Matthew Taylor

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Derek Falvey made a clear statement at this year’s trade deadline. While the Twins did acquire a few lower-minors prospects, the bulk of the return was weighted toward players who were in the high minors, with many of them having already debuted in the big leagues. In his letter to season ticket holders after the fire sale, Falvey spelled it out directly. “We added players who can help now," he wrote, "deepening our talent pipeline for 2026 and beyond.” He emphasized that in his post-deadline Zoom press conference with reporters, too, specifically stating that the team eschewed certain offers that would have brought them players with higher prospect ratings but less proximity to the majors. Whether this was a move designed to protect his own job by bringing in players who could contribute right away or simply a conservative strategy aimed at banking on safer floors rather than chasing risky upside, the Twins wanted players close to the major leagues. That decision carries tradeoffs. Players in the low minors are more volatile, but with that volatility comes the chance to hit on a future star. By contrast, players in the high minors (or already in the majors) are more predictable, but they often come with a lower ceiling. The best high-minors performers rarely get traded at all, which means teams often have to settle for players who either stalled out or were squeezed off a roster. There are exceptions, like Joe Ryan, who arrived in Minnesota as a high-minors arm and turned into a front-line starter, but that path is rare. Falvey still chose to load up on these types of players, hoping to have roster spots filled and a competitive base in place for 2026 and 2027. Of the 13 players acquired at the deadline, four had already debuted in the majors. That number may not sound overwhelming, but those were four of the top seven names in terms of prospect caliber. The Twins were not hiding their preferences. Taj Bradley entered the organization with 354 big-league innings already logged. James Outman had piled up more than 600 plate appearances with the Dodgers. Alan Roden had 40 games under his belt with Toronto this season. Mick Abel had already made the leap to the big leagues earlier this year, for the mighty Phillies. These were not prospects being stashed for a distant future. They were meant to help immediately. The early results have been discouraging. Roden was sent straight to the major-league roster and lasted 12 games, before a hand injury ended his season. He posted a .463 OPS in that brief stretch, leaving little to suggest he will be ready to anchor an outfield spot next spring. Outman, who came over in the Brock Stewart deal, also got his chance after a curious minor-league stint. In 20 games with the Twins, he has posted a .539 OPS. For someone with his level of big-league experience, that performance raises questions about whether he should be counted on at all. On the pitching side, the story is similar. Bradley, the most seasoned of the bunch, was sent down for tweaks before being promoted again. In three starts for the Twins, he has a 7.20 ERA, and his time in St. Paul was not much better. Mick Abel, who arrived with the best prospect pedigree as a former top high-school pick, has had an even rougher start. In two brief outings with the Twins, he was hit hard, allowing 11 runs in four innings. His ERA sits at 24.75, and he has already been returned to the minors. Abel still has youth and talent on his side, but his first impression hardly inspires confidence. He certainly cannot be an assumed member of the 2026 starting rotation as the Twins make their plans this offseason. None of these players should be written off. Development is rarely linear, and all are still young enough to turn things around. But the frustrating reality is that Falvey sacrificed potential long-term upside of players further away from the Majors for the supposed certainty of having names to plug into the 2026 roster. And even that certainty hasn’t materialized. Because of injuries (in the case of Roden) or questionable performance, albeit in a small sample size, the Twins still face as many unanswered questions about their 2026 lineup as they would have if they had swung for more upside. On the flip side, one well-reported exception to the policy Falvey talked about pursuing was the trade in which the Twins sent Jhoan Duran to the Phillies. They did go with the further-off prospect as the headliner, in that deal, letting Abel be the secondary piece to Eduardo Tait instead of taking the proferred Aidan Miller. The Phillies infield prospect batted .361/.485/.630 at Double-A Reading in August, and earned a promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to close out the season. It's perfectly possible he wouldn't have done that if he'd been dealt to the Twins, but right now, his bat looks almost ready for the majors—and the Twins passed on it, in favor of Tait and Abel. The hope is that these players turn things around, either late this year or over the offseason. At the moment, though, the strategy appears flawed. For a team unlikely to contend next year, the Twins passed on some higher-upside prospects to acquire players who were supposed to contribute quickly, only to watch those players stumble out of the gate. It leaves an uncomfortable question for fans to consider. Was Falvey right to focus on readiness, or did the Twins sacrifice too much potential for too little immediate help—and choose the wrong place to zig against that zag? What do you think? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

