The Minnesota Twins Must Decide If Rocco Baldelli Is the Fall Guy

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins are barreling toward their first 90-loss season under the current front office regime, and it’s fair to ask if a managerial change is on the horizon this winter. For an organization that has spent the better part of the past decade selling a vision of long-term competitiveness, the results on the field tell a different story.

A Five-Year Slide
This will be the fourth time in five years the Twins have missed the playoffs, posting a 383-408 record (.484) since 2021. The lone bright spot came in 2023, when Minnesota won the AL Central, knocked off the Toronto Blue Jays in the Wild Card round, and snapped a decades-long postseason drought without a series win.

That feels like a lifetime ago now. In 2024, the club collapsed down the stretch and pinned the blame on the hitting coaches. In 2025, they collapsed out of the gate. Rocco Baldelli had his 2026 option picked up this summer, but with how this season has unraveled, it’s becoming harder to justify sticking with the status quo.

Who Holds the Power?
Despite the failures, don’t expect sweeping change at the very top. The Pohlads briefly explored selling the team before pulling it off the market, and they aren’t going to fire themselves. Derek Falvey, meanwhile, was just promoted to team president, with Jeremy Zoll elevated to GM. If ownership isn’t willing to cut ties with the front office, that leaves Baldelli as the logical choice for a pink slip.

That’s not to say Baldelli is solely to blame. He’s dealt with shifting rosters, a midseason fire sale, and more than a few questionable roster constructions. Still, managers are often the easiest domino to push when an organization wants to signal change.

The National Buzz
ESPN’s Buster Olney noted that despite Baldelli’s option being picked up, the timing may no longer matter:

• “A lot has changed with the Twins since that decision was made: The team unloaded veterans and salary at the trade deadline, angering fans.”
• “Baldelli is concluding his seventh year with the team and could face the same reality that every manager does: If an organization wants to signal change — and the Twins might want to do that after a messy 2025 season — one of the cheapest ways to do that is to fire the manager. Sometime in the next few weeks, Minnesota’s ownership will make that choice.”

Olney even floated a couple of familiar names as possible replacements: Derek Shelton, who was let go by Pittsburgh earlier this year, and James Rowson, currently with the Yankees. Both have ties to Minnesota, which could help with continuity but also risk doubling down on the same “groupthink” that has defined this front office era.

Beyond Shuffling Deck Chairs
The bigger question is whether firing Baldelli would actually solve anything. At times, it feels like the Twins are simply rearranging deck chairs while the ship continues to take on water. The front office has been reluctant to overhaul a roster that still leans too heavily on a failed core. Internal promotions have replaced outside perspectives, creating a bubble of sameness that hasn’t translated to success.

Minnesota can’t just tinker around the edges again this offseason. If this is the front office that’s going to guide the franchise forward, they need to show fans an actual plan. That means rethinking how the roster is built, clarifying their vision for the future, and, yes, deciding if a new voice in the clubhouse is part of that plan.

The Clock Is Ticking
Baldelli has now managed the Twins for seven seasons, and while there were early highs, the recent lows have been tough to ignore. If the Pohlads and Falvey want to send a message, changing managers may be the quickest way. But unless the larger issues are addressed, it risks being little more than another cosmetic move.

The Twins can’t keep running the same playbook and expecting different results. A course correction is overdue, and it has to start somewhere.

Should the Twins move on from Baldelli? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[Rick Hoffman]

Is Rocco solely to blame for the Twins failures?  No.  But is that really the standard we are shooting for in a manager?  That is certainly not the standard in other places that have had greater success.  He has had more than his share of head scratching lineup choices and pitching decisions, but for me it comes down to two things.  First, the fact that too many of our young hitting prospects have flamed out when they got to the big leagues (changing hitting coaches hasn't changed that).  Second, how many times have his teams overachieved and how many times have they underachieved?  If you answer that honestly, I don't see how you avoid the conclusion it is time for a change.  We should want a manager who can help elevate the team to greater success, not one who isn't the only reason they fail.

[PP24]

If one thinks Rocco needs to go then Falvey needs to go. As stated in the article, it’s the group-think created and implemented by Falvey that has failed. Just changing the manager will make no difference. Either Falvey has to drastically change the philosophy of how the team approaches playing the game on the field - more speed, more athleticism, bat to ball skills, teaching starting pitchers how to throw more innings (teach them to pitch not just throw) or he has to go too. The only hope, other than the Pohlads selling, is that Falvey changes his approach and gets a manager who can better implement that approach. 

