The Twins will open the playoffs at Target Field for the first time since 2010, that much they accomplished o Saturday. But there is still work to be done Sunday.
Luis Arraez collected four hits in his first game since Sept. 8, three of them doubles, and Minnesota battered Cincinnati 7-3 at Target Field. The victory insures that the Twins, who still hold a one-game lead over the White Sox in the AL Central, will be one of the top four seeds in the AL playoffs and thus will host all three games of a first-round series beginning Tuesday.
"You want everything that you can possibly have in your favor," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "We're very comfortable, we've enjoyed playing here at Target Field. So we'll take these games here very happily."
There's still something to play for in the season finale Sunday, though. Explained reliever Taylor Rogers, "I look at that 2019 [AL Central championship] banner a lot up there at the stadium. It'd be nice to put another one up there."
The Twins have clinched a share of that title, but the White Sox (35-24) can still tie the Twins (36-23) for the first place with a win over the Cubs and a Twins' loss to the Reds on Sunday. Chicago, by virtue of its better record among AL Central teams, would claim the No. 2 seed in the AL playoffs, dropping the Twins to No. 4 — and a first-round meeting with the New York Yankees, who have beaten them in 13 straight postseason games.
Still, Saturday's victory was a handy tune-up for the playoffs: A showcase for Arraez's strong return, for Max Kepler's resurgence, for Michael Pineda's fortitude to work out of trouble, and the bullpen's continued dominance. All will be critical come Tuesday, whether their opponent is the Yankees, Blue Jays, White Sox, Indians or Astros — all still mathematically possibilities.
"I don't have any particular team that I want to face," said Pineda, a former Yankee who is scheduled to pitch in his first postseason game Thursday, if necessary. "Whatever team I have to face, Big Mike wants to be ready."