Image courtesy of © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Box Score Starting Pitcher: Zebby Matthews 4 2/3 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB (97 pitches, 62 strikes) Home Runs: Ryan Fitzgerald (2) Bottom 3 WPA: Matthews -.203, Trevor Larnach -.103, Luke Keaschall -.068 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): After righteously thrashing the Angels 12-3 Monday night, the Minnesota Twins entered Tuesday hoping to secure their first road series win since early August in Detroit. Instead, they were handed a lopsided beating—one that looked far too familiar for a team stumbling toward the finish line. Zebby Matthews took the ball for Minnesota, coming off consecutive quality starts against the Padres and White Sox. Any momentum from those outings vanished quickly. The Angels strung together three singles, a walk, and a double steal in the opening frame, plating three runs before Matthews could escape the first inning. To his credit, Matthews settled in over the next three frames, but things unraveled when he faced the order for a third time. Rocco Baldelli gave him the hook after 4 2/3 innings of work. His final line: seven hits, five earned runs, two walks, pushing his ERA back over 5.00 on the season. He did, at least, manage five strikeouts. If Matthews’s outing was rough, the bullpen somehow made it worse. Pierson Ohl took over in the sixth and promptly surrendered four runs while only getting the same number of outs, punctuated by a three-run homer off the bat of Chris Taylor that blew the game open at 9-0. Thomas Hatch then served up a three-run bomb to Yoán Moncada, a familiar face from his White Sox days, to push the lead to 12-0. By the time utility man Ryan Fitzgerald was summoned to pitch the eighth, the game had long slipped into “damage-control” territory. The final tally: Angels 17 hits, 15 singles and two homers, a stat line rarely seen but indicative of the relentless approach Los Angeles took against Minnesota pitching. The Twins lineup wasn’t any better. Limited to six hits on the night, Minnesota couldn't push a run across until the ninth inning, when Fitzgerald launched a two-run homer to spare the club from a shutout. It was as meaningless a home run as you’ll find, except that it was just the second home run by a Twins pitcher (technically, that was Fitzgerald's position for that at-bat) since the DH was instituted in 1973. Can you name the other? Byron Buxton returned to the lineup, two days after having been hit in the knee by a pitch and missing a game and a half. Other than that, and beyond the limited good feelings Fitzgerald has created as a good story finding a modicum of success, there was little consolation to be found Tuesday night. The team finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, continuing a season-long trend of empty at-bats in key spots. With the hideous loss, Minnesota falls to 64-81, officially ensuring they will not finish above .500 this season. (I know, I know. You were on the edge of your seat.) They now sit tied with Pittsburgh for the second-worst record among lottery-eligible teams. How 'bout them Vikings, though?? What's Next The Twins will try their hand again at securing a series victory Wednesday afternoon in Los Angeles, with Taj Bradley (6-7, 4.92 ERA) toeing the rubber across José Soriano (10-10, 4.07) for the Angels. First pitch is at 3:07 pm CT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Chart FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Hatch 0 66 0 0 24 90 Topa 13 0 28 0 0 41 Funderburk 15 0 22 0 0 37 Sands 0 0 14 0 0 14 Adams 0 0 0 38 0 38 Ohl 0 0 0 0 43 43 Cabrera 0 0 8 23 0 31 Tonkin 0 12 0 20 0 32 View full article

Image courtesy of © William Purnell-Imagn Images For a brief moment, José Miranda looked like one of the Twins’ best success stories. A late-blooming prospect who surged through the upper minors, he burst into the majors with a promising rookie campaign. He even delivered one of the most memorable hitting streaks in recent team history. He was supposed to be part of the next wave of Twins hitters. Instead, just a few years later, he looks more like a cautionary tale than a cornerstone. Miranda was never supposed to be a superstar prospect. But in 2021, he put himself on the map in emphatic fashion, exploding at Double-A and Triple-A with a .973 OPS. That season forced the Twins’ hand, and he earned his big-league call-up in 2022. As a rookie, he delivered. Miranda posted a 114 OPS+ and looked the part of a long-term middle-of-the-order bat. Minnesota had seemingly found another young hitter to slot into their growing core. Then came 2023, a year derailed before it ever really started. A right shoulder injury nagged Miranda from spring training onward, sapping his swing speed and his confidence. He never got on track, finishing the season as an offensive liability. But in 2024, there was reason for optimism. Healthy again, Miranda put together a respectable bounce-back campaign with a 112 OPS+. He even delivered one of the most memorable stretches of the Twins’ season: a scorching July that included a remarkable run of 12 consecutive hits in 12 at-bats. At that point, it felt like he was ready to turn the corner for good. When Royce Lewis went down in spring training this year, Miranda had a golden opportunity: the starting third base job was his. But instead of seizing the moment, he cratered. In 12 games, he hit .167 with a .417 OPS, numbers so poor the Twins had little choice but to send him down. The hope, of course, was that he’d