What Josh Bell’s Signing Means for the Rest of the Twins’ Lineup

[Linus]

7 minutes ago, nova_twins said:

Neither Ober nor SWR can bring back anything impactful. 

Ryan or Lopez is just taking with one hand and giving to the other. Get worse in the rotation for an upgrade elsewhere. Why? There's no guarantee even the current rotation will be a strength. 

There is no magical series of trades out there. This isn't a video game. 

With that response I think I have found the off ramp. 

[bunsen82]

4 hours ago, DJL44 said:

They signed the 37th best first baseman of 2025 to help them "compete". That's a terrible signing. Ty France (27th) and Kody Clemens (20th) both ranked higher than Josh Bell.

I am willing to bet he will outperform, like France, Clemens, and Santana before him. I  wonder if we would treat him as a true DH, pick up another true defensive 1st baseman, have Clemens as the second baseman and Keaschall as an outfielder.

[Mike Sixel]

3 minutes ago, bunsen82 said:

I am willing to bet he will outperform, like France, Clemens, and Santana before him. I  wonder if we would treat him as a true DH, pick up another true defensive 1st baseman, have Clemens as the second baseman and Keaschall as an outfielder.

Why would you move Keascell to the OF at this point? Four of Their top prospects are OF. Long term, it's about those 4 (2-3 being good or better). They also have Wallner and Roden and Martin on the roster (or Larnach/Outman). 

If Keaschell was moving anywhere, IMO, it would be first base.....

[Danchat]

2 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

Ty France had to be packaged with Louis Varland to offload 2 months of his $1m contract for Alan Roden who shouldn’t make any 26 man roster and is out of options. That was not a good deal. He over performed and still sucked. Bader had his best season in years. These are absolutely examples of outcomes that could happen. Either end of it. Knowing this team, which is more likely to repeat?

Roden has 2 option years remaining.

I don't believe that France's $300K had to be offloaded in the deal, I think he was just a throw-in that the Jays took for depth. The deal was Varland for Rojas and Roden. I know people don't like Roden close to as much as Rojas, but I think it's silly to think they were willing to part with Varland for Rojas alone. France wasn't worth Roden.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

Even with the defensive shortcomings, Bell adds a legitimate bat to the middle of Minnesota’s order. When he elevates the ball, he does so with authority. Statcast ranked his 96.4-mph average exit velocity on line drives and fly balls 25th among 251 qualified hitters. His isolated power of .507 on fly balls sits well above the league average, even if it falls short of elite territory.

Bell’s long-standing issue has been his tendency to hit the ball on the ground. Last season’s 45.7% ground ball rate was actually the second-lowest of his career, trailing only the 44% mark from his 37-homer season in 2019. Even so, that number remains well above the league average.

The usual qualifiers about not nitpicking about content on a free site apply, but ... Most of this two-paragraph excerpt is strikingly similar to a section of the MLBTR article on the Bell signing. It's not just the same facts cited (which are relevant, and of course people are bound to cite some of the same stats), but also sentences that are structured the same with a few word substitutions, almost to the point of direct copies in a couple places. This is not to say that this article doesn't read well, but if I were the MLBTR writer happening across it, I might not be pleased...

[DocBauer]

OK, finally home and settled and have a chance to comment. A few personal items to mention first.

#1] I wanted Bell last offseason. I don't know if 1 year younger makes a major difference, but I thought he was an inexpensive addition to the lineup as a DH/1B who could help. So I can't exactly bash his signing now.

#2] For THIS offseason...realizing a month or so ago Naylor was a pipedream...I wanted O'Hearn or the less expensive Lowe on a 2yr deal to "settle" 1B for a couple of years to allow the Twins to FINALLY find their 1B of the future either within the system, or via trade. I didn't care that neither was a true "slugger". I saw a pair of solid 1B who could HIT, have a decent OB%, decent power, and solid career splits.

OK, so that's out of the way.

Despite NOT getting what I wanted, and what I thought was the smarter move...baseball wise, screw the Pohlads idea of a payroll...I don't dislike this move within the vacuum of the current roster and speculated payroll.

I 100% understand the frustration with the Twins looking to "raise the floor" instead of the ceiling. And I'm on @chpettit19 bandwagon of objecting to limited thinking, just as I'm on the @Riverbrianobjection to yet another 1yr rental at 1B. So please don't accuse me of blowing smoke about this signing. Again, it's not exactly what I wanted, even though I kinda like it.

