Your Vote Counts: Choose the 2025 Twins Hall of Fame Pitchers

[Matthew Lenz]

The Minnesota Twins recently announced their Hall of Fame ballot for the 2025 class, and fans have until December 17th at 11:59 pm CDT to vote for up to five of the candidates. Let’s take a look at the pitching candidates on the ballot to help in your decision making!

Image courtesy of Left: © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images; Left Middle: © Imagn Images; Right Middle: © Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images; Right: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It’s been 25 years since the first Twins Hall of Fame class that recognized “uniform personnel who have made significant contributions to the franchise and game of baseball across the Upper Midwest.” A 70-member committee conducts the vote and is made up of local and national baseball writers, Twins broadcasters, living members of the Twins Hall of Fame, local broadcasting affiliates, select Twins front office personnel, and the fans. 

The ballot consists of 15 players (eight pitchers and seven hitters) ranging from the 1960’s to the 2010’s. This article will provide a glimpse into the statistics and accomplishments each pitcher made as a member of the Twins. A future article will similarly cover the hitters on the ballot. Without further ado, let’s get to know the pitching nominees for the 2025 Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame class.

Dave Boswell (1964 - 1970)

Dave Boswell spent seven years with the Twins primarily as a starting pitcher. He averaged nearly seven innings per start and had a league-average ERA over his tenure, including a standout season in 1976 where he posted career bests across the board. He was a member of three different playoff teams (1965, 1969, 1970), appearing in relief in game five of the 1965 World Series and throwing a 10 ⅔ inning, one-run gem in game two of the 1969 ALCS.

Dean Chance (1967 - 1969)

Dean Chance spent just three years with the Twins, but two of those years were exceptionally strong. He was an All-Star, MVP vote-getter, and the Sporting News AL Comeback Player of the Year in 1967 thanks in part to 18 complete games. He was equally as effective in 1968, but a back injury limited him to just 88 ⅓ innings in 1969.

Scott Erickson (1990 - 1995)

Scott Erickson had an unspectacular career with the Twins, but fans will always appreciate his 1991 campaign. In his banner season, he finished second in Cy Young voting, finishing 63 points behind Roger Clemens, and even garnered MVP votes. Most notably, he was a key cog to the Twins making it to and winning the World Series.

Dave Goltz (1972 - 1979)

Dave Goltz , a Rothsay, MN native, spent eight seasons with the Twins but not before serving in the United States Army in 1969. He had a very solid career with the Twins, including a 1977 campaign that saw him finish sixth in Cy Young voting.

Mudcat Grant (1964 - 1967)

After six plus below-average seasons with the Cleveland Indians, Jim "Mudcat" Grant was traded to the Minnesota Twins in the middle of the 1964 season. In his first full season with the Twins, Grant had one of the best years of his career earning an All-Star appearance and finishing sixth in MVP voting.

Glen Perkins (2006-2017)

Another local kid, Glen Perkins attended Stillwater High School and played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers before being drafted by the Twins. After an up-and-down career as a starter, Perkins moved to the bullpen and became one of the better closers in all of baseball. He was a three-time All-Star, including earning the save in the  2014 All-Star Game at Target Field.

Jeff Reardon (1987 - 1989)

Jeff Reardon had a solid three years with the Twins and was a member of the 1987 World Series team. In that same season, he garnered Cy Young and MVP votes. He followed that up with an All-Star appearance in 1988 and more MVP votes.

Al Worthington (1964 - 1969)

Al Worthington spent the twilight of his career with the Twins and was a member of the 1965 team that made it to the World Series. He was also a member of the 1969 team that made it to the ALCS.

That concludes the pitchers for the 2025 Twins Hall of Fame class. Look for our upcoming review of the hitters after which you're encouraged to vote for up to five players by December 17th at 11:59pm CDT.

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Which pitchers are you considering in your vote? Join the conversation in the comments!

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[theBOMisthebomb]

Perkins and Reardon. 

[FlyingFinn]

Perkins, Goltz, Worthington.

[mikelink45]

Goltz was effective and often overlooked and under rated because he was a MN boy and low key as far as the press was concerned.

Reardon and Worthington were two essential save artists so they get my next votes.

From a personal note I was an usher when Mudcat was a pitcher for us and he will always be a personal favorite. 

[Doctor Gast]

Mudcat Grant then Worthington

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Goltz, Reardon, and Grant.

