DENVER — If you’re looking for Rocco Baldelli to rally his 2023 Minnesota Twins around the franchise’s stunning postseason losing streak, you may be waiting as long as Twins fans have to record a win in a meaningful October baseball game.
Minnesota will enter Tuesday’s Wild Card round as the American League Central champions and will bring with them an 18-game postseason losing streak where the Twins have been outscored 107-48. The Minnesota Twins have not won a postseason game since Game 1 of the 2004 American League Division Series against the New York Yankees (you can see more about the frustrating run for the Twins here).
While Twins fans may be wringing their hands about their team’s past issues come October, Baldelli shrugs off any talk of the streak.
Rocco Baldelli isn’t going to talk about the Minnesota Twins postseason losing streak
Speaking to reporters before Friday’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies, Baldelli said he doesn’t think about the lack of wins the Twins have registered in recent postseason runs.
“I don’t even think about it,” Baldelli said. “The only time I ever even have to try to come up with something about it is when I sit in my office and get asked by writers about it. That’s the only time I’ve ever thought about it since I’ve taken this job.”
There are bound to be plenty of reminders for Baldelli about Minnesota’s lack of postseason success when the Wild Card round kicks off on Tuesday. Those reminders will probably multiply whether Minnesota either snaps or extends the streak against their first-round foe. But whatever happens before that Wild Card opener, Baldelli certainly won’t be channeling his inner Knute Rockne to fire his team up about putting an end to the 18-game misery. He’s more concerned about moving on to the next round in the present than any past history that may have haunted the franchise.