Matthew Taylor

According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post and MLB Network, the Twins are now “seriously listening” on several of their rental players, including Harrison Bader, Willi Castro, and Danny Coulombe. Given the team’s inconsistent play and recent slide heading into the deadline, this shift is hardly surprising. Heyman also notes that Minnesota is willing to listen on bigger names like Joe Ryan and Jhoan Duran, though it would take a significant offer to pry either away — especially Ryan, who’s under team control through 2027. This doesn’t appear to be a full-scale fire sale, but it’s a clear sign the Twins are preparing to pivot if their deadline outlook continues to dim. With no extension talks brewing for their rentals and a tough stretch of games underway, the front office looks ready to retool if the right offers come along. What do you think the Twins should do? Leave a comment and start the conversation! View full rumor

Image courtesy of © Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Byron Buxton’s 2025 season has been nothing short of electric. He's healthy (knock on wood), playing elite defense in center field, swiping bags with ease, and crushing baseballs at the plate. As the Twins push toward the postseason, it's worth asking the question: Is Buxton putting together one of the greatest individual seasons in Minnesota Twins history? In 79 games (through Friday), Buxton has delivered a .939 OPS, 22 home runs, and 17 stolen bases without being caught. He’s racked up 4.0 fWAR and 4.1 bWAR already, and is currently carrying a 156 wRC+, meaning he's been 56 percent better than the average major league hitter. Combine that with his defensive contributions in center field and you've got a player who's impacting the game in almost every conceivable way. With the Twins around 60 percent through the season, Buxton is on pace for a final stat line of about 135 games played, 33 home runs, 25 stolen bases, a .939 OPS, and roughly 6.5 WAR. That production level would put him in truly elite company when comparing across franchise history. For OPS, Buxton's projected .939 would rank as the 10th highest in a single season in Twins history. The only names ahead of him are Nelson Cruz in 2019, Joe Mauer in 2009, Rod Carew in 1977, Harmon Killebrew multiple times in the 60s, Chuck Knoblauch in 1996, and Bob Allison in 1964. But here's the key: of those nine seasons, only Mauer and Knoblauch were playing premium defensive positions. Mauer was catching in his MVP season. Knoblauch was playing second base. Buxton is doing it in center field, one of the most demanding positions in the sport. So while his OPS might not be the very top in club history, it's arguably more impressive when you factor in the defensive value. When looking at WAR, Buxton's projected 6.5 fWAR would be tied for 11th-best in Twins history. He’d be just behind the likes of Carew, Mauer, Knoblauch, Killebrew, Puckett, Versalles, and Allison. That group includes MVPs and Hall of Famers. Buxton wouldn’t be outpacing the very best seasons in club history, but he’s getting close. One interesting lens is Win Probability Added (WPA), which captures how much a player contributes in high-leverage moments. WPA isn’t necessarily predictive and doesn’t scale linearly, so we can’t simply extrapolate it to the end of the season. But if we take what Buxton has done so far in clutch situations and extend that pace, he’d finish with about 3.4 WPA. That would put him behind only a few of the highest WAR seasons in Twins history, including Rod Carew in 1977 (5.8), Carew again in 1975 (4.7), and Joe Mauer in 2009 (3.9). That means in terms of clutch performance, Buxton is right up there with some of the all-time greats. Where Buxton really separates himself is in the combination of power and speed. If he finishes with 30 or more home runs and 25 stolen bases, he would become the only player in Minnesota Twins history to ever hit those two marks in the same season. Add in the fact that he has yet to be caught stealing and you’re looking at a level of efficiency and explosiveness the franchise has never seen before. This isn't just about accumulating stats. It’s about doing things we’ve never seen in a Twins uniform. So is Byron Buxton having the best season in Twins history? Probably not. The 1977 Rod Carew season and the 2009 Joe Mauer MVP year still hold the crown. The high-WAR seasons from Knoblauch, Killebrew, and Zoilo Versalles likely remain a step ahead too. But what is clear from the numbers is that Buxton is firmly in that conversation. He’s on pace for a top-10 season in Twins history. He’s delivering elite offensive value, bringing premium defense in center field, showing up in big moments, and blending speed and power in a way we’ve never seen in Minnesota before. This is a season to savor. We haven’t seen anything like this since Mauer’s MVP run. Who knows when we’ll see it again. What do you think about Buxton’s 2025 season? Where does it rank in Twins history in your eyes? Can he maintain this pace? Drop your thoughts in the comments and join the conversation. View full article

