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José Berríos: 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Miguel Sano -.150, Ryan Jeffers -.126, Gilberto Celestino -.117 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) It was Patrick Sandoval’s world on Saturday night and the Twins were just living in it. Sandoval, who entered the game with a 3.86 ERA and 4.36 FIP in 63 innings, was spectacular all evening, striking out 13 and taking a no-hitter into the bottom of the ninth inning before the recently promoted Brent Rooker lobbed a double just inside the line in right field. Josh Donaldson followed with a double of his own two batters later to pull the Twins within 2-1 before Miguel Sanó struck out to end the game. (The Twins were limited to a paltry 29.4% hard hit percentage and struck out 14 times as a team.) Sandoval’s performance outshone that of Twins’ pitcher José Berríos, who possibly made his final start in a Twins uniform. Though his numbers won't pop off the page, Berríos was largely in control from the jump. The Twins' ace allowed two unearned runs in the top of the first inning before settling into a groove. At one point, Berríos retired 15 straight Angels before being pulled after throwing 101 pitches. He finished the night with four strikeouts in seven innings. Berríos’ name will continue to appear in copious rumors until the trade deadline passes at 3 p.m. CT this coming Friday. Though the team is asking for a monster haul in return for their two-time All-Star, Berríos will likely be the only young starting pitcher on the market who still has one year of control remaining on his contract. Because of this, rival teams will likely turn up their aggressiveness and improve their offers as the deadline approaches, which may well leave the Twins staring at an offer they can’t refuse. If they do choose to move on, Berríos will be remembered as perhaps the Twins’ best starting pitcher since Johan Santana, who was dealt to the New York Mets in the early spring of 2008. He has lived up to all expectations and then some since being selected out of Puerto Rico with the No. 32 pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. Unfortunately, all we can do now is sit on our hands and wait to see what unfolds in the coming days. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Colomé 0 26 22 0 11 0 59 Alcala 23 24 0 0 0 10 57 Duffey 16 0 38 0 0 0 54 Thielbar 0 17 16 0 0 16 49 Coulombe 0 5 0 32 0 0 37 Rogers 19 0 0 0 18 0 37 Robles 19 7 0 0 0 0 26 Minaya 0 0 0 0 20 0 20 MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email

Coming in as a first round pick, Luke was a highly sought-after prospect out of Georgia Tech. His brother had established himself as an elite setup man, and Minnesota hoped they found someone cut from a similar cloth. Luke’s best season in the Twins organization was unquestionably 2017 when he owned a 2.76 ERA and 13.6 K/9 at Double and Triple-A. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be given an opportunity at the big-league level that year and never debuted in Minnesota. 2018 followed with his first big league action coming for the Los Angeles Angels, and it was followed by 49 innings of solid work a year ago. As he embarks on his third Major League season, there’s plenty of excitement both for and around him this year. His brother Daniel, who last pitched in the majors seven years ago has made the Colorado Rockies Opening Day roster. Luke calls guys like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani teammates. On his own, he’ll be looking to bolster a bullpen that has World Series aspirations in a division chasing down the Houston Astros. Catching up with him before the season starts, I wanted to pick his brain on a handful of different topics: Twins Daily: Take us back to 2012. You're drafted in 42nd overall by the Twins out of Georgia Tech, you've got a brother in the big leagues, and jumped up 15 rounds from your high school selection. What's going through your head and how much do you have to prove? Luke Bard: It really was a dream come true. I think all players coming out of college don’t realize how tough professional baseball is. The season is three times longer, strike zones are smaller, and hitters are just better. Having had a brother make it to the big leagues so quickly with immediate success maybe made me have too high of expectations on myself. Injuries certainly did not help but there is definitely a lot to prove baseball wise from the time you’re drafted to the time you are ready to be in the big leagues. I’ve learned that lesson over the years and am grateful to still be doing what I love. TD: Fast forward to 2017 and you are at Double-A Chattanooga striking out everyone. You put up great numbers and earned a promotion to Triple-A. The Twins