reset in St. Paul, find his swing, and work his way back. But that’s where things have gone from bad to worse. Across 83 games and 343 plate appearances with the Saints, Miranda has managed just a .574 OPS, with 52 strikeouts against 28 walks and only 7 home runs. Instead of working back into the conversation, he’s drifted entirely out of it. Barely a year after being the center of the conversation with the Twins during his hit streak, he's now out of their plans altogether. The Twins’ trade deadline fire sale this year saw a wave of call-ups. Ryan Fitzgerald. Carson McCusker. Edouard Julien. Names kept coming, but not Miranda’s. Despite Minnesota’s revolving door of opportunities, Miranda wasn’t even considered—and there was nobody arguing that he should have been. That silence says it all. If the Twins believed in him as a rebound candidate, he’d have been back in Minneapolis by now. The front office’s unwillingness to move him at the deadline only underscores how little value he has left; there were simply no takers. Miranda’s story feels almost cruel. From a breakout in the minors to a solid rookie campaign, from a shoulder-induced collapse to a brief resurgence, it looked like he might still carve out a long-term role. Instead, he’s now staring at an uncertain future. At just 26 years old, his career isn’t technically over. But in the eyes of the Twins, it might be. They’ve had ample opportunity to bring him back into the fold, and they’ve passed every time. This offseason, it’s likely they’ll simply cut ties and move on. So, what on Earth happened to José Miranda? Did the shoulder injury permanently alter his swing? Was it an attitude issue after being demoted? Or did he just lose his approach at the plate? Whatever the answer, the fall from “future fixture” to “organizational afterthought” has been staggering. What do you think? Was Miranda doomed by injuries, or did he simply fail to adjust at the highest level? How disappointed are you in his collapse—and is there any chance he salvages his career elsewhere? View full article

Image courtesy of Brady Boehm The Minnesota Twins caught a stroke of luck in December 2022 when the MLB Draft Lottery gave them the fifth overall pick, despite having just the 13th-best odds. It was a monumental leap in a year when the draft class was absolutely loaded at the top. Five elite prospects headlined the 2023 MLB Draft; players who, in most years, would have each had a case to go first overall. The group: Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews, Max Clark, Wyatt Langford, and Walker Jenkins. When the dust settled, the Twins left with Jenkins, the North Carolina prep outfielder with a smooth left-handed swing and middle-of-the-order potential. Now, with Jenkins recently promoted to Triple-A, it’s the perfect time to revisit how the “Big 5” have fared so far, and where Jenkins stacks up against them. 1. Paul Skenes — RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates Skenes was never truly in play for the Twins, but he was the crown jewel of the class. A once-in-a-generation pitching prospect, he went No. 1 overall as expected and has exceeded even the loftiest projections. After blazing through the minors, Skenes debuted in 2024 and wasted no time: Rookie of the Year, All-Star Game starter, and a third-place Cy Young finish behind a 1.96 ERA in 133 innings. This season, he’s only gotten better—another All-Star nod and a 2.07 ERA across 161 innings. He’s quickly established himself as one of the premier pitchers in baseball. 2. Dylan Crews — OF, Washington Nationals Crews was viewed as a can’t-miss bat coming out of LSU, where he posted an eye-popping 1.187 OPS. But the transition to pro ball has been bumpy. He debuted in late 2024 and struggled immediately, finishing with an 81 OPS+ in 132 plate appearances. His sophomore campaign has been worse: a 73 OPS+ in 224 plate appearances, paired with a strikeout rate north of 25%. At 23 years old, Crews still has plenty of time to figure it out, but the “can’t miss” label looks shakier with each passing month. 3. Max Clark — OF, Detroit Tigers Like Jenkins, Clark was a prep outfielder, drafted just two months apart in age. The Tigers have been patient with his development, and Clark has rewarded them with steady progress. Ranked ninth overall by MLB Pipeline, Clark has posted an .810 OPS across the minors. Currently in Double-A, he’s holding his own with a .794 OPS in 149 plate appearances. He doesn’t yet show Jenkins’ power, but Clark’s combination of speed, defense, and a polished approach at the plate gives him a strong foundation. It’s fair to expect fans will compare Clark and Jenkins side-by-side for the next decade. 4. Wyatt Langford — OF, Texas Rangers The other college bat in the Big 5, Langford was expected to move fast, and he delivered. After tearing through the minors, he made the Rangers’ roster out of Spring Training 2024 and produced immediately. In his rookie season, Langford posted a 114 OPS+ over 134 games. This year, he’s elevated his game with a 127 OPS+ in 113 games, plus 18 stolen bases. Langford already looks like a future All-Star, though his corner-outfield profile makes his upside a bit less premium than Jenkins or Clark. 