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Twins had the best off day imaginable due to massive playoff assists

Thursday couldn't have gone much better for the Twins, and they didn't even play a game.

By Zachary Rotman

Sep 5, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) reacts after beating the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Sep 5, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) reacts after beating the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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The last couple of months have not gone well at all for the Minnesota Twins. The team has been decimated by injuries. They did virtually nothing at the trade deadline. To top it off, since the day of the July 30 trade deadline, Minnesota has gone just 20-21.

Minnesota entered the deadline in sole possession of the second Wild Card spot in the AL and is now fighting to remain in the third Wild Card spot with just 20 games to play.

Fortunately for the Twins, they had a day of good fortune without even playing a game. Not only did they activate Byron Buxton off of the 10-day IL, but the teams that they needed to lose on Thursday, obliged.

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Twins had best off day imaginable on multiple fronts

The team that entered Thursday's action just 3.0 games behind Minnesota for the third Wild Card spot, the red-hot Detroit Tigers, lost their game to the lowly Colorado Rockies with closer Jason Foley allowing two runs in the top of the ninth, breaking what was a 2-2 tie.

The team behind Detroit, the Boston Red Sox, lost an extra-inning heartbreaker to the New York Yankees, managing just one run and four hits in 10 frames, wasting a great pitching effort from Cooper Criswell and Co.

The team tied with Boston, the Seattle Mariners, had a 4-2 lead late in their game but blew it, falling in a game they'll regret letting get away against the Texas Rangers.

To make matters even sweeter, the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians fell in their game to the Tampa Bay Rays, trimming Minnesota's deficit to just 5.5 games. An AL Central division title is extremely unlikely, but not impossible, and is something worth monitoring for Twins fans.

After these results, Minnesota holds a 3.5-game edge in the AL Wild Card race with 20 games to go. FanGraphs gives them a 90.6 percent chance to make it to the playoffs. That's not a complete lock, but they certainly have favorable odds.

Thursday's results were especially important for Minnesota because their schedule down the stretch includes series against teams like the Guardians, Red Sox, and Baltimore Orioles, all who have winning records. The Twins control their own destiny, but any help they get from others they'll take.

As of now, their magic number to squeak into the postseason is 12, meaning any combination of 12 Twins wins and Tigers losses get them in.

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