Image courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing–Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins have officially entered Major League Baseball’s jersey advertisement era. On Thursday, the team announced a new multi-year partnership with Securian Financial, which includes the addition of a jersey patch featuring the St. Paul-based financial services firm. Beginning with their first game out of the All-Star Break in Colorado, the Twins will now take the field wearing the Securian Financial patch on their uniforms. With this move, Minnesota joins the vast majority of MLB teams who have added jersey ads since the league first allowed them in 2022. Until now, the Twins were one of just four teams holding out, alongside the Rockies, Nationals, and Rays. The team has never publicly explained why it took this long, but it likely came down to finding the right deal. Now they have one. In addition to the jersey patch, the Twins shared that Securian Financial will have a visible presence at Target Field as well as throughout their television and radio broadcasts. This won’t change anything on the field, but it does bring in a few more dollars for the Pohlad family, who are in the process of selling the team. Commissioner Rob Manfred recently indicated that a sale might not be far off. While this sponsorship probably won’t affect that timeline, it could be a small bonus for a potential buyer to inherit an active and monetized partner. For fans, the disappointment comes in seeing another ad on a jersey. The Twins were one of the last teams keeping their uniforms clean, and that felt somewhat refreshing in an increasingly branded sports world. Of course, people will get used to it, and the outrage will fade. But it’s still a little sad to see one more piece of the game give way to advertising. What do you think of the new jersey patch? Are you for it, against it, or indifferent? Let us know in the comments. View full article

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images With the trade deadline approaching and the Twins still stuck under .500, it’s no surprise that teams are calling to ask about players. What is surprising is who they’re asking about, and who the Twins might actually be listening on. According to MLB Network and reporter Jon Morosi, multiple teams are monitoring Joe Ryan, including the Boston Red Sox, as a potential deadline trade target. Let’s stop right here. That should not even be a conversation. Trading Joe Ryan would be, without exaggeration, a franchise-level mistake. Ryan has been brilliant this season, earning a deserved spot in the 2025 MLB All-Star Game and leading the team’s rotation with a 2.76 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP, the third-best mark in all of baseball. With Pablo López sidelined and the rest of the rotation in chaos, Ryan hasn’t just held steady, he’s taken on the role of staff ace and delivered the best stretch of his young career exactly when the team needed it most. In the midst of a disappointing season and amid growing uncertainty about the team’s direction, Joe Ryan has been one of the few things the Twins can truly feel good about. Not only is he thriving now, but he’s also cost-controlled and under team control through 2027. This is just his first arbitration year. He’ll likely earn somewhere around $8 million next year, then around $15 million in 2027. That’s affordable for a mid-rotation starter, let alone a legitimate top-of-the-rotation arm trending upward. His age, contract, performance, and personality all make him one of the most valuable pitchers in baseball, and while that may sound like the perfect formula for a trade chip, it’s actually the reason you don’t move him. These are the exact types of players you build around, not flip for future maybes. And that’s the real issue here. If you deal Joe Ryan, what exactly are you trying to get in return? Prospects? A few Top 100 guys? Maybe one pitcher and two hitters, or vice versa? Let’s say you hit on one of them. Great, you got one impact player. The other two flame out, because that’s how this works. You end up spending years hoping to replace the guy you already had. Why not just keep the guy who’s already proven he can pitch like a frontline starter, thrives in your system, and actually seems to enjoy playing in Minnesota? This is the exact type of pitcher the Twins have spent the better part of two decades trying to develop. Since Johan Santana in 2005, the only two starting pitchers the Twins have turned into All-Stars from within are José Berríos and Joe Ryan. That’s it. And while Berríos had his moments, Ryan is trending toward something even more special. His buy-in to analytics, his work ethic, his constant evolution as a pitcher, all of it points to a guy who still hasn’t hit his ceiling. You don’t sell on that. You double down on it. And don’t give me the “we can’t afford him later” excuse. Nobody knows what the payroll outlook is going to look like in a year or two because the team is in the middle of a sale. It’s already awkward for the front office to be making any big-picture decisions when ownership is in flux and the regime itself could be out the door depending on who buys the team. Trading a foundational piece of the roster because of vague future financial concerns is not just short-sighted, it’s irresponsible. Maybe the next owner is willing to spend. Maybe they’re eager to keep guys like Ryan and López and actually build something lasting. Why take that decision out of their hands before they even get here? We’ve seen how this plays out before. The Berríos trade was praised at the time. The Twins got two highly regarded prospects in Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson. But so far, neither one has come close to making the impact Berríos once had, and he wasn’t even at Ryan’s level. Go back further to the Johan Santana trade. The Twins traded away a true ace and got back a handful of top-10 Mets prospects, including Carlos Gómez. Gómez turned into a