Week in Review: Starters Finish Strong

[Nick Nelson]

Image courtesy of Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Weekly Nutshell:
The Twins surpassed the 90-loss mark on the season's final road trip, marking their first time reaching this milestone of failure in the Derek Falvey or Rocco Baldelli eras. It was a second straight season stained by devastating levels of disappointment, with a capable roster repeatedly shrinking in key moments and ultimately collapsing in embarrassing fashion. 

This time around, the front office got out front of things by selling off half the roster at the deadline, leaving the team's future outlook in a state of complete limbo. Reviewing a second half in which the remnants of the roster posted one of the worst records in baseball, with sub-par performances almost across the board, it's been hard to find much in the way of silver linings to grasp onto. But the Twins did close things out by winning four of their last seven games, and did so behind some really outstanding work from a starting pitching corps that they hope will lead them back to relevance. We'll certainly take that morsel of positivity heading into an offseason that is likely to leave most fans wanting.

Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 9/22 through Sun, 9/28
***
Record Last Week: 3-3 (Overall: 70-92)
Run Differential Last Week: +7 (Overall: -95)
Standing: 4th Place in AL Central (17.5 GB) 

Game 157 | MIN 4, TEX 1: Zebby Rebounds as Twins Run Wild in Victory

• Matthews: 7 IP, 0 R, 6 K, 0 BB

Game 158 | TEX 4, MIN 2: Offense and Bullpen Struggle, Let Down Bradley

• Adams: 0.2 IP, 3 ER, L

Game 159 | MIN 4, TEX 0: Ober Finishes Strong, Buxton Homers Twice

• Ober: 6 IP, 0 R, 5 K

Game 160 | PHI 3, MIN 1: Nola Flirts with Perfection, Vázquez Plays Spoiler

• Twins hitters: 4 H, 0 BB, 11 K

Game 161 | MIN 5, PHI 0: Abel Shines in Return as Twin Shut Out Phillies

• Abel: 6 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 9 K

Game 162 | PHI 2, MIN 1: SWR Finishes Strong, Lineup Can't Come Through

• Woods Richardson: 6 IP, 0 R, 9 K

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NEWS & NOTES

The Twins suddenly morphed into the most aggressive baserunning team in the league during the final month, leading all of MLB in steals. And while this certainly made for more entertaining viewing, it didn't equate to more winning, and there is an inherent risk that came to light in the final week. Breakout rookie Luke Keaschall suffered a left thumb sprain while sliding into second against the Rangers on Tuesday, and it sounds like he'll need surgery, following in the footsteps of Alan Roden who experienced a similar ordeal. 

Keaschall will have an offseason to heal up and should hopefully be good to go next spring. But he's another example of a promising young Twins player whose ascent has been besieged by injuries and setbacks. His last season ended in Tommy John surgery and he missed half of this one with a broken forearm. Hopefully the highly talented 23-year-old can bounce back and overcome all the early wear and tear, but as we've seen, that's not a given.

In other news, the Twins got back both of their injured catchers for the final road trip – Christian Vázquez (infection) was activated on Monday and Ryan Jeffers (concussion) the following day. The unwavering availability of these two ultra-durable backstops at the game's most punishing position, up until their respective injuries late this season, has been one of the cooler Twins side stories, so it's good to see them both make it back to the active roster before the finish line.

Finally: Lefty reliever Anthony Misiewicz was activated following a two-month absence for the season's final game on Sunday. Pierson Ohl was optioned in a corresponding move. My read is that the Twins wanted to do the veteran journeyman Misiewicz a favor by giving him one chance to show he's healthy and capable after dealing with a shoulder injury. (He was first out of the bullpen on Sunday.) Ohl had an up-and-down MLB debut in the Twins bullpen, but finished brilliantly with eight shutout innings over his final six appearances. He will likely have a prominent role in the rebuilt Minnesota bullpen next year.

HIGHLIGHTS

It was not a strong second half overall for the Minnesota Twins rotation — one of the biggest gut punches for fans in the wake of a deadline teardown that was primarily focused on strengthening this unit for the long haul. But Twins starters did have a very strong final week, and that gives us some tangible hope to hang onto as we navigate into the offseason.

Zebby Matthews opened the week with a gem in Texas, holding the Rangers to one run on four hits over seven-plus innings with six strikeouts and no walks. This was a major turnaround for Matthews coming off perhaps the worst start of his career at home against the Yankees (3 IP, 11 ER). He finishes the season with a 5.56 ERA but a more encouraging 3.79 FIP in 79 ⅓ innings. Matthews has much to prove, including that his shoulder can hold up, but he's definitely shown he has what it takes to be a rotation building block.

