Sunday's 10-1 loss in Chicago cost Minnesota another game in the standings with 19 left to play, and the schedule gives the lineup no time to sit with it.
The odds have not run out on the Minnesota Twins, but Sunday evening at Rate Field made that a harder argument.
The White Sox won 10-1, the Twins managed four hits and struck out 15 times, and the pitching staff handed out 10 walks in a game that was 1-0 after five.
Brooks Lee's solo homer in the seventh was the only run, and Chicago took two of three in a series Minnesota needed to win.
That leaves the Twins at 68-75 with 19 games left, four and a half games behind Cleveland for the last American League wild card spot and seven behind the White Sox in the AL Central with no games left between them.
Toronto, Texas and Baltimore are in between.
Minnesota was four games back of that spot at 64-70 when it called up its top prospect in late August, so nine games against the division have moved the club backward.
What Sunday Showed
Bailey Ober left after 4 1/3 innings down one run, and the bullpen turned a close game into a blowout, as all five relievers allowed a run and four of them walked somebody.
Garrett Acton gave up four runs while getting one out, and the Twins optioned him to St. Paul on Monday.
It looked a lot like the sixth inning that fell apart against the Athletics 11 days earlier.
The offense was no better, and Lee's 23rd home run was one of four hits against a White Sox bullpen game and Minnesota drew one walk all game.
Luke Keaschall went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, and afterward the one thing he could point to was the schedule.
Keaschall told MLB.com, "I'm happy there's not an off-day tomorrow. I'm happy we're playing tomorrow, get a chance to get back in the win column, put some good at-bats up. We've got a good lineup. I'm not worried about us tomorrow. We're going to figure out a way to hit tomorrow."
A lineup that just struck out 15 times does not need a day to stew as much as it needs a starter who keeps the game close.
The One Real Reason for Hope
Joe Ryan is that pitcher, and the Twins activated the All-Star right-hander from the injured list on Monday ahead of his start in the afternoon opener at Comerica Park, his first big league game since August 4.
He faces Troy Melton, who gave up seven runs in 5 1/3 innings at Target Field last Tuesday when Minnesota scored 15.
Detroit is 65-78 and has lost seven of its last ten, so a Ryan who looks like himself changes what the next three weeks can be.
The Week That Decides It
Three games in Detroit come first, then Cleveland arrives at Target Field on Friday for the last three games between the two clubs, and the Guardians are only 73-71 themselves.
In late August a hot bat could still be sold as keeping the chase alive, but the standings no longer allow for that.
The Twins have to win the series in Detroit and then beat the Guardians at home, or the last two weeks of September will be about next year.
