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Remember when the Twins started the season 7-13, then whiplashed with a 17-3 record in their next 20 games, then bounced around for the better part of May and early June?
It's relatively fresh, but it also feels like that inconsistency is receding and giving way to a different identity: a team generally playing good baseball and getting the results to match.
That feeling was enhanced on a recent 6-3 road trip that included series wins at all three stops in Oakland, Arizona and Seattle. The Twins carry a 47-37 record — 10 games over .500 for the first time this season — into a six-game homestand starting Tuesday against Detroit.
There are obvious catalysts for the strong play. Royce Lewis has been dynamite since returning from injury. Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton have carried the offense at various points recently. Pablo López found his form on the recent road trip, while Joe Ryan has been great all year.
But as Star Tribune beat writer Bobby Nightengale and I talked about on Tuesday's Daily Delivery podcast, others have flown under the radar while forming the backbone of an improving team. Here is a look at five of those unsung heroes:
Willi Castro: Is it fair to call someone underappreciated when they lead a team in games, plate appearances, stolen bases and runs scored, all while racking up an .810 OPS and playing multiple defensive positions? I think it is when it comes to Castro, who has started more than 10 games at five different positions (third base, shortstop, second base, left field and center field) and who Nightengale thinks should get consideration for the All-Star Game.
Simeon Woods Richardson: When Louie Varland was ineffective and Anthony DeSclafani was injured early this season, it was fair to wonder where the Twins would get starting pitching depth. I don't like to think about where they would be without Woods Richardson's 13 starts and 3.41 ERA.
Trevor Larnach: During a season in which several left-handed hitters regressed — demoted contributors Edouard Julien, Matt Wallner and Alex Kirilloff in particular — Larnach's steady production has been important. Even while hitting into some bad luck, he has a .746 OPS and looks to be ready to stick on the big league roster.
Carlos Santana: I liked this offseason signing, but admittedly I joined the early chorus that thought the Twins had ended up wasting money when Santana was off to a brutal start. But the switch-hitting 38-year-old first baseman has been dynamite since early May, hitting .308 with a .908 OPS in his past 45 games.
Cole Sands: He's not the Twins' best or even third-best reliever, but Sands has an important function in a bullpen that has been wobbly at times. He is second on the staff in appearances (32) and generally gives the Twins credible innings regardless of the situation. Pitching a scoreless sixth inning in a 6-3 game doesn't seem important until you don't have someone who can.
