The 2016 campaign for the Minnesota Twins (55-94) is all but disappointingly over, but there’s still time for them to play the part of spoilers to the rest of the MLB’s playoff hopefuls.
However, they’re certainly not getting it done of late, most recently losing to the Mets, 3-2, in extra innings this past Saturday. The Twins have scored just a total of two runs in the first two contests of the current three-game series in New York, and that’s even considering that virtually the entire Mets starting rotation is in DL limbo.
Only second baseman Brian Dozier (20-game hit streak dating back to August 27) appears to always be in the fighting mood for Minnesota’s offense, and he needs more help from the likes of the team’s other standouts such as Joe Mauer. Mauer, a six-time All-Star and St. Paul native, has gone hitless in his last 11 at-bats.
Thankfully, the Twins will have Kyle Gibson (6-9, 5.08 ERA) on the mound for the series finale on Sunday. Gibson is hot off one of his best starts of the year, having allowed just one run across eight full innings in a win over the Tigers the previous week. Then again, the third-year righty has also allowed at least four runs in each of his four starts prior to that winning decision.
Betting on the New York Mets
Despite having a ravaged starting rotation entering their critical playoff push, the New York Mets (79-69) now find themselves tied atop the NL Wild Card standings with the San Francisco Giants after Saturday’s win over the Twins.
Curtis Granderson provided the late-game heroics that evening by blasting a game-tying homer in the 11th inning and the solo walk-off shot in the 12th. It was The Grandyman’s 28th home run of the season, which also gave the Mets their now franchise-best 201st home run of the year (they had a record 200 HRs in the 2006 season).
The Mets’ potent offense is getting them by rather nicely, as they’ve now gone a superb 10-3 over their last 13 contests. Their bats better be ready to get whacking on Sunday again, as there’s a good amount of uncertainty with having Gabriel Ynoa (1-0, 15.19 ERA) as the team’s starter that afternoon. It will be Ynoa’s first-career start in the majors, and he’s a significant downgrade from New York’s supposed starter Jacob deGrom, who’s now likely out for the season due to an injured elbow on his throwing arm.
Still, the Mets have won six-straight meetings against the Twins dating back to 2010, making them heavily-favored to complete the three-game series sweep all things considered.
Writer’s Prediction
The Mets win another close one, 4-3.
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