One Bold Prediction for Every Month Left in the Twins’ Season

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

The Twins have spent most of the season floating in baseball purgatory. They haven’t looked like a legitimate contender, but they also haven’t played poorly enough to fade from the American League playoff race completely. Nearly every time the season feels ready to spiral, Minnesota responds with a strong series win or a timely stretch of baseball that keeps the club hovering near the Wild Card picture.

Part of the reason the Twins have stayed alive is that the American League has lacked separation. Outside of a handful of true contenders, the rest of the league has been filled with inconsistent clubs carrying obvious flaws. That reality has allowed Minnesota to remain within striking distance despite its own shortcomings.

For this team, the formula moving forward is straightforward. Keep winning series. Stay near the .500 mark. Let the standings sort themselves out. Whether that ultimately leads to meaningful September baseball remains to be seen, but the rest of the season should provide plenty of intrigue.

Here’s one bold prediction for every month left in the Twins’ season.

June: The Twins Stay Near .500 and Remain in the Wild Card Hunt
The Twins continue hovering around the .500 mark through the end of June, keeping themselves firmly planted in the middle of the Wild Card conversation.

That might not sound particularly impressive on the surface, but for a club that entered the year with limited expectations, remaining relevant into the summer would still represent an accomplishment. Injuries, offensive inconsistency, and a lack of overall roster depth have created plenty of opportunities for the season to collapse. Instead, Minnesota keeps finding ways to stabilize itself.

The rotation continues to carry much of the workload. Joe Ryan pitches like a frontline starter, Bailey Ober provides valuable innings, and the bullpen does just enough to protect late leads. Offensively, the lineup remains streaky, but Byron Buxton’s production helps prevent the club from falling into extended losing streaks.

The bigger factor may be the American League's weakness. There are very few dominant teams battling for the final playoff spots, which keeps the Twins firmly in the mix despite their flaws. June becomes less about separating from the pack and more about surviving long enough to stay relevant heading into July.

If Minnesota reaches the All-Star break within a few games of a playoff spot, the season suddenly feels much more interesting than many expected back in March.

July: The Twins Begin Preparing for Another Deadline Selloff
Even while remaining close to contention, the Twins quietly begin laying the groundwork for another trade deadline selloff.

Joe Ryan and Ryan Jeffers emerge as two of the organization’s most discussed names leading up to the deadline. Ryan would instantly become one of the top starting pitchers available on the market because of his production, affordability, and years of team control. Jeffers also draws plenty of attention from contenders seeking help behind the plate.

Meanwhile, Buxton’s name dominates rumor cycles throughout the month. Rival executives continue checking whether Minnesota would consider moving the face of the franchise. Ultimately, though, the Twins hold onto Buxton while deciding to capitalize on the value of Ryan and Jeffers.

The return package mirrors the organization’s recent strategy. Instead of targeting lower-level lottery ticket prospects, Minnesota prioritizes players who are close to major-league ready. The front office wants to remain competitive in the near future rather than commit to a lengthy rebuild.

Trading Ryan would be difficult for both the clubhouse and the fan base. He has developed into the reliable ace the Twins have desperately needed for years. Still, the organization understands that controllable starting pitching rarely carries more value than it does at the trade deadline. The Twins may not fully wave the white flag in July, but they begin making decisions with the future clearly in mind.

August: Walker Jenkins Finally Arrives in Minnesota
Walker Jenkins finally makes his long-anticipated major league debut before the end of August. His shoulder injury significantly delays the timeline. Instead of aggressively pushing him through the system, the Twins choose patience. Jenkins likely doesn’t return to Triple-A St. Paul until late June or early July, limiting the amount of time he has to force the issue before the second half.

Once he gets rolling, though, the talent becomes impossible to ignore. By late August, Minnesota rewards its top prospect with a promotion that instantly changes the energy around the organization. Jenkins arrives with massive expectations because of his advanced offensive approach, mature plate discipline, and ability to impact the baseball to all fields.

The youth movement may not stop there. Kaelen Culpepper, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Gabriel Gonzalez could all factor into the second-half picture as the organization begins transitioning toward its next core. Suddenly, the Twins become one of the more fascinating teams in baseball despite lingering around the edges of contention.

That wave of young talent provides excitement for both the clubhouse and the fan base. Even if the playoff odds remain slim, the final weeks of August become must-watch baseball because of the organization’s future arriving in real time.

September: The Twins Fade From the Race, but Buxton Earns MVP Recognition
The Twins ultimately run out of steam during September and fall out of the playoff race. The combination of deadline trades, roster inconsistency, and limited depth eventually catches up to them. Minnesota remains competitive for much of the season, but the lack of established impact talent becomes too difficult to overcome over a full six-month grind.

