MINNEAPOLIS -- Ask his Rays teammates about their expectations for Yandy Díaz and there’s not much that would surprise them, not even a four-hit game with another homer.

Ask Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash about his standout first baseman and leadoff hitter and he will tell you that Díaz belongs in elite company.

“He should be getting some MVP consideration the way he’s put together what he’s done offensively,” Cash said after the Rays’ 7-4 win over the Twins on Monday at Target Field. “To hit .320 or whatever he’s hitting and have the home runs and the RBIs from the leadoff spot is pretty special.”

Díaz notched his third game with four hits this season, including his 20th home run, and Taylor Walls hit a three-run homer as the Rays won their fourth straight game during this pivotal stretch of the season against likely playoff teams.

• Games remaining: at MIN (2), at BAL (4), vs. LAA (3), vs. TOR (3), at BOS (2), at TOR (3)
• Standings update: The Orioles (91-52) hold a three-game lead over the Rays (89-56) in the AL East. Tampa Bay remains the top AL Wild Card team, the club that gets to host a best-of-three Wild Card Series against the AL’s No. 5 seed, with an 8 1/2-game lead over Toronto (80-64).
• Magic number: 7 (for postseason clinch)

“Just made a slight adjustment in the swing, and thank God it’s been working,” Díaz said through interpreter Manny Navarro. “I’m just going to keep it at that.”

The Rays took the final three games of a four-game series at home against Seattle, which entered play Monday holding the final Wild Card spot in the American League.

The Twins, meanwhile, had won six of their previous nine games and led the AL Central by 7 1/2 games coming into the series against Tampa Bay. This road trip for the Rays also includes four games against division-leading Baltimore.

Tampa Bay has scored at least six runs in each of the past four games and had 13 hits against Minnesota, which started All-Star Sonny Gray and his 2.96 ERA.

“We’re rolling at the right time,” Walls said. “We’re going to see tough arms down the stretch, especially in the postseason. So when guys can go up there and have good at-bats, guys can get on base, get opportunities to score, and we can come through in some big situations, it’s always nice.”

Díaz, who is second in the AL with a .324 average, led off the game with the first of his career-high-tying four hits and came around to score on Josh Lowe’s single.

“If you told me today that he was going to hit a homer, a double and have four knocks, I would have said, ‘Yeah, 100% he would,’” Walls said. “It’s impressive. Hitting is easy to him. It’s almost frustrating to me how easy it is, but it’s fun to watch.”

Jose Siri added an RBI single in the third before leaving the game with a fractured right hand after being hit by a pitch. Walls connected for his first home run since May 14 in the fifth, while Lowe had three hits for the second straight game and also stole his 29th base of the season.

But it’s Díaz at the top of the lineup who continues to lead the way for the Rays. He finished a triple shy of the cycle and was one hit away from tying a Tampa Bay single-game record of five hits.

“He’s having a special season; tonight was an example of it,” Cash said. “Just hit rockets all over the ballpark, and then right there at the end, he just missed a three-run homer. Yandy’s meant so much to our club offensively. It’s good to see him staying hot.”

Díaz has three straight multihit games and leads the AL with 17 games of at least three hits this season. He has already surpassed his career high in home runs, which was 14 coming into the year, set in 2019.

“I won’t say I’m a home run hitter,” Díaz said. “I’m still trying to hit the ball hard. Thank God I got to 20. Hopefully, maybe I can get up to 30, but I’m very happy with the 20 that I’ve got.”

And the Rays are very happy to have Díaz leading their charge to the postseason.