Ranking Seasons of Twins' Derek Falvey Era, From Best to Worst

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Twins and Derek Falvey agreed to part ways at the end of last week, officially closing the book on one of the more eventful eras in recent franchise history. Falvey arrived in Minnesota in late 2016 with a mandate to modernize the organization; rebuild a depleted farm system; and push the Twins back into relevance, after years of mediocrity.

Over the course of nine seasons, Falvey oversaw dramatic swings. There were division titles, record-setting offenses, and long-awaited postseason success—but also deep frustrations tied to payroll constraints, uneven roster construction, and seasons that unraveled quickly. Context matters when evaluating his tenure, as ownership directives often collided with competitive windows, but results still tell a story.

With Falvey’s time in Minnesota now complete, it feels like the right moment to look back and rank each season from best to worst. Some years exceeded expectations, others never stood a chance, and a few may ultimately define how this era is remembered.

9. 2024 Twins (82-80 record)
This wasn’t the worst overall record under Falvey’s tenure, but the second-half collapse likely led to his eventual departure from the team. Minnesota came off the high of the team’s 2023 playoff run and immediately slashed payroll by $30 million, at the direction of ownership. Still, the team was in playoff position until late in the season, when a collapse pushed them out of the playoff picture. What made 2024 sting the most was the sense that the window was closing, rather than opening.

8. 2025 Twins (70-92 record)
Minnesota sold off 10 players at the trade deadline, after hovering around the .500 mark for most of the season’s first half. With little talent left on the roster, the team played poorly down the stretch and finished with the most losses in the Falvey era. This season felt less like a failure and more like an organizational admission that competitiveness was no longer the priority.

7. 2021 Twins (73-89 record)
Minnesota was expected to contend for the AL Central title for the third straight season, but things unraveled, and the team nearly lost 90 games while finishing in last place in the AL Central. It was the only season in the Falvey era in which the team finished last. Pitching depth collapsed, injuries piled up, and the confidence built in 2019 and 2020 evaporated quickly.

6. 2018 Twins (78-84 record)
The 2018 Twins were trying to live up to their surprising playoff run in 2017, but things didn’t go as well. The team finished in second place in the AL Central, but was 13 games behind Cleveland. Paul Molitor, who was hired under the previous regime, was fired following the season, as Falvey sought a manager better aligned with the front office’s new direction. This year felt transitional in every sense.

5. 2022 Twins (78-84 record)
There was plenty of hype surrounding the 2022 Twins, as the club shocked the baseball world by signing Carlos Correa to a massive contract coming out of the lockout. His first season in Minnesota was his best, as he posted 5.3 rWAR, but the team struggled to stay relevant with a pitching staff that included Dylan Bundy and Chris Archer. A fast start gave way to another late-season fade, which became far too familiar thereafter.

4. 2017 Twins (85-77 record)
In Falvey’s first season, the Twins were coming off a 103-loss season, and the club hadn’t made the playoffs since 2010. Minnesota finished eight games above .500, good enough to qualify for the one-game AL Wild Card matchup. Unfortunately, that game was played at Yankee Stadium, and the Twins fumbled away an early lead. Still, there were positive signs of the franchise being back on the map and relevant again.

3. 2020 Twins (36-24 record)
There was a lot to navigate during the COVID-shortened season, but the Twins still found a way to win their second straight AL Central title. Minnesota traded for Kenta Maeda, who was masterful in 11 starts with a 2.70 ERA and 0.75 WHIP, finishing runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award. Falvey deserves credit for keeping the team focused and competitive during a season unlike anything baseball had ever seen.

2. 2019 Twins (101-61 record)
The Bomba Squad Twins were one of the most exciting teams in franchise history. Only two Twins teams have won over 100 games: the 2019 and 1965 clubs. Rocco Baldelli didn't have to work any miracles during his first season as manager, with the club regularly outscoring opponents and setting MLB’s all-time home run record. Unfortunately, the Yankees awaited the Twins in the playoffs, and Minnesota didn’t have the starting pitching necessary to win in October.

