Blue Jays vs. Twins Game 1 Wild Card series odds, trends: Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis off injured list as Minnesota tries to end record 18-game playoff skid

Do you remember what you were doing on Oct. 5, 2004? Behind ace Johan Santana, the Minnesota Twins won that night at Yankee Stadium in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. The next day, the Twins started their historic 18-game postseason losing streak, which they look to end Tuesday when they host the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of their wild card series. Minnesota, a very short favorite on the SportsLine consensus, has activated infielders Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis off the injured list and both should start. Click here for model picks.

That 18-game postseason skid is not just the longest in MLB history – Minnesota has been outscored 107-48 during it – but the longest in North American pro sports history. The good news at least is the Twins won't face the Yankees in the 2023 playoffs, as New York was responsible for many of those losses.

Correa has been out since Sept. 18 with plantar fasciitis in his left foot so he might be a bit rusty. The two-time All-Star didn't have his best year, hitting .230 with 18 homers and 65 RBI, but is a proven playoff performer. Correa has 18 homers and 59 RBI in 79 career playoff games, all with Houston.

Lewis, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, got a cup of coffee in Minnesota last year but really broke out in 2023 once he was called up in late May. Lewis hit .309 with 15 homers and 52 RBI in 58 games. He has five total grand slams already, the most by any rookie ever. One was in 2022, and all four of Lewis' grand slams this season came in an 18-game stretch, the shortest span to hit four grand slams in MLB history. Lewis has been out since Sept. 19 with a hamstring injury. He might be limited to DH duties in this round.

All-Star outfielder Byron Buxton has been sidelined since early August with a hamstring injury and more recently a flare-up with his knee, and he's not expected on the roster. He hit just .207 with 17 HRs and 42 RBI in 85 games.

Right-hander Pablo Lopez (11-8, 3.66 ERA) makes his playoff debut. He was second in the AL with 234 strikeouts and third with 20 starts – his first year with the Twins after an offseason trade from Miami. His lone postseason start came in the 2020 NLDS with the Marlins vs. Atlanta. Lopez allowed four earned runs over 5.2 innings in a win over Toronto on May 27 at Target Field. He closed the season with a 6.46 ERA in his final three starts (allowed 11 ER in 15.1 IP).

The Blue Jays are healthy and will start ace Kevin Gausman (12-9, 3.16 ERA), who will get some AL Cy Young votes and led the Junior Circuit with 237 strikeouts. He didn't allow a run over his final two starts spanning 13 innings, both against the Yankees. Gausman would have started Sunday if the Jays needed him for a playoff spot, but they clinched Saturday night. He allowed seven earned runs in 10 innings in two starts this year against the Twins and is 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA in two career postseason starts.

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