AL Central Division title in hand, Twins' next goal is a simple one: Win one lousy playoff game

We have not asked for apologies from other local franchises that have used large playoff fields to advance to a postseason, so none is required from the Twins for dominating the American League Central with solid play after the All-Star break.

The only pardon-me when the "race" was over on Friday night could have come from Jhoan Duran, the closer who has shown more nerves than we imagined when he was firing constant strikes at ridiculous speeds during the first half of the schedule.

Duran entered with an 8-5 lead against an Angels lineup that wasn't much more impressive than the collection Eric Milton famously no-hit in a Saturday morning game on Sept. 11, 1999, at the Metrodome.

Check out those names.

It took Duran 34 pitches, seven batters and one run allowed to get his 27th save. The crowd of over 30,000 was pumped for a quicker finish. Maybe the big welcome as he enters from the bullpen — pounding music, lights dimmed, cell phones waving — has been getting him overamped.

Then again, I have this confession to make: Considering the difficulties the Twins have had finishing games in prior seasons, my vote as a Twin Cities baseball writer for the team MVP was Duran.

Even with his tightrope-walking at times, he fixed a problem that can often doom a team. For instance: Alex Colomé was given the job in 2021, and he didn't start messing up that Twins season until Opening Day in Milwaukee.

Friday's 8-6 victory put the Twins at 82-72, their first time 10 games over .500 this season. They have eight games left and a chance to finish with the magic number 85.

You remember, right … the Twins were 85-77 when they won a first World Series in 1987. The win total was deflated by the Twins losing their last five after clinching the AL West on a Monday night in Texas.

Considerably different then, of course. Only two of 14 teams in American League made the playoffs, rather six out of 15 these days.

A team could win the World Series with eight postseason wins. When you're in the Twins' likely situation as the division champion that will be required to play in the wild-card round, 13 victories are needed to win the World Series.

Frank Viola and Bert Blyeven made nine of the 12 starts in that 1987 postseason — thanks to finishing off favored Detroit in five games in the ALCS.

The Twins will ride with Pablo López and Sonny Gray in the first two wild-card games at Target Field, then choose between Kenta Maeda or Joe Ryan to start a third game (if necessary).

Considering the Twins' otherworldly 18-game postseason losing streak, they can only hope it's necessary … because it would mean they finally have won one for the first time since Game 1 vs. the Yankees in 2004.

If they were to advance, the Twins would be in a situation of using four starters or pitching someone on short rest.

The most impressive part of Friday's victory could have been the play of the left side of the infield, considering what occurred early in the week at Cincinnati:

Shortstop Carlos Correa left Monday night's game when he aggravated the plantar fasciitis in his left foot. On Tuesday night, third baseman Royce Lewis left the game when he pulled a left hamstring that seems likely to keep him out of the start of the playoffs.

What that meant is the Twins lost what has been the best part of their team since the middle of August: that left side, with the tremendous shortstop Correa, and third base, the do-it-all rookie Lewis.

Kyle Farmer has taken over at shortstop, and the versatile Willi Castro — an oustanding pickup when let go by Detroit this winter — has been at third in the first two games without Lewis.

Admittedly, I've missed a few innings this summer, but Farmer played the best shortstop I've witnessed from him. He was so good that even Edouard Julien, the fielding-challenged rookie at second base, seemed inspired to make a couple of nice plays.

As for Castro, he's now an infielder, at least until Lewis returns. The Twins currently have six other outfielders on the roster, compared to only four other infielders.

The Twins added Trevor Larnach to replace Correa and Jordan Luplow to replace Lewis — both outfielders. Assuming Lewis can't play starting Oct. 3, they need an infielder … and they do have the option of adding either Austin Martin or Brooks Lee, who spent all season in the minors.

Martin would be favorite in that circumstance, since he is required to be protected on the 40-player roster this winter because of professional service time, while Lee would not have that requirement this winter (unless promoted).

We're getting ahead of ourselves here, of course. Now that the Twins are back in the postseason for the fourth time in the seven seasons Derek Falvey has been in charge, the primary target has to be this:

Win one. Please. One. These ain't Super Bowls. These are early-round playoffs.

My preference would have been that Friday's forced champagne celebration that's loved by TV cameras would have been saved for a victory that ends the postseason humiliation.

Win Game 1 behind Pablo (or Sonny) and spray away. That would've been the call from here.