If the playoffs began tonight, the Minnesota Twins would hold the second AL Wild Card slot and would face the Houston Astros, and the veteran leadership of Torii Hunter is the reason why.

The Twins gave Ervin Santana a $55 million deal before he was handed an 80-game suspension. Leadoff hitter Brian Dozier leads the club with 21 home runs and, despite Joe Mauer’s power disappearance, the team continues to win. Hunter is batting .255 with 15 home runs, and Miguel Sano returned and provided a two-run bomb off Michael Pineda in the victory over the New York Yankees Friday. Hall of Famer and Twin great Paul Molitor is defying expectations in his first season as a big-league skipper and having a veteran like Hunter in the lineup is crucial.

He went back to Minnesota, but could not have imagined that this team — a team with no hitter over .300 and with young, raw regulars — could be competing in the postseason as early as this season. Starters like Eddie Rosario (left field), Aaron Hicks and Jordan Schafer (center field) and Danny Santana (shortstop) have the 2015 Twins flying under the radar. And that’s the way they like it.

With a rotation full of veterans (Hughes, Santana, Kyle Gibson, Mike Pelfrey and Tommy Milone), Minnesota is becoming a place for starters to resurrect their careers. Closer Glen Perkins is 29-of-30 in save chances this season. Earlier this season, he was on a podcast for Grantland Sports and noted the “fresh” atmosphere under Molitor as the changed needed in the clubhouse. That might be just what the Twins need to make it back to the postseason and compete for the ultimate prize.

Kelvin Queliz is an MLB writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @iamkelvinq, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on LinkedIn and Google.