[dberthia]

Rocco and Falvey both need to go. They've had plenty of time. It's not working. Let's get a manager in here who has a pulse and can be a motivator.

[Doctor Gast]

Good question, Cody. My answer, face value is no. Falvey will only hire someone worse. Rowson is a very good hitting coach & Sheldon is a very good bench coach, but will they make good managers? IMO, no. But they make better candidates than those Falvey would choose. IMO, Tingler is more likely a person he'd choose.

Who's the real one to blame? Who holds the power? Who is in control? Who shapes the philosophy? Who should be held accountable? The answer is Falvey. Do you want him to stay? Only if Falvey has a come-to-Jesus moment. That he gets the revelation that he knows nothing about baseball & that it was in spite of him not because of him that the '23 Twins did well. That he needs to step aside from the practical baseball operation & stays only in the business side, Get someone like Andy Macphail to take over. Have someone like Tori Hunter (I got from Trev) a very good leader with a lot of baseball knowledge, to be manager, let him put together his coaching team.

The change has to come at the top or nothing changes. If nothing changes at the top, it's senseless to fire Baldelli. We are doomed to be a miserable team for many years either way. Falvey & Baldelli are connected at the hip. Will Falvey sell out Baldelli? If this is his last sacrificial lamb, then yeah.

 

[Blyleven2011]

This is ridiculous who the fall guy is , for years it has been the whole organization ...

The owners don't care about baseball or the fans ...

The front office still think they are the smartest in the room but never address the real issues ....

The manager and coaches are not major league worthy  , dont seem capable to teach the talent at the major league level to be a better talent ...

 

[TopGunn#22]

There is no "Fall Guy."  This is an organizational collapse.  There should be a complete housecleaning, but as long as the Pohlad family owns the Twins that will never happen.  The Pohlad's are all about "continuity" even if it's mediocre or below average.  No real change will happen until the Pohlad's are GONE.  This front office is pretty much the same one that signs a Margot or Shoemaker.  Or pays a Kyle Farmer more than they would a Closer.  

The guys with ties to the Twins organization have already proven they are not MLB Managers.  They are support staff.  Tingler is not the guy either.  Unfortunately, we are stuck with what we've got for now until the Pohlad's actually sell the team and a true purge takes place.  

[old nurse]

Joe Maddon was considered one of the best managers i baseball, he did not last 3 seasons with the Angels. Tom Kelly was considered a great managers, had 3 consecutive 90 loss seasons 

[D.C Twins]

He is not the Fall Guy... objectively, he is not one of the 30 best managers in the world.... or even close for that matter. 

He should have been fired looooong ago.

Him getting his option year picked up when there was NO TEAM waiting to hire him was BONKERS (especially tone deaf when if they were trying to cut salary). If they really wanted him back they could have signed him for less.  Again, there would be NO competition for his services. 

But again, as I've posted elsewhere, I want him to stay now so he can have a daily front row seat to the S- Show that he helped create and suffer as he deserves.

[stringer bell]

I guess I don't think managers and coaches can do much with so-so or worse talent. After the great selloff, the Twins have poor talent. Where Baldelli is culpable is that there has been a succession of players who come to the major leagues with good resumés and projections and they simply haven't developed or produced. Ultimately, responsibility falls on the field staff and the front office. 

The one single thing I disliked about Rocco's managerial style, pinch hitting for platoon advantage in early and middle innings, has diminished this year to almost a non-issue. Pulling a pitcher too soon or too late is always a topic when your team is losing, but I don't think Baldelli terrible in those decisions. I think he actually has done a decent job in not overusing higher leverage bullpen arms.

There does seem to be some fraying in the clubhouse atmosphere, but that probably is more a function of having a losing team playing to half empty ballparks IMHO. 

I wouldn't be surprised if Rocco got another managing job if he is shown the door here in Minnesota, but I do think he's outlived his welcome here in Twins Territory.

[LastOnePicked]

The question isn't why Rocco should go. The question at this point is why should he be allowed to stay. What suggests that he's the voice you want in the dugout as you're welcoming a new wave of prospects getting ready to play winning baseball at the big-league level?

New manager needed. Immediately.

[Nashvilletwin]

He’s had plenty of talent to produce better/more competitive results.  His teams have invariably, if not consistently, underperformed.  He has demonstrably not only been unable to get the most out of his players, but also continue the development of the (baseball industry consensus) top young prospects that he’s received.

