Twins lose to Guardians 4-3 after Griffin Jax surrenders two-run homer in eighth

CLEVELAND – A package from MLB arrived in the Twins’ clubhouse Monday, similar to ones that were almost certainly delivered to stadiums around the majors, containing a “2024 Central Division Champions” banner for the Twins to use in photos in the unlikely event they clinch that achievement in the season’s final two weeks.

They needn’t have bothered.

Griffin Jax rescued Pablo López from a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning but then surrendered Kyle Manzardo’s 407-foot go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth, and the Guardians all but officially ended Minnesota’s chase of a second straight division title with a 4-3 victory at Progressive Field.

“It’s pretty heartbreaking,” Jax said in a somber Twins clubhouse.

The loss widened the Twins’ deficit behind the Guardians to 7½ games with 12 remaining, allowing the Twins to focus on their wild-card hopes for the final two weeks. That situation has become perilous, too: Detroit’s win at Kansas City on Monday pulled the Tigers to within 1½ games of the Twins for the third and final AL wild-card berth, with Seattle now two back.

The reason the standings have become so challenging for the Twins is the same reason they lost Monday night: Manzardo’s home run aside, the Twins can’t score runs. Monday’s loss marked the 10th time in 18 games the Twins have failed to score four runs — and this one came with 10 runners left on base in the first six innings.

“Their bullpen shut us down. We extend that [early 3-0] lead, we’re very likely not having this conversation,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We put the three runs on the board, and then we were quiet after that. You can’t be quiet against good teams.”

Minnesota put two runners on base in four of the first six innings but went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The only runs they scored came in the third inning, when a double by Carlos Correa and two walks loaded the bases. A passed ball by Bo Naylor scored Correa, and Byron Buxton grounded a single up the middle to score two more.

But the Twins never scored again.

It didn’t seem like an issue as López pitched six strong innings and seemed intent upon making sure the division race wouldn’t end on his watch — though he’s fortunate the fences at Progressive Field aren’t 2 or 3 feet closer to home plate. The Guardians hit three fly balls against the Twins righthander —who entered the game in 10th place in the American League in home runs allowed — that were caught at the back of the warning track, one of them on a leaping catch by Buxton.

None of them carried into the seats, however, and López completed six innings with a 3-1 lead, the lone run coming home on a two-out infield hit by Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez.

Having thrown only 74 pitches, however, López was allowed to return to the mound for the seventh inning, and it didn’t go well. López walked Manzardo to start the inning, then gave up a soft single to Will Brennan. He loaded the bases by walking Bo Naylor on four pitches.

After López struck out pinch-hitter Daniel Schneemann on three pitches, Angel Martinez lined a pitch that landed a few feet in front of Willi Castro in left field, scoring Manzardo with the Guardians’ second run.

BOXSCORE: Cleveland 4, Twins 3

MLB standings

But Jax, who routinely has bailed out López over the past few weeks — Monday’s game was the third time in López’s last four starts that he has been summoned with the tying run on base — was ready. He extinguished the threat on a mere four pitches, three of them to strike out Giménez and one to produce a sharp ground ball by José Ramirez that his former teammate, Carlos Santana, fielded and crossed first base with.

“To come out in a big spot and help out Pablo, I was happy to do that. I know that’s something we’ve struggled with this season, coming in and limiting the damage, so it was big,” Jax said. “Lots of adrenaline.”

Jax’s heroics are what made the next inning so shocking.

Josh Naylor led off with a deep line drive that Buxton caught on a bounce off the wall in right-center field. Jax recovered by striking out Lane Thomas on a high sweeper, but Manzardo was sitting on a first-pitch fastball in the same spot. As the announced crowd of 17,599 roared, Cleveland’s DH drove it deep into the seats in right field, only his third home run of the season and the first Jax has allowed since July 21, 21 innings ago.

“The guy jumps a first-pitch heater, so credit to him,” Jax said. “I’m just trying to get ahead, not walk him. I’m trying to be aggressive there. But he’s a professional hitter. He made a really good swing on it in a big spot.”