Biggest Surprises of the Twins' First Half

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Katie Stratman (Buxton), Jesse Johnson (Correa)-Imagn Images

As the Minnesota Twins hit the halfway point of the 2025 season, fans are left scratching their heads for good and bad reasons. There have been moments of brilliance and stretches of frustration. But one thing is for sure: this team hasn’t lacked surprises.

Let’s look back at some of the most unexpected storylines from the first half of the season.

Byron Buxton, MVP Form, and Finally Healthy
This entire article could be written about Buxton. And honestly, it nearly was. Not only has Buxton managed to stay healthy, but he's thriving in a way we’ve never seen before. His 146 OPS+ is the highest mark of his career, and he's doing it while playing regularly in center field. That alone felt like a long shot entering the season.

Fans have grown used to the "if he can stay healthy" caveat, but in 2025, Buxton is finally delivering the elite performance everyone has been dreaming about since he was the game's top-ranked prospect. He's made jaw-dropping plays on defense, mashed extra-base hits, and become the team’s most valuable player in the first half. He’s a lock for the All-Star Game and has a chance to get MVP votes.

That Magical 13-Game Winning Streak
Blink, and you might’ve missed it, but for 13 games in May, the Minnesota Twins were unstoppable. Everything clicked. The starting rotation was mowing down opposing lineups, and the offense found a rhythm. The bullpen was lockdown. The vibes? Immaculate. It was the kind of run that makes you believe in October magic, even if the reality around it was a lot less enchanting. Before and after the streak, the Twins were flat, but those two weeks were special. It was a reminder of what this roster can do when everything aligns.

Kody Clemens? Really?
When the Twins traded for Kody Clemens from the Phillies, it was out of necessity more than anything. They needed infield help. He needed a job. It wasn’t a headline-grabbing move. But then Clemens caught fire. During the team’s 13-game winning streak, he delivered clutch hit after clutch hit. He’s cooled down since, but his improved bat speed and timely power have kept him relevant. He’s not an everyday answer, but Clemens has turned into a surprisingly valuable bench piece, and that’s more than anyone expected.

Luke Keaschall’s Record-Tying Debut
Keaschall was already viewed as one of the Twins’ top prospects, but few expected him to make such an immediate impact. In his first seven games, Keaschall went 7-for-19 with three doubles, five walks, and five stolen bases. That last number tied a modern record (five steals in his first five games), something no Twin had ever done.

Keaschall brought energy, speed, and a patient approach at the plate. His call-up was interrupted by a broken arm, but it electrified the lineup at a time when it desperately needed a spark.

Surprises of the Wrong Kind
Not every surprise was pleasant. Here are a few developments the Twins surely didn’t plan for.

Miranda and Julien’s Unexpected Demotions
Coming into the year, it looked like Jose Miranda and Edouard Julien were part of the team’s foundation. Fast forward to June, and both are spending time in St. Paul. Julien has shown some life in Triple-A with strong on-base numbers and signs of his usual pop, but Miranda’s struggles continue. It’s been a frustrating regression, especially considering both players have shown flashes of being everyday contributors. There’s still time for them to rebound, but 2025 has not gone according to plan.

Bailey Ober’s Regression
Ober had been a model of consistency. That changed this season. He’s been fighting through a left hip issue that’s been nagging him since spring training, and the injury has affected both his velocity and command. While he’s avoided the injured list, he’s had to make mechanical adjustments to compensate, and the results haven’t been pretty (85 ERA+). The hope is that a bit of rest over the All-Star break can help get Ober back to the version Twins fans have come to rely on.

Carlos Correa’s Disappearing Bat
Correa’s defense is still elite. But his offense? Not so much. With a 92 OPS+, Correa is having the worst offensive season of his career. His bat has been a black hole in the middle of a lineup that’s already struggled to find consistency. If the Twins hope to make a legitimate push in the second half, they need Correa to return to form (and soon).