BUT, what we got is a solid, consistent career production BAT. He has really solid numbers against RHP, and except for 2025, he's maintained a pretty solid career OPS vs LHP.

He's not a good defensive 1B. He's better as a DH who CAN play 1B. But I found it very interesting listening to the G&G podcast today when it was pointed that a 3rd party had pertinent information that the Twins defensive alignment over the past few seasons had their 1B playing closer to the bag than most teams. That might help explain how/why Sano, Arraez, Solano, and even France might have been better than expected.

What we don't know yet is whether Bell was signed to be the primary 1B, or a primary DH, or a mix. And if you believe in WAR, Bell has lost points as a defender from his overall production. But what if the defensive alignment the Twins are supposedly known for allow Bell to just stay closer to the bag to make sure outs are outs? Well, it puts more pressure on the rest of the INF...not necessarily a good thing...but if he can reach and scoop properly, he might not suck at 1B entirely. 

What if this also allows the addition of someone like Andujar, who has been speculated as a possible signing? Just spitballing here, but he "can" play 3B/OF corners here and there, as well as 1B. This adds a RH bench bat helps Clemens as a now utility player.

NOT saying that's the next move, only saying I can see a path for another solid bat to maybe be added.

REGARDING THE LINEUP FOR 2026:

Well, I guess we're talking about Opening Day and ASSUMING the FO won't make a major move such as Rodriguez or Jenkins to open the season due to youth and possible control possibities.

Larnach, more than ever, has no place. Again, I don't dislike him, but there is NO FIT. HOPEFULLY he's packaged with a lower level prospect or 2 for a decent RP option to a team in need for a solid LH bat against RHP. A decent prospect at worst. He's a solid player, but he just doesn't fit the 2026 team.

Clemens as a utility player who can play some 1B, Bell as a 1B/DH and Andujar, or a similar signing, on the cheap, really can raise the floor.

But I digress a bit here offering speculation for an Opening Day roster when we still don't know all the potential moves to be made.

Bell is NOT a difference maker. But he's a solid player who deepens the lineup with solid career numbers. There is world that isn't fantasy where Buxton and Lewis and Wallner are all healthy and have solid seasons where Bell is MUCH better than what France provided.

I can see an Opening Day Lineup with Keaschall #1, and maybe an old school lineup with Roden/Martin #2 with hitting and OB% ability to allow Buxton to drive in runs. 

Behind him SHOULD BE a mix of Lewis getting right and Wallner rebounding to what he was in 2023-24.

Bell comes next at a 6 spot. That's a solid lineup. But let's just accept the fact that Bell was signed for that role. And if he does better, that's great. But he wasn't signed to be a difference maker in the 3-5 slot. He was meant to augment what's on hand.

It's on Falvey, the players, new hitting coaches, and even Bell to make a lineup like that work. And it would be a really solid lineup.

But come June 1st, for an arbitrary date, Rodriguez and Jenkins are pounding at the door, what happens?

The DH spot gets more crowded and interesting. But to START the season, I just can't be disgruntled by adding a solid BAT with power and proven production considering how many games have been lost the past few seasons by 1 or 2 runs.

I just can't hate this signing even though it's not crazy good.

[bunsen82]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Why would you move Keascell to the OF at this point? Four of Their top prospects are OF. Long term, it's about those 4 (2-3 being good or better). They also have Wallner and Roden and Martin on the roster (or Larnach/Outman). 

If Keaschell was moving anywhere, IMO, it would be first base.....

Well because they said they were going to try him out there. Someone here said his defense in outfield was better than 2nd.   Our best prospects may be outfielders, but they aren’t up yet, Larnach has a high probability of getting traded and I feel better with Keashall in right or left than Roden or Wallner.  Even still it isn’t great. 

[Nashvilletwin]

9 hours ago, bunsen82 said:

I am willing to bet he will outperform, like France, Clemens, and Santana before him. I  wonder if we would treat him as a true DH, pick up another true defensive 1st baseman, have Clemens as the second baseman and Keaschall as an outfielder.

I’ll take the under on Bell outperforming Santana.  With respect to him outperforming France and Clemens, I’d still take the under, but the difference one way or the other won’t matter much anyway. At least France could play defense. 

[the_brute_squad]

Spring training for this squad better not be a country club getaway for the lads this year. They better spend a lot of extra time working on defense. Every day the core infield should be working away from everyone else until the season opener arrives. 

