Is This The End For Trevor Larnach?

[Cody Pirkl]

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

It seemed extremely likely that Trevor Larnach would be non-tendered last November, after another underwhelming season in which the Twins further added to their logjam of left-handed-hitting outfielders. Instead, he’s remained with the team and made their decision pay off—until recently, that is. We're starting to see some signs that the end of Larnach's Twins tenure may not be far off.

Larnach was drafted as a bat-first slugger with defensive limitations. The slugging piece has never come to fruition, as evidenced by his career slugging percentage just a touch over .400. The lack of offensive development for a bat-first player made the club's decision to tender Larnach last winter eyebrow-raising. Still, he rewarded the team’s decision with an .812 OPS through July. We’ve seen flashes of strong production from him before, but 2026 has been the most sustained stretch of his career.

 

As good as he’s been all season, though, it seems Larnach’s woeful August has the Twins pivoting in a hurry. He’s posted a .148/.207/.259 slash line in the month, and his playing time is drying up in favor of players like Alan Roden as the team falls further out of contention. The Twins aren’t out of it yet, but their willingness to scale back Larnach’s playing time may show their trust (or lack thereof) in his strong season thus far, and how they feel about him long-term.

 

Larnach is arbitration-eligible for the last time this winter, and he will be due for a sizable raise from the $4.475 million he’s making this season. Many questioned whether the Twins would tender him last offseason because of his inconsistency and wealth of other left-handed-hitting outfielders. The salary increase, as well as a poor finish to the season, could result in a non-tender—not to mention the Twins having more young options for the corner outfield than ever.

 

Roden has already begun eating into Larnach’s playing time. At the very least, Roden is a vastly superior defender in the corner outfield. His lack of offensive production so far can be partially explained by his lack of consistent playing time. Still, there’s a realistic world where he’s as productive as Larnach, if given the opportunity. Roden will be 27 years old in 2027, and if the Twins see enough from him down the stretch, that alone may be enough to find a better way to allocate Larnach’s projected salary.

Walker Jenkins needs no introduction to Twins fans. He’s center field-capable if Byron Buxton isn’t healthy, but the Twins will find playing time for him one way or another in 2027. Jenkins is the Twins’ top prospect and one of the best in all of baseball, and if they can’t find him playing time with Larnach on the roster, it’s safe to say Larnach will be the one to go.

 

Another underrated factor in Larnach’s future with the Twins is Emmanuel Rodriguez being back in the Saints’ lineup. A former top prospect derailed by injuries seemingly every season, Rodriguez is out of options next season, meaning he will have to make the Opening Day roster to stay with the organization. He’s not without question marks, but Rodriguez’s skillset is too tantalizing not to give him a prolonged chance to translate it to the big-league level. With all of these left-handed outfield options, it’s hard to make the math work for 2027 when it comes to getting all of them playing time with Larnach in the picture. None of these three names are proven commodities, but it could be argued that Larnach isn’t, either.

The most interesting storyline for the rest of 2026 is whether Larnach earns any playing time back at all. If Roden performs or Jenkins comes up, he may lose his near-everyday role for good. If the team falls out of contention and plans to non-tender him, they have no reason to give him playing time. There may even be a world where they want to see Emmanuel Rodriguez down the stretch, at the expense of Larnach. They have plenty of options.

 

It’s easy to see that Larnach has fallen out of favor with the Twins after just under a month of struggles. It once again feels like Larnach’s time with the Twins may be nearing the end. Will that feeling be proven correct this time?

View full article

[Sampson5]

It should be a wrap on his time here after the season. Which is why they should of moved him at the deadline instead of losing him for nothing I mean Rockies got something for a outfielder with a 500 ops you can't convince me twins had no offers for larnach should of created a spot for e rod or jenkins instead of praying that the hot 1st continued when evidence showed it was unlikely. Not sure any team offers even a low level prospect for him this winter with him being due for another raise in arb . Easy non tender but thought it was just as easy last off-season so who knows twins always make head scratching moves . Hopefully they give e rod a shot in September be nice to see what he can do that way next year not his 1st time facing mlb pitching 

[RpR]

Is This The End For Trevor Larnach?

