Twins have Guardians, best record in baseball within striking distance
With 38 games left on the regular-season schedule, only three games separate the Minnesota Twins (70-54) from the best record in Major League Baseball.
Among the top-10 records in baseball, three teams are from the AL Central and three others are from the NL West, while the AL East is headlined with the Yankees and Orioles sporting identical records, just a half-game behind the Phillies for the best record in the game
Based on remaining strength of schedule, the Dodgers have the easiest path to the best record in baseball, followed closely by the Orioles and Yankees. Among the top-10 teams entering play Monday, only two have tougher remaining schedules than the Twins: the Royals and Diamondbacks.
| Team | Record | Games back | SOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillies | 73-51 | – | .503 |
| Orioles | 73-52 | 0.5 | .494 |
| Yankees | 73-52 | 0.5 | .494 |
| Dodgers | 73-52 | 0.5 | .492 |
| Guardians | 72-52 | 1 | .507 |
| Brewers | 72-52 | 1 | .497 |
| Twins | 70-54 | 3 | .509 |
| Padres | 70-55 | 3.5 | .500 |
| Royals | 69-55 | 4 | .528 |
| Diamondbacks | 69-56 | 4.5 | .513 |
Minnesota sits three games back despite losing 13 of 20 games to start the season. Since April 22, however, the Twins’ 63-41 record is the best in the majors. The only other team with 60 wins since April 22 are the Houston Astros (60-40) and the Dodgers (60-41).
What’s remarkable is that the Twins have won despite a rash of injuries to star players Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan. Correa, Buxton and Ryan are all currently on the injured list, and Lewis has only played in 46 games. Buxton could be back by the end of August while there isn’t a clear timeline for Correa’s return from plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
