Nick Nelson

Image courtesy of Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Baseball, at its core, is a game. A kid’s pastime. A joyous outlet! But at the highest level, under the suffocating weight of expectation and pressure, it often becomes anything but fun — which is what makes it so jarring (yet understandable) when a slumping player leans into that very mindset as a way to find their way out. Royce Lewis, the Twins’ once-untouchable phenom, is in the midst of the deepest and most unrelenting slump of his professional life. He’s 0-for-his-last-24, now batting .138 on the season. He hasn't looked right at the plate since last July. And after another hitless game in Tampa on Wednesday, these were his answers to reporters: You can see what he’s trying to do: reframe the moment, lighten the burden, return to the roots. But there’s an almost tragic irony in the effort. When a gifted athlete like Lewis, who once seemed like he could do no wrong, starts repeating “have fun” like a mantra, it doesn’t sound like a return to joy. It sounds like survival. This is, after all, the same Royce Lewis who once said, “I don’t do that slump thing.” He's a freak of nature who seemed immune to struggle; a top draft pick and postseason hero who defied reasonable logic to immediately dominate whenever he stepped in the box following every lengthy injury hiatus. Lewis made the hardest sport on earth look like backyard Wiffle ball. Now, it feels like Wiffle ball for a different reason, evidently. The fall from “unstoppable force” to “grasping for answers” is not unique to Lewis. Baseball humbles everyone, eventually. But the whiplash is amplified when it hits someone who has always seemed like The Chosen One. For fans, it's a little surreal. For teammates, it's a reminder. And for Royce himself, it might just be the first time he’s having to learn what most pros confront early: this game isn’t fair, and it definitely isn’t always fun. Still, there’s something deeply human in Lewis’s coping mechanism. We all tell ourselves little lies to make it through the grind. “This is fun” becomes a sort of foxhole affirmation, like a soldier in a lost war muttering “I’m fighting for a good cause.” You don’t say it because it’s true. You say it because you need it to be. There was a time when even his own teammates couldn’t relate to Lewis. “He’s a freak,” Matt Wallner once said at a Twins Daily Winter Meltdown event with both awe and resignation. And he was. But now, as Royce struggles and searches for joy in a cruel game, he’s finally doing something that’s relatable: reminding us he’s human after all. View full article

In 2006 the Twins went 71-37 in their last 108 games, and uhhhh that lineup had some weak spots. It's not like it's unprecedented. I don't see why that kind of record is out of the question if they continue to boast far-and-away the best pitching staff in the AL. Also I'm not sure what you mean by "continue to produce," they haven't really produced. And they're still 6 games over .500. Asking for above-average offensive production from this group is not such a stretch.

Image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images It's safe to say the Twins have a formula. They've ridden it to a 17-5 record in their last 22 games, and we saw it successfully deployed again in Tampa on Tuesday night. Minnesota's pitching staff is so good, so consistent, that all the Twins offense needs to do is show up and the game is basically won. Joe Ryan, who didn't even look to be at his best in the sweltering Florida heat, casually rattled off six innings of one-run ball, navigating out of trouble on multiple occasions and keeping the ball in the yard. Ryan struck out five and improved to 5-2 with a 2.57 ERA on the season. Louis Varland came in to handle the seventh, giving up a run that he could afford to with a 3-1 lead. He got the job done, hammering the zone with nine strikes on 11 pitches. Everyday Louie is thriving in a relief role, and his durability has been nothing short of astounding – this was his MLB-leading 27th appearance, putting him on pace for the second-most in franchise history. The eighth inning belonged to Griffin Jax, who struck out the side on 14 pitches while inducing five whiffs. Jax has put his slow start firmly in the rear-view mirror; over the past month he's been the best reliever in baseball. Right now he's at the height of his powers and that's an advantage almost no other team in baseball can match. Completing the game was Jhoan Durán, who converted his ninth save in 10 tries while lowering his ERA to 1.07. Ho-hum. He's pitching as well as he has at any point in his career, riding a reconfigured pitch mix to All-Star type results. The offense was unspectacular on Tuesday night, but was were able to scratch across four runs and that's been the magic ticket: when scoring four-plus, the Twins are now 26-3 this season. Their pitching staff has been so good that Minnesota basically can't lose when scoring at least an average number of runs. The Rays never stood a chance in a game where they