No.

[mluebker]

"Larnach was drafted as a bat-first slugger with defensive limitations."

Maybe they should stop wasting picks on guys who can't both hit and field.

[Mike Sixel]

9 minutes ago, mluebker said:

"Larnach was drafted as a bat-first slugger with defensive limitations."

Maybe they should stop wasting picks on guys who can't both hit and field.

I mean, they have completely changed over the last few years....100% changed. This can't even be debated.

[PuckettPond]

We need to move away from him. Twins must get younger by taking advice from Leo DiCaprio. Never date a girl older than 25 years old. I am envisioning fellow Twins fans nodding in agreement like bobbleheads on a gravel road.

[Mike Sixel]

It better be the end of his Twins career. Jenkins, Rodriguez and sort of Mendez and Gonzalez. Then there is Diaw and maybe others. 

[mrmpls]

good  bye

[TheLeviathan]

It should've been last offseason.  I'm starting to wonder if the people in charge of the 40 man have some sort of weird vision disorder where they can't see the letters O and F next to each other.  I don't have any rational explanation otherwise for why our 40 man looks the way it does or why we thought bringing him back was smart.

[MikeNC]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

I mean, they have completely changed over the last few years....100% changed. This can't even be debated.

Where oh where are the Kirby Pucketses?!

[bean5302]

I think Larnach should have been done in a Twins uniform last year. He was redundant, especially after adding Bell. With this front office? It wouldn't surprise me one bit if he was back again next year.

[Cris E]

2 hours ago, Sampson5 said:

Which is why they should of moved him at the deadline instead of losing him for nothing

Yeah, it's really too bad they didn't try to make a trade with someone who needed a left handed bat, and maybe had a reliever to deal. Maybe someone in southern Texas.  If only they'd thought to try.

[Mike Sixel]

13 minutes ago, MikeNC said:

Where oh where are the Kirby Pucketses?!

In AAA, utterly dominating. Playing SS right now. Dominating AA in their first season there. 

[bean5302]

22 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

In AAA, utterly dominating. Playing SS right now. Dominating AA in their first season there. 

definitely. Marek Houston is totally ready! He's been raking over his last 20 games like an MVP! Absolutely dominating. 

.238/.312/.369 OPS .681 wRC+ 75 .131 ISO 8.5% BB, 25.5% K

[SteveLV]

This roster should have substantial turnover by next year--and it should start now with the current homestand.

Keaschall needs to learn how to play second base or may have to be a DH next season.  Bell, Larnach, Kreidler, Jeffers (FA) all gone.  Clemens should get fewer AB's.  Twins should be replacing at least 40% of the PA's next year.

The pitching is another story.....

[soyouresayingtheresachance]

He shouldve been traded. 

[Jacksson]

It is "THE END" for Larnach wearing a Twins' uniform.  AND Wallner too.

 

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

Well, obviously the Twins missed their chance by not trading him last month when his value was the highest it's ever been. Other than that Houston offer, it seems like there SHOULD have been some other teams interested. But that ship has sailed. At this point he's just dead weight on the roster, and with this surplus of outfield prospects waiting to be called up, there is no reason to keep him on the field. I can't imagine a scenario where he is in a Twins uniform next season. 

[HarmonK03]

If they are planning on ERod and Jenkins on the roster next year, then there is not room for him next year.  He had a great first half of the year and helped us stay in the playoff race.  But we need to get more athletic and he does not fit that mold.  Either does Roden, he needs to be in AAA next year for depth. I am not convinced he is that superior defensively.  Even the Twins don't believe that, they have been using Clemens as the defensive replacement for Larnach, not Roden.

[Riverbrian]

His price will double in his final year of arbitration. 

He will be in his final year so it's prudent for the team to think about getting value back but you also don't just throw him away... final year or not. 

The team will also have to find room for Erod on the 26 man... maybe others. 

These are all valid reasons to wonder if this is indeed the last year of Larnach in a Twins uniform. 

However... the comments being made by posters in this thread about Trevor and the comments made about Trevor last off-season. I simply don't understand the harsh contempt. He's been one of our best hitters this season. He was one of our best hitters last season. He's one of us. 

The level of derision is beyond my understanding.  

[Eris]

Larnach, even with the bad August, is somewhere between the 67th to 75th ranked player by offensive contribution  (WRC+ or OWAR). There are 390 roster spots for hitters (13 x30). Someone who can hit well above average will have a roster spot somewhere—in Larnach’s as a DH. Maybe Larnach is hurt. He has had a history of groin muscle injuries. 

[killercarewoliva]

19 hours ago, mluebker said:

"Larnach was drafted as a bat-first slugger with defensive limitations."

Maybe they should stop wasting picks on guys who can't both hit and field.

Yes, that brings up a point that I've tried to make in my own mind. so let you a nice gentleman. get me started. we are overloaded with left-handed hitters who can hit really well but who is scouting these guys? we have the second basement who went to rightfield and when boxing's not there. sometimes he's in centerfield and the ball just goes over his head or he just can't field the ball very well there are a number of examples of poor defense in the field. didn't are scouting people notice that before they drafted these guys? or were they just looking at someone who can bang the ball hard? and don't worry about the defense, we'll teach that to them later? I just don't understand because the Minnesota twins used to be known for great defense. how many games has the team lost this season because of the defense? might be tied with Chicago for first place or a little better if they could play their positions.

[mluebker]

52 minutes ago, killercarewoliva said:

how many games has the team lost this season because of the defense?

To be fair, Mike Sixel is right, they’ve been doing a better job drafting more complete players over the past few years.
 

The problem is that the guys clogging up the Twins current roster were drafted in that bats-first era.

And that mindset still was around this past spring when they signed Josh Bell, ostensibly to play first base. As a DH, he’s been a real asset. As a first baseman, it becomes a math problem, trying to to figure out whether his bat gets the team more runs than his defense is costing them.

Same thing for Luke Keaschall. No one disputes that he can hit, get on base, and steal bases. But when he’s in CF or at 2B, are those contributions on offense outweighed by his mental mistakes and his hands of stone?
 

The guys that like to look at the statistics can tell us. I’m just one of those dinosaurs who still thinks you both need to hit and play solid defense to be on a major league roster.

[mluebker]

20 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

I mean, they have completely changed over the last few years....100% changed. This can't even be debated.

You’re right, as I note in a previous post, somewhere above.

But those guys from the last few years are farther back in the pipeline, and a lot of the ones on the roster now, bouncing back and forth between Minneapolis and St. Paul, don’t really have defensive homes, and can have a real cost when they put on a glove.

So I’m speaking from frustration, while yes, they are drafting smarter now. I just wish more of the well-rounded players were ready to go now.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, mluebker said:

You’re right, as I note in a previous post, somewhere above.

But those guys from the last few years are farther back in the pipeline, and a lot of the ones on the roster now, bouncing back and forth between Minneapolis and St. Paul, don’t really have defensive homes, and can have a real cost when they put on a glove.

So I’m speaking from frustration, while yes, they are drafting smarter now. I just wish more of the well-rounded players were ready to go now.

Agreed. I think ERod is also ready. I think we see him in a couple days. 

[DocBauer]

I wouldn't have brought Larnach back this season. I had a different roster construction in mind, but there's no sense rehashing that. And while Larnach has never developed in to the player we had hoped for, he's been a league average or above player in his career. 

He's helped this team quite a bit this season, and could certainly help another team short of LH bats as a DH and part time OF. But he no longer fits with the Twins for obvious reasons. Buxton, Jenkins, Keaschall, and Rodriguez are all in the 2027 OF for reasons we all know. That OF has room for a 5th guy who would ideally be RH just for roster balance, IMO, but we can debate that.

