Minnesota Twins Should Retain Pete Maki as Pitching Coach

[Cody Schoenmann]

Hiring Derek Shelton (a candidate with meaningful ties to and prior experience with the Minnesota Twins) to succeed Rocco Baldelli as manager indicates that team decision-makers don't believe a significant overhaul of philosophy or messaging is needed for the club to return to postseason contention. On the surface, remaining static after enduring what were two of the most emotionally draining seasons in team history (for off- and on-field reasons) feels like a misguided approach.

Yet, given the club's recent success (Yes, 2023 and the first half of 2024 weren't that long ago) and its sound approach to roster building, which many successful major league clubs mimic, there is reason to believe the Twins could contend for the AL Central title in 2026 if they overhaul their bullpen and add one-or-more above-average bats over the offseason. Now, given that team decision-makers are expected to operate under significant spending restrictions this winter, roster improvement attempts won't manifest through spending in free agency. Yet, given the club's knack for creative roster building, various high-impact, low-monetary-cost trades could occur in the next handful of months.

As mentioned earlier, Minnesota's lineup and offensive approach need a significant overhaul, meaning Shelton and team decision-makers would be wise to dismiss Matt Borgschulte as hitting coach. Hiring a new hitting coach and bringing in new personnel to revive what has become one of baseball's most stagnant lineups will be a daunting task. Yet, much of that burden should be buffered by the Twins' pitching staff performing like one of the AL's best units, a standard they have set for themselves since Pete Maki took over as full-time pitching coach on Jul. 1, 2022.

Since Jul. 1, 2022, Minnesota's pitching staff possesses the following rankings amongst the 15 AL teams:

• 2nd in fWAR
• 3rd in FIP
• 4th in xERA
• 3rd in SIERA
• 2nd in strikeout rate and K-BB%

Are some of these metrics confusing and convoluted? Yes, however, they share an overarching point: Minnesota has fielded a top-three AL pitching staff from both a results and projections perspective since Maki took over as full-time pitching coach three-and-a-half seasons ago.  

Minnesota's front office and Maki reached this standard by implementing modern research and development practices while acquiring and maximizing starting rotation and bullpen talent. That being the case, Maki has been able to take talented arms like Pablo López, Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Jhoan Durán, and others, and maximize their potential through utilizing these resources and methods.

Even in one of the most emotionally draining seasons in contemporary Twins history, wherein team decision-makers parted ways with high-leverage relievers Jhoan Durán, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, Brock Stewart, and Danny Coulombe at the 2025 Trade Deadline, Maki still guided Minnesota toward fielding the AL's sixth-best pitching staff, according to fWAR. Yes, the unit experienced a significant drop-off post-deadline, ranking 14th out of 15 AL teams in fWAR. Yet, little blame should be placed on Maki for that result, given the bullpen was gutted and the team had given up on the season.

Given the unit's results over the previous three-and-a-half seasons and the organization's sound pitching development and research systems, Maki deserves to be retained as the club's pitching coach under Shelton. With frontline starting pitchers Pablo López and Joe Ryan expected to return next season alongside Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson, and Taj Bradley to round out the rotation, there is reason to believe Minnesota could again possess one of the AL's most effective starting rotations early next season. Again, the bullpen needs to be reconstructed. Yet, Maki has garnered enough goodwill to oversee that process in 2026.

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[ashbury]

Is Maki under contract?  Perhaps he has his feelers out for a new situation.

[lecroy24fan]

I would think all coaches have been given the option to look elsewhere since a new manager was hired. I do want Maki to stay.

[AceWrigley]

Got no problems with Maki.

Edit: Though I would like him to corral what ever magic is necessary to help Zebby not give up so many hits.

[AceWrigley]

On another note as it pertains to positions in MLB: vice president of amateur forecasting and player evaluation initiatives. Really? It's another organization but, what the heck is that? It's starting to get weird fellas (and gals).

[DocBauer]

Wes Johnson was built like a 5' 8" firey pitcher that would drill you old school fashion if you showed him up if you hit a HR off of him. And he brought that fire, it seemed, as a pitching coach. And for whatever reason he decided to bail on the Twins for LSU, and ultimately the TOP JOB at Georgia. Good for him I guess.

But he left behind a quieter option in Maki that I'm not sure isn't as good of a coach, despite a different disposition. 

What I know about Colby Suggs is he's supposedly smart as hell, and started as a scout and numbers man. He's supposed to be a fast riser, so why not keep him.

Ramirez has played all around the globe and has 16yrs in the Twins system. At the very least, he should be kept for experience and a Latin influence and interrepture, unless there is a better option in Shelton's way of thinking.

Regardless of Maki sticking around or not...and I don't have any clue if there's a better man for the job or not...I absolutely LOVE the idea of Hawkins joining the staff. 

If he's actually ready to take this duty under his wings, he provides 21 seasons as a ML pitcher who failed as a starter and then carved out a tremendous career as a pen arm.

Maki and the current Staff is a a strong maybe. Adding Hawkins, IMO, is a strong YES, no matter the rest of the staff.