With a clear rebuild on the way, the surest way to maximize the probability of failure would be to retain Rocco.

He’s clearly not the only one who bears responsibility, but he certainly needs to go. 

[Nshore]

Molitor: "How do you like me now" ?

[lukeduke1980]

I think he'll be gone and I expect a Falvey word salad about new direction nonsense.  So yes a fall guy because Falvey will be here for a while. 

[NotAboutWinning]

Baldelli will be here as long as his contract says the Pohlads have to pay him. Falvey will continue his gaslighting and tell us all they believe in their core. The Quality Assurance coach will be fired, and maybe an equipment manager. And we will have deja vu all over again 😫

[jorgenswest]

I had to look up fall guy,

Quote

Fall guy is a colloquial phrase that refers to a person to whom blame is deliberately and falsely attributed in order to deflect blame from another party.

No. He won’t be the fall guy.

[JBK]

I work at Home Depot.  I can get Rocco a deal on a 40-foot Penske moving van.

[mikelink45]

I cannot see this team paying Baldelli and another manager - he stays on - it is the Twins way.  Pohlad and Falvey can have a nice team meeting to figure out how to make a meaningless cosmetic change, but for now, why not let Baldelli struggle with an incompetent and incomplete team and then bring in someone else when the prospects rise and it looks like we have a team again. 

[Dave Borton]

Falvey has some magic potion which he uses with Pohlad. Falvey is safe.
Baldelli does whatever he is told. Baldelli is safe.
Tingler. All his fault.  He goes.

Situation resolved.

[DocBauer]

Personally, I rather like Rocco and think he's an OK manager. NOT  great one, but an OK one. I don't like all the moves he makes, but I think he generally does an OK job.

But the same is true of Falvey and his assistants. I truly appreciate Falvey and his fellows bringing the Twins SYSTEM in to the 21st century.  I like a lot of moves they've made, and there's a lot of moves I really don't like. 

I've often said I would like to see what Falvey and company could do if they weren't hamstrung by the Pohlads after 2023 when fan interest was peaking, and the team was on an upswing and the promise for 2024 and beyond was looking pretty bright.

But all the promises and speculation from Joe Pohlad about moving forward, getting better, and even saying he could see the payroll continuing to grow proved to be empty rhetoric. We'll, unfortunately, never know how 2024 would have gone had the payroll stayed at $150M, or even grown a little more to add an important piece or two. 

The FO, growing payroll or suddenly shrinking payroll, are the ones who actually build the roster, and the depth. Not the manager or coaches. From that perspective, Rocco hasn't always had the tools/players he'd probably like to have to run the team the way he'd prefer to. 

But crap rolls down hill. When the owners don't care and mismanage the organization, it affects the FO. From there, the crap continues  continues downhill and ends up the manager's feet.

Rocco wasn't responsible for Shoemaker in his rotation. He wasn't responsible for the addition of Margot. He also wasn't responsible for adding Lopez or Cruz. When he's had more talent, his teams have done pretty well and won. They've failed when they had less talent.

I still see BLAME going up the chain of command to the FO, which goes to the TOP which is the owners. But the Pohlads aren't going to fire themselves. And Falvey isn't going to fire himself.

I can see Rocco back because the Twins seldom make changes. And I'm generally neutral on brining him back or replacing him. I do think a new voice might be necessary at this time of roster overhaul. Again, I don't blame him for poor roster construction or poor choices by the FO. But I have a growing concern for some of the GOOD talent he's had not being maximized. Not everyone! There have been successes as well as failures. Disappointment usually leads to remembrance of the bad, with forgetfulness for the good.

But the voice in charge gets old after a time. It just might be time for a new guy in charge who might bring some different ideas on lineup construction, or work with new/different coaches for a new approach/plan to the players on hand.

I'm pretty neutral on Rocco ultimately being to blame and fired because he's somehow responsible for the past couple of years. But I believe he does bear at least some of the responsibility. So a change might be in order, and I'd probably lean that way.

Who that might be I have ZERO ideas. Maddon was considered great but then got fired. Torre was considered mediocre, and then was considered great when he went to the Yankees. So I really have no answer as to who would be a better replacement. 

[Hrbeks Divot]

Firing the manager signals nothing. Raising payroll to $150M+ is the only thing that would signal any kind of change coming from the Pohlad family.

[USAFChief]

Baldelli is an objectively bad manager.

