Twins pick up four wins on their off day

The Minnesota Twins (78-68) didn't play on Thursday, yet they were able to pick up four crucial wins by way of other teams losing.

The Twins begin a three-game series at home against the Cincinnati Reds (71-77) on Friday. Then, they'll start a crucial seven-game road trip on Monday, which will be their final slate of away contests during the regular season.

Minnesota plays the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians (84-63) in a four-game road series from Monday to Thursday in what may be their final chance to push for a division title. The Twins then travel to Fenway Park to face the Boston Red Sox (74-73) from Sept. 20-22 before three home tilts against the Miami Marlins (55-92) and Baltimore Orioles (83-64).

Despite not playing on Thursday, Minnesota now finds itself comfortably in the driver's seat for the third and final AL wild-card berth.

If the Twins get to the playoffs, success in the tournament may be a different story for manager Rocco Baldelli's club.

The Twins haven't won a World Series (or pennant) since their 1991 championship campaign and haven't been to the ALCS since 2002, despite 10 postseason appearances .

The New York Yankees have been a constant playoff tormentor of Minnesota, eliminating the Twins in the 2003 and 2004 ALDS in five games apiece, while also sweeping them in 2009 and 2010 during the same round. The Oakland Athletics used Minnesota as their punching bag in 2006, sweeping them in that year's ALDS.

The Twins then missed the postseason six straight times from 2011-2016 before the Yankees eliminated them again in 2017 in the AL wild-card game. After missing the playoffs in 2018, Minnesota was swept by New York yet again in the 2019 ALDS and the Houston Astros beat it in both tilts of the 2020 AL wild-card series.

Baldelli's group didn't qualify for the playoffs in 2021 or 2022 before losing to the Astros in four games during last year's ALDS.

Given how the last few decades have gone, Twins fans likely don't have much confidence in their team making noise in the postseason. At least with Thursday's unusually successful off day, the team is in a good position to give it another try in October.