It’s déjà vu all over again, with the Tigers and Twins squaring off in a critical series for the American League Central crown and the final AL playoff berth. A week ago it was in Minnesota. Now the two teams meet for the final four times in Detroit, beginning Monday night.

The Twins are the hottest team in the league going into the series. They are 11-2 since slugging first baseman Justin Morneau went down with a stress fracture in his back two weeks ago. They’ve outscored opponents nearly two to one in this span, scoring more than six runs a game and giving up barely more than three.

In the 13 games without Morneau, his replacement at first, Michael Cuddyer, has been the biggest run producer. Cuddyer, who made the move from right field, is batting .370 with a team-leading six home runs and 19 RBIs. He isn’t the only Twin who has picked it up since Morneau was sidelined.

Joe Mauer is hitting .455 (20-for-44) with 10 RBIs. Orlando Cabrera also has driven in 10 runs, and he’s scored 15. Leadoff man Denard Span is batting .356 with a .420 OBP and nine RBIs. Then there’s Matt Tolbert, a utility infielder who was called up in early September. He’s taken most of the playing time at third for the injured Joe Crede, and Tolbert is 14-for-42 (.333) with seven runs scored.

Minnesota pitching has been at its best in September. The staff posted an ERA higher than 5.00 in both July and August, but it has a 3.63 mark this month. The Twins have received quite a payoff from rookie Brian Duensing, who joined the rotation in late August and has gone 5-0 with a 1.88 ERA in seven starts.

In three of his September outings, the 26-year-old left-hander has worked six or more innings and didn’t allow a run. He is only the eighth rookie in the last 55 years to pitch three scoreless quality starts in September-October, and no one has worked four. He may get two more shots at it, as he is scheduled to face Justin Verlander on Tuesday and may work the final game of the season on Sunday.

At the same time the Twins have closed in on the AL Central leaders with an 11-2 surge, the first-place Tigers have gone 8-6. They bounced back nicely after dropping two of three at the Metrodome a week ago, sweeping a three-game set in Cleveland, but the Tigers allowed the Twins to move within two games of first place by losing two of three in Chicago over the weekend.

Detroit has been in first place since early May, a stretch of 155 days going into the Twins-Tigers series. Only three other teams in Tigers history have been in first place longer, and all three reached the World Series. The 1984 Tigers started 35-5 and ruled the AL East for 181 days before soundly defeating the San Diego Padres in the Fall Classic. A century ago, the 1909 club (165 days) lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a seven-game World Series, and the 1968 Tigers (158 days) won in seven games over the Cardinals.

The Tigers call on their own rookie tonight, as Rick Porcello takes the mound against Twins right-hander Nick Blackburn. The 20-year-old Porcello, who was the youngest player in the majors nearly all season, is 14-9 with a 4.14 ERA and leads the rookie class in wins. He is 4-1 with a 3.28 ERA in his last seven outings. His only loss in this month-long stretch was at Minnesota last Tuesday.

One Tiger to keep an eye on in this series is closer Fernando Rodney. He has been wildly inconsistent all season, but has repeatedly dodged bullets. Despite a 4.35 ERA, the veteran right-hander has blown only one of 36 save chances in 2009. Is the bubble about to burst?

Rodney has given up multiple runs in five of his 12 September appearances. Although he’s 6-for-6 in saves, he has a 10.13 ERA and a .326 OBA for the month. If he can keep it together, he could become the answer to a trivia question.

Since saves became an official statistic in 1969, no pitcher with at least 25 saves and no more than a single blown chance has posted an ERA of 3.00 or higher. Rodney has gone more than one run better with a 4.35 mark. Even if he were to blow another opportunity, he still would likely post the highest save-era ERA among relievers with 25 saves and no more than two blown chances -- and probably still by more than a full run.

On the other hand, Rodney could crash and burn, and take the Tigers with him. Or he might be seen as an omen that the Tigers are meant to win this season. At the moment, all that matters is that the Tigers win now. They have the hottest team in the league visiting, and anything less than a split would give the Twins at least a share of the AL Central lead.