NEW YORK — It was just a coincidence, a postponement borne of Hurricane Henri, that brought the Twins to Yankee Stadium on Monday. But somehow it seems preordained, doesn't it? The end to the Twins' two-year reign as AL Central champions has long been inevitable, but what more appropriate way to clinch it than with yet another rip-your-heart-out loss to the Yankees?
Minnesota was mercifully, mathematically eliminated from the AL Central race on their most cursed diamond, blowing a five-run lead over the final four innings and absorbing a 6-5, 10-inning walkoff loss that completes New York's four-game sweep of the Twins begun three weeks ago.
"It's unfortunate. Everything on paper can look great — World Series-bound, you name it," reliever and seven-year Twins veteran Tyler Duffey said. "You've still got to go out and win the games. We started flat and never really recovered."
With nearly three weeks still to play, the Twins will be formally eliminated from the wild-card race, too, on Tuesday or Wednesday. But Duffey said he still sees positive signs in this last-place team.
"We've been playing great baseball for the last month and a half. We've played some great series against some division-leading teams," Duffey said of the Twins, 20-20 since July 31. "There are a lot of guys who have gotten a lot of experience this year in a lot of big moments — guys like Nick Gordon, people getting chances to play and make a name for themselves and set their feet for next year."
Short start
John Gant felt great Monday morning — until his last couple of warmup pitches in the bullpen.
"I felt it [but] wanted to go out and see if I could get things done," Gant said of a dull pain in his abdomen. "Wasn't able to make it happen."
Gant threw 12 pitches, seven of them balls, and after walking Aaron Judge, signaled for trainer Michael Salazar. He was removed from the game, diagnosed with a mild lower-abdominal strain, and according to manager Rocco Baldelli, will likely go on the injured list Tuesday.
Gant will be re-examined once the team is home, but after using five pitchers Sunday, seven on Monday, and with a doubleheader looming Tuesday, it's likely the Twins will shelve the righthander for 10 days just to make sure their bullpen isn't worked too hard.
One that got away
There might have been a little pain in the Twins' front office on Monday, too, watching Luis Gil, a rookie who might reasonably be in their own starting rotation today if not for a minor, almost unnoticed mid-winter transaction made nearly four years ago.
Gil, only a 19-year-old prospect who had never even pitched in the United States when the Twins shipped him to New York in exchange for reserve outfielder Jake Cave in February 2018, made his fifth career start — and though it was his worst, the eight strikeouts and three shutout innings to finish his day showed what a future he might have.
Gil, who set a major-league record by opening his career with three consecutive scoreless starts totally 15⅔ innings, had not allowed a home run in his first 19 big-league innings. But Jorge Polanco changed that in the first inning, whacking a changeup 421 feet into the right-field stands, and Miguel Sano (in the first) and Byron Buxton (in the third) connected off Gil as well.
Etc.
- The Twins' ugly trip to New York got off to a bad start before they even left Minnesota. The team waited at MSP Airport on Sunday night for a second plane to become available after their first charter had mechanical problems. The delay meant the Twins arrived in New York at 1:30 a.m., manageable but not ideal for a team in the midst of a stretch of three consecutive afternoon games, extremely rare for this time of year, particularly with two-hour flights between each one.
- Normally a scheduled starter pitches the second game of a split doubleheader, because players are more used to night games and the extra time they have to prepare. But Joe Ryan requested the first game Tuesday, Baldelli said, though he gave no explanation. Charlie Barnes, who has a 6.59 ERA in six appearances for the Twins, will be recalled from Class AAA St. Paul as the extra player allowed for doubleheaders, and will start Game 2.
- Blair Evelyn Rooker was born early Monday morning in Minneapolis to Allie and Twins outfielder Brent Rooker. All are well, and Rooker is expected to rejoin the team for their trip to Toronto on Thursday. Reliever Kyle Barraclough was added to the roster during Rooker's paternity leave.
