Envisioning the 2027 Twins Starting Lineup

[mnfireman]

7 hours ago, JCT66 said:

I don’t understand the Buxton hate, and I really dont know where you came up with your numbers.  
 

here’s a few different numbers for you. Since 2021 Buxton has averaged 93 games per season. He’s also averaged 3.55 WAR. 
 

In any given year about 4 to 5% of MLB players hit 3.55 WAR or better.  That’s about 60 players a year. The QO for 2026 (which represents the average salary of the top 125 players) was ~$22 million. Buxtons salary since signing his extension has averaged $16 million.  
 

Even hurt as much as he has been Buxton has been a huge bargain for the Twins. To say he is a “problem” is just completely wrong. 

Exactly. Buxton is not the problem, the team not having someone to step in when, not if, he is out for an extended period. 

Roster construction overall can be blamed on Falvey, as he left/was fired right before ST, but in-season construction is 100% on Zoll. Carrying a player who does not see the field for weeks at a time is asinine. 

[Woof Bronzer]

20 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

The part being ignored is that Jeffer's wRC+ equates to roughly 15 runs above average.  The net of those two numbers is a good player.

Fair but I'd say the net of those two numbers is 60% of a good player since that's the average amount of games/season he has played for his career.  

[RpR]

6 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

Are you suggesting that two additional runs over the course of the season are important or are you suggesting the measure of 2 additional runs is a matter of opinion.

He would not be worth the money.

[Major League Ready]

31 minutes ago, RpR said:

He would not be worth the money.

I didn't know we were discussing what he might get paid in the future.

[laloesch]

On 8/31/2026 at 8:54 AM, ewen21 said:

Byron Buxton is a problem.  His spot in the lineup is always an unknown.  Who can figure what will happen with the guy?  He has a hot month or so and then he is has a month where he is as bad as he was good and then we start hearing about a variety of ailments.  I am so over it.  He is not as special as this place has made him out to be.   His lifetime OBP is .309, his lifetime average is .248, in 12 seasons with us he has had more than 100 hits twice.  He has a lifetime average of .192 with 2 ours and RISP with 119 Ks in 338 at bats.  He has a lifetime average of .213 close and late with 183 strikeouts in 478 at bats.  That flat out sucks.  He has had so many horrible at bats in high leverage situations over the years.   He makes managing the CF spot on this roster a headache.  The sooner we can move on from him the better.  He isn't a model player.  You cannot have your model player (and the Twins have tried to put him on that pedestal) be a guy who starts in slightly over 50% in the schedule a year.  It is a fools errand.  In the last five seasons he has played 60, 57, 94, 118 and not this year probably just 72 games in CF.  Does anyone expect this to get better in 2027?  The sooner we can move on from him the better.  He isn't a model player.  We cannot have your model player be a guy who averages slightly over 50 games a year.  End of story.

 

I like what I see from Walker Jenkins, but I am STILL waiting for us to someday....somehow........ draft, raise and produce a starting pitcher that puts fans in the stands.  It is a task that seems impossible for this organization execute and achieve.  WIll someone please name a starting pitcher we drafted, developed and saw on the mound at the major league level giving us something remotely resembling AS material?   The last time there was any actual juice behind a pitcher like that was Matt Garza in 2006.  In fact, we can go back over 30 years and he would be the only SP we actually drafted and raised in our system of any note.  That is beyond pathetic!

I disagree that with the return of Lopez, Festa and Abel that this starting staff will be "extremely deep".  They will need to show me something different.  Lopez is a talent but he is coming off Tommy John and has only begun to throw very recently.  What is his timetable for next year?  We do not even know.  Mick Abel has 59 innings of major league experience and has a 5.46 ERA over that time and he is coming off a season ending injury.  We don't even know what he is.   Ditto with David Festa.

 

This team has been a bore for a very long time.  I won't even prognosticate beyond the history these players have provided for us in the major leagues.  Unless this group magically transforms itself this team is a 76 win team.

I think it's depressing how many down votes you got for this post.  To me it's nearly spot on accurate.  Long term Buxton cannot be relied upon to be THE centerfielder for the Twins.  He just can't stay healthy in long enough stretches, and he's proven that year after year throughout his career and the Twins have put him up on a pedestal as a cornerstone of this franchise when he's kinda not.  Perhaps Jenkins can transition into that role and Buxton can shift to a corner outfield spot, but we'll see.   The front office should have called up E-Rod by now.  We need to see what this kid brings to the table and hopefully resolve this musical chair outfield we've been seeing.  

