Twins pitcher's kids give best advice for MLB playoffs

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Twins are hosting the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Wild Card Playoffs at Target Field, and players are finding inspiration from all different areas as they enter the postseason.

Twins pitcher Sonny Gray, who will start Game 2 on Wednesday, is hearing it from within his own family. He spoke to reporters before Game 1 on Tuesday at Target Field, and shared a conversation he had with his son that morning and how it inspires him to keep going.

"When my boys got older, it really showed me how to love the game again. They pushed me to be better, and it’s just something, it’s what drives me. Declan, he goes ‘Dad, are you in the playoffs?!’ It was this morning. I go, ‘Yeah, yeah we are.' He goes, ‘You better not lose.’ I said ‘You know what Declan, I’m going to do my best.’ They shoot it to you straight, that’s what I love about them," Gray said.

Gray was an AL All-Star this year and went 8-8 in 32 starts with a 2.79 earned run average. He struck out 183 batters in 184 innings, and was a core piece of a Twins’ starting rotation that helped lead them to their third AL Central title in five seasons.