Still, the season closes with one of the most rewarding individual performances of Buxton’s career. For the first time, Buxton finally finishes inside the top 10 of American League MVP voting.

The talent has always been worthy of that level of recognition. Health has prevented him from putting together a complete season before last year. He finished with the eleventh-highest vote total in last year’s voting cycle. This year will finally be different. Buxton is one of the only bright spots on the Twins, and he almost single-handedly keeps the club competitive. 

The numbers could be spectacular. Forty home runs, elite defense in center field, baserunning impact, and highlight reel moments every week would force voters to recognize his value. Even on a team that misses the postseason, Buxton establishes himself as one of the American League’s most dynamic players.

The Twins are walking a difficult line between competing in the present and preparing for the future. That balancing act should define the remainder of the season.

There will likely be moments where the club looks capable of making a legitimate Wild Card push. There will also be stretches where another organizational reset feels inevitable. In many ways, that uncertainty perfectly reflects where the franchise currently stands.

Still, the rest of the season could provide something equally important as postseason baseball: clarity. If Jenkins arrives as expected, and if the next wave of prospects begins establishing itself at the major-league level, the Twins could leave 2026 with a much stronger vision for what comes next.

Even if October baseball ultimately slips away, the final four months may still shape the future of the organization for years to come.

What are other bold predictions for the coming months? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

 

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[Parfigliano]

Prediction:  TC fades from race by mid August.

[gman]

If something like the owners offer comes to fruition, the Twins may almost have to hang unto Jeffers and Ryan, along with Buxton. With a minimum payroll of $175 million the Twins would need some players on the roster that are valued at higher than current minimum wages. I wonder at what point a team needs to reach the minimum, I would think fairly quickly. 

[Nshore]

The Twins being World Series contenders is almost as rare as a unicorn or a leprechaun.   Fans have to be satisfied with watching young players develop - before they get shuffled off to other teams, or seeing future Hall of Famers like Judge or Trout come through town.

[terrydactyls]

This article promised "bold" predictions but failed to deliver.  Instead, it's a summary of most of the articles from the past two months.  A "bold" prediction might be something along the lines of.....  Luke Keaschall rediscovers his 2025 hitting stroke in mid-June and finishes this season with a batting average over .300.

[mark allen]

Twins starting five pitchers Aug 1st  1. Mathews becomes ace 2. Abel  3 Bradley 4. Prielipp 5. Morris

 

 

[thelanges5]

Twins season has been a rollercoaster. 76 win pace is pretty much in line with what the oddsmakers predicted. This will continue until the end  

• 3-6 in first 9 games
• 8-1 in next 9
• 5-16 in next 21
• 10-5 in next 15
• 1-4 in the last 5

Twins will keep Joe Ryan (he can always be traded in the offseason) and Jeffers (he gets the QO)

James Outman will be DFAd by the all star break. 

[The Great Hambino]

Late July: The Twins send off Bell to the Orix Blue Wave in a rare (inaugural?) trans-Pacific trade

I have no idea if this is allowed, but it would be bold

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, gman said:

If something like the owners offer comes to fruition, the Twins may almost have to hang unto Jeffers and Ryan, along with Buxton. With a minimum payroll of $175 million the Twins would need some players on the roster that are valued at higher than current minimum wages. I wonder at what point a team needs to reach the minimum, I would think fairly quickly. 

Even if they keep Jeffers for the rest of this season, it doesn't matter for next year. He's a free agent. Spending in 2025 won't carry over to 2026.

[DJL44]

I am actually rooting for a fade from .500 sooner so they take initiative to remake this roster. Standing pat because they're just below .500 and in wild-card contention would be the absolute worst outcome.

[LambchoP]

I say get a haul of near ready AAA talent for Ryan and Jeffers. Start trying to put together a competitive team for next year.

[Hunter4848]

I'm still waiting for a bold prediction...

[Major League Ready]

6 hours ago, gman said:

If something like the owners offer comes to fruition, the Twins may almost have to hang unto Jeffers and Ryan, along with Buxton. With a minimum payroll of $175 million the Twins would need some players on the roster that are valued at higher than current minimum wages. I wonder at what point a team needs to reach the minimum, I would think fairly quickly. 

They can't force them to sign.  It changes nothing strategically.  They should still go get a return for Ryan and Jeffers.  Then, go sign them in free agency.  

[gman]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Even if they keep Jeffers for the rest of this season, it doesn't matter for next year. He's a free agent. Spending in 2025 won't carry over to 2026.