1. 2023 Twins (87-75 record)
The 2023 Twins won’t be remembered as much for their regular-season record. However, they broke the team’s playoff losing streak and won the club’s first postseason series in nearly two decades. Trading for starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Pablo López put the team in a better playoff position than in 2019. It was finally some October success that had eluded the franchise for so long, and that alone elevates this season above the rest.

Falvey’s era in Minnesota will be debated for years. He rebuilt the farm system, delivered multiple division titles, and finally helped end one of the most painful playoff droughts in professional sports. At the same time, inconsistent spending and poorly timed setbacks prevented the Twins from sustaining long-term success.

The legacy is complicated, but it is far from empty. Falvey leaves behind an organization that experienced both its most exciting highs and its most frustrating what-ifs within the same decade.

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Which season best defines the Derek Falvey era for the Minnesota Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion below.

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[Parfigliano]

2023 seems like a decade ago.

[palmspringstwinsfan]

When you consider the several up and down seasons under Falvey, you realize he was just an average baseball executive. That may be better than what comes next, but who knows? In the meantime, good-bye and good luck. 

[Parfigliano]

35 minutes ago, palmspringstwinsfan said:

When you consider the several up and down seasons under Falvey, you realize he was just an average baseball executive. That may be better than what comes next, but who knows? In the meantime, good-bye and good luck. 

Give Falvey the LAD payroll to scheme with and he's probably much much better.

[CoachDW]

It's hard not to go with the Bomba Squad and their 101 wins as the most successful of the Falvey era. If not for several questionable pitching decisions by rookie manager Rocco Baldelli in the playoff sweep by the Yankees in the ALDS, it might have turned out much differently. The Twins won the AL Central by 8 games and Baldelli had ample opportunity to line up his pitching heading into the ALDS against the Bronx Bombers. Jose Berrios got the start in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium and pitched pretty well, throwing 4 innings with one earned run and six strikeouts, exiting after 88 pitches in a 3-3 tied ballgame. Baldelli then made one of quite a few head-scratching decisions he would make with his pitching staff in this series, going to rookie Zach Littell instead of a more veteran arm. Yankee Stadium in the playoffs was an intimidating stage, and Littell was understandably rattled, walking Aaron Judge, throwing a wild pitch, and then plunking Brett Gardner before exiting after only 8 pitches. Tyler Duffey, who led the Twins bullpen that year with a 182 ERA+, inherited the mess and struck out the side, but not before giving up a 2-run double to Gleyber Torres that put the Yankees up 5-3. Miguel Sano led off the top of the 6th with a homer to cut the deficit to 5-4, but instead of keeping Duffey in the game or going to another veteran reliever, Rocco mysteriously went to another rookie, Cody Stashak, to pitch the bottom of the 6th. Two solo homeruns later, the Twins were trailing 7-4.  In the bottom of the 7th with the game still in the balance, Rocco decided to go with Kyle Gibson, who had started 29 games during the season and had appeared as a reliever sparingly during his career. After three walks, a bases-clearing double by D.J. LeMahieu gave the Yanks a 10-4 lead and effectively ended the game. Two rookies and a starter pitched with the game on the line while relievers Trevor May, Sergio Romo, and Taylor Rogers were left in the bullpen. Then Rocco questionably decided to start rookie Randy Dobnak in Game 2. Dobnak had pitched only 9 games all season (5 as a starter, 4 as a reliever). Dobnak gave up 6 hits, two walks and four earned runs in just 2+ innings and it was 8-0 Yankees after two innings in a game the Twins lost 8-2. Trevor May threw one pitch in this game and Sergio Romo only 2/3 of an inning, both after the game was well out of reach. Rocco finally pitched his veterans in the do-or-die third game, starting Jake Odorizzi and then bringing in Taylor Rogers (finally an appearance by the 30-save reliever), Romo, and May but the Twins lost 5-1 to end the series. It could be argued that the Twins just didn't have the overall pitching depth to defeat New York in the 2019 ALDS (and if so, that's on Falvey), but the decisions Rocco made with his hurlers during the three games were undisputedly odd. Rocco managed these contests like they were spring training games rather than a playoff series and it was a definite head-scratcher.  

