April Showers: Why Do the Twins Continue to Struggle Early in the Season?

[Cody Christie]

The Twins are off to a slow start, which has become a theme in recent seasons. Is there a reason for this poor early-season performance?

Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Minnesota’s early-season struggles have become a recurring theme that’s as frustrating as it is familiar. Whether it’s the chilly winds biting at the ballpark or the lingering rustiness of a lineup still finding its groove, the Twins’ sluggish starts have become a concern. Over the past three seasons, the early portions of the Twins’ campaigns have unfolded in markedly different ways, yet they all share that same cold, unwelcome welcome.

In 2024, the Twins had a dismal 7-13 record in the first 20 games. A combination of underwhelming offensive output left the team struggling to string together wins. Minnesota set eight games out of first place after Cleveland’s hot start, and the team could never track them down. While cold weather certainly isn’t a secret enemy for any team battling early-season jitters, it’s become evident that there are more deep-seated issues at work.

Looking back, the 2023 campaign offered a different narrative. With an 11-10 start, the Twins managed to hover around the .500 mark until July. It was a start that, while better than 2024’s rocky beginning, still fell short of igniting early confidence. That season, there was an underlying sense of cautious optimism. Yet, even with moderate success, the early struggles pointed to recurring problems that needed addressing.

The 2022 season, however, was the most dramatic early storyline. The Twins opened the season with a 4-8 record but sat in first place through early August. This meteoric turnaround was a testament to the team's potential when everything clicked. However, the team struggled over the final two months, leaving the club in third place in the division by the season’s end. 

Minnesota’s management tried to counteract the perennial early hurdles by giving regular players more playing time in spring training this year. The coaching staff hoped that the more time the team’s core spent on the field, the more prepared they would be for early season action. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told "Inside Twins" that he felt like it was similar to spring training in the early 2000s with how much players like Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa were playing. However, the execution hasn’t entirely translated into the desired offensive spark. The lineup entered the season as the team’s most significant question mark and has underperformed the season’s frigid early conditions.

A significant factor has been the injuries to key players. For example, Royce Lewis has missed the season's start for the past two years. His absence is a shadow that looms large over any analysis of the Twins’ early struggles. Brooks Lee was also supposed to take on a more significant role in 2025, but his injury has taken away some bat-to-ball skills that can be critical in colder weather. With these talents sidelined, the team has been forced to rely on players further down the depth chart who might have more flaws. 

Of course, cold weather plays its part. Pitchers tend to be ahead of hitters in the season’s early months, but that’s an issue that all teams must overcome. The opposition, battling similar conditions, seems to be able to adapt more swiftly than the Twins. The Twins’ hitters have struggled to get into the proper rhythm when it comes to adjusting to the cold and maintaining consistent timing. Fans have been forced to watch as the team’s hitters have made some below-average pitchers look very good in the season’s early games.

Beyond these well-documented factors, several other elements might contribute to the Twins’ sluggish starts. One such reason is the psychological hurdle of early expectations and trying to overcome the previous season’s collapse. Two of the last three seasons have ended with the team outside the playoff picture. The pressure of overturning the off-season narrative can sometimes be too much for a team still finding its identity. Early losses can snowball into a collective uncertainty, which may lead to a cautious approach at the plate. In a game where momentum matters, that initial hesitancy can ripple through the lineup, making it difficult to break out of a rut once it’s set in.

Additionally, the Twins have many players with heightened expectations for the 2025 season. Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, José Miranda, and Edouard Julien are no longer young, but each wants to establish a more consistent role at the big-league level. The Twins are placing Wallner and Larnach in critical positions in the lineup after both produced solid numbers in the second half of last season. Miranda and Julien have been pushed into more prominent roles due to injuries, which comes with added pressure. There are limited sample sizes in the season’s early games, and some players can feel pressure to alter their approach in search of more success. 

Lastly, scheduling quirks could also be a silent culprit. The early portion of the season sometimes coincides with more day games and odd days off to allow for flexibility with home opening games. The weather has also impacted the Twins to start the year with multiple weather delays. This can lead to players being unable to set a regular pre-game routine, which is particularly challenging for a team still finding its rhythm. While the Twins’ management might argue that these scheduling challenges are part of the game, they remain a tangible obstacle in pursuing a strong start.

While cold weather and injuries have undeniably contributed to the Twins’ early struggles, a multifaceted mix of factors is at play. From the issues outlined above, the slow start appears to be a systemic rather than a single-point failure. Luckily, the entire AL Central has struggled out of the gate, so every team has a chance to gain separation in the coming weeks. As the Twins battle through the early season, the club hopes to find the consistency needed for sustained success later in the year.

---

What other factors play into the team's slow start? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

View full article

[Karbo]

A lot of excuses that other teams don't seem to need. This team under Rocco has not been playing fundamentally sound ball since he was hired. I don't go down to ST so I really don't know how much they practice the little things, but it seems it's not enough!

[mikelink45]

I do not know the solution.  Both pitchers and hitters have a sluggish beginning this year.  I am interested in how many posts talk about a lack of fire - not sure how you ramp up that excitement.  I guess yesterday it was Buxton getting hit in the hand, not a good solution. 

Weather is impacting everyone, injuries are impacting most teams - the excuses don't work.  Why does Ober start each season so poorly?  Did he not get enough spring reps?  Why was Paddock blasted?  It is not just the hitters and along with that we do not have the fielding I would like to see.  

No solution - just observations.  Is it Rocco or some of his huge coaching staff?  He has a bench coach and an assistant bench coach - what are the doing, seeing, saying?

[LambchoP]

The whole team looks to have no confidence. No fire or passion either. It is way too early for most of our guys to be "just going through the motions". At least Buxton and Bader seems to be trying to light a fire and wake everyone up. Correa figuring things out at the plate would really help. Getting Lewis back should Inject some passion as well, but the fact we still don't have an update on him or a timeline worries me that it might be long term like last year. Yesterday's win was nice,but we've got to find a way to wake up and string some quality games together before we dig ourselves a hole we can't get out of.

 

[Doctor Gast]

I've spoken enough about this but I'll add one thing. Baldelli heavily depended on Shelton his 1st year. He had Bell his 2nd year both traditional managers. IMO the balancing of these two aided greatly to the Twins. 

"Tingler drew major criticism for his in-game decision-making, bullpen usage and inconsistent batting orders." This was said about his firing from SD.

SD was supposed to be a great team in '21 under Tingler, but the team collapsed. IMO, Tingler is too much like Baldelli & doesn't provide the needed balance.