had to scratch and claw to get two men across the plate. The Twins pitching staff is relentless. Tampa Bay won't get much of a respite in the series finale when they line up against Pablo López and his 2.31 ERA. Rocco Baldelli might have used three of his very best bullpen arms in Tuesday's win, but he can still call upon a fresh Cole Sands or Brock Stewart, and Danny Coulombe will hopefully be back soon with his pristine 0.00 ERA. Minnesota pitchers lead the American League in fWAR and nobody else is close; entering play on Tuesday, the Twins were at 9.3 – just slightly behind the Phillies (9.4) for the major-league lead. The Astros and Royals were tied for second in the AL at 7.7 apiece. This prestigious ranking is reflective of a group that boasts frontline prowess and impressive depth. Letting Jorge Alcalá work through it in a low-leverage bullpen is a luxury. Many contenders would kill to have a guy like Simeon Woods Richardson – currently standing by at Triple-A – in their big-league rotation. Or a David Festa. Or a Zebby Matthews blocking them both (for the moment). Of course, we all know nothing in baseball is ever guaranteed — injuries are inevitably part of the grind, and fortunes can flip quickly. But at this moment, the Twins are making an emphatic case as the best pitching team in the American League. From the top of the rotation to the back end of the bullpen, they’re carving through opponents with ruthless efficiency. When the bats contribute even modestly, this team is nearly impossible to beat. Speaking of which, Matt Wallner and Byron Buxton are both in line to return to the lineup any day now. View full article

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images When you spend enough time writing and talking about the Minnesota Twins online, you're bound to see the sentiment shared frequently. Maybe you’ve said it yourself. It usually pops up in response to something positive — like a post noting rising Target Field attendance, or a shot of fans enjoying a sun-soaked weekend at the ballpark. “Glad people are showing up… too bad it just helps the Pohlads.” “I’m not giving a dime to ownership until they sell.” Let’s be clear: this is a valid, understandable feeling. Over the years, the ownership group has given fans plenty of reasons to be skeptical, disappointed, or downright angry. The postseason losing streak. The muddled messaging. The business-first attitude. The perceived unwillingness to spend or pivot when the moment called for it. For a loyal fan base that has long craved a more ambitious and accountable leadership model, the frustrations with the Pohlads are earned. But let’s also be honest: that angst is starting to feel a little stale. And more to the point, it’s getting in the way of something truly worthwhile. This is a good baseball team. A fun one! A resilient, exciting, high-ceiling group that’s been among the best in baseball over the last month. The pitching staff is elite. The lineup features star-caliber talent and youth with upside. They’re not limping through the Central — the Twins are contending with conviction. And while it might not fit the “cheap owners” narrative, this is a roster the Pohlads did invest in. They handed out major extensions to Byron Buxton and Pablo López. They made a massive swing by signing Carlos Correa — twice. The team’s payroll is firmly mid-pack, ahead of most division rivals, and a far cry from the shoestring operations run in places like Tampa Bay or Cleveland. Yes, ownership has made mistakes. Yes, there’s reason to want change. And, encouragingly, it seems change is already in motion. The team is known to be for sale. The Pohlads appear to be on their way out. That alone should ease some of the tension. But here's the ironic part: if you want new ownership, if you want this team to be a more attractive asset with greater upside for an ambitious buyer ... you should want to see Target Field full. You should want to see fans engaged, energy high, and the market proving its value. Empty seats don’t hurt the Pohlads. They just weaken the franchise. I'm not telling anyone how to feel. But maybe — just maybe — it’s time to let go of the grudge long enough to enjoy what’s happening on the field. The vibes at Target Field this past weekend were electric: beautiful weather, meaningful games, and a team that’s battling hard and clutching up. It felt like summer in Minnesota in all the best ways. If you’re missing that because of who owns the team right now, you’re not punishing anyone but yourself. Don't let lingering bitterness keep you from experiencing great baseball when it's right in front of you. This team is worth your time. These players deserve your support. And you, as a fan, deserve the joy. View full article

