The Indians are 39-17 since June 1, which is the best record in baseball. They’ve climbed back into the division race after trailing the Twins by 11½ games on June 2.
“We’ve done a good of controlling what we can control,” manager Terry Francona said. “We’ve played a lot of baseball lately and guys will be excited for tomorrow [Thursday]. It will be a fun series to play. They’re [Twins] really good, we know that, but they’re also right in front of us, so it’ll be a good challenge.”
Clevinger’s posted a 1.69 ERA in his last six starts, allowing just seven runs in 37⅓ innings. He has 49 strikeouts over that span and opponents are only getting on base 28 percent of the time.
Bieber has been just as dominant, posting a 2.38 ERA in his last seven starts and holding opponents to a .223 on-base percentage. He’s pitched at least eight innings in four of his last seven starts, including two complete games.
The Indians have played well over the past few months. They have a nice mix of stars, young players and veterans who are willing to do what it takes to win.
“We wanted to play some fun games down the stretch,” Jason Kipnis said. “The fun part of putting your head to the ground like that is that you get to play some exciting games, some meaningful games late in the year.
“Guys are in a good mood, feeling good and excited to get to Minnesota.”
The entire clubhouse has come together over the past few months. They’ve battled injuries, trades and other adversity, but they’ve put themselves in position to win a fourth straight AL Central title.
“We’re going to keep this thing rolling,” one player said after two wins over the Rangers.
It’s a tough stretch of games for the Tribe. They play the Twins, Red Sox and Yankees in the next 10 days.
The Indians continue to win as a team. It’s not just Francisco Lindor or José Ramírez carrying the offense. The rotation doesn’t have to always pitch deep into games because the bullpen has become one of the best in baseball. This team is working well together and they hope it continues for the rest of the season.
“We know this unit as far as a team standpoint; we think we have the best team,” Tyler Clippard said. “We might not have the best talent, but we have the best team in the game. We all believe that and we’re pulling in the same direction. There’s no ‘I’ guys. It’s just trying to win baseball games every single day and we love it – I love it, I love being a part of it.”
The Indians hope to keep things rolling in Minnesota. The Tribe is 4-5 against the Twins this season.
“We’re super excited,” Clippard said with a smile. “We’re pumped. We’re playing good baseball. We know we are. This is what it’s all about. I mean this is why we play the game.”
The Indians will get their shot at the Twins on Thursday night.