Nobody blames him for talent deficiencies. But the Twins suck at pretty much everything he's responsible for. Everything. They've been awful at playing the game since shortly after he arrived. 

That's not a coincidence  

You can be talent starved and still play the game well. Or you can be talent rich and play the game poorly.  Both of those situations fall at the feet of the manager. We should have all seen this coming when he made BP and infield optional when he got here.

[Nashvilletwin]

9 hours ago, NotAboutWinning said:

Baldelli will be here as long as his contract says the Pohlads have to pay him. Falvey will continue his gaslighting and tell us all they believe in their core. The Quality Assurance coach will be fired, and maybe an equipment manager. And we will have deja vu all over again 😫

Yeah, I get that sentiment. But the Pohlads are commercial beings. Having Rocco basically destroy another crop of young prospects is not the way to maximize the sale proceeds post the new CBA.

Whatever they lose by having to pay both Rocco next year and a new manager will be more than made up in future equity upside (and probably ticket sales with a more successful team).

Firing Rocco is the smart financial play as well. 

[Whitey333]

IMO Rocco is not a good manager and needs to go.  However Falvey needs to go even more so.  If Rocco is fired Falvey will just replace him with a clone .  Same philosophy same results.  My guess is Rocco and Falvey stay next year and we endure more sloppy baseball with Rocco and more corporate doublespeak from Falvey telling us how great the prospects are and blaming poor attendance on the fans.  It's the Twins way.

[Otaknam]

I concur that this is an organizational failure that can’t be pinned solely on Rocco. Analytics has its place in baseball. But I think the FO sees itself as cutting edge in its approach on analytics, and Rocco totally buys into it. Rocco seems welded to what the computer algorithm tells him what to do, instead of using his knowledge and intuition to make some situational decisions as a manager. The best example of this is how he handles starting pitchers, where he is reluctant to let them pitch to a lineup a third time, with some exceptions. The other problem is underperforming positional players like Lewis, Larnach, and Wallner who have regressed offensively. The only position players who have met or exceeded expectations are Buxton (his constant injuries haven’t helped), Jeffers, and Keaschall and bench guys like Clemens and Martin late in the season. Brooks Lee hasn’t progressed offensively, despite some homerun pop, and he plays mediocre defense at the key defensive position. And, finally, the skeletal remains of the bullpen is filled with scrap heap guys I never heard of, not a prescription for success. My guess is they trade both Ryan and Lopez, both of whom should bring a haul, and just start over. But if they do I hope they get some young arms that don’t come with control issues like the so far disappointing Abel, Rojas, and Bradley.

[David Maro]

Keeping Rocco guarantee to be last place in division in 26. Looking at the White Sox roster they are far better than this roster by miles. The organization is now in the same place as the Rockies the Pirates and Marlins.

As far as payroll goes why is it that organizations like Cleveland compete year after year with a lesser payroll. Its all about management and the Twins have none.

[thelanges5]

Pohlads won’t fire themselves, they have the largest slice in the pie of blame (shame). As many have mentioned firing is not the Pohlad way. I’d be very surprised if they do anything other than a Tingler-type firing.

Heard this on Skor North and I like it #bringbackToriiHunter

[AKTwinsFan]

Almost every person dealt is doing better with their new teams and managers. I get players like him because of his "laid back" style of managing, but young players especially need some structure and accountability. I'm guessing they'll be some decent managers available after this season is over. We need a solid lineup not the constant changing of batting orders and people who aren't producing. We need better base running coaches too.

[Vanimal46]

On 9/13/2025 at 9:11 AM, dberthia said:

Rocco and Falvey both need to go. They've had plenty of time. It's not working. Let's get a manager in here who has a pulse and can be a motivator.

This is the only path forward after this disastrous season is over. Anything less than firing both Falvey and Rocco prolongs the rebuild. 

[Tball]

On 9/13/2025 at 2:24 PM, mikelink45 said:

I cannot see this team paying Baldelli and another manager - he stays on - it is the Twins way.  Pohlad and Falvey can have a nice team meeting to figure out how to make a meaningless cosmetic change, but for now, why not let Baldelli struggle with an incompetent and incomplete team and then bring in someone else when the prospects rise and it looks like we have a team again. 

They’re currently paying Baldelli and Toby Gardenhire.  Give Toby the reigns and give Rocco the pink slip.  Toby has a better idea of what this group can do because he’s seen them succeed.  It worked with Kelly in the’80’s to have him manage the group he coached in the minors.  At this point, what do you lose?