Twins are the heroes MLB needs to take out the Astros

After the Houston Astros backed into the playoffs, enter the Minnesota Twins as the team to take them out quickly.

After their sign-stealing scandal put a stain on the game, it would have been fitting for the Houston Astros to miss the postseason this year. But a short season and the top two teams in each division getting in allowed them to back in with a losing record (29-31). Enter the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins took it to the last day of the regular season, but they won the AL Central for the second straight year with a 36-24 record. That gave them the No. 3 seed in the Wild Card series round against the No. 6 seed Astros, who have the worst record in the American League playoff field. Thanks only to finishing second in the moribund AL West and the benefit that bestowed, the Astros aren’t in their rightful place as the No. 8 seed.

The Twins are the perfect team to take out the Astros

On a pace basis, the Twins weren’t the homer-happy “Bomba Squad” from 2019 this year with 91 home runs in 60 games (still third in the American League though). Their starting pitching was better though, led by offseason acquisition Kenta Maeda, and the bullpen regularly came through. Maeda will matchup against Zack Greinke in Game 1 on Tuesday afternoon.

Jose Berrios will start for the Twins in Game 2 Wednesday, while Astros manager Dusty Baker has not named a Game 2 starter as of late Monday afternoon. As expected, the Astros also haven’t yet named a Game 3 starter, while Michael Pineda is scheduled to take the mound for the Twins if it’s necessary on Thursday. The Astros not having Justin Verlander will make a serious difference.

The three-game series in the expanded first round of the postseason opens up the possibility of upsets to kick things off. The Astros have enough remaining talent to get it done, so the Twins surely won’t be overlooking them.

The Twins would surely like to get it done quickly, and dismiss the Astros in two games at home with an eye on a deep October run and having everyone healthy. In certain corners of the MLB office, there are probably some closet Twins fans hoping the Astros are sent home in short and embarrassing order.