Twins have three of MLB's best starting pitchers since mid-June

Bailey Ober, Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan have been very good for six weeks.

Jul 10, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Bailey Ober (17) delivers against the Chicago White Sox during the fifth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Did you know that since June 16 the Minnesota Twins have three of the top 12 starting pitchers in baseball when it comes to strikeouts per nine innings?

Pablo Lopez ranks seventh at 10.93 strikeouts per nine innings, Joe Ryan is 10th at 10.62 and Bailey Ober is 12th at 10.43 following his 11-strikeout gem Sunday against the Tigers.

Fans won't want to hear this, but the past six weeks are solid evidence that Minnesota's starting pitching might be good enough to push for a deep run in the postseason. The lineup is one of the best in baseball and the bullpen is strong, but starting pitching has been a big question for most of the season.

What do teams want in a starting pitcher in the playoffs? Overpowering stuff that racks up strikeouts.

That's a no-brainer, and the Twins have that in bulk since June 16 with Ober, Lopez and Ryan. Only Dylan Cease (36.4%) and Paul Skenes (33.1%) have a higher strikeout percentage than Ober (31.6%), and Lopez (30.5%) ranks sixth in the majors over the past six weeks. Ryan is striking out 27.9% of opposing batters in that span, which ranks 15th in the majors.

On top of that, Ober's 1.85 ERA since June 16 ranks fifth in baseball among starters. Ony Taj Bradley (0.84), Skenes (1.52), Hunter Greene (1.71) and Logan Gilbert (1.85) have a lower ERA.

The MLB trade deadline arrives at 5 p.m. CT Tuesday. If the Twins don't make a move, which is possible due to reported financial constraints, ownership and the front office can point to the tremendous pitching Lopez, Ober and Ryan — and even rookie Simeon Woods Richardson — have provided.

Can they keep it up and maintain the current level against the best teams in the league with the season on the line in October? That's the bet the Twins would be making if they don't add before Tuesday's deadline.