5. Walker Jenkins — OF, Minnesota Twins Finally, the Twins’ man. Injuries have been the only speed bump for Jenkins, but even with time missed, he has moved impressively fast through the system. At every stop, Jenkins has hit and hit well: .862 OPS in High-A, .861 OPS in Double-A (as a teenager, no less), and now the youngest position player in the International League at Triple-A. Jenkins is on track for a 2026 debut. His blend of power, approach, and ability to stick in center field make him a cornerstone-type prospect. So, How Does Jenkins Stack Up? When the Twins landed at No. 5, there was a sense they’d simply “take whoever was left.” But as Jenkins’ early career has shown, he’s every bit worthy of belonging in this elite group. He’s advanced faster than Clark, his high school counterpart. He has the potential to hit like Langford while sticking at a more premium position. Crews’ struggles only highlight how hard the leap to MLB can be, making Jenkins’ smooth progression that much more encouraging. Skenes is in a class of his own, but he was never a realistic option for Minnesota. In hindsight, the draft lottery was a franchise-altering win for the Twins. At a spot where they weren’t even supposed to sniff the Big 5, they landed a player who now looks like a future middle-of-the-order centerpiece. Landing Jenkins was a massive win for Minnesota, and he’s proving that he wasn’t just the “last man standing”. He’s a legitimate star in the making. What do you think? Did the Twins hit the jackpot with Jenkins? How do you see him stacking up against Clark, Langford, and the others from the Big 5? Leave a comment and start the conversation! View full article

Image courtesy of © Thomas Shea-Imagn Images (Twins), © David Richard-Imagn Images (Marlins), © Denis Poroy-Imagn Images (Padres) This weekend, Twins fans get their first chance to welcome back an old friend. Luis Arraez, the beloved batting champ traded before the 2023 season, will step into the batter’s box at Target Field for the first time since the deal that sent him to Miami for Pablo López. It feels like the right moment to ask if the Twins should consider bringing Arraez back this offseason. Arraez made his debut with the Twins in 2019 and quickly became one of the most popular players on the roster. With his trademark wiggle in the box, his smile, and his uncanny ability to put together professional at-bats, he reminded fans of Rod Carew. In four seasons with Minnesota, Arraez hit .314 with a 119 OPS+, proving himself one of baseball’s most consistent contact hitters. His 2022 batting title capped off his Twins tenure before the blockbuster trade that sent him to Miami. The move was controversial at the time, but it is hard to call it anything other than a success for Minnesota. López has become an ace and a clubhouse leader. Arraez, meanwhile, was traded again at the 2024 deadline, this time from Miami to San Diego. His production slipped, and in 2025, he is hitting .283 with a below-average OPS+ of 94. That is the risk for a player whose value rests almost entirely on batting average. When the hits stop falling, there is not much else to buoy the profile. Which begs the question: could the Twins actually be the team to give him another chance? First base has been a revolving door this year. Ty France was given the job to start the season, but his struggles led to a midseason exit. Kody Clemens has held down the spot since then, but his production has cooled, and he looks more like a bench piece than an everyday starter. There's no heir-apparent prospect, and Edouard Julien does not project as a long-term answer at first base. That leaves the Twins looking externally to solve the problem, and free agency seems like the most logical path. Arraez will hit free agency this winter after earning $14 million in his final arbitration season with San Diego. He will not command a massive contract, especially coming off a down year, and that is exactly the type of market the Twins usually shop in. Given the team’s ownership situation and expected payroll constraints, a cost-effective reunion with a fan favorite could make a lot of sense. He is still only 28 years old, with time to rebound closer to his batting title form. At worst, he provides a reliable floor, a contact-first bat who can give professional plate appearances and lengthen the lineup. At best, he finds his groove again and stabilizes the top of the order. And there is also the human element. If the front office does what many expect and trades away stars like López or Joe Ryan, the 2026 roster could be a tough sell. Bringing Arraez back would not just patch a hole on the field. It would inject life, energy, and joy into a clubhouse and fanbase that desperately need it. Of course, there are reasons for hesitation. Arraez is a one-dimensional player with declining skills. He does not hit for power, does not run well, and offers little defensive versatility. If his average continues to slip, his value collapses quickly. The Twins also need to decide whether investing even modest dollars at first base is wise when other needs, particularly bullpen and shortstop depth, may be more pressing. Luis Arraez may not be the perfect solution, but the fit feels right. He would give the Twins a cost-conscious option, a steady presence in the lineup, and a much-needed morale boost for the fanbase. It might not be a long-term fix, but it could be the kind of reunion that makes sense for both sides. What do you think, should the Twins bring Arraez back this winter? Would he be worth the gamble, or should the team look elsewhere for their first baseman of the future? View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson (photos of Payton Eeles, Kyler Fedko, Aaron Sabato, Noah Cardenas) The 2025 Twins season is, for all intents and purposes, over. A season that began with promise has ended with frustration, and the only thing left on the table is information. The Twins are wisely starting to