Image courtesy of Matt Krohn-Imagn Images The Weekly Nutshell: With rain falling nonstop from Monday through Wednesday in Minneapolis, it was a challenge to try and play baseball. The Twins and Guardians were lucky to complete two of their scheduled games, splitting them and postponing the third until September. The weather improved greatly for a weekend series against the Royals, which saw Minnesota continue to play crisp ball and hang tough in tense situations. The Twins walked off Kansas City on Friday and Saturday, and they had the winning run at second in the ninth on Sunday before falling just short of a sweep. It was an entertaining, competitive series played before refreshingly large crowds at Target Field. Now, having improved their position in the standings, the Twins embark on a lengthy coast-to-coast road trip while getting ready to welcome back two crucial difference-makers in the lineup. Read on and we'll unpack it all. Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 5/19 through Sun, 5/25 *** Record Last Week: 3-2 (Overall: 29-23) Run Differential Last Week: -1 (Overall: +34) Standing: T-2nd Place in AL Central (4.0 GB) Last Week's Game Results: Game 48 | MIN 6, CLE 5: Twins Turn Tables on Guardians with Walk-Off Win Clemens: Walk-off double in 9th Game 49 | CLE 5, MIN 1: Offense Goes Silent, Ending 10-Game Home Win Streak Offense: 3 H, 1 XBH Game 50 | MIN 3, KC 1: Correa Homers in Return, France Walks It Off in Ninth France: Walk-off 2-R HR in 9th inning Game 51 | MIN 5, KC 4: Twins Rally Back from Deficit, Notch Another Walk-Off Win Lee: Walk-off RBI single in 9th inning Game 52 | KC 2, MIN 1 (10): Bubic and Royals Silence Minnesota Lineup to Avoid Sweep Offense: 3 H, 1 XBH IF YOU'D RATHER LISTEN TO THE WEEK IN REVIEW THAN READ IT, YOU CAN GET IT IN AUDIO FORM! FIND THE LATEST EPISODE ON OUR PODCAST PAGE, AS WELL AS ON APPLE AND SPOTIFY. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNELS SO YOU DON'T MISS OUT! NEWS & NOTES Carlos Correa spent the minimum seven days on the concussion injured list before being activated ahead of Friday's game, and homering in his first at-bat. A good sign, to be sure, but Correa was out of the lineup on Saturday, with the Twins clearly exercising caution. "We'll play him and then assess him to make sure everything is still going smoothly," said Rocco Baldelli. Seems like so far, it is: Correa did end up pinch-hitting Saturday night and started again on Sunday, with no apparent hiccups. Ryan Fitzgerald was optioned the minors in a corresponding move. Byron Buxton's recovery from his own concussion, suffered in the same collision, has been a bit more gradual. As of Sunday he had not yet been cleared by MLB to return, but it does sound like he's making progress and getting close – he's traveling with the Twins for their upcoming 10-game road trip, which gets underway in Tampa on Monday. Down at Triple-A, Matt Wallner initiated a rehab assignment on Thursday, homering twice in his first game back. It doesn't sound like he'll be back for the Tampa series but Wallner is in line to return to the Twins soon, following what would amount to about a six-week absence from the hamstring strain. That's on the quicker end of expectations, given the severity. So in addition to rarely getting hurt, Wallner also heals fast apparently. And we know he can absolutely mash – those poor minor-league pitchers. He'll be a welcome addition to the lineup whenever that happens. More on that shortly. HIGHLIGHTS The victory in the opening game of the Cleveland series felt like such a huge breakthrough moment for the Minnesota Twins. It was a weird game – halted midway through and spread across three days due to rainfall – and it was also the type of game Minnesota has been completely unable to win against the Guardians in recent years. The Twins had dropped nine consecutive one-run contests against Cleveland, dating back to June of 2023, before they managed to squeak this one out. There were definitely palpable "here we go again" vibes as the Guards mounted a ninth-inning rally against Joe Ryan and Jhoan Durán to erase a three-run deficit and tie the game. But the Twins quickly responded with a two-out rally in the bottom half, culminating in a walk-off double from Kody Clemens, who's been the unlikely hero of this torrid stretch for the club. Clemens, who tripled earlier in that game, added another double on Saturday and then walked as a pinch-hitter representing the winning run on Sunday. He sits with an incredible .283/.377/.642 slash line as of week's end. Two weeks ago his OPS was below .500. What a run for the miraculous scrap-heap pickup. Ty France and Brooks Lee also joined the Gatorade-bathing festivities, delivering game-winning knocks on back-to-back days to open the Royals series. France launched a two-run homer into the bullpen to secure a victory on Friday night, and then Lee tapped a seeing-eye single up the middle to bring home the winning run on Saturday. Neither player has been hugely productive overall, but they've made their hits count and these were prime examples. Strong pitching continues to be the norm for the Twins. Bailey Ober, Ryan and Chris Paddack combined to allow seven earned runs in 20 innings (3.15 ERA). Zebby Matthews struck out nine over four frames on Saturday, showcasing his high-caliber stuff and upside at the back of the rotation. Solid performances