PT TOMORROW: AL Central -- September reinforcements to shape pennant race

Minnesota Twins

While Josh Donaldson (3B, MIN; pictured above) was on the IL for four weeks (August 4 through September 1) with a strained left calf, the Twins went 12-14, falling from a two-game lead in the division to half a game behind the White Sox. With Donaldson on the roster (before and after the IL stint), the team is 13-3 (through September 6). Coincidence? Probably not.

Over the time, Donaldson was 3-for-10 since coming off the IL, with a long home run above the batter’s eye in Target Field, and owns an .803 OPS thus far in his interrupted 2020 season, compared to a .590 OPS for his 3B replacements while he was on the IL. He may be handled with kid gloves for a while (he sat out the second game of the September 4...

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