use the final month to evaluate players who may (or may not) be part of the 2026 roster and beyond. We have already seen it on the pitching side. Newly acquired Mick Abel and Taj Bradley made their Twins debuts over the weekend, and James Outman is getting a chance in the outfield. That is exactly what this stretch should be about: figuring out which players are future pieces, and which are simply Quad-A placeholders. But while the Twins are auditioning arms and a few bats, there are plenty more in St. Paul who deserve a chance to step into Target Field over the next month. These are the bats who deserve that audition: Aaron Sabato, 1B If you have read me long enough, you know I have developed an odd obsession with Aaron Sabato. My “pet prospect,” if you will. For years, it looked like the 2020 first round pick was destined to flame out, but 2025 has been a resurgence. Between AA and AAA, Sabato has posted an .833 OPS, finally flashing the right-handed power bat the Twins envisioned on draft day. That said, his play in St. Paul has cooled after a hot start, and at 26 years old, time is running out. The Twins have long needed a right-handed power option at first base. Could Sabato be that platoon bat in 2026, or is it time to move on and risk losing him in the Rule 5 draft? A month in the Majors is the only way to find out. Noah Cardenas, C The Twins’ catching situation is sneaky important heading into 2026. Ryan Jeffers is entering his final year of team control, and while Eduardo Tait is the future, at just 19 years old, he is years away. Enter Noah Cardenas, who has been one of the organization’s more promising under the radar catchers. After impressing in Double-A with an .825 OPS, he has continued to produce in St. Paul with an .802 OPS. His defense has been more up and down, but this is where the Twins’ coaching staff could really make a difference. Giving him a month in the big leagues would allow the organization to see if he can develop defensively while also evaluating whether he can be a viable part of the catching situation once Jeffers moves on. Payton Eeles, UTIL At 5 foot 5, Payton Eeles would instantly become a fan favorite in Minnesota. A grinder with a high contact bat, he broke out in AAA last season before a knee injury slowed him down. His 2025 has not been quite as loud (.763 OPS in 292 PA), but Eeles still profiles as the kind of high batting average utility player every contender needs. The Twins already have Willi Castro in that role, but Castro is entering his final arbitration year. Could Eeles step into that spot in 2026 at league minimum? It is worth finding out this September. Kyler Fedko, OF Perhaps the best story in the Twins’ farm system this season, Kyler Fedko has burst onto the radar with a legitimate 30 home run, 30 stolen base campaign split between AA and AAA. Since his promotion to St. Paul in early August, he has gone deep six times in 20 games, proving his power travels. He will turn 26 next month, meaning he is not a “prospect” anymore. But what he is, without a doubt, is deserving of an MLB look. Is Fedko just a fun 2025 breakout story, or does he have the tools to be part of the Twins’ outfield mix going forward? There is no better time to find out than now. September auditions do not always turn into guaranteed roles, but the Twins are at the stage where every opportunity for information counts. Sabato, Cardenas, Eeles, and Fedko represent a cross section of organizational depth: a former first rounder, a potential Jeffers replacement, a utility grinder, and a breakout bat. Not all of them will stick. Maybe none do. But in a season where the standings no longer matter, the Twins can and should give each of them a chance to show if they are more than just Minor League lifers. Which of these players excites you the most? Which do you think has the best chance to make an impact in 2026? And which are you most skeptical of? Drop a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins’ 2026 schedule is officially here, and it arrives at a fascinating crossroads for the franchise. The 2025 season has spiraled into a full-blown tailspin. Ownership is entering a new chapter, with minority investors joining the Pohlad family; payroll questions loom large; and the roster that takes the field next spring could look dramatically different from the one we just watched. But baseball has a way of resetting things. Every team begins 0-0, and every season comes with its own set of opportunities. With that spirit in mind, here are the key highlights of the Twins’ 2026 slate. Opening Day in Baltimore The Twins open the regular season on Thursday, March 26, on the road against the Baltimore Orioles. The last time Minnesota opened in Baltimore was back in 2018, when they lost on a walkoff from Adam Jones against Twins closer Fernando Rodney. Target Field Home Opener Fans won’t have to wait long for the first baseball at Target Field, however. The home opener is set for Friday, April 3, against the Tampa Bay Rays. A weekend series for the home opener is a nice bonus for Twins fans. Notable National League Road Trips Interleague play offers several fun destinations for Twins fans in 2026, including: Cincinnati (April 17–19) Miami (May 12–14) Milwaukee (May 15–17) St. Louis (June 12–14) Los Angeles Dodgers (June 22–24) Colorado (June 26–28) Philadelphia (August 14–16) Atlanta (August 18–20) Road trip planners, take note, there’s plenty of variety here. Closing at Home The Twins finish the season in front of their home crowd, with a weekend series against the Texas Rangers on September 25-27. Whether or