Taj Bradley made a good case for that in his final start as well. Like Matthews, Bradley has been plagued by inconsistency as a big-leaguer. But like Matthews, his final start of 2025 showcased the reasons to believe in his long-term viability as a mid-rotation starter or better. On Wednesday, Bradley cruised through six innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts and one walk. The secondary stuff was on point in this one. Bradley's final results as a Twin weren't good (6.61 ERA) but he completed five or more innings in five of six starts. Seems like a good floor-setting debut.

 

On Saturday night, Mick Abel made his first MLB start in over a month, taking the mound against a Phillies team that drafted and developed him. Abel rose to the occasion against his former organization, shaking off a season's worth of rookie struggles to demonstrate his potential. Locked in from the very start, he held Philadelphia scoreless on three hits, all singles, in six efficient innings. Abel struck out nine with one walk on just 73 pitches, peppering the strike zone and inducing 13 whiffs with a fastball that touched 99 MPH.

 

Simeon Woods Richardon rounded out a great week for the rotation, and a great second half for himself, with another brilliant performance in Philly: 6 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 9 K. Since the start of July, Woods Richardson has worked around a stomach issue that knocked him out of action to post a 3.40 ERA in 11 outings, including 2.33 in five September starts, which included some of the most dominant swing-and-miss efforts of his career

 

With Pablo López sidelined, the two remaining veteran fixtures in the rotation also both finished on high notes: Joe Ryan tossed five innings of one-run ball on Friday night, and one day earlier, Bailey Ober fired six shutout frames. It was a rocky second half but a fantastic season for Ryan. Ober's overall grade for 2025 is much lower, but he quietly had a semi-resurgent stretch upon returning from Triple-A, leading the pitching staff in fWAR in August and September while allowing nine homers in 10 starts. 

There are big question marks going forward surrounding Ober, Ryan and López. Does Ober still have frontline ability within him? Will one or both of Ryan and López be traded? Optimism is at odds with reality in each of these instances. 

But in theory, the Twins could be equipped to survive the subtractions of former veteran mainstays. It all depends on how well and how quickly this next wave of starters pans out. That's why these positive signs, as well as Connor Prielipp being named Twins minor-leaguer of the year to cap off a comeback campaign that ended in Triple-A, are so very invigorating to see.

On the hitting side, Byron Buxton put the finishing touches on a career year with four more homers in five games, pushing his season total to 35. Healthy at last, Buxton slashed .264/.327/.551, stole 24 bases without getting caught, and posted 5.0 fWAR in 542 plate appearances. Two years after making zero starts in center field, he made 118, and could be in line for a Silver Slugger. 

Buxton has already earned $1 million incentives for playing time and will trigger another $3 million bonus with a top-10 MVP finish, which seems likely. What a year for a guy who is finally getting his due, both financially and reputationally. (Harrison Bader recently called Buxton the best position player he's ever played with.)

 

Austin Martin closed out his season on a fitting note, dashing around the bases and scoring from first on a double with the go-ahead run in Sunday's finale. For the week, he tallied three hits, three walks and a steal in four games. This wasn't an extraordinary sample for him, but Martin's performance in general since arriving after the deadline selloff absolutely deserves commending. He was outside of the team's plans coming out of spring training, and six months later, was batting leadoff as the starting left fielder on the final day of the season. This despite missing half the season with hamstring injuries! Martin could easily find himself back in the same place next Opening Day, leading off and starting in left, after slashing .282/.374/.365 in 181 plate appearances with the Twins. 

Even more important than the offensive output, I think, is the huge improvement Martin has shown defensively. Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune notes that Martin has gone from being worth negative-6 runs defensively in 2024 to plus-five in 2025, per the Defensive Runs Saved metric.

 

Some other bats that flashed in the final week, and where things might go from here with these players:

Vázquez seemed very happy to be back from a prolonged absence, putting up his best week of the year with ease. He went 5-for-12 with two walks and no strikeouts, homering to break up Aaron Nola's perfect game on Friday night. He even stole a base! Vázquez is heading to free agency and facing a lukewarm market after posting a 61 OPS+ in three years as a Twin. I could pretty easily see him being brought back to help develop an emerging young staff on a non-contender.

Unlike Martin, Edouard Julien didn't take advantage of his opportunity to show he belongs in August and September, posting a meager .660 OPS with only one home run, but he at least provided a splash of production on his way out, notching six hits including a pair of doubles in the last week. I'm not sure it'll be enough to save him, with the Twins likely to move on during the offseason. 

Somewhat ironically, Ryan Fitzgerald probably has much better odds than Julien of being in the team's plans in 2026. He wasn't even invited to big-league camp back in February, but Fitzgerald has made the most of his unexpected first opportunity in the majors, showing a solid plate approach and popping four home runs in  53 plate appearances. Fitzgerald has appeared all around the infield in his short time with the Twins, including shortstop, and that's a profile the team will need to have around. 