[Doctor Gast]

Tingler, Conger, Watkin & the hitting coach have to be gone. I'm OK with keeping Maki.

[S Bart]

Fully agree to keep Maki as he knows the pitchers....if he wants to stay. It is not his fault the bullpen was traded away mid-season. Watkins should depart. .he made bad choices coaching 3rd. RAMIREZ adds a Spanish speaker to the mix. Shelton should select his own bench coach that he can lean on and will probably not be Tingler. It would help if it was a Spanish speaker.

[DJL44]

Pete Maki might be the best pitching coach in franchise history.

[Doc Lenz]

Unpopular view:

 

Keeping the Captain of the “pitching pipeline “ is like rehiring the Captain of the Titanic. Let’s get a fresh face that can start fresh with our young flamethrowers.

[Blyleven2011]

I really want nothing associated with Rocco's staff to remain because I  want no remembrance of a manager that was not a major league manager ( i hope this is my final jab at rocco , but i want one more final punch at falvey when that time comes ) ,  if maki is retained i can live with it  , but Tingler and Watkins should be out the door with a tazer prodding them on to move faster  ...

I really have no idea how many coaches we have and I don't even know most of their names  , it's ridiculous that we have so many coaches to help with the teams players and so it seems the team has played more poorly under Falvey and his influx of coaches ...

Terry Ryan had alot less to work with besides payroll ...

[Brock O. Lee]

2 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

Though I would like him to corral what ever magic is necessary to help Zebby not give up so many hits.

That magic comes in the form of the ball-strike challenge system. Twins Daily wrote about the headwinds the Twins faced in getting fair ball-strike calls, and I don't think any pitcher was more impacted than Zebby. He walked 1.15 per 9 across the minors, but that number more than doubles in the majors (2.66 per 9)? I don't think the batters are that much better. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Since I feel like Rocco was a bit of a scapegoat and thought while he deserved to be fired for his inability to hire tactical bench coaches, no manager could have succeeded with the team Rocco was handed by Falvey.

The pitching staffs were Legitimately very good, I can’t give too much credit to Maki. That being said, this is as good of a rationale for keeping him as any.

[ashbury]

3 hours ago, lecroy24fan said:

I would think all coaches have been given the option to look elsewhere since a new manager was hired. 

I don't disagree, but I also feel as if the quick hire reflects an explicit message to the ones they'd like to retain,  "we've eliminated the uncertainty and hope you'll stay."  

[old nurse]

The front office works in collaboration with the manager. I would guess it wasn’t Baldelli hanging out the help wanted sign.  The front office has their opinion on pitching. Maki appears to have the same vision as he has retained his job.  I doubt this front office is going to change that. As far as most of the rest of the coaching staff, better players make you look smarter. Just ask what’s his name in Toronto.  Look bad coaching Margot, look like a genius coaching Springer 

[Blyleven2011]

1 hour ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

Since I feel like Rocco was a bit of a scapegoat and thought while he deserved to be fired for his inability to hire tactical bench coaches, no manager could have succeeded with the team Rocco was handed by Falvey.

The pitching staffs were Legitimately very good, I can’t give too much credit to Maki. That being said, this is as good of a rationale for keeping him as any.

I do believe that a different manager could of succeeded in at least playing a better exciting brand of baseball  , the entertaining value has been pretty low and the players who falvey has trotted out 2 years in arow from 2024 into 2025 are actually better than they have performed ( at least on paper ) , but why haven't they performed is maybe the question that Falvey's and Rocco's plan was dragging them down ...

We will have a new manager and maybe a new spark will ignite some better play from the core players , sure wish falvey would keep out of the day to day game and let a manager manage  , how can anyone and the players have respect for a manager that is only a puppet ...

I would want to play for a leader for better morale and team chemistry , Falvey's and Rocco's players just went through the motions of playing for a failing plan which is sad ...

Falvey and Rocco are not leaders and can't fight there way out of a paper sack ( where have all the leaders gone , even in politics we haven't seen a true leader in awhile )..

Has anyone heard definitely if rocco has had any formal interview with another team  , there are just a few spots remaining to fill a teams manager position ...

[Parfigliano]

4 hours ago, Doc Lenz said:

Unpopular view:

 

Keeping the Captain of the “pitching pipeline “ is like rehiring the Captain of the Titanic. Let’s get a fresh face that can start fresh with our young flamethrowers.

The pitching is the only aspect of the team that was well above average.  I hope Maki is still with TC when spring training starts.

[Parfigliano]

3 hours ago, Brock O. Lee said:

That magic comes in the form of the ball-strike challenge system. Twins Daily wrote about the headwinds the Twins faced in getting fair ball-strike calls, and I don't think any pitcher was more impacted than Zebby. He walked 1.15 per 9 across the minors, but that number more than doubles in the majors (2.66 per 9)? I don't think the batters are that much better. 

The legit batters in MLB are much much better then those in AAA.  That's why the stay in MLB and don't pinball back and forth between the two.

[Lasorda_This_Out]

This is a parody with the hiring of Falvek Shelton?

Correct?

