Game 115: Twins at Tigers

First Pitch: 5:10 PM Central (???)

TV: FSN

Radio: Go 96.3, TIBN

Knowe Thyne Enemie: Bless You Boys

If the season ended today, the Minnesota Twins would make their first postseason appearance in seven years and play the New York Yankees in the Wild Card Game.

The season doesn't end today, but the sheer fact that I just wrote that sentence on August 12th, after leaving town with the Twins selling pieces and dropping ballgames, is inspiring. The Twins have won six straight games, and with Cleveland struggling and the Royals losing five in a row, Minnesota is right back in the thick of it.

Just 3.5 back of the Indians for the division lead -- an astonishingly reachable goal compared to where we just were -- and a half-game ahead of the resurgent Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota looks primed and ready for that brand of underdog miracle run that hasn't rocked Twins Territory in almost a decade. Am I getting ahead of myself? Absolutely. Like I said, it's August 12th. But with just a month and a half left in the regular season, now's the time to get excited.

Pitching the Twins to their seventh straight win will be Jose Berrios (3.86 ERA, 3.98 FIP, 8.3 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, 1.7 WAR) who's looking to bounce back after a largely mediocre start against Texas Rangers. His opponent, Jordan Zimmermann (5.27 ERA, 5.31 FIP, 6.0 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, 0.6 WAR) has a high ERA, but don't let that fool you. He's rattled off three good starts in a row, giving up no more than three runs over seven innings to the 'Stros, Yanks, and Bucs. He's about to run into a hot Twins lineup -- we'll see how that goes for him.

GO TWINS GO!!!