Twins enter crucial final week with series vs. Marlins

In terms of their playoff chances, the Minnesota Twins are down, but not out.

Minnesota (81-75) will aim to improve its odds when it opens a three-game series against the Miami Marlins (57-99) starting Tuesday night in Minneapolis. The Twins enter the series one game back of the Detroit Tigers for the final American League wild-card spot.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli believes his team has what it takes to make a playoff run. But Baldelli acknowledged frustration Sunday after the Twins dropped both games of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox and fell to 11-22 since Aug. 18.

On Sunday, the Twins lost Game 1 against Boston 8-1 and Game 2 9-3. They have gone seven straight games without surpassing four runs.

"We're in a funk, and we're not scoring the runs that we need to," Baldelli said. "We're looking for a big hit. It's all I think about. I go to bed at night thinking about this all the time, and I know our hitting coaches and our hitters themselves are, too."

A return home to face the Marlins represents an opportunity for Baldelli and his players.

"We have to win on Tuesday," Baldelli said. "We're going to try to make the best of the day off, come back fresh and ready to go with some enthusiasm.

"Our guys want it. They want to give ourselves a chance to go to the playoffs. That's what we're here for."

Meanwhile, Miami is looking to play the role of spoiler. The Marlins are trying to stave off their fourth 100-loss season in franchise history and their first since 2019.

Miami has lost two games in a row, four of its past five and 10 of its past 13.

Marlins manager Skip Schumaker could be entering his final week with the team that he has led for the past two years. Schumaker, who won National League Manager of the Year in 2023, could be a candidate for other managerial openings this offseason.

Schumaker avoided specific discussion about his future but acknowledged that he could be approaching the end of his time in Miami.

"It's kind of a weird moment, personally, in my career," Schumaker said. "Extremely grateful that I was given an opportunity to manage the Miami Marlins, even if it was a couple years. ...

"It was a lot of learning, a lot of ups and downs the last couple years, but it was also exciting. Built a lot of friendships here. You'll have these relationships forever."

The Twins are set to turn to right-hander Bailey Ober (12-7, 3.84 ERA) in the series opener. Ober has 180 strikeouts in 168 2/3 innings on the season.

This will be Ober's first career start against Miami.

The Marlins will counter with left-hander Ryan Weathers (3-6, 3.94). The 24-year-old is the son of longtime big-league pitcher David Weathers, who won 73 career games.

The younger Weathers is looking for his first victory since May 26 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He never has faced the Twins in his career.

--Field Level Media