[rohnjaymiller]

Has Latroy Hawkins been nominated?  Elected?  One of the great relievers during his time in baseball.  Plus I think he played for every team in MLB.

[gman]

Worthington, Perkins,Goltz

[Heiny]

Goltz, who I feel was under-rated, and Mudcat due to outstanding performance best nickname.

 

[Seth Stohs]

Goltz and Perkins. 

Then I'd say Worthington. Grant, Reardon, Chance just didn't have enough time with the org. Erickson really only was really good his first couple of seasons. 

Also, who is the guy in the article photo on the far left? 

[pierre75275]

Perkins only.

[DocBauer]

I also vote Perkins and Goltz. I just don't see enough time spent with the Twins to qualify for this award from the others. 

Boswell I can't comment on accurately as he was before my time and I just don't know enough about his career to be a fair judge.

[AceWrigley]

Dave Goltz.

[HerbieFan]

Goltz was such an underrated pitcher on some....not very good Twins teams.  If I had to vote one it's Perk.  If two it's Perk and Goltz

[weitz41]

Perkins for sure, I'd say Erikson but that was more being at the right place, at right time. Reardon was too short a time to get there. The rest were before my time.

[Met Stadium Usher]

Mudcat and Al Worthington would get my votes. I think it is important to not lose our appreciation of these guys while some fans can still recall how great they were.

Mudcat and Kitty were the pitching fulcrum that the 1965 pennant team used to get to the top, and that wasn't the only quality year for either of them. 
Worthington was the key to that 1965 bullpen (note that the rules for saves and the understood usage of the bullpen changed a few times during Worthington's career). 

In my opinion the 1965 team set up the Twins to truly be the team that created loyalties throughout Twins Territory. 

From a couple years later, I was tempted by Dean Chance, who was fabulous during his brief time with the Twins. 

And just think, if Calvin Griffith hadn't been so danged cheap, we might have had Luis Tiant on this list as well (and another pennant or two).

[Fezig]

Perkins and Goltz. Better than decent numbers and were here for more than a couple/few years. 

[arby58]

My take on the 7:

Boswell was good, not great.
Chance: 3 years, even if 2 were exceptional, isn't enough to qualify.
Erickson and Grant: mostly remember for one really great year. Just as Roger Maris isn't in the baseball HOF, I wouldn't put these two in the Twins HOF.
Golz: This is a tough one. There are currently 9 pitchers in the Twins HOF: Blyleven, Viola, Aguilera, Radke, Perry, Pascual, Guardado, Santana, and Nathan. Probably the best comparison is to Radke, who was 148-139 in his career, entirely with the Twins. He had 1 20-win season, 1 time All Star and 3rd in Cy Young voting his 20-win season. He had a career WAR of 45.3. Golz was 113-109 in his career, the first 8 years with the Twins, and his production fell off after that. He also had 1 20-win season and was 6th in Cy Young balloting that year. Golz' career WAR, though, was only 23.1. I think there are more worthy candidates.
Perkins was only middling as a starter, but he was the Twins' closer for four years, and he was an All Star in three of them, putting up over 30 saves in each of those years. His WAR is not impressive (8.9), but he had 4 excellent years as a closer and another very good year as a starter.
Reardon is a tough call because he was only a Twin for three years. Yes, he was fabulous in 1987 as the closer on a World Championship team, but there are already plenty of players from that team in the Twins HOF.  For me, another 'small sample size' contestant.
Worthington: Last six years as Twins closer, including the 1965 World Series team. I'm old enough to remember him, and five of those six years were really good - in an era where closers were not valued the way they are now. You can line his stats up with the other relievers in this class, and he looks good. His WAR over those five excellent years was 10.2. By contrast, Reardon's three years produced a cumulative WAR of 4.4, and Perkins 5 years as a closer was 7.5.

My picks: Worthington clear number 1, Perkins gets a not-as-clear number 2.


 

[jmlease1]

INteresting group. I'd go:

1. Goltz
2. Worthington
3. Reardon
4. Perkins

Boswell didn't have enough big years, Chance & Grant weren't here long enough IMHO, and Erickson needed either one more bigger year here or a higher peak (He may have been runner up for the Cy that year but a) he didn't deserve it, and b) wasn't even the best pitcher on the Twins that year; Tapani was better.)

[TwinsDr2021]

I would vote none, but Since Guardado is in I guess I would go with Worthington and Perkins.