Matthew Lenz

There is an immediate path to playing time for two of the top three Minnesota Twins prospects, Walker Jenkins and Kaelen Culpepper, as ranked by the contributors at Twins Daily. Both have shown they're ready for the call, but who debuts first? View full video

The American League Central had three buyers at the 2026 trade deadline. Are the Chicago White Sox still the favorite? How high did the Cleveland Guardians climb? Did the Minnesota Twins acquisitions really move the needle? View full video

The trade deadline has passed, and Ryan Jeffers is still on the Minnesota Twins roster. With an expiring contract, the Twins have a decision to make: do they tender him a qualifying offer, negotiate an extension, or let him walk in free agency? View full video

The Minnesota Twins had an active trade deadline, picking up Jeff Hoffman on deadline day, but just how much of an impact will the moves have? Was this more about Tom Pohlad backing up his words or making the team meaningfully better? View full video

The Minnesota Twins acquired reliever A.J. Minter from the New York Mets. The cost was reasonable, but is he really the solution to the bullpen? View full video

The Minnesota Twins aren't done after adding veteran reliever A.J. Minter. The Twins have made it clear they’re approaching the deadline as buyers, with reinforcing the bullpen standing as their top priority after one of the league’s least effective relief units struggled throughout the season. Injuries have also tested the rotation, making additional starting pitching a sensible target if the right opportunity arises. With the front office committed to contending, Minnesota is expected to focus on adding pieces that can strengthen both its postseason push and its roster depth. Dan Hayes of The Athletic is reporting that the Twins are still looking to reinforce the bullpen. In his most recent updates, he's quoted as saying, "[The Twins] can improve their bullpen simply by providing manager Derek Shelton with another trusted option. While he didn't provide any specific targets, it seems guys like Mason Miller or Luke Weaver aren't in the picture. So, who do you think the Twins should target? Join the conversation in the comments! View full rumor

The Minnesota Twins enter the deadline in a precarious position, needing to fix a bullpen that has performed as one of the worst in the league after last year's deadline left the relief corps thin. On the other hand, their rotation is strong (especially considering injuries). Tom Pohlad's stated desire to compete complicates a straightforward sell-off, suggesting they could look to flip impending free agents for pieces that address the bullpen need while still building for years beyond this season. Or, the Twins could surprise everyone and decide to strengthen a rotation that has performed well despite a seemingly endless run of injuries. One option who's been on the market is Luis Castillo of the Seattle Mariners. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com is reporting that the Seattle Mariners are willing to eat part of Luis Castillo's contract to help facilitate a deal. Castillo, 33, has had a down year, posting a 4.85 ERA (4.37 FIP) with a 12.9% strikeout-minus-walk rate across 94 2/3 innings. This comes after seven consecutive seasons of sub-4 FIPs and five straight seasons of a K-BB north of 15%. Despite all that success, a down 2026, an impending lockout, and a $24+ million salary for the next two years make him a little less attractive on the open market. He also has a vesting option for 2028 that locks in if he reaches the 180 IP mark in 2027. It's not clear if that number gets prorated based on a lockout/shortened season. Do you think the Twins should make a move for the southpaw? Join the conversation in the comments! View full rumor

Trevor Larnach is in the midst of a career year, having gone from non tender candidate to an above average hitter and serviceable left fielder in a matter of months. Is now the right time to move on from him and create an opening for a top prospect? Chandler Rome of The Athletic is reporting that the "[Houston] Astros focus at the trade deadline is a left-handed hitting outfielder." While their farm system isn't strong, the Astros have a bevy of southpaw relievers that they could look to move...something the Minnesota Twins are in need of. Though the Minnesota Twins may not be true "buyers" at the deadline, they will seemingly be in the playoff hunt in the second half of the season. If they were to make a move, it would make sense for them to deal from a position of depth to strengthen the weakest position group on the roster. For Larnach, he is currently slashing .247/.326/.412 with 13 home runs and a pair of stolen bases across 75 games. Though it's still not great, he has improved his defensive contributions this season to a more serviceable level. Having been a league-average (or slightly better) hitter for years now, the improved defense has made him a more reliable everyday player. He is controllable through 2027. Should the Minnesota Twins look to trade Trevor Lawrence? Join the conversation in the comments! View full rumor

