Editing Minnesota Twins (section)

====2000s====
[[File:Justin morneau2003.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Justin Morneau]], drafted in 1999 by the Twins, won the [[AL MVP]] award in 2006]]
The Twins dominated the Central Division in the first decade of the new century, winning the division in six of those ten years ('02, '03, '04, '06, '09 and '10), and nearly winning it in '08 as well.  From 2001 to 2006, the Twins compiled the longest streak of consecutive winning seasons since moving to Minnesota.

Threatened with closure by [[2001 Major League Baseball contraction plan|league contraction]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.infoplease.com/spot/contraction1.html |title=Labor Pains: A guide to Major League Baseball's contraction issue |last=Gettings |first=John |publisher=Infoplease.com |year=2001 |access-date=July 27, 2011 |archive-date=August 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812115615/http://www.infoplease.com/spot/contraction1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> the [[2002 Minnesota Twins season|2002 team]] battled back to reach the [[2002 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]] before being eliminated 4–1 by that year's World Series champion [[Anaheim Angels]].

In 2006, the Twins won the division on the last day of the regular season (the only day all season they held sole possession of first place) but lost to the Oakland Athletics in the [[2006 American League Division Series|ALDS]]. [[Ozzie Guillén]] coined a nickname for this squad, calling the Twins "[[Piranhas (baseball)|little piranhas]]".<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2609825 |title=Mauer wins AL batting title on final day – MLB – ESPN |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=October 1, 2006 |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=January 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108122032/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2609825 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Twins players embraced the label, and in response, the Twins Front office started a "Piranha Night", with piranha finger puppets given out to the first 10,000 fans. Scoreboard operators sometimes played an animated sequence of piranhas munching under that caption in situations where the Twins were scoring runs playing "[[small ball (baseball)|small ball]]", and the stadium vendors sold T-shirts and hats advertising "The Little Piranhas". The Twins also had the AL MVP in Justin Morneau,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2670876 |title=Morneau edges Jeter to win AL MVP – MLB – ESPN |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=November 23, 2006 |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=April 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403125648/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2670876 |url-status=live }}</ref> the AL batting champion in [[Joe Mauer]],<ref name="autogenerated1"/> and the AL Cy Young Award winner in [[Johan Santana]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/santajo02.shtml |title=Johan Santana Statistics and History |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=January 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124025939/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/santajo02.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2008, the Twins finished the regular season tied with the White Sox on top of the AL Central, forcing a [[2008 American League Central tie-breaker game|one-game playoff]] in Chicago to determine the division champion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080930&content_id=3576317&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws |title=White Sox claim AL Central crown {{pipe}} whitesox.com: News |publisher=Chicago.whitesox.mlb.com |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122080012/http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080930&content_id=3576317&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws |archive-date=January 22, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Twins lost that game and missed the playoffs. The game location was determined by rule of a coin flip that was conducted in mid-September. This rule was changed for the start of the 2009 season, making the site for any [[One-game playoff|tiebreaker game]] to be determined by the winner of the regular season head-to-head record between the teams involved.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090917&content_id=7018116 |title=Coin flips no longer used as tiebreaker {{pipe}} MLB.com: News |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date=June 19, 2012 |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=October 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023123354/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090917&content_id=7018116 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Image:0923 493c Joe Nathan.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Joe Nathan]] won the [[Rolaids Relief Man Award]] in 2009]]
After a year where the Twins played .500 baseball for most of the season, the team won 17 of their last 21 games to tie the [[Detroit Tigers]] for the lead in the Central Division.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2009-schedule-scores.shtml |title=2009 Minnesota Twins Schedule, Box Scores and Splits |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=October 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027231052/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2009-schedule-scores.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The Twins were able to use the play-in game rule to their advantage when they won the [[AL Central]] at the end of the regular season by way of a 6–5 [[2009 American League Central tie-breaker game|tiebreaker game]] that concluded with a 12th-inning walk-off hit by [[Alexi Casilla]] to right field, that scored [[Carlos Gómez]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/gameflash/2009/10/06/29094_recap.html | work=CNN | title=Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins | access-date=June 21, 2012 | archive-date=January 7, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107025238/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/gameflash/2009/10/06/29094_recap.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> However, they failed to advance to the [[2009 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]] as they lost the [[2009 American League Division Series|American League Divisional Series]] in three straight games to the eventual World Series champion New York Yankees.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/ps.jsp?y=09 |title=2009 Postseason {{pipe}} MLB.com: Schedule |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=July 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723094556/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/ps.jsp?y=09 |url-status=live }}</ref> That year, Joe Mauer became only the second catcher in 33 years to win the AL MVP award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091115&content_id=7669440&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Mauer handily catches AL MVP Award {{pipe}} MLB.com: News|website=Minnesota Twins|publisher=MLB|access-date=August 15, 2012|archive-date=November 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128192958/http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091115&content_id=7669440&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Iván Rodríguez]] won for the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] in 1999, previous to that, the last catcher to win an AL MVP was the [[New York Yankees]] [[Thurman Munson]] in 1976.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.courant.com/2009/11/24/tools-of-excellence-2/ |title=Tools Of Excellence |work=Hartford Courant |date=November 24, 2009 |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=July 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731181059/http://articles.courant.com/2009-11-24/sports/flychart1124_1_joe-mauer-ernie-lombardi-thurman-munson |url-status=live }}</ref>

