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When looking ahead to the Major League All-Star Game in a couple of weeks, players like Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Willi Castro, and Ryan Jeffers could all be considered among the Twins' position players. Each of them has been relatively consistent and productive when on the field this season. Even Carlos Santana, who started slowly, could be a worthy All-Star consideration.
Outside of the guys worthy of a nod for the Midsummer Classic, the Twins have seen this trio get things going in a positive direction during recent weeks:
Kyle Farmer
Given enhanced playing time with Edouard Julien being demoted to Triple-A St. Paul, Farmer got a chance to recover from his woeful start to the campaign. He did it, and quickly. It had been a horrible year for the veteran, and his place on the roster has been scrutinized dating back to the offseason, with his $6.5 million price tag.
Tasked with playing second base, specifically against left-handed pitchers, Farmer has played eight games since Julien was sent down. He's batting .320/.414/.400, with a pair of doubles. While it’s an incredibly small sample size, he’s doing exactly what has been asked at a time when Minnesota needs it most.
Although Julien hasn’t looked good at Triple-A, and isn’t threatening for a return soon, Brooks Lee is back in action and has come on strong. If Farmer is to keep the top prospect on the farm for much longer, he’ll need to continue this sort of production.
Manuel Margot
Brought in as a fourth outfielder and replacement for Michael A. Taylor, it would be hard to imagine that Margot’s start with the Twins could have gone worse. He didn’t hit, and the fielding abilities had Willi Castro as a choice in center field over Margot. Still playing primarily on the corners, Margot has begun to turn a corner.
He has been the leadoff guy against lefties, and is batting .298 with an .857 OPS since Jun. 1. Margot has five extra-base hits this month and has pushed his yearly OPS against lefties up to .837. In short, Margot has now become everything they had hoped for when acquiring him from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Matt Wallner was sent out earlier this season, and Trevor Larnach doesn’t represent the same type of player as Margot. Maybe DaShawn Keirsey Jr. can push him for playing time down the stretch, but it will be tough to argue against keeping him on the roster if these types of results continue.
Byron Buxton
Placed on the injured list early in May, Buxton returned halfway through the month. It was tough sledding as he returned to the lineup, but things have taken a better turn during the last few weeks. Buxton’s process has changed substantially over the past few years, and he’s always going to lean into a decent amount of swing and miss while he looks to do damage.
Still, the center fielder is batting .291 with a .328 OBP across his last 14 games. It comes with a less-than-ideal 14/2 K/BB, but he homered against Hogan Harris and ripped a double to push his extra-base hit tally to six in his last 14 games.
Buxton being a lineup fixture, both from a position of health and productivity, is something the Twins will absolutely need down the stretch.
Minnesota has been on something of a rollercoaster this season, but remaining consistent the rest of the way should land them in the postseason.
Have recent hot streaks changed the way you think about any of these players? What do you expect from them next?
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