OOTP Simulation: The Minnesota Twins Can Win The 2025 World Series

For those unfamiliar, Out Of The Park Baseball (OOTP) is an in-depth, highly realistic baseball simulation game. Players can put themselves in the shoes of their favorite team’s General Manager and Field Manager making everything from roster decisions, scouting, and overall team strategy all the while managing what's happening on the field. While you can't actually control the players on the field, you can manage the game one pitch at a time controlling your hitter’s plate approach and pitcher’s pitch sequencing.

Schoenfield used the game to simulate the 2025 season 25 times and had two surprising results related to the Twins.

Three World Series Championships
You read that right. In three of the 25 simulated seasons, the Twins were crowned World Series champions. Oddly enough, they won the World Series in the first three simulations before coming up short in the remaining 22.

The Twins currently have the 14th-best odds to win the World Series at 25-1, so it's surprising to see them win in 12% of simulated seasons. If anything, it speaks to the talent and depth that the Twins have on their roster and the ceiling this team can reach if everything goes right. Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly), things are already falling apart for the Twins as a myriad of projected contributors are expected to start the season on the injured list or in St. Paul. Most notably, Royce Lewis (hamstring) and Brooks Lee (back) are already on the IL, and Austin Martin was optioned to Triple-A - St. Paul after playing 93 games for the Twins last season.

It's not the start of the season that we hoped for, but you don't win the marathon, which is the Major League Baseball season, in the first month of the season. The Twins have what it takes to prove OOTP right, but they must get and remain healthy to reach the pinnacle. A lot of that falls on the other “unexpected star” projected by the simulation activity.

Byron Buxton Makes An MVP Case
What would be more surprising: a Twins World Series or Byron Buxton playing 150 games? In the eyes of OOTP, both of these things could happen. It's unclear whether the stat line projected by OOTP is Buxton’s best output or an average of all 25 simulations (I assume the former), but across 150 games, he posted a .275 batting average and 34 home runs, accruing 8.0 WAR.

We know that Buxton has the talent not just to reach those numbers but to exceed those numbers. Despite never playing more than 102 games in any season, Buxton has career highs of a .279 batting average set in 2024 and 28 home runs set in 2022. If we were to get a healthy season from Buxton, a .275 batting average and 34 home runs is a very real possibility. Add his centerfield defense (although he'd probably be splitting time between there and DH), and he’d absolutely be in the MVP conversation by the season’s end.

OOTP gives Twins fans something to dream about, and the simulation comes at a time when we need it. OOTP confirms one thing: If the Twins can overcome the injuries they're already facing while keeping their other stars on the field, they have a shot at a magical season. 

If everything goes right, what do you see as the Twins' ceiling in 2025? If Buxton stays healthy, do you think we can put up a performance worthy of MVP votes? Join the conversation in the comments!