2010 marked Minnesota's inaugural season played at [[Target Field]], where the Twins finished the regular season with a record of 94–68, clinching the AL Central Division title for the 6th time in 9 years under manager [[Ron Gardenhire]]. New regular players included rookie [[Danny Valencia]] at third base, designated hitter [[Jim Thome]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=6866432 |title=Jim Thome, Twins – ESPN |publisher=ESPN |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=July 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731194403/http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=6866432 |url-status=dead }}</ref> closer [[Matt Capps]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7679 |title=Matt Capps – Minnesota Twins – MLB – Yahoo! Sports |publisher=Sports.yahoo.com |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=June 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612163913/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7679 |url-status=live }}</ref> infielder [[J. J. Hardy]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4629260 |title=Milwaukee Brewers trade SS J. J. Hardy for Minnesota Twins' CF Carlos Gómez – ESPN |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=November 6, 2009 |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=July 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731203431/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4629260 |url-status=live }}</ref> and infielder [[Orlando Hudson]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Olney |first=Buster |date=February 5, 2010 |agency=Associated Press |title=Orlando Hudson gets one-year deal from Minnesota Twins |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4888089 |access-date=August 15, 2012 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=December 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111217153644/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4888089 |url-status=live }}</ref> In relief pitching roles were late additions [[Brian Fuentes]] and [[Randy Flores]]. On July 7, the team suffered a major blow when Justin Morneau sustained a concussion, which kept him out of the lineup for the rest of the season. In the [[2010 American League Division Series|divisional series]], the Twins lost to the Yankees in a three-game sweep for the second consecutive year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/ps.jsp?y=10 |title=2010 Postseason {{pipe}} MLB.com: Schedule |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=October 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003153022/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/ps.jsp?y=10 |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the season, Ron Gardenhire received AL [[Manager of the Year Award|Manager of the Year]] honors after finishing as a runner up in several prior years.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/manage.shtml |title=MLB Manager of the Year Award Winners |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=September 25, 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000925060225/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/manage.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

=====2017–present=====
In 2017, the Twins went 85–77, finishing 2nd In the AL Central.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sctimes.com/story/sports/2017/10/01/twins-dump-tigers-end-season-85-77/721840001/|title=Twins dump Tigers to end season at 85-77|website=St. Cloud Times}}</ref> Following [[Brian Dozier]]'s 34 [[home runs]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2017.shtml|title=2017 Minnesota Twins Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=April 16, 2019|archive-date=October 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008142938/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2017.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Miguel Sanó]], [[Byron Buxton]], and [[Eddie Rosario]] all had breakout years, while [[Joe Mauer]] hit .305. They ended up making the playoffs,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2735289-minnesota-twins-clinch-playoff-berth-for-2017-mlb-postseason|title=Minnesota Twins Clinch Playoff Berth for 2017 MLB Postseason|first=Adam|last=Wells|website=Bleacher Report|access-date=March 12, 2019|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090845/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2735289-minnesota-twins-clinch-playoff-berth-for-2017-mlb-postseason|url-status=live}}</ref> which made them the first ever team to lose 100 games the previous year and make the playoffs the next season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2735666-twins-become-1st-team-to-make-playoffs-one-year-after-losing-100-plus-games|title=Twins Become 1st Team to Make Playoffs One Year After Losing 100-Plus Games|first=Daily|last=Facts|website=Bleacher Report|access-date=March 12, 2019|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090900/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2735666-twins-become-1st-team-to-make-playoffs-one-year-after-losing-100-plus-games|url-status=live}}</ref> They lost to the Yankees in the wild card round.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/yanks-beat-twins-to-reach-alds-against-indians-c257321132|title=Wild start! Yanks' pop, 'pen erase Minn.|website=MLB.com|access-date=July 21, 2021|archive-date=July 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721215914/https://www.mlb.com/news/yanks-beat-twins-to-reach-alds-against-indians-c257321132|url-status=live}}</ref>