fine big leaguer, just not with the Twins. And the rest of the return flamed out. Once again, the dream of what those prospects could be never came close to matching what the Twins gave up. That’s almost always the case. Prospects are enticing because they represent possibility. But they rarely fulfill it. So yes, Joe Ryan would bring back a haul. But there’s a reason for that, because every team in baseball wants a Joe Ryan. The question isn’t whether the Twins could trade him. It’s why on earth they would. You can still retool. You can still sell off rentals or arms in the bullpen. You can still plan for the future without throwing away the present. Because that’s what Joe Ryan gives you, a present and a future. A guy you trust to take the ball every five days. A guy who gives you a chance to win. A guy you can build around. The Twins already lived through one decade of darkness after they tore down their core. Trading away the one legitimate ace they’ve developed in the last 20 years would be the first step toward repeating that exact same mistake. This team may not be good right now, but moving Joe Ryan would be waving the white flag not just on this year, but on the years ahead, too. Want to see Joe Ryan stay in Minnesota? Think the Twins should cash in on a trade? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

Image courtesy of © Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images Box Score Starting Pitcher: Chris Paddack 5 IP, 11 H, 6 ER, 2 K, 1 B (98 pitches (63 strikes (64%)) Home Runs: Kody Clemens (11) Bottom 3 WPA: Paddack -.270, Correa -.130, Larnach -.059 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): After taking the first two games from the first-place Cubs, the Minnesota Twins had a golden opportunity to complete their first series sweep in nearly two months and pull back to within one game of .500. Instead, they fell flat on Thursday afternoon, getting hammered 8-1 at Target Field in a lopsided loss that highlighted both rotation struggles and offensive inconsistency. Chris Paddack took the mound for the Twins and delivered another shaky outing. The Cubs got to him early, with Dansby Swanson doubling in the second and scoring on an RBI single from Nico Hoerner. In the third, Pete Crow-Armstrong continued his breakout season with a towering two-run homer, his 24th of the year, to put the Cubs up 3-0. Chicago kept adding on in the fourth and fifth innings, eventually chasing Paddack after five innings and 98 pitches. Paddack’s final line was rough: 11 hits, 6 earned runs, one walk, and just two strikeouts. He only generated seven whiffs all game. It's been over a month since his last quality start, and while his spot in the rotation would normally be in question, the Twins' current pitching depth issues likely mean he’ll remain in the mix... for now. Things didn’t get much better after Paddack left. Anthony Misiewicz, newly recalled to help eat innings, served up Crow-Armstrong’s second homer of the day in the sixth to push the Cubs' lead to 7-0. Justin Topa took over for the final two frames, allowing one more run as the game got further out of reach. Offensively, the Twins were lifeless. They managed just four hits all afternoon, and largely looked uncompetitive. The lone bright spot came in the fifth, when Kody Clemens launched a solo homer to center (his 11th of the year) to briefly cut into the deficit. The top three hitters in the lineup—Willi Castro, Trevor Larnach, and Brooks Lee—combined to go 0-for-11, and the team only hit four balls over 100 MPH all game. The Cubs, by contrast, had nine. The broadcast added a lighthearted twist to the otherwise rough afternoon. Former Twins general manager Terry Ryan joined the players-only booth, where he chatted with the former players that he once drafted or acquired and even read old scouting reports on-air. It was a fun and nostalgic wrap to a new-look booth for this series that featured Glen Perkins, Justin Morneau, and Trevor Plouffe in a series that didn’t include the familiar voice of Cory Provus, or any traditional play-by-play voice at all. Despite the ugly finale, the Twins still took the series against the NL Central leaders and have now won back-to-back series. The loss dropped Minnesota to 45-48 on the season, with just three games remaining before the All-Star break. What’s Next Friday night’s matchup is one of the most anticipated of the season. Second-year phenom Paul Skenes makes his Target Field debut for the Pirates, going head-to-head with Twins All-Star Joe Ryan. First pitch is set for 7:10 pm, followed by the postgame Nelly concert under the lights. Postgame Interviews Coming soon... Bullpen Usage Report View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints Last month, outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez claimed the esteemed title of Minnesota Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month. As the calendar turned to June, several new names joined the conversation, and a first-time winner stepped up to take home the top honor. Before we get into the top five, a pair of strong performers just missed the cut. Honorable Mentions Danny De Andrade quietly pieced together a quality month for Cedar Rapids. Over 102 plate appearances, the 21-year-old infielder posted an .873 OPS with 3 home runs and 20 RBI. Wichita catcher Andrew Cossetti also made a strong push, especially considering the strides he’s made compared to a tough 2024 campaign. Cossetti turned in a .995 OPS in 62 June plate appearances, but the limited playing time ultimately held him out of the top five. Let’s dive into the standouts who did make the cut. 5. Kyler Fedko – OF, Wichita 101 PA, .278/.356/.522 (.879 OPS), 6 HR, 18 RBI, 18 K, 9 BB Fedko continued to flash his power in the Texas League, finishing June with a .879 OPS across 101 plate appearances. His 6 home runs brought his season total to a league-leading 17, and all 6 blasts came in the final 12 games of the month. Fedko capped the month with a monster performance on June 27 when he went 3-for-4 with two homers and six RBI against the Springfield Cardinals. The late-month surge secured his spot in this ranking and further solidified his reputation as one of the organization’s most consistent sluggers. 