LOWLIGHTS

Depth on the left side of the infield, like Fitzgerald is able to provide, will be especially crucial as far as 2026 planning goes, because the de facto starters at both shortstop and third base are awfully difficult to have faith in. 

Brooks Lee closed out his season by going 3-for-22 with a trio of singles and one walk. He scored a run and drove in none. It's the same old story for Lee, who experienced a modest and brief hot streak in the middle of the month, then promptly reverted into an out-making machine. He ends the year with a .655 OPS, sixth-lowest out of 145 players with 500-plus PA. While he appeared capable in his first prolonged exposure at shortstop, defensive metrics don't rate him very favorably. 

Royce Lewis also has not been able to sustain any type of momentum in a season that leaves his career at a crossroads. Like Ryan, Lewis has been openly musing about his future in Minnesota as this lost season winds down, but in Lewis' case it seems more like wishful thinking. Yeah, he might be keen on getting a fresh start elsewhere — that's a pretty fair read on his quotes — but, what would be the Twins' incentive to trade him? 

Lewis hasn't done much of anything to prop up his value this year. His .671 OPS is a continuation of last year's sharp drop-off. He hit 13 homers, but when he ran into one it almost felt by accident. The improvement we've seen lately on defense and on the base paths is starkly overshadowed by his persistently dysfunctional bat.

Lewis went 4-for-23 in the final week — no RBIs, no runs scored — to finish with a dreadful .237/.283/.388 slash line. He drew one walk in 98 September plate appearances. That stat itself really says it all: a combination of bad swing decisions and opposing pitchers who are completely unafraid to come into the zone.

It's been a long time since we've seen the best version of Royce, but he's still only 26 and baseball is a rollercoaster of a sport. Players get lost and they find themselves. Serious injuries often take years to fully clear up. I have a hard time conjuring a scenario where a trade brings back enough value to accept giving up on Royce's ability resurfacing within the next year or two. 

When you talk about "shaking up the core" of the Twins or whatever, in a way that actually improves their outlook, the moves that make most sense are trying to find a trade partner for Lewis or Lee. They currently look like impediments to building a successful lineup. But for that reason, neither is a valuable trading commodity, and the Twins are probably better off standing pat and hoping — with blind faith, some might argue at this point — that they can turn it around and turn into worthy regulars. 

 

Honestly, that is by no means out of the question, because these are talented players: former top prospects and first-round picks who, at least in Lewis' case, have already shined on the biggest stage. But what we've seen all year from them, right up through the finish line, has been anything but reassuring. It's been confidence-shattering. 

TRENDING STORYLINE

The big question that now looms in the wake of this dismal season: Who have we seen for the last time in a Minnesota Twins uniform? Departing free agents and fringy minor-league castaways are more or less givens. (Though as mentioned, I'm not sold we've seen the last of Vázquez.)

As the Twins openly transition into a low-effort rebuild, with Joe Pohlad hinting at more short-term pain in store on top of what fans have already been subjected to, you wonder how players like Ryan, López, Ober, Trevor Larnach and Jeffers fit into the plan. Anyone making over the minimum will likely be scrutinized. You even wonder if Buxton's disenchantment might override his fierce loyalty. Cory Provus speculated in an interview last week that this might've been Buck's last season finale in Minnesota. Everyone's gotta have limits.

 

Rocco Baldelli's job status is the hottest topic in the immediate aftermath of another lifeless second half for the Twins. He's under contract for 2026 but managers rarely make it through the kind of catastrophic underdeliveries we've seen over the past two years, and to me, it's kind of hard to argue that one should. A new manager wouldn't be a solution to this franchise's many woes, but would at least represent a substantive step in a different direction.

Morale among Twins fandom is incredibly low. That's no secret. There is a world where the upcoming offseason proves energizing and inspiring, fueled by exciting newcomers in the ownership group, the coaching staff, even on the roster. But again, optimism is at odds with reality. Everything that's been said and done by Twins leadership signals toward a low-budget rebuild, potentially spanning multiple years, with the promise of sparse crowds and meaningless games at Target Field in the interim.

But that's not set in stone. A new season brings a fresh slate and the front office will have the opportunity to reshape the organizational makeup, in a way that incumbent leadership rarely receives. What can Falvey and Co. do with it, if indeed they're staying in place? 

We'll be covering it all as the offseason blueprint comes together, and however next year's club materializes, you can bet we'll be back here breaking down the action each Sunday night on the Week in Review. Thanks to all who followed along and engaged this season!

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[jorgenswest]

@Nick Nelson 

I have appreciated these weekly reviews. Thank you.