[Sjoski]

Looks like Falvey isn't going away anytime soon.

I'll see myself out.

[OregonTwinsFan]

Falvey wasn't great, but he was far from terrible. He did some good things. It was the "right-sizing of the payroll" after 2023 that proved to be his undoing. Hopefully Zoll is better.

 

[Blyleven2011]

5 hours ago, CoachDW said:

It's hard not to go with the Bomba Squad and their 101 wins as the most successful of the Falvey era. If not for several questionable pitching decisions by rookie manager Rocco Baldelli in the playoff sweep by the Yankees in the ALDS, it might have turned out much differently. The Twins won the AL Central by 8 games and Baldelli had ample opportunity to line up his pitching heading into the ALDS against the Bronx Bombers. Jose Berrios got the start in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium and pitched pretty well, throwing 4 innings with one earned run and six strikeouts, exiting after 88 pitches in a 3-3 tied ballgame. Baldelli then made one of quite a few head-scratching decisions he would make with his pitching staff in this series, going to rookie Zach Littell instead of a more veteran arm. Yankee Stadium in the playoffs was an intimidating stage, and Littell was understandably rattled, walking Aaron Judge, throwing a wild pitch, and then plunking Brett Gardner before exiting after only 8 pitches. Tyler Duffey, who led the Twins bullpen that year with a 182 ERA+, inherited the mess and struck out the side, but not before giving up a 2-run double to Gleyber Torres that put the Yankees up 5-3. Miguel Sano led off the top of the 6th with a homer to cut the deficit to 5-4, but instead of keeping Duffey in the game or going to another veteran reliever, Rocco mysteriously went to another rookie, Cody Stashak, to pitch the bottom of the 6th. Two solo homeruns later, the Twins were trailing 7-4.  In the bottom of the 7th with the game still in the balance, Rocco decided to go with Kyle Gibson, who had started 29 games during the season and had appeared as a reliever sparingly during his career. After three walks, a bases-clearing double by D.J. LeMahieu gave the Yanks a 10-4 lead and effectively ended the game. Two rookies and a starter pitched with the game on the line while relievers Trevor May, Sergio Romo, and Taylor Rogers were left in the bullpen. Then Rocco questionably decided to start rookie Randy Dobnak in Game 2. Dobnak had pitched only 9 games all season (5 as a starter, 4 as a reliever). Dobnak gave up 6 hits, two walks and four earned runs in just 2+ innings and it was 8-0 Yankees after two innings in a game the Twins lost 8-2. Trevor May threw one pitch in this game and Sergio Romo only 2/3 of an inning, both after the game was well out of reach. Rocco finally pitched his veterans in the do-or-die third game, starting Jake Odorizzi and then bringing in Taylor Rogers (finally an appearance by the 30-save reliever), Romo, and May but the Twins lost 5-1 to end the series. It could be argued that the Twins just didn't have the overall pitching depth to defeat New York in the 2019 ALDS (and if so, that's on Falvey), but the decisions Rocco made with his hurlers during the three games were undisputedly odd. Rocco managed these contests like they were spring training games rather than a playoff series and it was a definite head-scratcher.  

And at that time when stashak allowed those homeruns , Rocco was whispering to himself  , oh well theres always next year ...

Kinda wish these articles of falvey and Rocco would come to an end , they were both bad for the organization  , they are gone , put it to rest ...

 

I wonder if twins daily did a poll on who was a better general manager between Ryan and falvey. Who would the fans favor today  ...

Get busy TD  , it would be a great debate amongst the TD fans  ...

[Parfigliano]

2 hours ago, OregonTwinsFan said:

Falvey wasn't great, but he was far from terrible. He did some good things. It was the "right-sizing of the payroll" after 2023 that proved to be his undoing. Hopefully Zoll is better.

 

Right size was %110 Pohlad

[Doctor Wu]

Ranking Falvey seasons?! Okay, I was gullible and clicked on the link. Sure, it's a slow week in Twins territory, but c'mon guys, can't we find more interesting things to write about?