not those games will matter at all is the question, of course. Grueling Stretch: 17 Games in 17 Days One of the biggest challenges comes from May 22-June 5, when the Twins play a 10-game road trip (Red Sox, White Sox, Pirates), immediately followed by 7 home games. That makes for 17 consecutive games without a day off. Longest Homestand The longest stretch at Target Field is May 12-20, when the Twins host the Marlins, Brewers, and Astros in a nine-game homestand. Field of Dreams Game One of the marquee events of the summer: the Twins will face the Phillies in the Field of Dreams Game during the August 14-16 weekend. MLB hasn’t finalized which day it will fall on, but circle your calendars for that weekend for your Iowa road trip. Given the franchise’s current state, the 2026 season feels more uncertain than most. Still, baseball is a game of daily hope, and for all the questions about ownership, payroll, and roster makeup, the schedule offers the same 162 opportunities. Which part of the schedule are you most excited about? Opening Day in Baltimore? A Dodger Stadium trip in June? The Field of Dreams game? Let us know in the comments. View full article

Good stuff, Nick

Image courtesy of © Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images As the Twins take on the Blue Jays this week, it feels like the perfect time to revisit the curious case of David Popkins. Less than a year ago, he was dismissed as the Twins’ hitting coach, packaged with assistant Rudy Hernandez as the lone fall guys for Minnesota’s late-season collapse. The front office made it clear they believed a change in the hitting staff and the team’s hitting philosophy was the fix. Today, Popkins is in Toronto, where he’s helping lead one of the best offenses in baseball. Meanwhile, the Twins’ bats have only gotten worse. Popkins’ track record in Minnesota wasn’t nearly as disastrous as his firing might suggest. From 2022 to 2024, the Twins ranked 13th in runs scored, 10th in OPS, seventh in home runs. Yes, they struck out a lot, at 23.4%, which was the 11th-highest rate in baseball. A power-heavy offense, sure, but not an incompetent one. When Popkins was let go and Matt Borgschulte was brought in, the Twins announced a shift: less boom-or-bust, more “classic” hitting, with fewer strikeouts and more balls slapped the other way. The result? Minnesota’s strikeout rate has dropped slightly, to 22.3%. But their actual production has cratered. They rank 24th in runs scored, 21st in OPS, and 14th in home runs. The power is down, the runs are down, and the offense is far less threatening than it was under Popkins. Clearly, the problems that doomed the 2024 Twins went beyond the hitting coach. In Toronto, Popkins has wasted no time proving his value. The Blue Jays offense, which had been mediocre the past few seasons, has become one of the best in baseball. They now strike out less than anyone in the league, at 17.4%. They rank fourth in OPS, eighth in runs scored, and third in wRC+, a stat that adjusts for league and park effects. Under Popkins, the Blue Jays have transformed from middling to dangerous. It’s not fair to suggest that Popkins is solely responsible for Toronto’s surge, just as it wasn’t fair for him to be the scapegoat in Minnesota. Coaching matters, but so does talent. The Blue Jays have stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer, players who can elevate any philosophy, while the Twins bet on continuity with a roster that may simply not have enough offensive firepower. But the optics are undeniable: the team that fired Popkins got worse, and the team that hired him got better. This all points back to an uncomfortable truth for the Twins. They tried to fix a structural problem with a cosmetic change. Instead of reshaping the roster or rethinking their broader approach, they fired a coach and sold it as the solution. Now, with another season of offensive futility, they are right back where they were: searching for answers that go much deeper than a hitting coach. With a few days of staring across at him in the opposing dugout ahead, it’s hard not to wonder if the Twins let a good one get away—if they just never gave him the right roster to succeed. What do you think? Did Minnesota misfire in making Popkins the scapegoat, or was he simply never the right fit for this team? And with another year of offensive disappointment, should the front office be looking at the roster, the coaching staff, or both? View full article

Image courtesy of © Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Box Score SP: José Ureña - 5 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 96 pitches (60 strikes) Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Ureña -.338, Buxton -.063, Clemens -.060 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): The Minnesota Twins came into Thursday’s matinee desperate to avoid a sweep against the cellar-dwelling Oakland West Sacramento Athletics. Instead, they fell flat, undone by one disastrous inning and a sputtering offense in an 8–3 loss at Target Field. Journeyman right-hander José Ureña got the start, hoping to make a case for sticking around into next season. That hope evaporated quickly in the second inning, when the ex-Oaklanders erupted for six runs on five hits (two of them doubles), two walks, and a hit batter. By the time Ureña escaped, the Athletics had a commanding 6–0 lead, and the Twins’ chances felt slim given their season-long offensive struggles. To his credit, Ureña contained the damage to that one frame and gutted his way through five innings, sparing an overworked bullpen from further