[mikelink45]

Another good summary, but much more optimistic than I would have written.  2026 is such a mystery - I only want to enjoy the playoffs and think about the Twins next year.  

[tony&rodney]

Thank you for these weekly summaries Nick.

The roster/ team/ organization needs help. Quite a bit of work will need to be done to get the Twins back near a .500 record. 

Never say never.

[Vanimal46]

Thank you for another season of these weekly recaps Nick. I’ve got to imagine this was the most difficult season to keep up with since you started doing it. 

This was a season of anger. A season that pushed me over the edge with the Pohlads. A season of bewilderment how this team ever won 13 games in a row. 

[TheLeviathan]

I would argue our entire infield is a question next year.  Keaschall has proven he can hit, but his fielding looks rough.

Not that you replace him, but there are plenty of questions to go around on the positional side of things.

[SaberNerd]

Don't see any reason to look at trading Lee and/or Lewis this offseason.  We are a rebuilding team and those are the type of players we want next year.  If they aren't good enough to play here, why would someone else give up a good player for them?

[Brandon]

23 minutes ago, SaberNerd said:

Don't see any reason to look at trading Lee and/or Lewis this offseason.  We are a rebuilding team and those are the type of players we want next year.  If they aren't good enough to play here, why would someone else give up a good player for them?

If Lee doesn’t take a step forward to claim 2B, SS or 3B when Culpepper is ready to take over at SS he could get moved to utility player and if Lewis doesn’t improve he could end up platooning with Lee.  The good news is next season we have lots of good hitting prospects on the way.  And we will need all next season to develop an effective bullpen.  Our rotation looks close to competitive but they have a few salaries so probably not…. 

[Bracky]

"Anyone making over the minimum will likely be scrutinized."

I don't know about you but that sure sounds like a great way to build a winner to me! /sarcasm 

Playerwise, I hope we hang on to Pablo. I really like his presence, attitude and he is always an enjoyable interview. Sure hope Buxton doesn't end up waiving his no trade clause as that would be a heart breaker.

I do really see value in Vasquez especially with a lot of young arms. I feel he calls good games.

No good statistical reason for this but I also would like to see Clemens back. I just like him.

[old nurse]

7 hours ago, Bracky said:

"Anyone making over the minimum will likely be scrutinized."

I don't know about you but that sure sounds like a great way to build a winner to me! /sarcasm 

Playerwise, I hope we hang on to Pablo. I really like his presence, attitude and he is always an enjoyable interview. Sure hope Buxton doesn't end up waiving his no trade clause as that would be a heart breaker.

I do really see value in Vasquez especially with a lot of young arms. I feel he calls good games.

No good statistical reason for this but I also would like to see Clemens back. I just like him.

For as long as this site has been in business, anyone making over the minimum gets scrutinized. 

[Doctor Wu]

Only one week, but some VERY encouraging outings by SWR, Bradley, Zebby, Abel and even Ober. I initially dismissed the idea of the Twins trading both Lopez and Ryan during the off-season, but I have come around to the idea of trading a possibly disgruntled Ryan for a productive bat. But I really hope that they keep Lopez. As Bracky noted, he's a good veteran clubhouse guy with a positive attitude and intelligence. Okay, that doesn't always translate to on-field performance, but I think that sort of positivity can be infectious and the Twins certainly need that going into next season,. 

[Doctor Wu]

8 hours ago, Brandon said:

If Lee doesn’t take a step forward to claim 2B, SS or 3B when Culpepper is ready to take over at SS he could get moved to utility player and if Lewis doesn’t improve he could end up platooning with Lee.  The good news is next season we have lots of good hitting prospects on the way.  And we will need all next season to develop an effective bullpen.  Our rotation looks close to competitive but they have a few salaries so probably not…. 

I still don't know what to think of Lee. Every time I see clips of him playing, even the highlights, I feel underwhelmed. Maybe next season will be when it all clicks and he becomes an above average player, but as things are looking now he is going to have a short career unless he turns it around. 

[mikelink45]

8 hours ago, Brandon said:

If Lee doesn’t take a step forward to claim 2B, SS or 3B when Culpepper is ready to take over at SS he could get moved to utility player and if Lewis doesn’t improve he could end up platooning with Lee.  The good news is next season we have lots of good hitting prospects on the way.  And we will need all next season to develop an effective bullpen.  Our rotation looks close to competitive but they have a few salaries so probably not…. 

Have you noticed how good hitting prospects have done the last five years?  Lewis the big number one started fast and now we wonder about his future.  Lee was going to be ready, his father and lineage said potential star.  Julien came up and looked like he would make us forget Arraez, then he became AAAA.  Miranda had a record on base streak and now is not even AAAA.  Wallner came up, made Gleeman excited and then hit 202.  Larnach was a first rounder who only needed time.  Now he is replacement level.  Keirsey and McCusker won at AAA just as Gaspar did - and now we don't even see them as bench players (unless we want a designated SB - Keirsey.  