Defense wins championships (so does a lot of money)

[saviking]

You can be assured that even if Bell is having a bad year offensively AND defensively, the Twins will not cut him. 

[nicksaviking]

12 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Is he really better than Clemens - I posted their stats on another TD essay - I am not convinced we improved.

Yes, and by a mile. Pretty much everybody is better than Kody Clemens. Nobody should buy into a fluke season by a 29-year-old, particularly when that fluke season had a .281 OBP. That doesn't come close to entering an acceptable range for a MLB player. He was last season's Michael A Taylor, he's going to normalize back to the mean real fast. You just can't be a meaningful player if you can't get on base in this league.

[mikelink45]

15 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Yes, and by a mile. Pretty much everybody is better than Kody Clemens. Nobody should buy into a fluke season by a 29-year-old, particularly when that fluke season had a .281 OBP. That doesn't come close to entering an acceptable range for a MLB player. He was last season's Michael A Taylor, he's going to normalize back to the mean real fast. You just can't be a meaningful player if you can't get on base in this league.

This is from my previous posting - 

How much did we improve?  Cody Clemens 213/281/434 Josh Bell 237/325/417 are you whelmed or underwhelmed?  Clemens 19 HR in 348 AB - Bell 22 in 468

Clemens 1 WAR Bell 0.4 WAR

Royce Lewis had one really good season and we continue to believe in him.  I am not big on Clemens, but I am not big on Bell either!

[David Maro]

Signed another bandaid to play 1st again. The infield is shaping up to be the worst in years. The money spent should have been used on the empty BP.

[nicksaviking]

1 minute ago, mikelink45 said:

This is from my previous posting - 

How much did we improve?  Cody Clemens 213/281/434 Josh Bell 237/325/417 are you whelmed or underwhelmed?  Clemens 19 HR in 348 AB - Bell 22 in 468

Clemens 1 WAR Bell 0.4 WAR

Royce Lewis had one really good season and we continue to believe in him.  I am not big on Clemens, but I am not big on Bell either!

Clemens CANNOT get on base, even in his breakout year. Any perceived production from him last year is entirely unsustainable. 

Bell isn't very good, but Clemens is and will always be a AAAA player. At best.

[NYCTK]

13 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

Ty France had to be packaged with Louis Varland to offload 2 months of his $1m contract for Alan Roden who shouldn’t make any 26 man roster and is out of options. That was not a good deal. He over performed and still sucked. Bader had his best season in years. These are absolutely examples of outcomes that could happen. Either end of it. Knowing this team, which is more likely to repeat?

If you view Ty France as a $700,000 contract that was then traded at the deadline for Alan Roden...yeah, that's a great deal actually. Why are we pretending that it wasn't? 

And knowing this team is pretty irrelevant. Knowing Bell, I think we'll probably see a lumbering 750 OPS splitting time between 1B and DH for aboit $4 million that is then traded for something of little consequence, like an A ball middle infielder. 

Sounds like an entirely reasonable deal. 

[Woof Bronzer]

12 hours ago, nova_twins said:

It's what they can afford, I really don't see the point of pretending there's some easy magic fix and Falvey just loves losing instead. It's a childish way of looking at the situation. 

Ah yes, as opposed to the much more mature way of looking at the situation by constructing straw men (nobody has ever said it's some easy magic fix; nobody has ever said Falvey loves losing) and insulting those who disagree with you.  Thanks for being the adult, great job!  

[Otaknam]

Bell solidifies the infield as being the worst defensively in either league. If Larnach and Wallner are the corner outfielders as well, this team will win the preseason butchers award. I pity the starting rotation with this defense out there. 

[Woof Bronzer]

13 hours ago, nova_twins said:

I don't understand what all the armchair GMs would do with no budget. Make fantasy trades that can't happen in real life I guess. 

Play the kids.  Build toward something better.  Do something different.  

[mikelink45]

15 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Clemens CANNOT get on base, even in his breakout year. Any perceived production from him last year is entirely unsustainable. 

Bell isn't very good, but Clemens is and will always be a AAAA player. At best.

Both statements can be true and this can still be a poor signing and not an improvement.

[DJL44]

So far the Twins, in their drive to contend, have added a bad manager, a bad catcher, a bad first baseman and a mediocre relief pitcher. Start printing playoff tickets!

[LyleCole]

17 hours ago, DJL44 said:

They signed the 37th best first baseman of 2025 to help them "compete". That's a terrible signing. Ty France (27th) and Kody Clemens (20th) both ranked higher than Josh Bell.