4. Edouard Julien – 2B, St. Paul 108 PA, .284/.417/.500 (.917 OPS), 5 HR, 13 RBI, 25 K, 18 BB Julien’s June resurgence in St. Paul has brought him back into the spotlight. After struggling upon his demotion, the 25-year-old rediscovered his form with a .917 OPS and 5 home runs over 108 plate appearances. He showed significant improvement in plate discipline, drawing 18 walks and pushing his on-base percentage to .417, a stark contrast to the .288 OBP he posted during his stint with the Twins earlier this year. Julien’s production in June makes a strong case that his return to the majors could be right around the corner. 3. Gabriel Gonzalez – OF, Wichita 95 PA, .366/.436/.488 (.924 OPS), 10 2B, 5 RBI, 10 K, 10 BB After winning the May award, Gonzalez followed up with another stellar month. The 20-year-old tallied a .924 OPS in 95 plate appearances despite not hitting a home run. Instead, he doubled ten times and struck out just 10 times while walking 10 times, a sign of his growing comfort and vision at the plate. Since his promotion to Wichita on May 20, Gonzalez has posted a .938 OPS with an almost even strikeout-to-walk ratio. He remains one of the brightest rising stars in the Twins system. 2. Kala’i Rosario – OF, Wichita 105 PA, .282/.419/.529 (.948 OPS), 3 HR, 23 RBI, 25 K, 18 BB Rosario was red-hot in June and gave this month’s winner a run for his money. The 22-year-old outfielder delivered a .948 OPS in 105 plate appearances, collecting 13 extra-base hits and walking 18 times. He etched his name in the box score with one of the most memorable games of the month, hitting for the cycle on June 25 as part of a 4-for-5 day. After a sluggish start to the year, Rosario is heating up and proving why he remains a prospect to watch. 1. Aaron Sabato – 1B, Wichita/St. Paul 102 PA, .337/.418/.651 (1.070 OPS), 6 HR, 21 RBI, 19 K, 12 BB It’s time to give credit where it’s due. Aaron Sabato has turned his career around in 2025 and his June performance earns him the title of Minor League Hitter of the Month. The 26-year-old slugger posted a 1.062 OPS with 6 home runs and 21 RBI in 102 plate appearances. Even more encouraging than the power was his improved approach at the plate, as he struck out in just 19 percent of his trips. Sabato was promoted to Triple-A on June 12, a long-awaited next step five years after being selected in the first round. He’s continued to produce at the higher level and has pushed his way into the fringes of the big league conversation. It’s a feel-good story and one that Twins fans will be rooting for as the summer continues. Congratulations to Sabato and the rest of this month’s standout performers. Will Sabato carry the momentum into July or will a new name rise to the top next month? What do you think of this month’s list? Did we get it right? Let us know in the comments below. View full article

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Box Score SP: David Festa 6 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 7 K, 1 BB (87 pitches, 59 strikes (68%)) Home Runs: Matt Wallner (8) Bottom 3 WPA: Festa -.201, Lee -.093, Buxton -.082 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): The Minnesota Twins’ post-winning-streak slide continued on Thursday afternoon in Miami. A first-inning barrage from the Marlins was enough to sink the Twins in a 4-1 defeat, handing them yet another series loss. They haven’t won a series since taking three of four in West Sacramento in early June, and this one slipped away quickly. David Festa got the start for the Twins and immediately found himself in trouble. After two singles and an RBI fielder's choice to open the bottom of the first, David Festa gave up a two-run home run to Marlins designated hitter Agusíin Ramírez to put the Marlins up 3-0 early. To his credit, Festa settled in after the early damage. He allowed just two hits over his final five innings and issued only one walk. His control has been a work in progress this season, so stringing together back-to-back outings with one or zero walks is a sign of real growth. Still, he was tagged for one more run in the third inning when Xavier Edwards singled, stole second, and scored on a Jesús Sánchez single to extend the lead to 4-0. He was working without his best stuff, especially velocity-wise, although his heater did warm up slightly as the game progressed. For this Twins offense, a four-run hole feels more like a bottomless pit. Minnesota has scored more than four runs just three times in its last 11 games, and this outing followed the familiar pattern. The lone bright spot came in the seventh inning, when Matt Wallner connected on a solo home run to spoil the shutout. Trevor Larnach doubled earlier in the game, but the team managed just four hits total and went a dismal 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. It marked yet another game where the Twins failed to come through in key spots. Trailing throughout, the