I'm a bit more optimistic about the rotation, but there are still big question marks going forward.  What happens to Joe Ryan?  The Twins aren't going to extend him, are they?  Lopez will take a while to return to form from his second TJ surgery and he's getting older.  I like what Abel brings to the table  as far as stuff goes, but aside from Taj, there's a whole lot of question marks after that.  Festa hasn't proven anything yet and he's had injury issues and was pumped up as a potential big rotation piece before this season.  Matthews has done an okay job but he's not more than a 4th or 5th starter.  

1st base is still a question mark.  Lewis is not gonna stick there and neither is Bell.  The Twins need to find a true 1st base prospect that's major league ready or sign one.  I don't think this team is more than a 75-82ish win team as it currently stands, and that's before they lose Jeffers to free agency. 

[Motherhen]

On 8/31/2026 at 6:05 AM, ewen21 said:

It is an unpopular and yet highly rational stand if you ask me.  We probably should put him out there opening day by default and give him his spot.  I think that at some point we need to let him know he isn't going to be resigned.  Maybe then he would waive the no trade clause and we can put up something at the trade deadline (that is if he isn't on the IL)

Another mention of waiving the no trade is so ridiculous I'm done reading for the day.

[RpR]

53 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

I didn't know we were discussing what he might get paid in the future.

WHAT?

It seems like dollars are what SO MANY posts on this site are about.

[Major League Ready]

28 minutes ago, RpR said:

WHAT?

It seems like dollars are what SO MANY posts on this site are about.

Maybe I was not following but I thought the discussion was that he is below average throwing out runners.  No doubt it is a weakness.  My only point was, and this is true of every player, we should look at both aspects of the game.

[RpR]

23 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

Maybe I was not following but I thought the discussion was that he is below average throwing out runners.  No doubt it is a weakness.  My only point was, and this is true of every player, we should look at both aspects of the game.

His defense is Not worth the money, both at once.

[LA Vikes Fan]

23 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Brandon Lowe has produced more offense than Bell this season and he has a good glove at 2B. Gleyber Torres can still hit, he just missed time with an injury. 

I hadn't thought of Lowe. He's a little older at 32, but he really has hit well this year (.796 OPS with 28 HRs) and it looks like he's really turned around his defense to being well above average. The issue with him is he reportedly wants something in the neighborhood of three years, $60 million to sign as a free agent in the off-season. That's paying a lot for a guy who will be 35 when the contract runs out. Same problem with Gleyber Torres. He's making $22 million this year after accepting a Q0 and will probably require 3-4 years at over $20 million per year. Neither these guys are likely to be available on a one year rental basis.

So would you rather spend your $20 million plus on for 2027? Jeffers on a QO, or Lowe or Torres in year one of a 3 – 4 year deal? Frankly, I'd rather have Jeffers since we don't have a replacement for him and Clemens can play an adequate 2B and hit for power. If the choice is which of those three would you rather pay roughly $20 million plus a year for the next three years, much tougher question. I still probably go for Jeffers since Torres can hit but has had health issues, and with Ross and Houston in the minors it seems like were more likely to have a replacement 2B than we are at Catcher. Lackey is at least two years away you have to think.. Both play positions of need. I'm not giving Brandon Lowe a 3 or 4 year deal at his age. It is unlikely to age well. Even 2 years is risky. 

 

[Derojo]

Culpepper already is the second best competitive batter on the Twins; Keaschall being first. Culpepper should be in the second slot, with Jenkins who's supposed to have more power in the third. I have no clue what you were thinking on that one. Keaschall/Culpepper will drive the pitchers crazy to begin the game. 

[ewen21]

7 hours ago, JCT66 said:

I really dont know where you came up with your numbers.  
 

 

Why are you incredulous about the numbers?  The stats I presented were found on baseball-reference.  We witnessed him play in just 991 games in nearly 12 seasons.  It requires no explanation.  We saw his .248 lifetime average and his .309 lifetime OBP.  We saw everything and the numbers are there for you to view for yourself.  They are what they are and they summarize what he is even better than WAR, in my opinion.  I mention close and late and RISP with 2 outs stats because he has been particularly bad when in tight situations throughout his career.  

You are being a little melodramatic calling this Buxton hate.  I just don't think he is good for this team any longer.  He is a problem.  He's in his 12th season and has 862 hits to show for it.  I did not "come up with" those numbers.  I want what is best for this team and Buxton is not it anymore. 

[ewen21]

3 hours ago, Motherhen said:

Another mention of waiving the no trade is so ridiculous I'm done reading for the day.

If the Twins tell him he will not be resigned sometime in the middle of next season that forces him to make a decision to either bet on himself and test the market or simply retire.  The Twins don't own him a damn thing.  We are not obligated to make this guy "a Twin for life"..  Why doesn't someone tell me the kind of new contract the Twins need to offer this guy for 2029 forward?  Could it be no one can logically defend that?  This is the feeling I am starting get here.