Of course we also pick up great bats like Roden (191), Outman (134), and Bride (170). Holding judgment on Clemens (213). 

[rdehring]

Thanks for doing these this year, Nick.  They are appreciated, a lot.

Add me to those who are both excited and intrigued by this past week's starting pitching.  Is it for real?  Can these kids, and Ober, maintain this into next year?  Their four veteran starting pitchers, yes, I include SWR in this group, are capable of being as good as most of the good teams. 

Four young starters, plus Prielipp and Rojas a bit further away, provide more than adequate depth for the season.  Seems to me that they not only might trade one of their front-end starters, Lopez or Ryan, but it is the smart move.  The key will be getting a return that not only includes a top young prospect, but also a younger very good late inning reliever.  Should they do that, moving either top of the rotation starter can help the team actually compete next year and beyond.  Personally, I hope they keep Lopez even though his salary will be more than double Ryan's.  Most important, however, is they maintain a good line of communication with Buxton all winter long so he understands what they are doing and is on board with their plan.  

[rv78]

• Tuesday: Zebby Matthews — 7 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 6 strikeouts
• Wednesday: Taj Bradley — 6 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 9 strikeouts
• Thursday: Bailey Ober — 6 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 5 strikeouts
• Friday: Joe Ryan — 5 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 9 strikeouts
• Saturday: Mick Abel — 6 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 9 strikeouts
• Sunday: Simeon Woods Richardson — 6 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 9 strikeouts

Going 3-3 with starting pitching like this indicates an anemic offense and/or a poor bullpen. Pablo Lopez isn't even listed. Keep in mind while the Phillies are one of the best teams in the NL the Rangers offense is worse than the Twins so be careful how much stock you put into the Matthews, Bradley, and Ober outings. Will Ryan or Lopez be back? That's the front of the rotation with no clear replacements in place if they are traded. Buxton could decide a trade is his best chance at a championship. Will Falvey or a new Front Office fix the offense and rebuild the bullpen? 2026 will be worse than 2025 if those 3 are traded and the Twins brass don't change their approach to fixing the roster. Which direction will they take?

[Otaknam]

There are some positives in an otherwise disastrous season. The starting pitching has some young depth, but no obvious number one bulldog starter like a Verlander or Jack Morris. Still, I do like the depth if Abel, Matthews, Festa and Bradley can take a step forward. I am surprised that SWR pitched that well to close out the season. But it’s good to have someone like him as number 5, which I think is his ceiling. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Ryan is traded, as he would bring a haul. Lopez’ injury might prevent him from being traded, but the cheapskate Pohlads might do another salary dump. As for the lineup, Larnach, Wallner, Correa and Lewis all underperformed, which was the biggest problem this year. Poor RISP hurt them all year. It wouldn’t surprise is Buxton agrees to a trade, and he should bring a pretty good haul, despite his injury history. And Jenkins and EROD seem ready to take the next step. Rocco deserves major criticism for how he handled the starters and poor base running. He is too devoted to analytics in my opinion. And it took him four months to realize the team is capable of and needs to aggressively run the bases, because waiting for extra base hits and home runs and not stealing bases was a losing strategy. All of a sudden they flip that script with two months left and start stealing multiple bases by almost everyone on the roster. That’s unforgivable to me. 

[Brandon]

1 hour ago, Doctor Wu said:

I still don't know what to think of Lee. Every time I see clips of him playing, even the highlights, I feel underwhelmed. Maybe next season will be when it all clicks and he becomes an above average player, but as things are looking now he is going to have a short career unless he turns it around. 

I thought I heard he was a solid defensive player.  If he can handle 2B, SS, and 3B defensively then we can live with subpar offense for a few years with him as a back up.  But I agree he has to hit better.  

[Woof Bronzer]

Thanks for these weekly recaps Nick.  It must have been a very trying year for TD, appreciate all the work.  

[Blyleven2011]

Thanks nick for the reviews weekly  , ups and downs with very few highlights except for the 13 game winning streak  ...

Starting Pitching was our strength  , bullpen on paper was the best in the league and sold off at the deadline for a low-light of the season  , a dreadful idea with really no depth to fill those vacancy ...

We have the off season to fill out the bullpen as we can shuffle some of own homegrown starting talent into bullpen arms ...

Season in review ...

The lineup failed miserably , their approach failed miserably  , pressure situations failed miserably , lineups that performed one day were replaced with a different lineup the following day , no consistency to the lineup failed miserably , the adjustments never came and failed miserably ...