Twins turned to Justin Topa and Kody Funderburk out of the bullpen. Both relievers delivered clean innings, but the damage had long been done. Kudos to Festa, at least, for eating six innings on a day when he wasn't at his best. The loss dropped Minnesota to 41-46 on the season, and once again, they were left wondering what could have been if just a couple hitters had come through in the clutch. To make matters worse, it was former Twins right-hander Ronny Henriquez who closed out the win for Miami, locking down his second save in three days after being designated for assignment by Minnesota earlier this year. The Twins have now dropped seven of their last eight series. The only exception was a series split against the Mariners. The team has spiraled out of control since its 13-game winning streak in May and faces another tough test this weekend. What’s Next Minnesota returns home to Target Field for a holiday matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. Chris Paddack will take the mound for the Twins against Zack Littell, a familiar face from his time in Minnesota. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. on the Fourth of July. Bullpen Usage Report Postgame Interviews View full article

Image courtesy of David Malamut The MLB All-Star Futures Game has long been a glimpse into baseball’s future. Clayton Kershaw, Mike Trout, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Fernando Tatís Jr. all once stood on that stage, before becoming household names. This year, the Minnesota Twins will be represented by just one player at the showcase, but he is making his presence in the system impossible to ignore. Kaelen Culpepper, the Twins’ first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, has been named to the 2025 Futures Game roster. He will take the field at Truist Park in the suburbs near Atlanta on Saturday, July 12, at 4 p.m. ET, standing alongside many of the top prospects in the game. It is no small honor. Every organization gets at least one player on the Futures Game roster, but some get multiple. The Detroit Tigers, for example, will be sending a trio of their rising stars: Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle, and Josue Briceño. For the Twins, Culpepper will be their only participant this year, but he is an exceptionally deserving choice. When Minnesota selected Culpepper with the 21st overall pick last summer, the reaction was subdued. Many fans viewed it as a safe selection for a club already flush with infielders. That perception did not last long. Culpepper flew through the early levels of the minors, finishing 2024 with a brief stint in High-A. In 2025, he has taken another leap forward, crushing Midwest League pitching with an .864 OPS in 54 games for Cedar Rapids before earning a promotion to Double-A Wichita last week. He has wasted no time making an impact there either, launching two home runs in his first few games and flashing his athleticism and strong arm at shortstop. His ascent is being driven not just by raw tools, but by a mature approach at the plate. If Culpepper continues this trajectory (showing strong contact skills, good plate discipline, and reliable defense), he could realistically factor into the Twins' big-league plans by this time next year. It is worth noting that Culpepper’s selection does not mean he is the only bright spot in the Twins’ farm system. According to Twins Daily’s latest prospect rankings, he ranks fourth. Ahead of him are talents like Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez, both of whom may have been strong candidates for the Futures Game had they not been sidelined by injuries. Jenkins recently returned to action in Wichita after missing time with a left ankle sprain, while Rodriguez just began a rehab stint following a June hip injury. The Twins have had a steady pipeline from the Futures Game to the majors in recent years, with Luke Keaschall in 2024, David Festa in 2023, and Matt Wallner in 2022 each earning the nod. Culpepper becomes the latest name on that list, and if his development continues at this pace, it will not be long before he is playing under the lights at Target Field, rather than on baseball’s prospect showcase stage. For now, he will take part in one of the sport’s most exciting annual exhibitions, surrounded by future stars and continuing to raise his stock within the game. View full article

Bailey Ober used to be one of the surest things on the Minnesota Twins roster. The towering right-hander had quietly established himself as a steady force in the rotation, posting an ERA in the 3s for three consecutive seasons from 2021 through 2024. He avoided major blowups, gave the team consistent innings, and was someone the Twins could count on to keep them in games. But the 2025 version of Bailey Ober looks nothing like the one Twins fans had grown to trust. Through 17 starts this season, Ober has already allowed 21 home runs. Fourteen of those came in the month of June alone, tying the most ever allowed by a Twins pitcher in a single month. His strikeout rate has plummeted from 9.2 K/9 over the last three seasons to just 7.2 this year. His BB/9 has climbed from 1.9 to 2.2. His average fastball velocity is down 1.3 MPH from where it was last year. His ERA has increased every month of the season, culminating in a disastrous June where he posted a 9.00 ERA across five starts. He entered June with a 2.43 ERA through his first 11 starts and looked like the same dependable arm Twins fans had come to rely on. But even during that stretch, there were signs that some trouble