Twins 2018: Playoffs or Bust.

After the Minnesota Twins shocked the heartland by going to the American League playoffs as a wild card instead of another 90+ loss season, it's been widely assumed that this could be the start of bigger and better things for manager Paul Molitor's team.

Yes, the future looks pretty bright when you have young stars like Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Miguel Sano on the field and at the plate, and with Trevor May. Ervin Santana and Phil Hughes on the mound.  Visions of facing someone other than the New York Yankees in the playoffs are dancing in fans' heads.  Or is that too many beers?

But then again:

• After promising to be more active in the offseason free agent market, the Twins fell way short in the Yu Darvish sweepstakes (the pitcher eventually signed with the Chicago Cubs).  They did manage to pick up a few past-their-prime players for the right price like they usually do (pitchers Fernando Rodney and Lance Lynn, for example), when they weren't raiding the financially-strapped Tampa Bay Rays' cupboard for the likes of Logan Morrison and Jake Odorizzi.
• The Twins couldn't get rid of Kennys Vargas or Brian Dozier, no matter how hard they tried.
• Jorge Polanco is out for the first 80 games of the season, suspended by Major League Baseball for using performance enhancing drugs.  He won't be available for the playoffs, should the Twins be fortunate enough to be included.
• Joe Mauer is in the last year of his contract, for better or worse.
• Ervin Santana won't be pitching for at least a month or two due to an injury.

None of this suggests that the Twins have any chance of overtaking the Cleveland Indians for the American League Central Division crown.  They won't.  They'll finish second again, but will this time be staying home for the postseason.  There's too many teams with much better records (and more money to spend) for the Twins to remain competitive.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's who we think will make it to October.

American League

East  New York Yankees
Central  Cleveland Indians
West  Houston Astros
Wild Card  Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels

National League
East  Washington Nationals
Central  Chicago Cubs
West  Los Angeles Dodgers
Wild Card  St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers