The Minnesota Twins are presently preparing to ramp things up ahead of the postseason, but Josh Donaldson has come up with a novel way to keep things loose in the clubhouse and beyond.
Rally Robes.
Donaldson presented the custom, comfort-centric attire to the entire Twins’ big-league roster ahead of Tuesday’s showdown with the Detroit Tigers at Target Field.
“When I saw it in the dugout, I wasn’t expecting it,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said, per MLB.com. “A little surprised. And then I’m like, ‘Yeah. Why would we not wear a robe in the dugout?’ I think it has a chance to stick. I think it does.”
The custom Rally Robes were quickly put to use, as Twins right fielder Max Kepler got to don one not once, but twice during the team’s 5-4 comeback win over the Tigers in 10 innings thanks to a game-tying home run in the eighth inning and again in the 10th following his game-winning hit.
Kepler went on to remain attired in a rally robe during his postgame interview.
“I hope we keep it going because it brought some luck today,” Kepler said, per the Star Tribune. “But I can’t wait to lounge in it in the bubble. I’m going to be doing a lot of that from now on.”
As Kepler alluded to in his comments, the Twins began quarantining in a Minneapolis hotel after Tuesday’s win ahead of what the team hopes will be a trip to an MLB bubble site in California.
First things first, however. The Twins managed to sneak within a half-game of the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox with Tuesday’s win. Whether or not the Twins usurp the ChiSox in the division standings or not, the top four seeds in the AL and NL will host the four lower seeds in best-of-three wild-card series at their home ballparks.
If the season ended today, the Twins, currently slotted No. 4 in the AL, would host the New York Yankees in its wild-card series at Target Field, though much can change down the stretch. The Twins could host a different team at home or even potentially have to travel for their wild-card matchup depending on how things play out.
Either way, the Twins will be relaxing in the lap of luxury thanks to Donaldson’s gifting of some pretty sweet Rally Robes.
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