might be on the horizon. His velocity had dipped, and his swing-and-miss numbers were noticeably down from previous years. Those warning signs have now played out in full, culminating in a month of June where everything fell apart. Ober and the Twins have pointed to mechanical issues as the cause. He’s described his delivery as “not smooth and disjointed,” leading to decreased velocity and general ineffectiveness. His left hip has been a lingering issue for much of the season, but both the team and the pitcher have said that it isn’t the reason for his struggles. Regardless, the Twins have been making mechanical tweaks in between starts throughout June, and the results have only gotten worse. And yet, despite this steady decline, the Twins haven’t made any changes to Ober’s role. They haven’t skipped a start. They haven’t given him a break. They just keep sending him out there, where he keeps getting hammered. In many cases, he’s being left in to wear it in the name of saving the bullpen, taking blow after blow while his confidence erodes. There are two clear options in front of the Twins right now. They can continue on the current path, hoping he finds answers on the fly while struggling in front of frustrated fans and under the pressure that comes with being a Major League pitcher. That seems increasingly unlikely to work and risks further damage, both in the short and long term. Or they can hit pause. Ober still has a minor league option available. He could be sent to Triple-A to work on his mechanics away from the spotlight. Or the Twins could place him on the injured list, citing the hip issue, and give him a couple of weeks to rest and reset. Whether the hip is the real problem or not, a break could help him physically and mentally. Yes, there is no obvious replacement. The Twins are already down Pablo López and Zebby Matthews. Andrew Morris just went on the injured list. Any replacement is going to be a stopgap, likely someone like Randy Dobnak or another fringe arm from St. Paul. But the truth is, does anyone watching right now have any faith that Ober is going to turn it around on his next start? His two most recent outings were his worst of the year. At this point, the damage being done to Ober himself might outweigh the value of keeping him in the rotation just because the other options are uninspiring. Sometimes, you have to protect a player from himself. This feels like one of those times. Give Ober a break. Let him breathe. Let him work on things away from the pressure. What’s happening right now is clearly not working. What do you think the Twins should do with Bailey Ober? Should they make a move or let him stay up and figure it out? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

Image courtesy of © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images There’s no polite way to frame it. The 2025 Minnesota Twins are unraveling. The starting rotation is thin and battered. The lineup is inconsistent and unreliable. The bench offers nothing. And it’s all led to a season on pace to end outside the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. It wasn’t always like this. In the early years of the Falvey-led front office, the Twins didn’t shy away from bold moves. They traded Luis Arraez, a fan favorite and batting champ, to land Pablo López and immediately extended him. They aggressively pursued and landed Carlos Correa not once, but twice. They gave Josh Donaldson the richest free-agent contract in franchise history. Whether those moves worked or not, they showed intent. They showed a front office trying to win. They showed action. But that aggressiveness is gone. Over the past few seasons, the Twins front office has settled into a frustrating pattern of inaction. Time and again, opportunities have come to shake things up or push forward. Instead, the front office has done nothing. That passivity is the common thread tying together the Twins’ latest stretch of disappointing seasons. We’ve seen it at the trade deadline. In 2022, they were aggressive, acquiring Tyler Mahle and Jorge López. Those deals didn’t work out, but at least they took their shot. Since then, nothing. In 2023, the team needed a right-handed bat and bullpen help. Their lone addition was Dylan Floro, who quickly fell out of the picture. The team still made the playoffs and even won a series, but they looked outmatched against the Astros in the ALDS. A bolder deadline could have made that a more competitive series. Then came 2024. The Twins were in first place entering the deadline. They needed pitching, both of the starting and relief variety. Instead, they added Trevor Richards, who was a disaster and didn’t finish the season with the team. The offense and bullpen collapsed, and so did the season. The front office had another chance to help. Again, they passed. That shift became painfully clear in the offseason following the 2023 playoff run. After breaking their long postseason drought and winning a series, the Twins had a chance to build on their momentum. Instead, they made no major additions. They moved Jorge Polanco in a salary-clearing trade, brought in Manuel Margot, and signed Carlos Santana. It wasn’t bold. It wasn’t even creative. It felt like the front office was content to stand still. Payroll restrictions were certainly a factor, but they made no effort to think outside the box or find other ways to bring in talent. Then came this past winter. After completely collapsing down the stretch in 2024 and missing the postseason, the Twins decided to run back nearly the exact same roster. No meaningful