were in contention that year, but any resentment or disappointment you didn't get to debut with your drafting organization? LB: I had always envisioned myself playing in the major leagues for the Twins, but God had other plans. After the 2017 season I felt pretty confident I could pitch in the big leagues. When I wasn’t put on the 40-man roster that offseason I was pretty disappointed but was equally as excited when the Angels gave me a chance. Having been with Los Angeles for my 3rd season now I can’t imagine being anywhere else. TD: You've now pitched in the majors for two seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. What has the difference been like between the organizations, and how has your approach and game changed facing the best of the best on a nightly basis? LB: I will always be grateful to the Angels for believing in me and giving me a shot. I have really enjoyed my time here and can’t say enough good things about everyone in the organization and the culture they’ve created. The big leagues are tough though, and you can do everything right but still fail. It’s about finding ways to be consistent, durable, and competitive every outing for 162 games. It’s definitely a grind but that’s what makes it so enjoyable. TD: Speaking of the Angels, what's it like to have a front row seat to Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Are we watching the best ever, and the closest thing to a Babe Ruth comparison in today's game? LB: I probably take it for granted because I just see them as regular guys. But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t awesome. Definitely something I will tell my grandkids about one day. TD: I know you're a dad and have a family so going back to the game in weird circumstances is undoubtedly tough during 2020. How did you stay sharp during the layoff, and how do you expect the 60-game sprint to change how you both prepare and contribute this season? LB: Unfortunately, I am away from my family right now with all the Covid issues. I miss them like crazy but am glad it’s just for 60 games. Thank God for FaceTime. I’m sure teams will go to the bullpen early if need be similar to playoff games. I hope the shorter season will make games even more intense and I think it could be just what baseball needs from a fan’s perspective. TD: Your brother just made the Colorado Rockies Opening Day roster after having not pitched in the big leagues since 2013 as a 28-year-old. What is that like for you as a fan of his, and how did he get back? LB: To say I’m proud would be an understatement. He’s been through hell and back baseball wise and is still here seven years later competing on the biggest stage. The determination he’s shown is unmatched and somebody needs to make a movie about it haha. TD: Let's wrap with this, what do you see as the best avenue for you to take the next step in 2020, and what are you looking forward to in a season that will be rivaled by none other? LB: I think just getting a defined role that I can settle into would help me. Other than that, just execute when called upon. At the end of the day it’s usually the guy that executes better that wins. It is easier said than done but makes for a simple way to look at it. I’m looking forward to hopefully playing playoff baseball. We’ve got a great team with some of the game’s biggest stars and I’m looking forward to seeing how it all plays out. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email

Today, there are six teams within four games of the Twins and that second Wild Card spot. Baltimore is the one team that has fallen back. They are now 5.5 games back. Of course, being four games back with 20 games to play is very different than being four games back with ten games to play. Here is how the 2nd Wild Card race stands with 11 days left in the regular season (12 if there is a Game 163). Fortunately for the Twins, the other teams have all struggled in the last 9-10 days too. The Twins have gone 4-5 in the last nine days, but each of the other teams competing for the second Wild Card spot have been under .500. The Angels, Rangers, Mariners and Royals were all 3-5 during that time frame. The Rays were 3-4. The Orioles fell out of the race by going 2-7. So, the Twins have lost four of their last five games but only lost 1.5 games in that time frame. The Twins still have the advantage for a playoff spot, and that should be encouraging. Of course, here is the time when it is important to mention that the Twins went 59-103 last year, and they now have 78 wins this season with ten games to play. Yes, 2017 has been a tremendous success for the Twins regardless of what happens over these final ten games. That said, it’s OK to recalibrate your expectations (or at least your hopes) for the 2017 season at this point. With ten games