[the_brute_squad]

I'll take a pitching coach the prefers location and pitch mix over throw hard, throw harder, and blow your arm/shoulder out.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

7 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

I do believe that a different manager could of succeeded in at least playing a better exciting brand of baseball  , the entertaining value has been pretty low and the players who falvey has trotted out 2 years in arow from 2024 into 2025 are actually better than they have performed ( at least on paper ) , but why haven't they performed is maybe the question that Falvey's and Rocco's plan was dragging them down ...

We will have a new manager and maybe a new spark will ignite some better play from the core players , sure wish falvey would keep out of the day to day game and let a manager manage  , how can anyone and the players have respect for a manager that is only a puppet ...

I would want to play for a leader for better morale and team chemistry , Falvey's and Rocco's players just went through the motions of playing for a failing plan which is sad ...

Falvey and Rocco are not leaders and can't fight there way out of a paper sack ( where have all the leaders gone , even in politics we haven't seen a true leader in awhile )..

Has anyone heard definitely if rocco has had any formal interview with another team  , there are just a few spots remaining to fill a teams manager position ...

I 100% agree on the desire to watch better more exciting and fundamentally sound baseball, I’m skeptical because so much of that is determined by the skills of the players and the development before they got to the bigs.

i see it as a Falvey problem before (not instead of) a Manager problem

[Brandon27]

If i was derek Shelton I redo the whole coaching staff it time for new coaches.

[rv78]

Well, since the Manager, (whoever it is) answers to Falvey, it's very likely the Coaches (whoever they are) also answer to Falvey. In most MLB situations, the Manager brings in the coaches he wants to have working under him. In Minnesota, I'm not so sure it works that way. Falvey doesn't make mistakes, is the smartest man in the room, and likely controls almost every aspect of what we see on the field, within the Pohlads payroll limitations.

[saviking]

YES!

[Permanent Twins Fan]

I would like to see Pete Maki return in 2026 as the pitching coach, but I wouldn't be completely devastated if he did not. I like to think that he has played some role in the Twins continuing to have an above average pitching staff, but who knows how much of that comes from development earlier on. I know the Twins take a lot of heat for their development of young pitchers and rightfully so in some cases, but there are a few bright spots. My initial thought would be to fire the hitting coach, but that went very wrong last year with the firing of Popkins, so it might be beneficial for the Twins to keep him on a couple of years, but if Shelton comes in wanting a new staff, than I think the Twins should be willing to give him that.

[S Bart]

10 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

I do believe that a different manager could of succeeded in at least playing a better exciting brand of baseball  , the entertaining value has been pretty low and the players who falvey has trotted out 2 years in arow from 2024 into 2025 are actually better than they have performed ( at least on paper ) , but why haven't they performed is maybe the question that Falvey's and Rocco's plan was dragging them down ...

We will have a new manager and maybe a new spark will ignite some better play from the core players , sure wish falvey would keep out of the day to day game and let a manager manage  , how can anyone and the players have respect for a manager that is only a puppet ...

I would want to play for a leader for better morale and team chemistry , Falvey's and Rocco's players just went through the motions of playing for a failing plan which is sad ...

Falvey and Rocco are not leaders and can't fight there way out of a paper sack ( where have all the leaders gone , even in politics we haven't seen a true leader in awhile )..

Has anyone heard definitely if rocco has had any formal interview with another team  , there are just a few spots remaining to fill a teams manager position ...

Rocco is still young and will have future options. He is being paid in 2026. It would seem wise for him to sit back and watch his kids grow while he plants a strategic plan of a return to baseball.

[S Bart]

19 minutes ago, Permanent Twins Fan said:

I would like to see Pete Maki return in 2026 as the pitching coach, but I wouldn't be completely devastated if he did not. I like to think that he has played some role in the Twins continuing to have an above average pitching staff, but who knows how much of that comes from development earlier on. I know the Twins take a lot of heat for their development of young pitchers and rightfully so in some cases, but there are a few bright spots. My initial thought would be to fire the hitting coach, but that went very wrong last year with the firing of Popkins, so it might be beneficial for the Twins to keep him on a couple of years, but if Shelton comes in wanting a new staff, than I think the Twins should be willing to give him that.

Good thoughts

[Jeff K]

15 hours ago, S Bart said:

Fully agree to keep Maki as he knows the pitchers....if he wants to stay. It is not his fault the bullpen was traded away mid-season. Watkins should depart. .he made bad choices coaching 3rd. RAMIREZ adds a Spanish speaker to the mix. Shelton should select his own bench coach that he can lean on and will probably not be Tingler. It would help if it was a Spanish speaker.

For the love of Shaboom (sports deity...kidding), please let Watkins go.

[DJL44]

16 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

Got no problems with Maki.

Edit: Though I would like him to corral what ever magic is necessary to help Zebby not give up so many hits.

Movement, possibly tunneling. Zebby had great command but below average velocity. He upped his velocity over the last offseason and lost a little command. He doesn't need more velocity, now he needs more experience and repetition with his new stuff to control it. If he hits his spots, he's great.

[Craig Arko]

I am not opposed to this idea.