Baldelli and some fans mentioned we had no speed on the bases , after deadline trades the players showed they could steal bases with consistency and from what I heard it took a coach to advise Rocco to be more aggressive on the bases after deadline trades , find a lineup that works and stick with it , give the lineup a daily routine they are comfortable with and some wins will come your way ...

Fundamentals failed miserably  , top draft choices are failing miserably at this level  , Rocco is in charge but he and his coaches don't appear to be good instructors in teaching the prospects to play at the hardest level  ...

Some Prospects have earned their promotions through the minors , some have been promoted to early to the MLB level  , you have to take the prospects talent from AAA to the major leagues and have to continue to teach and develop these prospects at the hardest level  , IMO that is where Rocco and his coaches failed miserably  ...

The key word is miserably ...

The organization failed miserably  ...

I followed practically every game , I did not fail my affection for baseball and I'll not have any twins baseball withdrawals because the seasonis over , 2021 , 2022 , part of 2024 and last but not least 2025 have been some of the worst baseball the twins have ever played all because the FO and Rocco thought we were a homerun hitting team because of a juiced ball 2019 season , they are slow learners at every aspect of the game ...

 

[Jeff K]

3 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

Only one week, but some VERY encouraging outings by SWR, Bradley, Zebby, Abel and even Ober. I initially dismissed the idea of the Twins trading both Lopez and Ryan during the off-season, but I have come around to the idea of trading a possibly disgruntled Ryan for a productive bat. But I really hope that they keep Lopez. As Bracky noted, he's a good veteran clubhouse guy with a positive attitude and intelligence. Okay, that doesn't always translate to on-field performance, but I think that sort of positivity can be infectious and the Twins certainly need that going into next season,. 

I'm heading in the same direction regarding Ryan.  He is an excellent pitcher, but his comments seem to indicate that he wants out.  And he will bring a significant haul.  You've got to give to get and Ryan just might be that guy.  I really hope that doesn't push Buxton over the edge as he is a joy to watch and there are not a lot of Twins that I can say that about.

[Doctor Gast]

Thanks, Nick, for your weekly reviews. Buck had a great year & so did Ryan. Ryan kinda petered out towards the end but he stayed healthy. SWR has proven to be an established SP, who adjusts quickly & keeps us in games. I see him as the 4th SP if Ryan or Lopez aren't traded. The last starts from Bradley, Zebby & even Able were promising.

Small market teams like MIL & CLE have shown us the way to operate as a small/ mid-sized market. Which of .Falvey's weird analytical philosophies are the complete opposite. Philosophies that are ignorant of what is going on in the league, focusing on cold, hard data. Void of any human considerations like character, heart, & instincts. Void of any human underlying conditions like injuries or if the league hasn't or has adjusted to you. Void of fundamentals like defense, baserunning & bunting. Void of proper coaching instructions. Player evaluations that is based on if you hit their way or you are acquired by Falvey, then you have unlimited opportunities & none if you aren't. Beyond this, Falvey doesn't have the ability to initiate & close on an essential trade. IMO, Falvey doesn't really listen to anyone (including players) if they don't fit into his scheme of things. All this takes the heart & soul out of the team. Which became more & more obvious after Falvey failed to add to the '23 successful playoff core.

Nick you said that " the sell-off was getting ahead of it". Ahead of what????? Year after year, Falvey has made lame excuses for not competing & come up with sacrificial lambs. The last has been the core, so he got rid of a huge chunk of the remaining core & probably isn't done. At the same time, making the Pohlads happy by cutting payroll. The core had been playing w/o any heart, which I don't blame them for with a FO that don't give you an opportunity to go anywhere. 

The players haven't been the problem. Prospects come up & have to relearn everything that they were taught & the coaches don't seem to help much. I'm more optimistic about the pitching but it seems like they overvalue the pitching where they come up short. If we want to succeed like MIL, we'll have to tear management down from top to bottom & bring in someone who can copy MIL. Until that happens, it's impossible for me to get excited about this team.

 

 

 

 

 

[Major League Ready]

12 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

I would argue our entire infield is a question next year.  Keaschall has proven he can hit, but his fielding looks rough.

Not that you replace him, but there are plenty of questions to go around on the positional side of things.

I think you make a good point but I also think they give Lewis 1 more year to prove himself.  Brooks Lee will get a couple month runway but he will have to look better offensively and defensively or likely be replaced before the half-way point by Culpepper.  Keaschall gets a couple months at 2B but he just might end up at 1B depending on what emerges for 1B and 2B options.  

The OF is a similar situation.  They probably start the season with Buxton/Martin/Roden and Outman.  Hopefully, Jenkins is up by June 1 and takes one of those spots.  I would not be shocked if Wallner is not even on the roster come spring.   They have many OF options that are ready or nearly ready.  

They won't contend even if they keep Ryan and Lopez unless everything goes remarkably well but they will be interesting.   

