The Minnesota Twins keep waiting to break out of their slump.
It didn’t happen over the weekend, when a series sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals led to a stern lecture from manager Rocco Baldelli. Nor did it happen Monday, when the Twins lost the series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Angels to make it four defeats in a row.
The Twins’ next chance will come Tuesday against the Angels in Minneapolis. Minnesota enters the night with 15 losses in the past 21 games.
“Maybe it comes tomorrow, maybe it comes the next day,” Baldelli said after the Monday setback. “We’re going to feel good about that when it comes.”
However, time is running short for the Twins (76-68), who have 18 games remaining in the regular season and trail the first-place Cleveland Guardians by six games and the second-place Royals by 2 1/2 games in the American League Central race.
Minnesota holds a three-game lead on three teams in the chase for the third and final AL wild card.
Injuries have been part of the Twins’ late-season swoon. Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa, Joe Ryan, Max Kepler and Manuel Margot remain shelved.
Correa has been out since July 13 because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He is hopeful he can return before long to try to help the Twins in playoff pursuit.
“I was waiting to get to this point so I could push the envelope,” Correa said. “And this percentage right now, I could play like this, as to where before I couldn’t even walk without pain.”
Buxton has not played since Aug. 12 because of inflammation in his right hip. He has taken part in defensive drills but does not have a target date for his return yet.
“We’re at that point in the season where you’re not going to be at 100 percent,” Buxton said. “Probably won’t be 90 percent. But you (want to) get to a point where you can fight through it and get through it.”
The Angels (60-84), who have the second-worst record in the AL to the Chicago White Sox, are looking to lock up a series win. They took the series opener 6-2 on Monday thanks in large part to a strong performance by Reid Detmers, who struck out eight in six innings of two-run ball.
“You always want to finish strong, especially in my last two starts I have left,” Detmers said. “I’m trying to give it my all and get my name back out there. And trying to make a statement and show everybody who I am.”
Los Angeles will turn to right-hander Griffin Canning (5-12, 5.02 ERA) on Tuesday. He is coming off a Wednesday win against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who managed only one run on four hits in 6 2/3 innings against him.
Canning lost his lone career start against the Twins on May 20, 2021, when he gave up four runs on three hits in two innings.
Minnesota will counter with right-hander Pablo Lopez (14-8, 4.05 ERA). He is looking for his fourth victory in a row after beating the St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays in his last three starts. In his past nine outings, he is 6-1 with a 2.16 ERA.
In three career starts against the Angels, Lopez is 2-1 with a 4.76 ERA. He got a road win over Los Angeles on April 28 after allowing four runs on four hits in five innings.
–Field Level Media