The 2018 season did not go as well. The Twins went 78–84, and did not return to the post-season. Sanó and Buxton were injured most of the year and eventually both sent down to the minors, while long-time Twin Brian Dozier was traded at the deadline.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/brian-dozier-traded-to-dodgers-c288181290|title=Dodgers add depth in trades for Dozier, Axford|website=MLB.com|access-date=March 12, 2019|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327085925/https://www.mlb.com/news/brian-dozier-traded-to-dodgers-c288181290|url-status=live}}</ref> One bright spot came at the end of the season, when hometown hero Joe Mauer returned to catcher (his original position) for his final game, ending his career with a signature double and standing ovation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Joe Mauer Doubles, Catches In Finale |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/joe-mauer-doubles-catches-in-twins-finale-c296709532 |website=MLB.com |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=March 21, 2019 |archive-date=March 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321232316/https://www.mlb.com/news/joe-mauer-doubles-catches-in-twins-finale-c296709532 |url-status=live }}</ref> Another highlight was the team's two-game series against the Cleveland Indians in [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/indians-twins-to-play-in-puerto-rico-in-2018/c-237882428|title=Indians, Twins to play in Puerto Rico in 2018|website=MLB.com|language=en|access-date=April 18, 2018|archive-date=April 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419053425/https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/indians-twins-to-play-in-puerto-rico-in-2018/c-237882428|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2717109-twins-indians-to-play-2-game-series-in-puerto-rico-in-2018|title=Twins, Indians to Play 2-Game Series in Puerto Rico in 2018|last=Wells|first=Adam|work=Bleacher Report|access-date=April 18, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=April 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419053540/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2717109-twins-indians-to-play-2-game-series-in-puerto-rico-in-2018|url-status=live}}</ref> After the season, manager Paul Molitor was fired.<ref>{{cite web |title=Twins fire manager Paul Molitor after 78–84 finish |url=https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Twins-fire-manager-Paul-Molitor-78-84-record-13278300.php |website=Chron.com |date=October 2, 2018 |access-date=March 12, 2019 |archive-date=March 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321233159/https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Twins-fire-manager-Paul-Molitor-78-84-record-13278300.php |url-status=live }}</ref> Free agent signing [[Logan Morrison]] and long-time veteran [[Ervin Santana]] declared free agency.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=Twins 2019 Off Season Transactions |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/MIN/minnesota-twins/transactions/ |website=CBS Sports |publisher=CBS |access-date=March 21, 2019 |archive-date=March 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321231843/https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/MIN/minnesota-twins/transactions/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Miguel Sano (25968616510).jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.75|[[Miguel Sanó]], infielder (2015–2022)]]

In 2019, the Twins clinched the AL Central Division for the first time since 2010, finishing the season with the second-most wins in franchise history with 101, one short of the 1965 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1965.shtml|title=1965 Minnesota Twins Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com|language=en|access-date=April 12, 2020|archive-date=August 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809025052/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1965.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=October 2019}} The team combined for a total of 307 home runs, the most in MLB history for a single season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_hr7.shtml|title=Home Run Records by MLB Teams During a Single Season {{pipe}} Baseball Almanac|website=www.baseball-almanac.com|access-date=September 30, 2019|archive-date=November 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101091115/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_hr7.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> The team's slugging prowess has earned them the nickname the ''Bomba Squad''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kare11.com/article/sports/mlb/twins/the-bomb-squad-behind-the-bomba-squad/89-e5a7dd06-899c-4d29-90d6-62f244f99cf0|title=The 'Bomb Squad' behind the Bomba Squad|website=kare11.com|date=October 2, 2019}}</ref> In the [[2019 ALDS]], the Twins opponents were the New York Yankees, who finished one home run behind at 306 and the second team to break the 300 home run mark. The Twins were swept again, and extend their postseason losing streak to 16, dating back to the 2004 ALDS.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/twins-eliminated-by-yankees-in-al-division-series-sweep|title=Twins' 'very special' season ends in DS sweep|website=MLB.com|access-date=July 21, 2021|archive-date=July 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721215914/https://www.mlb.com/news/twins-eliminated-by-yankees-in-al-division-series-sweep|url-status=live}}</ref> On September 17, 2019, Miguel Sanó hit a 482-foot home run to make the Twins the first team in major league history to have five players with at least 30 home runs in a season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/miguel-sano-record-fifth-twins-player-30-homers|title=Sanó gives Twins record 5 players with 30 HRs|website=MLB.com|access-date=September 18, 2019|archive-date=September 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190918065641/https://www.mlb.com/news/miguel-sano-record-fifth-twins-player-30-homers|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2023 the Minnesota Twins struggled through the first half, falling under .500 just before the All-Star break before beginning a late season surge that saw them take control of the AL Central. They finished as the third seed in the AL for the 2023 MLB Playoffs and faced the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] in the AL Wild Card round. Behind dominant pitching they won both of the first 2 games in the 3 game series, winning their first playoff game since 2004 (breaking an 0–18 postseason streak, the longest in North American sports history) and winning their first playoff series since the 2002 ALDS against the Oakland Athletics.