The first half of the season has been a rollercoaster of unexpected highs and frustrating lows. Buxton's resurgence has been everything Twins fans have waited for, and the emergence of players like Keaschall and Clemens provided unlikely boosts. At the same time, disappointing performances and health concerns have derailed some key players. The Twins have shown flashes of brilliance, but it will take a more consistent second half to stay in the playoff picture.

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What surprised you the most about the Twins’ first half? Drop a comment below and join the conversation.

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[rdehring]

Thanks, Cody.

One thought I had when reading this was whether or not Matthews could be back before the break.  Would be nice if he could as it would allow the Twins to put Ober on the IL for fifteen days.  Together with the all-star break, maybe three weeks would get his hip fully healthy?

[Doctor Gast]

Buxton's production wasn't surprising. I was expecting him to be healthy, which equates great performance. Correa usually starts slow, but his extra-slow start makes me think he's playing hurt. For the last 2 seasons, Julien has been a liability both on defense & offense, so it's surprising to me that the Twins kept sticking with him. Miranda's disappointment is expected in how they are managing him.

Many thought that the Twins' rotation was strong, but they are fragile. Making up with 3 young arms (Festa with fatigue arm early), Paddack bad arm history, Ober with a sore hip early, & Ryan was hurt last year. Our strongest SP (Lopez) has been our 1st casualty, followed by Matthews. I advocated from the beginning to limit the rotation's innings by having a rotating long relief/ spot starting role from SWR, Festa & Matthews to take the burden off the rotation & BP. They needed to put Ober on the IL from the beginning to fix his hip instead of him limping through. When Lopez went down, they should have picked up a veteran inning-eater SP to compensate for their huge void.

[FlyingFinn]

I agree - Buxton being healthy for the first half of the season and Clemens clutch power hitting were my two surprises. Negative - I thought Alcala would finally be a great reliever (I know.... I shouldn't have been surprised!) and Julien not hitting.

[LambchoP]

I heard Kyle Gibson was available for the league minimum. Couldn't hurt to grab him if there's a chance Ober needs an IL stint. It's clear we have no viable in house options in AAA other than Adams, who should already be up in the pen as our long reliever/piggyback arm. I'd rather see him get a chance than Wentz. Correa needs to step in up and find a way to quit grounding out to SS every at bat. He's actually been more of a liability than a threat at the plate with RISP with his double play tendency...

[Mike Sixel]

Alcala being this bad. 

Buxton being healthy, really healthy. 

Clemens.

Ober struggling. He's got to be hurting.

Rocco being extended already.

[DJL44]

Ty France's fielding has been a positive surprise

[mikelink45]

Disappointed Royce Lewis. 

Surprise - how often Bride was on the mound 

Disappointed with Vasquez bat

Everything else was covered in the article and in the comments so far. 

[Parfigliano]

Surprised by how bad the hitting has been.

[JBK]

Surprised Rocco was extended during a 3-17 streak.  Makes organization look silly.

[Blyleven2011]

The biggest surprise was Castro laying down a perfect sacrifice clutch bunt last night June 27th ...

Buxton scored , well executed  , need more of that ...

What I'm not surprised about is the malarkey that falvey and Rocco continue to tell the fans and never implement them , maybe July is the month they start changing their ways ....

[Joe A. Preusser]

All-Star Castro being All-Star Castro.  Is nice to see a consistent elevated level.of play.  Kudos.

[Sjoski]

4 hours ago, JBK said:

Surprised Rocco was extended during a 3-17 streak.  Makes organization look silly.

Exactly — the Pohlad family looking at the going rate for a top-tier manager was like:

"Eight million? For decisions? We’ve got a guy who already knows how to over-manage the bullpen a faction of that!"

This wasn't about strategy, leadership, or accountability — it was about keeping the payroll lower than the team batting average in April.

Or, as I said in another post. 

It was like giving your dog a treat for peeing on the carpet. 

 

 

[S Bart]

Take a look at the hitting team hitting stats. You will notice that Larnach is near the top in all of the categories. I am also pleased with Lee's recent production.