No kidding. Obviously my statement was way over your head.

[Nshore]

The Pohlads liquidate the entire franchise, and the only thing left is James Outman.

 

[rv78]

Some of the faces and names have changed but the journey is the same...... year after year.

[LastOnePicked]

My bold prediction: neither Ryan nor Jeffers nor Buxton will not be traded by the deadline.

[Major League Ready]

11 minutes ago, LastOnePicked said:

My bold prediction: neither Ryan nor Jeffers nor Buxton will not be traded by the deadline.

Are you predicting they play well enough to have a good shot at the playoffs or are you suggesting they will act with incompetence?

[Brett]

If we think this much of Jenkins, ERod, Culpepper, and Gonzales, doesn’t it make more sense to try to extend Ryan and Jeffers? With Pablo back next year, the 2027 roster would have some juice.

[Linus]

There is no way Jeffers is signing an extension when he is this close to free agency. Not happening. 

[ashbury]

6 hours ago, gman said:

If something like the owners offer comes to fruition, the Twins may almost have to hang unto Jeffers and Ryan, along with Buxton. 

4 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Even if they keep Jeffers for the rest of this season, it doesn't matter for next year. He's a free agent. Spending in 2025 won't carry over to 2026.

I think the implication was the Twins would almost have to make a market-correct offer to the two players.

[Cory Engelhardt]

1) Trade Joe Ryan for a few very good young playes, probably a starting pitcher and a position player, and maybe another prospect further away. The return may sound similar to the Duran return, but with any luck they actually pick the right players.

2) Trade Bailey Ober for a starting pitcher prospect. Wish him well.

3) Extend Ryan Jeffers

4) Extend Pablo Lopez

5) Push Culpepper and Jenkins up. Let's see what we have.

6) If there are other non-core guys going forward, also trade them. 

 

In the offseason

1) Acquire a middle of the order type bat

2) Acquire an actual reliever or 2

3) Hopefully have a 2027 season.

4) Profit

[JD-TWINS]

4 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

They can't force them to sign.  It changes nothing strategically.  They should still go get a return for Ryan and Jeffers.  Then, go sign them in free agency.  

Ryan is under contract through next season.

I don’t think anyone will offer Jeffers anything near $22M/year (approximate QO) but he will get 3 year offers. The qualifying offer will probably get rejected. If they ARE around .500 or 3-4 under by late July they should try to make a run with Jeffers. If they are 7 games or more under Jeffers should be a trade piece for sure.

Trading Jeffers and making him an offer in Free Agency is certainly within reason - I would think he’ll want to turn the page & head somewhere else.

An extension for Jeffers while he’s hurt would stir up some fan support!!

[Major League Ready]

42 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Ryan is under contract through next season.

I don’t think anyone will offer Jeffers anything near $22M/year (approximate QO) but he will get 3 year offers. The qualifying offer will probably get rejected. If they ARE around .500 or 3-4 under by late July they should try to make a run with Jeffers. If they are 7 games or more under Jeffers should be a trade piece for sure.

Trading Jeffers and making him an offer in Free Agency is certainly within reason - I would think he’ll want to turn the page & head somewhere else.

An extension for Jeffers while he’s hurt would stir up some fan support!!

I don't think so.  He is a free agent at the end of this season.

[IndianaTwin]

I don't know if these are bold or not, but here's mine...

• June prediction: TD has at least six articles on the pros and cons of trading/extending Joe Ryan.
• July prediction: TD has at least nine articles on the pros and cons of trading/extending Joe Ryan.
• August/September prediction: TD has at least four articles on why they should have or shouldn't have traded/extended Joe Ryan.

[DJL44]

I would be surprised if we see any extensions with this many unknowns in the CBA.

[D.C Twins]

10 hours ago, Parfigliano said:

Prediction:  TC fades from race by mid August.

Prediction: TC fades from the race by end of June

[Mahoning]

June is already wrong, as Ober goes on the IL and Buxton can't play CF. Now they have to play the considerably superior White Sox. The pitching staff is coming apart. Zebbie is reverting to Zebbie-dom -- can get through four innings without disaster. Is Abel EVER coming back?

[JD-TWINS]

14 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

I don't think so.  He is a free agent at the end of this season.

No - at least as I understand it, he signed through ‘27 for $13M next year. Twins can decline the option. They’d either exercise the option or trade him prior……. I guess he could decline to play and sit but the Twins have control through ‘27.

If they didn’t have control in ‘27 there would be no question he would be traded by the deadline……….that’s not been the discussion here ……… “should Team trade this summer or in the offseason….?” is the debate on TD…… with some hoping for an extension.