exposure. But the deficit proved insurmountable. The Twins finally broke through in the fourth inning when James Outman, collecting his first RBI as a Twin, and Austin Martin each pushed runs across with infield singles. That trimmed the deficit to 6–2, but any momentum was short-lived. The eventual Las Vegans extended their lead in the sixth when rookie sensation Nick Kurtz, the frontrunner for AL Rookie of the Year, launched a solo homer to dead center field off Michael Tonkin. They tacked on another run in the seventh to push the margin back to six. Royce Lewis plated one more run with a ninth-inning knock, but by then, the outcome had long been decided. The sweep at the hands of one of baseball’s worst teams marks another low point in a season already full of them. Minnesota now sits with the fifth-fewest wins in the majors, their post-trade deadline collapse accelerating a freefall toward the bottom of the standings. What's Next The Twins will look to regroup as they head out onto the road to face the similarly terrible Chicago White Sox. The series begins on Friday night at 6:40 pm CT, with Zebby Matthews on the mound for the Twins facing off against Aaron Civale. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Chart SUN MON TUE WED THU TOT Hatch 81 0 0 0 0 81 Ohl 0 0 54 0 0 54 Topa 0 0 0 20 0 20 Kriske 0 0 0 16 10 26 Ramírez 16 0 25 0 25 66 Tonkin 16 0 0 0 32 48 Sands 14 0 0 17 0 31 Cabrera 9 0 0 20 0 29 Funderburk 0 0 0 7 0 7 Ureña 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images When Rob Manfred appeared on ESPN’s broadcast of the Little League Classic in Williamsport, he was asked about the future of Major League Baseball expansion. His answer raised eyebrows across the league: “I think if we expand it provides us with an opportunity to geographically realign. I think we could save a lot of wear and tear on our players in terms of travel. I think our postseason format would be even more appealing," he said. "You’d be playing [brackets made up of short series] out of the East, out of the West … That 10 o’clock slot that’s a problem for us sometimes becomes a real opportunity for our West Coast audience.” Manfred didn’t give specifics, but the implication is clear. If MLB expands to 32 teams, the American and National Leagues as we know them may be dismantled, in favor of geographically defined conferences. A couple of years ago, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden speculated on what this might look like, dropping the Twins into a division with the Cubs, White Sox, and Brewers. While purely hypothetical, it’s fun to imagine what this could mean for Minnesota. For fans, one of the biggest perks would be accessibility. Right now, divisional matchups with Kansas City, Cleveland, or Detroit aren’t exactly “must-travel” events. But if the Twins were regularly squaring off with Milwaukee, Chicago’s North Side, and the South Side, you’d suddenly have several drivable destinations for weekend baseball trips. It’s never made sense that the Twins and Brewers, just a few hours apart, weren’t in the same division. This setup would fix that, and supercharge local rivalries. A Cubs-Twins divisional matchup several times each season would sell tickets no matter the standings, and Brewers-Twins games could evolve into true border-war matchups. Beyond the gates, it could also boost the Twins’ national relevance. More high-profile games with big-name opponents would mean more chances to appear in primetime slots, something Twins fans rarely see outside of the postseason. Of course, realignment would also come with downsides. Since the 1990s, the AL Central has quietly been the most forgiving division in baseball. Division winners regularly finish with the lowest win totals of any group, and payrolls are generally in the bottom third. That reality has often played to the Twins’ benefit. Leaving behind that structure, especially in an era when the Twins project as one of the lower-spending franchises, could mean a tougher path to October. Instead of battling the Guardians and Royals (teams with modest payrolls), you could be swapping out Kansas City’s shoestring budget for the deep pockets of the Cubs. That change would immediately tilt the competitive balance, making life a lot tougher for Minnesota. There’s also the matter of tradition. Baseball is as much about history as it is about box scores. The Twins have built decades of identity in the American League, from their early days battling the Yankees and Athletics to more recent clashes with the Guardians and Tigers. Think of the unforgettable 2009 tiebreaker with Detroit or the endless duels with Cleveland pitching staffs. A geographic reshuffle would wipe away much of that history, replacing familiar foes with new faces. For long-time fans, the sense of identity tied to the “American League Minnesota Twins” would be diminished. Division realignment is an intriguing thought experiment, and there’s no doubt it comes with some fan-friendly perks. More accessible road trips, livelier rivalries, and national attention could all be positives for Minnesota. On the flip side, the Twins would lose the cushy AL Central setup and the deep traditions that come with decades of shared history. Personally, I’m against division realignment. Baseball’s two-league system has a rich history woven into its very fabric, and it feels unnecessary to rip that apart. Modern travel isn’t the grueling burden it once was; chartered flights and advanced recovery make cross-country trips far less of an obstacle. For me, the trade-offs aren’t worth erasing baseball’s heritage. What do you think? Would you welcome the Twins into a new division with the Cubs, Brewers, and White Sox? Or do you want to see the franchise remain rooted in the American League Central? Let’s hear your take in the comments. View full article

