Jul 12, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach (9) celebrates his run with designated hitter Matt Wallner (38) against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second inning at Target Field. Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Twins' second-half strength of schedule provides reason for optimism

Originally posted on Minnesota Twins on SI
By Will Ragatz | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 11:50 AM ET

You have to squint a little bit to find them, but reasons for optimism as the Minnesota Twins head into the "second half" of the season are out there.

At 47-49, the Twins are four games back of an AL Wild Card spot in a season that is more like 60 percent complete. Their playoff odds are around 23 percent, according to Fangraphs. And yet, some of the pieces appear to be in place for a strong finish and a push for the postseason.

One of those is the schedule: the Twins have the third-easiest remaining schedule of any MLB team. Given the sample size of games left, it's not a huge disparity. The Twins' remaining opponents have a collective .492 win percentage, whereas the Red Sox have the toughest SOS at .511. Still, any little advantage could help.

MLB Remaining Strength of Schedule pic.twitter.com/go1IvPS0Zp
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) July 14, 2025

The Twins open the second half this weekend in Colorado against the 22-74 Rockies. A sweep there, which has to be the expectation, would move them above .500 before a tough series against the NL-leading Dodgers. After that, the Twins come home to face a bad Nationals team and then a good Red Sox squad. Going at least 8-4 in that 12-game stretch to end July would be huge to continue the momentum that was built on a 6-3 homestand before the break.

There are other reasons for optimism, too. Byron Buxton is playing at a superstar level, and the rest of the offense has shown signs of breaking out. Guys like Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Matt Wallner, and Trevor Larnach will likely determine how this season ends up for Minnesota. Pitching-wise, Zebby Matthews looks set to rejoin the rotation, and it might not be too long before Pablo Lopez is back in the mix as well. The Twins' bullpen leads all of MLB in WAR, per Fangraphs.

It's not going to be easy, but the Twins aren't out of this thing just yet.

This article first appeared on Minnesota Twins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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