to play in a 162 game season, it’s as if the Twins have a one-run lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning of their season. Now it’s time to bring in the closer and finish the season strong. Here is a quick look at the remaining schedule. The Twins start with four games in Detroit and then head to Cleveland for three games. They finish with three home games against the Tigers. Seven games against the Tigers would seen to be a very positive thing for the Twins, and relatively speaking, it is. The Tigers traded off some veterans including Justin Verlander and JD Martinez in the last couple of months. They are playing for 2018. So they can be a scary opponent too. The Twins obviously have motivation to finish strong and get to a one-game playoff. But the Tigers players have motivation to finish strong and try to impress the manager and the front office. https://twitter.com/SethTweets/status/909781731271684097 Earlier this week, we ran a twitter poll asking fans how many wins it would take to win the second Wild Card. 54% thought that the team would need to get to 85 wins. To reach 85 wins, the Twins would have to finish the season by going 7-3, which is certainly possible. The most plausible way to 85 now it winning one of their three games in Cleveland and then win six out of seven games against the Tigers. But maybe we also need to recalibrate our thoughts on how many wins it will take to get to the playoffs. The Angels are 1.5 games behind the Twins and have a 76-75 record. They have 11 games left, so for them to get to 85 wins, they will need to go 9-2. They have one more game to play against Cleveland followed by three games in Houston. Those two teams are competing for the best record, and home field advantage in the playoffs. They also do not have a day off the rest of the season. https://twitter.com/SethTweets/status/910840650156974080 If 84 is the number of wins needed, the Twins would have to go 6-4 in their final ten and the Angels would have to go 8-3. For the Angels to go 8-3, they would likely need to win one of the four remaining games against Cleveland and the Astros, and if they do that, they would have to win their four games at Chicago (White Sox) and three games against the Mariners to end the season. More important, if 84 is the new number that we believe that it will take to win the second Wild Card, it is harder to envision that this is more than a two-team race. Texas is now 75-76 and 2.5 games back of the Twins, but to get to 84 wins, they would need to go 9-2 down the stretch. Feasible? Yes. Likely? No. However, after playing in Seattle today, they will play seven games in Oakland but three against Houston. The Mariners would have to go 10-0 down the stretch to get to 84 wins, and they have three games against Cleveland and three on the road against the Rangers. The Royals would have to go 10-1 down the stretch. While they have the “easiest” schedule down the stretch, they have one game in New York against the Yankees that will certainly be difficult, and they only have a one-game margin for error. The Rays would have to go 10-0, and they have three against the Yankees. So again, it now appears to be just a two-team race for the second Wild Card. Unless, of course, 84 isn’t the required win total. PLAYOFF ODDS Here are the projections for which of the competing teams will make the playoffs: FanGraphs: Twins: 62.4% Angels: 26.0% Rangers: 4.8% BaseballProspectus: Twins: 65.0% Angels: 20.4% Rangers: 9.0% FiveThirtyEight Twins: 64% Angels: 22% Texas: 9% FiveThirtyEight predicts that the Twins will end with a record of 83-79. That would mean a 5-5 record down the stretch. REMAINING SCHEDULES Minnesota Twins (78-74) 4 games @ Detroit 1 Day Off 3 games @ Cleveland 3 games vs Detroit Los Angeles Angels (76-75, 1.5 games behind Twins) 1 game vs Cleveland 3 games @ Houston 4 games @ White Sox 3 games vs Seattle Texas Rangers (75-76, 2.5 games behind Twins) 1 game @ Seattle 3 games @ Oakland 3 games vs Houston 4 games vs Oakland Seattle Mariners (74-78) 1 game vs Texas 3 games vs Cleveland 3 games @ Oakland 1 day off 3 games @ LA Angels Kansas City Royals (74-77) 1 game @ Toronto 3 games @ Chicago White Sox 1 game @ NY Yankees 3 games vs Detroit 3 games vs Arizona Tampa Bay Rays (74-78) 4 games @ Baltimore 1 day off 3 games @ NY Yankees 3 games vs Baltimore So, what do you think will happen? What do the Twins need to do? I think the most important thing that the Twins can do is forget the three games in New York. Notice that they control their own destiny, they have the lead in the wild card race, and they can only control what they do. They need to take care of business in Detroit, and they need to find a way to eke out a win in Cleveland. Then they’ll still need to finish strong against the Tigers at home.