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

It is nice to see Bradley, Abel, and Woods Richardson finish on high notes. However, there is a large enough body of work on them at this point. None of them will attain the consistent level of performance of Lopez or Ryan.

Bradley is hittable but reliable as a 5th starter in the mold of Kyle Gibson. Abel has a minor league career rate of 5 walks per 9 innings, too high to play well at this level. SWR has not shown consistency or length, but is still early enough in his career to visualize his last start as a springboard for the future. I think SWR or Matthews give us the best chance of a mid rotation starter in the mold of Ober in the next year or two. 

Same with Austin Martin and a few others mentioned. We know these players by now. The Twins should not over analyze good performances in the statistically noisy final week. 

An outfield of Buxton, Roden, Larnach, Wallner and Martin is shaky, but maybe Walker Jenkins can slot in there next year and impress. Larnach, once described by this front office as a leader and positive influence, seems like the odd man out.

At this point maybe Lee’s best move is to third base when Culpepper is ready to be called up to play short. 

And then the manager and coaches.

But take all that with a grain of salt. It seems like a bunch of us diehards play the “who plays & where” game all year, every year, discussing the team, trying to analyze the best possible team in a moment of time.

And then this front office always surprises us with something different. 

Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing the Twin Daily owners and writers and their deep dives into the state of the team soon. 

[LA Vikes Fan]

11 hours ago, Bracky said:

"Anyone making over the minimum will likely be scrutinized."

I don't know about you but that sure sounds like a great way to build a winner to me! /sarcasm 

Playerwise, I hope we hang on to Pablo. I really like his presence, attitude and he is always an enjoyable interview. Sure hope Buxton doesn't end up waiving his no trade clause as that would be a heart breaker.

I do really see value in Vasquez especially with a lot of young arms. I feel he calls good games.

No good statistical reason for this but I also would like to see Clemens back. I just like him.

Agreed. I hope we keep Pablo, Ryan, and Ober for next year. There's no reason to trade Ryan or Ober. They are vastly underpaid because they haven't reached free agency. I would only trade Ryan for a cost-controlled middle of the order bat like Jarren Duran, and I just don't see that happening.  Ober has no value after this year. 

I see Buxton, Jeffers, Pablo, Ryan, Ober, Sands, Topa, Lee, Lewis, and one of Wallner or Larnach returning on the veteran side. I could really see Vasquez back as the #2 catcher; the starters sure looked a lot better the last week when he and Jeffers were back.  I agree that Fitzgerald may make sense as the 25th/26th man utility IF. We don't have anybody else and why go out and pay for a IKF type. I'd love to see them get Castro back as a UTL to give us a dependable backup for Lewis, Keaschall and a 5th/6th OF. He stunk in Chicago and I think he may want back to MN where he played better and might be willing to come back for less than the $6M everyone thought he would get in arbitration.  Is Clemens the 1B? I could see him there in a position share with Kyler Fedko.   

There's plenty of room for the younger guys like Martin, Roden, Laweryson, Ohl, and Fedko to start out with, and room for Jenkins, Culpeper and Gonzalez when they're ready.  Let's lean into a youth movement and take our lumps early, not add in mediocre vets in the hope of squeezing out 3-4 more wins. 

[Mike Sixel]

Want to echo the thanks for these, Nick. Wasn't always fun, I'd guess, but I appreciate the work!

[DocBauer]

Yet another honest and well done article, Nick. And yet another thank you for your hard work.

All of the pitchers who ended the season on strong, positive notes is nice. At the very least, they flashed the talent they posses for future hope.

At this point, you could write a rather lengthy OP about the career SWR has had from top prep selection, to a stronger push up the ladder than was maybe called for, to losing development time due to the Olympics, to helping save the 2024 rotation, to a rough-ish start to 2025, then losing 15lbs due to a parasite/intestinal issue, to discovering how good his splitter might be and a strong finish to this season. All before he turned 25yo just a couple days ago. IIRC, he's out of options. But I believe he has now firmly secured a rotation spot for 2026.

I believe Bradley is also out of options as well. I believe Matthews has as much, or more, potential. What happens if he starts to put it together next season? Maybe even in ST? Do they send him down? Would they dare to move a young arm like Bradley to the pen to just keep the best young talent on hand? 

Maybe I've not read quotes from Ryan...or Lewis for that matter...the same way others have. I've only read snippets where they simply state they just don't know what's going to this offseason, with wonder whether they might be moved or not. That's how I've taken their comments, which all seem pretty reasonable at the end of a disappointing season and the fire sale at the deadline.