Disappointing...Vasquez...decent at defense but his .172 BA is the simply horrible. Does he ever take hitting practice?

[DocBauer]

SURPRISES:

France isn't as good as I hoped for (less power) but better than I expected, including with the glove.

Clemens had his big month, and has settled down now, but is a solid bench piece. Never saw his addition coming or being playable.

I didn't dislike the Bader signing, but he's been better than I expected.

I didn't expect Keaschall up so soon.

MILD SURPRISE: 

I actually expected Buxton be generally healthy and play 120 games. But as good as he's been in stretches, has he ever been THIS GOOD? He's one of the top performers in all of MLB, IMO.

I thought Lee would start to figure it out, and he has.

DISAPPOINTMENTS:

The offense. 1B isn't manned by a difference maker, despite solid contributions from France. And I actually had hopes/expectations that his return to a trainer he worked with previously and had good results with would have Lewis more healthy. But even still, I NEVER expected Correa to be this out of whack with his feet healthy again and coming off a great season.

I never expected 2B to be such a question mark, even with options there. (Injuries have affected this spot to a degree, indirectly at least). I never expected BOTH Miranda and Julien to perform so poorly. (Julien IS starting to look better at AAA in June). Wallner seems to be built impervious to damage, so I never expected his injury. But even still, I thought there was enough talent available for a medium ranked offense, with the potential for top 10.

I really, really thought this was the year Alcala was used properly and would reward the Twins with dividends by being an outstanding 6-7th inning arm.

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, but the "injury curse, including top prospects" spread an even wider net this season. The dependable Wallner and Lopez got hurt, and then Matthews. At AAA injuries have hit Rodriguez, Martin, Morris, and now even Gasper and 3rd catcher Camargo, (TJ surgery). Before the season even began, half the projected AA rotation was on the IL to begin with. And a step down, Soto has been on the IL for weeks now.

Total injuries at the ML level haven't been as desimating for the Twins as it has been for some teams, but there have been enough to really screw up any momentum that they were building. 

[DocBauer]

8 hours ago, JBK said:

Surprised Rocco was extended during a 3-17 streak.  Makes organization look silly.

The extension was reported recently. The actual time frame for the extension is unknown. Hayes reported it when he had confirmation. Could have happened during the winning streak, could have happened before the season started.  Its just a report. 

[Doctor Wu]

14 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

The biggest surprise was Castro laying down a perfect sacrifice clutch bunt last night June 27th

I was going to comment on that in the game thread ... but yes, that was a HUGE surprise. I wonder if he was told to try that bunt or was it his own idea? In either case, well done!

[Doctor Wu]

9 hours ago, DocBauer said:

I actually expected Buxton be generally healthy and play 120 games. But as good as he's been in stretches, has he ever been THIS GOOD? He's one of the top performers in all of MLB, IMO.

Yes indeed, This is the Buxton we have been expecting (and hoping for) for several injury-plagued years already. Has he turned a corner and ripened at age 30? I only hope that it's only the beginning of a multi-year hot streak. We need sustained star power like he is showing this season. 

[Whitey333]

Ɓuxton has been great.  He should be named player of the month for June.  It's sad that it literally took 10 years, yes 10 long years to see him both play regularly and produce.  But the team as a whole is what we thought they were met. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

22 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

I agree - Buxton being healthy for the first half of the season and Clemens clutch power hitting were my two surprises. Negative - I thought Alcala would finally be a great reliever (I know.... I shouldn't have been surprised!) and Julien not hitting.

Alcala has finally been a great reliever the last 5 games...just not for the Twins !

[LambchoP]

We finally get to see a healthy, all star type season from Buxton and everyone else around him has career worst numbers. Such a Twins thing to happen. Good things countered by multiple bad things.

[Twins GFP]

On 6/28/2025 at 11:34 AM, mikelink45 said:

Surprise - how often Bride was on the mound 

Jonah Bride has pitched in 4 games.
Zebby Matthews has pitched in 4 games.

I bet nobody had that on their 1st-half bingo cards.