abound, but from my view, the ace and leader of this rotation remains clear to see. Pablo López lowered his ERA to 2.31 on Friday night by holding Kansas City to one run over 5 ⅔ innings, and the bullpen was near-perfect over the next three frames to keep the game tied 1-1 and set up the walk-off. Griffin Jax chipped in a scoreless inning, one of two on the week; he's been absolutely fantastic since his early-season slump in April. In his past 15 appearances, Jax has a 1.23 ERA and 24-to-2 K/BB ratio with a league-leading 0.8 fWAR. Following a brief blip, he's back to being the best reliever in baseball, and he's getting late-inning support in this bullpen from the likes of Louis Varland, Brock Stewart and Cole Sands, who combined to allow one run in 7 ⅓ innings. LOWLIGHTS I'm not inclined to put too much stock into it, given the situation and conditions, but Durán looked rough on Wednesday in giving up a three-run lead against the Guardians, continuing a run of high-leverage struggles against the division rival. Called upon to put out a fire after Ryan put the first two runners on base to start the ninth, Durán only fanned the flames. He managed to get out of the inning, but not before Cleveland had tied it with a single, wild pitch and double. The right-hander flashed some of his lowest fastball velocity of the season, failing to eclipse 100 MPH with any of his 10 four-seamers. Again, very tough spot, and he was pitching in the rain. His next time out, on Saturday, Durán got into another jam, loading the bases in a 4-4 game on a single, HBP and walk, but he was able to escape with no damage, and the offense sealed it up in the bottom of the ninth. Durán came on again Sunday, working the 10th with a runner starting on second base, and he was almost able to strand him but gave up a two-out go-ahead RBI single on an 0-2 count to take the loss. There's no denying that on balance this year, Durán has been downright phenomenal. He's got a 1.11 ERA and his underlying metrics are beyond encouraging. Ultimately I'm less worried about what he looked like this past week, and more so about what he might look like in the second half if Baldelli is forced to keep leaning on the big righty this hard. Durán has already appeared 24 times through the team's first 52 games. That puts him on pace to pitch 75 times this season, which would be 16 more than his career high. Meanwhile Varland, who is acclimating to short-burst relief duty for the first time, has already made an MLB-leading 27 appearances, which is an 84-game pace. Only three Twins pitchers have ever made more than 80 appearances in a season: Mike Marshall in 1979 (90), Eddie Guardado in 1996 (83) and J.C. Romero in 2002 (81). To prevent their most valuable relievers from burning out, the Twins have got to find a way to break this cycle of nonstop close games, which give Rocco little choice but to summon his leverage arms. That means the offense needs to step up. Run-scoring continues to be the clear deficiency weighing this club down. They've mostly been able to overcome it lately, thanks to timely hits and stellar pitching, but games like the two losses this past week – where the lineup really can't get anything going at all – remain far too common. Correa has been slow to go, but his thunderous home run on Friday at least provides some flourish of optimism. The two other names that stick out most in evaluating the offense's shortcomings are Willi Castro and Royce Lewis. Castro has really not shown signs of life at the plate since his strong opening series in St. Louis. Baldelli's got him batting at the very bottom the order and it's plain to see why. Last week Castro was 2-for-11 with four strikeouts, and since April 1st he's got a sub-.600 OPS. In a far cry from the celebrated all-around value he offered in his first two seasons with the Twins, Castro has been sub-replacement level through the first third of 2025. And as for Lewis ... man. It's genuinely just difficult to watch the guy play ball right now. He is so visibly out of sorts in terms of his mechanics and approach – staggering in the box and flinging his bat toward anything on the outer half – and there isn't much to index on in terms of progress indicators. We hoped the end of last week, when he homered once and nearly did so again on Sunday, would prove to be a turning point, but Lewis backslid during the home stand, managing just one hit in 15 at-bats. Notably, three of his four starts came at DH after the last eight in a row had all come at third base. The Twins need more from these guys, there's no two ways about. But help is on the way and that can hopefully relieve some pressure. TRENDING STORYLINE The offense is in line to receive two critical reinforcements during the upcoming road trip. I hesitate to make any guesses about when exactly Buxton might be back in the lineup – with brain injuries you just never know – but it sounds like it could be fairly imminent, maybe as soon as Monday night. The fact that he's traveling with the team to Tampa, after reportedly ramping up his activity in recent days, is a promising sign. Wallner's performance in Triple-A leaves little doubt that this swing is once again ready for showtime, but the Twins are inclined to test out his hamstring a little more before welcoming him back into the fold. Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports that the team wants to see Wallner play two complete games in the outfield on back-to-back days before giving the green light. The Saints have a day off on Monday and then open a six-game series in Omaha on Tuesday. Wallner could play the first two games there, then take a break on Thursday and join the Twins in Seattle for the series opener on Friday night. If all goes smoothly I would presume that is the plan. It can't be overstated what the returns of these two bats can do for the Twins lineup. Wallner and Buxton rank behind only Clemens and Luke Keaschall among Minnesota hitters in OPS – and they've done it in larger samples, with much more convincing major-league track records to back it up. Further down the line, Keaschall himself will eventually be poised to re-enter the mix. His forearm fracture will keep him sidelined until at least July, but suddenly that's only a little more than a month away. The idea of having all of these guys in the lineup together – alongside a theoretically awakening Correa and Lewis – is extremely exciting, especially when you consider what this team is capable of with even a modestly above average offense. In the coming week, we'll hopefully see some big steps in that direction. LOOKING AHEAD As we get head into the last week of May, the Twins are embarking on a 10-game road trip that will take them to opposite corners of the country – from southern Florida to the upper West Coast. The Twins open and close out this trip in minor-league stadiums, against Tampa and the Athletics, with a weekend stop in Seattle sandwiched in between. Can the Twins keep it clicking away from the comforts of Target Field, where they are now 18-8? We're going to find out. There's a saying that the baseball season doesn't truly begin until Memorial Day. We've officially reached that milestone, so now the race can really get underway. MONDAY, MAY 26: TWINS @ RAYS — RHP Joe Ryan v. RHP Zack Littell TUESDAY, MAY 27: TWINS @ RAYS — RHP Chris Paddack v. RHP Taj Bradley WEDNESDAY, MAY 28: TWINS @ RAYS — RHP Pablo Lopez v. RHP Drew Rasmussen FRIDAY, MAY 30: TWINS @ MARINERS — RHP Zebby Matthews v. RHP Bryan Woo SATURDAY, MAY 31: TWINS @ MARINERS — RHP Bailey Ober v. RHP Luis Castillo SUNDAY, JUNE 1: TWINS @ MARINERS — RHP Joe Ryan v. RHP Logan Evans View full article

Image courtesy of Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images I can see clearly now the rain is gone. The past week in Minnesota didn't feel much like summer. Temperatures dipped into the 40s as a constant deluge of rain fell upon the Twin Cities, creating tough circumstances for a scheduled three-game series against the Guardians at Target Field. All things considered, the two teams were lucky to get in two complete games, splitting them 1-1. Now, following Thursday's off day, the Twins are set to face off against another key division rival, and the forecast is looking much more favorable. The chances of rain on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are in single digits, with an expectation for partly-to-mostly sunny skies and temps in the 60s/70s. Memorial Day weekend is viewed by many as the unofficial start of summer, and so the conditions at Target Field will be very fitting. As will the meaningful context of the on-field action. I can see all obstacles in my way. There's a long-standing truism in baseball that the season doesn't really start until Memorial Day. Once teams have had the opportunity to work through their early streaks and slumps, to settle in and establish themselves a bit, you start to have a clearer picture of how the races will take shape. The Twins this year have been a perfect case in point. They started out almost unimaginably cold, then got almost unimaginably hot, and after it all they are about exactly where you would expect them to be: five games over .500, very much in contention for the AL Central. Entering play on Thursday, Minnesota is in a dead heat with the Kansas City Royals, who are coming to town this weekend for three games. The two clubs are tied for second place, 5 ½ games behind the world-beating Tigers and just a half-step ahead of Cleveland. It's gonna be a divisional dogfight, with Detroit's surprising ascendance sprinkling in an added challenge. The Twins will look to make a statement this weekend against a team that, in similar fashion, aims to win on the strength of its pitching but often struggles to score. The Royals are one of only two MLB teams with a lower ERA (3.03) than Minnesota (3.23). Runs will likely be hard to come by at Target Field this weekend, but luckily the Twins are getting back a crucial lineup fixture to aid in the effort. