giving the club some left-handed depth after his arrival from Chicago in May. His path has already included stops in MLB, KBO and multiple minor league systems, a reminder of how quickly a pitchers footing can change when a team needs an arm and the bullpen shuffle starts all over again. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Pitching Depth Just Took Another Hit At The Worst Time
The Cubs pitching depth keeps getting tested at a time when every arm matters, and Hunter Harveys latest setback only adds to the pressure. Chicago brought him in on a one-year deal to help stabilize the staff, but his move to the injured list leaves the club trying to piece together innings while the calendar keeps shrinking.
There is still some hope elsewhere on the mound, with Ben Brown expected back before seasons end even if his role looks different than it did earlier in the year. Edward Cabrera has also restarted his throwing program and is lined up for a bullpen session before the end of July, with August still in play for a possible return, but the Cubs are still waiting on clarity as they try to hold their pitching plan together. [Read more 🡒]