The Twins ended a 19-year postseason winning streak with their 3-1 victory over the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series at Target Field on Tuesday. Minnesota’s 18 consecutive playoff losses during that period are the longest such streak in MLB history.
Before Tuesday’s victory, the Twins had gone winless in six postseason appearances since defeating the Yankees in Game 1 of the 2004 AL Division Series.
The drought was the proverbial elephant in the room heading into this year’s Twins postseason opener, but the club didn’t seem fazed by it before finally putting an end to it.
The 23-year-old rookie first baseman in Game 1 of the 2004 ALDS is now a broadcaster for the team and has spent a lot of time with that group. Before the drought-breaking victory, he had a strong feeling that these twins could do it.
“It doesn’t matter to these guys,” said Justin Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP and a four-time All-Star during his 14-year major league career.
“The thing that bothers me the most [talk of the drought] is that you have to be really good to get into the playoffs. They were good Twins teams – it just happened that one person got hurt every year, a crazy play that doesn’t happen. It seems like all the luck just worked against her. At some point it will even out.”
Perhaps this evening began with Minnesota’s win over Toronto on Tuesday. Here’s what you should know about the series and some context that illustrates how much time has passed between the Twins’ postseason victories.
– It took 6,938 days. During this period (excluding 2004), the Twins reached the postseason in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2019 and ’20. Five of those appearances were as AL Central champions (Minnesota was a Wild Card team in 2017).
– Of the 18 postseason losses during the drought, 13 came against the Yankees. However, the Twins’ New York nemesis only won the World Series in one of those years – 2009.
– The Twins had a lead at some point in nine of their 18 losses. Two of the Twins’ three losses to the Yankees in the 2004 ALDS were by one run, both in extra innings.
— The last lead the Twins had in a postseason game during the drought was the 12th inning of Game 2 of the 2004 ALDS, the game immediately after their last playoff win before Tuesday. Minnesota led New York 6-5 before eventually losing on a walk-off sacrifice fly by Hideki Matsui after Alex Rodriguez hit a game-winning double.
– While the Twins went 19 years without a postseason win, every other team in the majors won at least two playoff games. The team with the most playoff wins during this period is the Astros with 69.
— Minnesota’s drought affected three managers: Ron Gardenhire (2004-14), Paul Molitor (2015-18) and Rocco Baldelli (2019-23).
This is what the world looked like before their win in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series, the last time the Twins won a playoff game:
– George W. Bush was the President of the United States
– Facebook, the world’s first major social media platform, was in its first year and was still called “The Facebook”. It was limited to Harvard University and other colleges in the northeastern United States
— The iPhone was still three years away. Flip phones ruled the earth.
The baseball world also looked a little different:
– The Twins were still playing in the Metrodome.
– The Phillies had just completed their first season at Citizens Bank Park.
– The Astros would play in the National League for eight more years.
– Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was a 22-year-old center fielder with the Rays.
– Twins great Joe Mauer was a 21-year-old rookie.
– Royce Lewis, who was Minnesota’s hero in Game 1 with two home runs, was 5 years old.
The box score from Game 1 of the 2004 ALDS reminds us of a few guys.
– The Twins’ starter in this game was Johan Santana, who went scoreless for seven innings in the 2-0 win. His counterpart was Mike Mussina. Mariano Rivera was active in the game, as was Joe Nathan, who parried the ball.
– Notable names in Minnesota’s lineup: Torii Hunter, Justin Morneau, Jacque Jones, Shannon Stewart, Corey Koskie
– Notable names in the New York lineup: Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield, Bernie Williams, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada, Ruben Sierra, John Olerud
It’s been a long time coming, but the Twins have finally ended their playoff winning streak. Next on the list of droughts to overcome? The great. Can Minnesota win its first World Series title since 1991?
Morneau is convinced of this.
“The concern of this team is to win more than one game,” he said. “They’re talking about winning the World Series, and I think this is the deepest Twins team we’ve seen in the postseason in a long time, and they’re capable of doing that.”