Image courtesy of © Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins officially waved the white flag at this year’s trade deadline. After one of the most dramatic deadline sell-offs in team history, any faint hope of a playoff push evaporated. Now, the remainder of the 2025 season isn’t about chasing October; it’s about sorting out the future. The front office and coaching staff will spend the next two months evaluating the young core. Who’s ready to stake a claim to a 2026 roster spot? Who’s still a year away? And who, bluntly, might not be part of the picture at all? Those questions will define the on-field product. But for fans, there’s a different race worth watching: the race to the bottom of the standings. One of the only silver linings to being among the worst teams in baseball is the chance to secure a premium draft pick. Thanks to MLB’s new lottery system, finishing with one of the league’s worst records doesn’t guarantee the No. 1 pick, but it dramatically improves your odds of adding a franchise-altering prospect to the farm system. As of Monday, the Twins sit at 58–66, which puts them at the eighth-worst record in baseball. On the surface, that doesn’t sound particularly “tank-worthy,” but MLB’s lottery rules give them a better shot than it seems. Because of new measures designed to discourage blatant tanking, MLB has installed restrictions on repeat appearances in the lottery. Large-market teams, those not receiving revenue sharing, are barred from lottery selections in back-to-back years. Small-market teams (revenue-sharing recipients) are barred from appearing in the lottery for three consecutive years. This wrinkle works in the Twins’ favor. Both the Colorado Rockies and Washington Nationals, teams with worse records than Minnesota, are ineligible for the 2026 lottery. That bumps the Twins up to sixth place in the current lottery standings, with 7.5% odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick and a 90% chance of picking eighth or better. Right now, the “leaders” in the tanking sweepstakes are the Chicago White Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates, who are sitting well ahead (or behind, depending on how you frame it) with a 14-game and 6.5-game cushion over the Twins, respectively. But after those two, things get interesting. The Athletics, Braves, and Orioles are all within three games of Minnesota. A particularly bad (or good, depending on your perspective) stretch could vault the Twins up to third place in the lottery odds. That would give them a 16.5% shot at the No. 1 overall pick (equal to the top two slots) and an 80% chance of selecting in the top six. It’s unlikely the Twins will “catch” the White Sox or Pirates in the tanking standings, but climbing into the top three is very much in play over the final six weeks. (Draft Lottery odds courtesy of Tankathon) The 2026 MLB Draft is already shaping up as a strong class. Early names to watch include UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, and high school left-hander Gio Rojas. Adding a talent of that caliber could accelerate Minnesota’s next competitive ramp-up. That said, it’s worth remembering that the MLB Draft isn’t like the NFL or NBA drafts. Even the “can’t-miss” players often take three to four years to debut, and many never pan out at all. But data shows that the earlier you pick, the higher the odds that your prospect develops into a big leaguer. So while fans shouldn’t pin their hopes entirely on the draft, it’s not something to ignore either. The Twins aren’t playing for October anymore. They’re playing for 2026 and beyond. For the front office, that means evaluating the roster. For fans, it means keeping one eye on the standings—not for a Wild Card spot, but for draft lottery positioning. With the right mix of (bad) luck and standings movement, the Twins could walk away from 2025 not just with a new core of young players tested at the big-league level, but also with a golden ticket at the top of next year’s draft. Are you invested in the “Great Tank Race of 2025”? Do you think the Twins will finish closer to the No. 3 lottery slot or slip back toward the bottom half of the top 10? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

The Minnesota Twins are wasting little time challenging their top draft pick. Shortstop Marek Houston, the 16th overall selection in July’s draft, has been promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids after just 12 games with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. Houston impressed immediately in Low-A, slashing .370/.424/.444 with 13 strikeouts, five walks, and plenty of highlight plays in the field. His advanced glove work, considered the best among shortstops in this year’s draft, was a major factor in the Twins selecting him in the first round. He now joins a Kernels team that already has its ticket punched for the postseason after winning the Midwest League West Division’s first half. Houston will get a taste of playoff baseball right away, with 18 regular-season games left plus Cedar Rapids’ postseason run. His High-A debut could come as soon as tomorrow, August 19, when the Kernels visit the South Bend Cubs. What do you think of Houston’s early showing in the Twins organization? Is he tracking even faster than expected? Share your thoughts in the comments below. View full rumor