What's interesting to me are various quotes from former players like Jax and Bader in a NY Times article I read today from Hayes & Gleeman in which they state the clubhouse had a positive vibe all season, even though the year didn't go well. Granted they weren't part of the team the last 2 months, but still, there was no negativity presented at all. So I'm just not reading "trade demands" from ANYONE, including Ryan and Lewis. I think everyone is just frustrated and confused about the future.

Just way too early to give up on Lewis and Lee, I agree on that 100%. A strong offseason of health and hard work could see both take a positive step forward. Will they? IDK. But you'd be selling really low on a couple of former top prospects who are still quite young. K-Pepper provides some real excitement for the INF along with Keaschall. But Lewis in particular taking a step forward is important for 2026. (Not to dismiss Lee's importance at SS, or possibly a valuable utility INF.

The OF is in flux, but Martin's sudden emergence is a positive going in to 2026, though it's possible his future is as a 4th OF with the pending arrivals in 2026 of Jenkins, Rodriguez, Gonzalez, possibly Fedko, and Roden hopefully taking a step forward. I believe Larnach will be gone due to salary vs performance. But Wallner's 2023-24 seasons simply can't be dismissed. There's a lot of potential and a bunch of options for an opening day OF, and one that might look different, and even better, come around June 1st.

I'm quietly intrigued by Sands...up and down since the deadline...and Funderburk seeming to take a step forward given their opportunities. I think Ohl has a chance to be pretty good. Not so sure Adams doesn't offer some hope as well. Good initial debut from Lawyerson in a SSSS. But there's obviously a lot of work to be done regarding the pen this offseason. 

While my faith in the FO is virtually gone, I remain intrigued about the Twins OF and INF. I still like Jeffers behind the plate, but who backs him up? If they're going to spend $3M for a veteran backup, might it be Vazquez? It might be. But how much gas does he have left in the tank? I think I'd rather take a shot elsewhere, but the backup catcher is the least of my worries as of today.

Falvey speaks about some development time for young players and some possible speed bumps...by no means a direct quote...but also speaks about talent on hand, depth, and depth of young talent about to arrive. He even includes Ober and Ryan when speaking about the strength and depth of the rotation. So is he just talking out both sides of his mouth? Or is he saying they both figure in to the 2026 plans but breaking in the younger arms, and the young OF, and Keaschall and K-Pepper all breaking in? Maybe he's also talking about Lewis and Lee needing to take a step forward without naming them?

Or again, is he just talking out both sides of his mouth? I guess I'll reserve judgment for now.

I'm still mixed on Rocco back as manager. I still don't believe full fault should be placed on his shoulders. I think the player roster is starting to round in to more of what he wants, power, (the potential is still there), but a better mix of athleticism and speed. 

The single biggest issue over the past couple of years has been the offense. Case on point, they have basically been the worst or 2nd worst team in all of MLB with the bases loaded over the past 5 years. And it's NOT due to K rates as the Twins have sharply declined that factor as of late, but have actually seen their production actually drop. There's been a serious disconnect with the offense. A shakeup needs to take place. With Miranda, Julien, Correa all gone, and Larnach probably gone, that shakeup is starting to take place. Martin stepping forward, and the arrival of Keaschall, are another pair of lineup changes, which also is a portion of more running, or at least taking an extra base. And a collection of really nice looking prospects about to debut adds hope, potential, and excitement. 

But do these recent and impending changes ignite the offense? Does it improve the defense? And how much blame do Rocco and his coaches bear? How much is on the players? Does Rocco deserve another opportunity to work with a re-tooled roster to play a different game with more speed and better defense? I really don't know. 

And I have no clue who would be a better choice. I have no doubt Baldelli would have a job in a different organization tomorrow if let go, whether in a FO, or on someone's bench. He's pretty well respected as a baseball guy. But maybe the Twins just need a new voice and approach?

There's just too many unknowns today, with the regular season done. I do know that I'm excited about the OF, cautiously excited and optimistic about the INF, excited about the rotation and depth of arms, and those are really good places to start.

But I do wonder if it's time for a new voice and approach from a new manager and coaching staff.

 

 

 

[jorgenswest]

I commented early on that Pereda might be a major league catcher. Watching him more I don’t think that was correct. I think I was swayed by the small sample of at bats and SWR dominating the Yankees. Pereda had a very rough game in that Bradley start against the Yankees. He struggled in all areas of the catcher job. There were four stolen bases on him though he didn’t play the full game. He failed to catch Martin’s on line throw in the play at home. He over threw second base on one of his four attempts to throw out a runner. He is better than Gasper but both had negative framing numbers while Jeffers and Vazquez were in the positive.

The Twins chose to send out Pereda and return to a healthy Vazquez and Jeffers this week. If that decision aided in those good starts from Abel, Matthews, Bradley, Ober and Woods Richardson it was the correct move. All five benefit from going into the off season on a high note.