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Yoendrys Gómez was claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays in early May, and since arriving in Minnesota, he has been sensational. Through 16 appearances, he owns a 0.64 ERA (2.25 FIP), and eight holds plus saves while allowing just one earned run in 14 innings. Those numbers would be impressive for anyone, but are even more so given the backstory of Gómez, who is now with his fifth organization in just over a year. Before landing with the Twins, he went from the New York Yankees to the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Chicago White Sox to the Tampa Bay Rays. Three of those teams have excellent reputations for pitching development and acquisitional acuity, but that's not exactly a trajectory that screams “high-leverage reliever". However, that's what he's become since donning the navy and red. His time in Tampa was rough. He posted a 6.23 ERA across 17 1/3 innings, with a 13:10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The command seemed to be the culprit; the "stuff" was always there. This is precisely what the Twins saw when nobody else did—or at least, what the Twins have been able to unlock, partially thanks to the others running out of patience with the project. To understand why Gómez has been baffling hitters, you have to start with his sweeper. The pitch sits at 84 miles per hour and has generated an elite 39.3% whiff rate. The shape and spin rates seem to be pretty similar to previous season. Instead of those characteristics transforming, it's been a change in pitch mix that has unlocked Gómez’s next level. It's become his second-most-leaned-on offering and his go-to pitch in two-strike counts. What makes the pitch especially dangerous is how it pairs with his fastball. Gómez’s four-seamer runs at 95 miles per hour, which on its own would be a solid offering. But when you stack it with a sweeper with glove side-run and a sinker with arm-side run, hitters face a serious problem. He’s able to tunnel the three offerings, meaning opposing batters have a hard time identifying each. By the time the break of the sweeper (or sinker) happens, it's too late to adjust. While the sinker hasn't been nearly as effective, opponents have a combined sub-.200 batting average against the other two offerings. He rounds out his arsenal with a cutter at 91 miles per hour (less glove-side action than the sweeper) and keeps hitters guessing by mixing in a changeup 2.4 percent of the time. That is four distinct weapons, which gives Gómez the ability to attack hitters differently at every count and in every situation. The sweeper is the headliner, but the depth of his arsenal is what makes him a legitimate weapon out of the bullpen. The Twins have leaned on Gómez heavily, and he has been one of the more reliable arms in the bullpen. As much as Twins fans can grumble about the player development on the offensive side of the ball, Minnesota identified the stuff and acquired one of their most valuable bullpen pieces for “cash considerations.” His overall 2026 ERA across both teams has dropped from 6.23 with Tampa to 3.73. In Minnesota alone, the numbers look like those of an elite high-leverage reliever. The question worth asking at this point is whether Gómez can sustain the success over a larger sample. There's no doubt he’ll get that opportunity in 2026, but with five additional years of team control, we could be looking at the Twins' next great closer. Have the Twins found a diamond in the rough? Let us know what you think in the comments. View full article

The Minnesota Twins are Yoendrys Gomez's fourth organization in the last 13 months. After being designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays, the Twins claimed him off waivers and have seemingly turned him into an elite bullpen arm. How have they pulled this off? View full video

After his start against the Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan seemed disgruntled with the team's game plan. Despite six solid innings, the coaching staff seemed to have him attack hitters differently, given it was his second consecutive start against the divisional rival. Was he right to be upset? View full video

For the first six weeks of the season, Austin Martin was one of the Minnesota Twins' best hitters. Thrusted into an everyday role after Matt Wallner was optioned, he's chased more and walked less. Is he in the middle of a slump, or have his weaknesses been exposed? View full video