I never said Bell was a better first baseman.  What I did say was that first base is the lowest priority defensive position and that Bell was a significantly better hitter than either France or Clemens.  

Last season Josh Bell had an OPS+ of 110 and has a career OPS+ of 114.   He has never had a season with an OPS+ below 100.   

By contrast, Kody Clemens had a career year with an OPS+ of 94.  He is essentially a 30 year old journeyman player with a career OPS+ of 81.  

Ty France had a 2025 OPS+ of 88 with the Twins and Jays.   France had some decent OPS numbers earlier in his career but was just a 92 OPS+ hitter in 2024 and 88 in 2025.   He lacks power for the first base position, hitting just 7 home runs in 490 plate appearances, compared to Bell's 22 in 533 PAs.

So, I am not sure how these rankings are computed, and frankly, ranking Kody Clemens as the 20th best first baseman in the MLB seems somewhat dubious.   Josh Bell was better statistically as a hitter in almost every category.  

Again, I personally do not believe this is a good signing.  Bell is a 33 year old player signed to a one year deal.  He probably makes us better in 2026 than almost every possible player at 1B but I think it is better for the long term competitiveness of the Twins to go with a younger player who has some potential.    Hell, bring in Aaron Sabato and give him 40 games to see if he can make contact with the baseball.  I doubt he can, but what is the difference.  

[Old Crow]

20 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

The headline should add "as currently constructed." LOTS of changes, and I don't at all expect that Bell will be here to play defense at 1B full time. 

One can only hope.

[DJL44]

3 hours ago, the_brute_squad said:

Spring training for this squad better not be a country club getaway for the lads this year. They better spend a lot of extra time working on defense. Every day the core infield should be working away from everyone else until the season opener arrives. 

Defense wins championships (so does a lot of money)

You can give top tier athletes a lot of repetitions and improve their consistency on defense. You can't take bad athletes and "coach them up" to become good. The competition is also working hard and they're better athletes.

[Old Crow]

20 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

The headline should add "as currently constructed." LOTS of changes, and I don't at all expect that Bell will be here to play defense at 1B full time. 

 

[Jeff K]

Seems like a surrender signing.  I would have liked the Twins to trade from their pitching strengths to gain a first baseman that has a chance to be a real solution.  Bell is another DH.  We've got plenty of those guys.

[Ricky Vaughn]

I have nothing against Bell, hes ok if used properly. As long hes hitting in the bottom half of the line up and is the dh at least 1/2the time. My problem is after the trade deadline last year the message was we're going to get more athletic, faster, more aggressive, and a better fielding team. How does this move advance that plan?

[Nashvilletwin]

1 hour ago, Otaknam said:

Bell solidifies the infield as being the worst defensively in either league. If Larnach and Wallner are the corner outfielders as well, this team will win the preseason butchers award. I pity the starting rotation with this defense out there. 

……..but the relief corps will make up for our poor defense….

[nova_twins]

2 hours ago, Jeff K said:

Seems like a surrender signing.  I would have liked the Twins to trade from their pitching strengths to gain a first baseman that has a chance to be a real solution.  Bell is another DH.  We've got plenty of those guys.

The Twins don't actually have excess pitching though. 

This thread and others like it are full of complaints that the Twins don't acquire premium talent in exchange for mediocre talent. 

I am 100% certain that if other clubs offer the Twins massive talent upgrades for no reason, the Twins will happily accept. 

[JD-TWINS]

Buxton - Martin - Larnach - Wallner - Lewis - Lee - Keaschall - Bell - Jeffers - Jackson all seem to be locks for roster out of Spring Training in my estimation. 10 spots.

Last 3 on roster: Roden or Outman - Clemens - some guy that can play SS ………..any conversations about how Eddie Julien is going to get Reps at 1B, to me, are ridiculous …….unless he hits .500 in Spring Training he’ll be jettisoned.

[twinstalker]

For what people think of Josh Bell, they should take note that his minors predictors are fantastic in comparison to anybody in the Twins system (esp EmRod), excluding Jenkins, with Gonzalez and Culpepper arguably somewhat close?.

Even a past-prime Bell is better than most anything the Twins can expect or reasonably hope for from their system.  I see nothing past those three, and they're AAA.  This system is bereft of hitting, and I've never seen anything like it.  Maybe conveniently forgetting.