Other OF options are Martin, Roden, Gonzalez, and Mendez. So where does Larnach fit in for $7-8M at this point? He doesn't. Not even at DH where Keaschall would be a better option offensive/OPS wise even if it's a strange fit.

Larnach has been an OK, solid player who has helped over the years. But there are younger, less expensive, higher ceiling players, some with better defensively, to replace him.

I don't know if his value could bring back a decent player/pitcher as nearly happened with Houston. But I'm hoping he has enough value to bring back a decent prospect at least. But it's time to move on. 

[Jeff K]

Larnach's first half of the season's performance was fool's gold.  If the Twins want to be legit, they have to be more athletic which, hopefully, (Keaschall the exception) improves the defense.  Keeping Larnach this year maybe was a mistake, but it is certainly a mistake to keep him next year.  Non tender and don't look back.

[JD-TWINS]

On 8/27/2026 at 4:20 PM, bean5302 said:

definitely. Marek Houston is totally ready! He's been raking over his last 20 games like an MVP! Absolutely dominating. 

.238/.312/.369 OPS .681 wRC+ 75 .131 ISO 8.5% BB, 25.5% K

Your comment will fall on deaf ears ……. it’s continually “bring up everybody in the minor leagues…….”. 

Larnach’s season has mostly been a slash line of .270/.375/.435…….he’s been as high as .288 BA & .390 OBP…..his OPS+ is at 116 now……including a generally poor August. Wednesday he hit a line drive home run ……… flew out to the middle of the warning track with two on & two outs ….. and doubled. Friday night he has another double & run scored in 2 AB’s

Brooks Lee - Luke Keaschall - Cody Clemens - Josh Bell all have had terrible stretches but since their last 6 weeks have been solid, they are infallible, and Larnach sucks.

Larnach was a highly touted #1 pick at one point……..he’s become a Solid Hitter v. RH pitching (72% of pitchers are RH) and he has improved greatly (until last 3 weeks) on swinging at pitches in the zone. How s strikeout rate continually gets better.

The “cost of keeping him” being an issue from the fans point of view is nuts to me. The payroll is $106M and was $155M in ‘23. The Team doesn’t need fans supporting “not paying anybody”, Ownership needs to modestly Step Up! …….he’s a perfect platoon DH for ‘27 with Keaschall and Buxton sharing RH batting duties v. lefties.

[JD-TWINS]

11 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Agreed. I think ERod is also ready. I think we see him in a couple days. 

ERod’s 6 year career with the Twin’s minor leagues…….games played per year starting in ‘21:

47 - 37 - 99 - 47 - 65 - 47 so far this year…… I get he’s been a Top 100 prospect……he’s got a very nice OBP……..he’s got some real power. Matt Wallner had nice OBP in MLB a couple times and he also has some real power.

He strikes out a bunch and his biggest issue is, obviously, availability/durability!

Culpepper had his defense to fall back on if he didn’t hit when he came up. Jenkins has too much ability to be a complete bust………ERod, to me, has mostly been hype…,.. specifically because he can’t be taken very seriously if he averages 57 games per year.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, JD-TWINS said:

ERod’s 6 year career with the Twin’s minor leagues…….games played per year starting in ‘21:

47 - 37 - 99 - 47 - 65 - 47 so far this year…… I get he’s been a Top 100 prospect……he’s got a very nice OBP……..he’s got some real power. Matt Wallner had nice OBP in MLB a couple times and he also has some real power.

He strikes out a bunch and his biggest issue is, obviously, availability/durability!

Culpepper had his defense to fall back on if he didn’t hit when he came up. Jenkins has too much ability to be a complete bust………ERod, to me, has mostly been hype…,.. specifically because he can’t be taken very seriously if he averages 57 games per year.

He's healthy now. I would trade him for the right deal though in the office season because of health.