Twins Roundup, Oct 12: Payroll Decisions, 2027 Outlook, Buxton's Injury History

[Twins Daily]

Here is some of the latest Twins analysis and history from around the internet. The roundup covers the 2027 payroll, 2027 expectations, long-relief pitching, 2009 playoff history, 2026 starting pitcher grades, and Byron Buxton's defensive value. Main subjects include payroll decisions, team outlook, historical games, pitcher performance, and Buxton's role.

• State of the Twins' payroll: 2027 salaries on the books, toughest decisions, and flexibility (Aaron Gleeman $$$). Breaks down Tom Pohlad's statements on the Twins' 2027 payroll, including guaranteed contracts, dead money, departing free agents, and projected arbitration figures.
• Five reasons the Twins should be better in 2027 (Pioneer Press $$$). Argues the Twins have five reasons to expect improvement in 2027, including rotation depth with returning starters and young prospects, a stronger bullpen foundation, defensive upgrades, and a higher payroll under new ownership goals.
• Might L-O-N-G spell relief again soon? (Twinkie Town). Notes the potential return of long-relief pitchers by examining historical examples like Hoyt Wilhelm, Sparky Lyle, and Rollie Fingers, who averaged over 100 innings per season with strong ERA+ and WHIP, and suggests the Minnesota Twins may benefit from utilizing players like Baily Ober and Andrew Morris in a similar role.
• Twins History: Alexi Casilla puts Twins in playoffs with Game 163 walk-off against Tigers (Puckett's Pond). Looks back at the 2009 Game 163 between the Twins and Tigers, noting Alexi Casilla's walk-off single in the 12th inning secured the Twins' playoff berth, with key moments including Miguel Cabrera's two-run homer and Orlando Cabrera's two-run home run.
• Grading the 2026 Twins: Starting Pitchers (Twinkie Town). Notes the 2026 performance of the Minnesota Twins' starting pitchers, highlighting Taj Bradley's strong season and potential, Joe Ryan's inconsistent second-half decline, Bailey Ober's diminished velocity and effectiveness, Zebby Matthews' mixed results, Connor Prielipp's surprising success, Dean Kremer's solid late-season performance, and Simeon Woods Richardson's poor showing.
• Byron Buxton's award shows why he shouldn't be full-time DH despite injury history (Puckett's Pond). Argues that Byron Buxton should remain an outfielder despite his injury history, citing his 2026 Diamond Awards, elite defensive metrics (+2 Defensive Runs Saved, +3 Outs Above Average), and the Twins' need to integrate him with other outfielders, despite his 2023 struggles as a full-time DH.