changes. No calculated risks. Just a belief that things would break differently. The same core, the same supporting cast, the same problems. And now, unsurprisingly, they’re getting the same results. It’s not just trades and free agency. We’ve seen inaction hurt the Twins on the roster level too. For years, they’ve been slow to respond when players struggle. They stuck with Alexander Colomé long past his expiration date. They let Matt Shoemaker start game after game when it was clear he couldn’t get outs. They refused to move on from Emilio Pagán. And now they’re wasting spots on Jonah Bride and Dashawn Keirsey Jr., both of whom have been among the worst offensive players in the league this year. The bench offers nothing, but the team refuses to make changes. Meanwhile, there are legitimate options in St. Paul. But the front office won’t pull the trigger. Weeks go by. Losses pile up. Nothing changes. The same mindset showed up with their decision on manager Rocco Baldelli. The Twins are slipping toward another disappointing finish, but it was revealed that the front office had already decided to extend him through 2026. No evaluation. No accountability. Just more status quo. Even if Baldelli isn’t the main problem, it’s another example of a front office that refuses to shake things up. Would one trade or one signing have changed the outcome of 2023? Could one roster move have saved 2024? Would a more aggressive approach in 2025 have led to a better first half? We’ll never know. But what we do know is that standing still is not working. And it hasn’t been for a long time. Other teams are willing to try something. The Padres and Mariners take chances. They make changes. Even if the results are mixed, they are at least acting like winning matters. Right now, this Twins front office doesn’t. It sends a message that they’re fine staying where they are, even as the team slides further away from contention. What do you think? Is the Twins front office doing enough to help this team? Or has their pattern of inaction run its course? View full article

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (Photo of C.J. Culpepper) TRANSACTIONS C Diego Cartaya transferred to development list (St. Paul) CF Austin Martin activated from injured list (St. Paul) RHP Angel Macuare released (Wichita) SAINTS SENTINEL Louisville 4, St. Paul 2 Box Score Trent Baker: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K HR: Martin (1) Multi-hit games: Austin Martin (2-for-3, HR, 1 RBI), Aaron Sabato (3-for-4, 2 2B, 1 RBI), Carson McCusker (2-for-4) After getting rained out yesterday, the Saints were back in action today against the Louisville Bats and former Twins prospect Chase Petty. The headline coming into the game was the return of Austin Martin, who had been out since May 6. He wasted no time making an impact, launching the first pitch he saw over the left-field wall for a leadoff home run. He later added a single in the fifth inning. Aaron Sabato continued his hot streak with the Saints, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. He extended his hitting streak to nine games and boosted his OPS in St. Paul to 1.044. St. Paul had nine hits but went just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, plating only two runs on the day, one each from Martin and Sabato. On the mound, the Saints went with a piggyback approach between Trent Baker and Travis Adams. Baker allowed two earned runs across five innings, walking two and striking out three. Adams allowed two more runs over the final four frames, walking three and striking out five. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, Springfield 0 Box Score C.J. Culpepper: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K HR: Kyler Fedko (14) Multi-hit games: Kyler Fedko (2-for-4, HR, RBI) Wichita shut out Springfield for the second time in three games to win their third straight and improve to 40-32 overall and 3-0 to start the second half. Twins Daily's No. 14 prospect C.J. Culpepper delivered four strong innings in the start, allowing three hits and no runs. His one strikeout was a season-low, but he induced weak contact throughout his outing. Kyler Fedko led the way at the plate, launching his 14th home run of the year, tops on the Wind Surge, and adding another hit to finish 2-for-4 with an RBI. Yesterday’s hero Kala’i Rosario kept his momentum going with a bases-clearing double in the third inning, giving him 43 RBI on the year, most on the team. He later came around to score on a Ricardo Olivar RBI single. Kaelen Culpepper was held hitless, but flashed the leather with a highlight-reel play at shortstop, showing why the organization believes in his long-term defensive upside. Top prospect Walker Jenkins had the day off as the team monitors his workload in his return from injury. The Wind Surge have won seven straight games at home, tying the most consecutive home victories in franchise history (2021). KERNELS NUGGETS Game vs. South Bend – Suspended Box Score The Kernels' game was postponed due to inclement weather after just three innings of play. They trailed 5-0 when play was halted, with Tanner Hall allowing six hits, four walks, and five earned runs over those three innings. The game will be resumed Friday at 5:35 PM, followed by a scheduled seven-inning game afterward. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 12, Tampa 7 Box Score Adrian Bohorquez: 4 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Bryan Acuña (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Caleb McNeely (2-for-3, 2 RBI) The Mighty Mussels erupted for 12 runs in a blowout win over Tampa. Leading the charge was Bryan Acuña, who tallied two hits, two RBI, and an eye-popping four stolen bases. The team as a whole swiped 10 bags, overwhelming Tampa’s battery all night. Caleb McNeely added a 2-for-3 night with a pair of RBI, and the offense took full advantage of wild Tampa pitching to extend their winning streak to two. Adrian Bohorquez started strong on the mound, but lost command in the fifth and exited after allowing three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Braves 7, FCL Twins 6 (10 innings) Box Score The FCL Twins let a late lead slip away, falling in extra innings after entering the ninth with a 6-3 advantage. Anderson Ramos struggled to shut the door, allowing three runs via walks, wild pitches, and defensive miscues, including a passed ball. The Braves pushed across the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th with a sacrifice fly, and the Twins couldn’t answer in their half of the inning. Daiber De Los Santos had a strong day at the plate with two doubles in a multi-hit effort, while catcher Carlos Silva contributed two RBI. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Cardinals 7, DSL Twins 4 Box Score The DSL Twins dropped another one to the Cardinals despite a promising start from Eli Urena, who tossed three shutout innings. The game unraveled in the middle innings when Marlon Mirabal surrendered seven hits and four runs across three rough frames, pushing his ERA to 9.53. The defense didn’t help matters, committing five errors. At the plate, the DSL Twins were quiet aside from Aaron Salazar, who went 2-for-3 and collected the only hits of the day for the team. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – C.J. Culpepper, Wichita (4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Austin Martin, St. Paul (2-for-3, HR, 1 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects, which was recently updated! #4 – Kaelen Culpepper (Wichita) - 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K #9 – Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 0-1 #10 – Kyle DeBarge (Cedar Rapids) - 0-1 #12 – Billy Amick (Cedar Rapids) - 0-1 #14 – C.J. Culpepper (Wichita) - 4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K #18 – Ricardo Olivar (Wichita) - 1-4, 1 RBI #19 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) - 0-1 #20 – Payton Eeles (St. Paul) - 0-4, 2 K FRIDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS Louisville @ St. Paul (7:07 PM) - RHP Cory Lewis Springfield @ Wichita (7:05 PM) - RHP Connor Prielipp South Bend @ Cedar Rapids (5:35 PM for resumed game, 7-inning game to follow) - RHP Jose Olivares (for 7-inning game) Fort Myers @ Tampa (5:30 PM) - RHP Dylan Questad FCL Braves @ FCL Twins (11:00 AM) - TBD DSL Twins @ DSL Tigers (10:00 AM) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games. View full article

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Simeon Woods Richardson 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 6 K, 1 BB (82 pitches, 55 strikes (67%)) Home Runs: Matt Wallner (7), Brooks Lee (8), Trevor Larnach (12) Top 3 WPA: Woods Richardson .276, Larnach .224, Lee .064 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): After ending their latest losing skid with a win Wednesday night, the Twins returned to Target Field on Thursday looking to build on that momentum. They’d have to wait a while to get started. A steady wave of morning and afternoon rain (and, in frustratingly large part, the mere anticipation thereof) delayed the game by four and a half hours. But when the clouds finally cleared, the Twins put together one of their best innings of the season on their way to a 10-1 win. Simeon Woods Richardson got the start and kept Seattle quiet, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and one walk. He struck out six in what was his second scoreless outing in four starts since rejoining the big-league rotation. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when Trevor Larnach finally broke through. After Byron Buxton reached base via walk, Larnach crushed a 421-foot home run to center field, putting the Twins up 2-0. That swing opened the offensive floodgates, and runs rushed in in the bottom of the sixth. Brooks Lee kicked things off with his eighth home run of the year, a solo shot off Mariners reliever Zach Pop. The next five hitters piled on. Buxton ripped a two-run double. Willi Castro followed with an RBI double of his own. Carlos Correa added a two-run double, and Matt Wallner capped it all off with a two-run homer, his seventh of the season. When the dust settled, the Twins had put up eight runs in the inning and built a 10-0 lead. The bullpen took over from there and picked up right where Woods Richardson left off. Brock Stewart, Danny Coulombe, Justin Topa, and Cole Sands each pitched scoreless frames to keep the Mariners at bay. They were one out away from back-to-back shutouts, but with two outs in the ninth, Miles Mastrobuoni knocked in Seattle’s only run with an RBI single. Even with the shutout spoiled, the Twins locked down a convincing 10-1 win to split the series. The win ends Minnesota’s five-series losing streak. They’re now 39-42 on the season, with a -11 run differential. What's Next This weekend, the Twins hit the road for a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers, who currently own the best record in baseball. Ex-Twins farmhand Sawyer Gipson-Long will start for Detroit, while the Twins have yet to announce their starter. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Chart View full article