The Minnesota Twins took nine wins from their 11-game home stand into the All-Star break, a midsummer surge that can give a middling team the necessary boost into the postseason race.

This might not be that kind of year in the American League. The Twins are still 7½ games behind Cleveland in their division and 13 games out of the wild card spot they earned last season.

The front office faces difficult decisions about whether to trade a veteran player or two.

The Twins open a weekend series against the Royals in Kansas City Friday evening.