The Twins have just one off-day (on Monday, September 25th) remaining. Other than that, it's full-steam ahead toward the regular season's finish line. There remain high hopes among players and fans alike that the season will continue beyond the regular season's final regularly scheduled day (Sunday, October 1st). The opponents over the final 19 games comprise an interesting mix of teams. There are a couple of teams playing out the string. There is one team that pretty much never loses. And there is one team that the Twins have some hopes of catching before the end of the season, likely in an attempt to get to play them one more time. Here is a quick look at the remaining opponents on the Twins: San Diego Padres (September 12-13): The Twins played two games in San Diego earlier in the season, and now they will play their final interleague games, starting tonight. The Padres are 65-79 on the season. However, the team just came off of a series in which they won two out of three against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The weekend before, they won three out of four against the Los Angeles Dodgers, starting their losing streak. In between, they lost three out of four to the St. Louis Cardinals. Toronto Blue Jays (September 14-17): The Twins will play four games at home this weekend against the Blue Jays, a team that has had their number in recent years, but the Twins won two out of three in Toronto in late August. The Blue Jays beat Baltimore on Monday, and before that they won two out of three against the Tigers. Before that, they lost two out of three to the Red Sox. New York Yankees (September 18-20): The Twins will travel to the Bronx to take on the team they are chasing for the top wild card position. They are currently four games behind the Yankees for that spot, but that could be different in a week. This is a good Yankees team, but it isn't your older brother's Yankees. Derek Jeter isn't going to walk through that door. Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams aren't going to walk through that door. And if they did... Well, they're still a very good team, obviously, illustrated by being 13 games over .500. They beat Tampa Bay last night. Before that they won two out of three games in September series against the Rangers, the Orioles and the Red Sox (technology and all). Detroit Tigers (September 21-24 (away), September 29-October 1 (Target Field): The Twins and Tigers will play seven times down the stretch. That should be a good thing for the Twins. The Tigers are currently 60-83 and challenging the Chicago White Sox for the cellar in the AL Central. Of course, the White Sox were trying to be bad this year (acquiring tons of top prospects along the way). The Tigers have traded some of their players, like JD Martinez and more recently, Justin Verlander. Victor Martinez is out for the year. These can be tough games though. This month, the Tigers have lost all five games they've played against Cleveland, and by a combined score of 5-40. They lost two out of three to Toronto this weekend, but before that, they won two out of three against the Royals. Cleveland (September 26-28): I mean... wow! They are now 88-56 on the season and currently have won 19 games in a row, one short of the record. They are 13.5 games ahead of the Twins. Their Magic Number to win the division is down to six. It is very likely that they will clinch the division this sometime this weekend which will make these late-season games against the Twins pretty meaningless, but they are very likely to be very meaningful for the Twins. In this 19-game winning steak, they are 5-0 against Detroit, 3-0 against Baltimore, 4-0 against the White Sox, 3-0 against the Royals, 3-0 against the Yankees, and 1-0 against the Red Sox. Their last loss came to the Red Sox on August 23rd. So there you have it, the schedule the rest of the way for the Twins. Here is a quick look at the current standings in the American League Wild Card: Here are the upcoming schedules for the Twins Wild Card competition: Los Angeles Angels (19 games) 3 vs Houston 3 vs Texas 3 vs Cleveland 3 @ Houston 4 @ Chicago White Sox 3 vs Seattle Texas Rangers (19 games) 3 vs Seattle 3 @ Angels 3 @ Seattle 3 @ Oakland 3 vs Houston 4 vs Oakland Kansas City Royals (19 games) 2 vs White Sox 4 @ Cleveland 3 @ Toronto 3 @ White Sox 1 @ NY Yankees 3 vs Detroit 3 vs Arizona Seattle Mariners (18 games) 3 @ Texas 3 @ Houston 3 vs Texas 3 vs Cleveland 3 @ Oakland 3 @ Angels Baltimore Orioles (18 games) 2 @ Toronto 4 @ NY Yankees 3 vs Boston 4 vs Tampa Bay 2 @ Pittsburgh 3 @ Tampa Bay Tampa Bay Rays (17 games) 2 vs NY Yankees 3 vs Boston 2 vs Cubs 4 @ Baltimore 3 @ NY Yankees 3 vs Baltimore There you have it. It's going to be a fun, interesting final three weeks...