The Minnesota Twins open a three-game series against the Athletics in West Sacramento with Zebby Matthews scheduled to start the first game. Minnesota is trying to steady itself quickly after being swept by the San Diego Padres, and the opener gives it the first chance to change the mood.
That matters because the Twins entered the series at 63-68, sat third in the AL Central and, despite that recent slide, still had only a 20.6% chance of making the playoffs and an 11% chance of winning the division, according to FanGraphs. The path is narrow enough that every turn in the schedule carries weight, especially against an Athletics team that has not played well this season.
Matthews will go in with some recent signs of progress. In his last outing against the Atlanta Braves, he allowed one run in 5.1 innings, gave up five hits and one walk, and struck out four. He finished August with a 4.60 ERA and carried a 5.12 ERA for the season, numbers that show why Minnesota needs more than one clean start to make this trip count.
The rotation picture is not limited to the opener. Taj Bradley is also listed as a Twins starter, and his last start against the Atlanta Braves was sharper in the box score: five innings, two hits, one run, seven strikeouts and three walks. He still had a 5.40 ERA in August, which is the larger issue hanging over Minnesota as it tries to turn one good game into something more lasting.
The pressure on the first game is real because the Twins were not expected to be a playoff contender when the season began, yet they now have a clear chance to restore some morale by winning the opener. If Matthews gives them that, the series can become more than a bounce-back spot; if he does not, the numbers say the margin for error keeps shrinking.
