Minnesota Twins struggle as playoff pursuit falters in late August

The Minnesota Twins enter play Sunday with a 64-72 record, falling 8 1/2 games behind the White Sox in the American League Central. After holding the third wild-card spot as recently as August 19, the team recorded an 8-17 mark in August and lost seven of their last eight games. The downturn includes series sweeps at the hands of the Phillies and in San Diego, as well as a series loss to the Athletics. Injuries to Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan have hindered the roster, while team ERA climbed to 5.03 in August. With 13 upcoming games against division opponents, the club aims to recover ground. Joe Ryan is scheduled for a bullpen session Sunday as part of his recovery process.

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