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. On Thursday the Twins optioned Ryan Fitzgerald to Triple-A, setting the stage for Carlos Correa to be activated from a minimum-length stay on the 7-day concussion injured list. Correa is expected to be in the starting lineup for Friday night's series opener against Kansas City. Correa went on the IL after being shaken up in an outfield collision with Byron Buxton one week ago. Twins head trainer Nick Paparesta gave a positive report on the shortstop's progress Wednesday, indicating his symptoms were gone, and sure enough it now looks like Correa's on track to return after missing just five games. His presence is obviously important to the team for more reasons than just offensive production, but the shortstop was showing signs of awakening at the plate before his injury, with a .323 average in his past 16 contests. Buxton, unfortunately, still does not appear to be out of the the dark clouds quite yet — there's no indication he'll be activated on Friday, with Paparesta noting that the center fielder was "a little behind" Correa's recovery timeline. It sounds like Buxton's history of concussions and migraines are a factor. But it also sounded like he himself was beginning to ramp up on Wednesday so hopefully Buck is not too far out. It's gonna be a bright, bright (partly) sun-shiny day. As I write this article on Thursday afternoon, the sun is pouring through my apartment window for the first time all week. There should be plenty more brightness ahead at Target Field this weekend and this summer, both literally and — we hope — figuratively. Health is of course going to be a decisive force in guiding the outcome of this season (as the next line goes, "I think I can make it now, the pain is gone") but right now it's a sunny vibe with Correa making an expedient comeback and Matt Wallner kicking off his minor-league rehab assignment in St. Paul on Thursday night. Let the summer begin. View full article

Image courtesy of Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Since being acquired in a low-wattage trade in late April, Kody Clemens has emerged as a central figure in the team’s torrid May turnaround. Previously a fringe big-leaguer best known for being Roger’s kid, Clemens has hit .318 with a 1.070 OPS and delivered multiple game-changing home runs in the new uniform, not to mention a walk-off double Wednesday against the Guardians that sent Target Field into delirium. The Twins are 17-6 since Clemens came aboard. So what changed? “It’s the Codys, man,” Clemens said postgame, ice still melting off his jersey. “There’s something happening here. I show up in Minnesota, and suddenly I’m surrounded by Codys — writing about the team, tweeting, podcasting, probably grilling brats in the parking lot. I don’t know what to tell you. The energy is… real.” Clemens went on to clarify: “Yeah, they all spell it the wrong way, but still. I can feel their power.” The phenomenon has not gone unnoticed by the Codys themselves, particularly those with long-standing influence in the Twins Daily ecosystem. When informed of Clemens’ comments, writer Cody Christie responded, “We’ve always known the Cody Effect was no myth. Frankly, we’re just glad the Twins are finally tapping into it intentionally.” Added fellow TD contributor Cody Schoenmann: “People think it’s just a coincidence. But I've been saying ever since Stashak and later Funderburk emerged as key bullpen contributors: this is an environment where Codys are set up to thrive.” Cody Pirkl, also a writer and noted defensive metrics enjoyer, was more analytical. “The sample size is small,” he said, “but the WARPC (Wins Above Replacement Per Cody) is tracking at an all-time high. If you adjust for capitalization variance, it’s basically elite.” Kody Clemens, for his part, seems to have embraced the supernatural theory entirely. “I mean look, I was just trying to stay in the league. Now I’m out here hitting bombs and getting bathed in Gatorade. Something shifted. That something is Cody-based.” As the Twins continue their charge through the American League, one thing is clear: the Codys—and Kodys, and Codi Heuer or Kodi Whitley, too, should they happen to stumble in here—are not to be trifled with. View full article

Image courtesy of Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images The Weekly Nutshell: Late last season and early this season, it seemed like the Minnesota Twins could not overcome any type of adversity or tribulation. A stiff breeze was liable to knock them over, and you could safely bet they weren't going to get back up off the mat. The lack of resilience was maddening. Over the last couple weeks, that script has flipped entirely. The hits keep coming and yet the winning won't stop for Minnesota, which rattled off five more wins on the road last week before finally ending the streak on Sunday in a solid, competitive game. Already playing without multiple key hitters, the Twins lineup suffered another devastating blow on Thursday when Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa collided violently in the outfield on Thursday, ultimately landing both players on the injured list with concussions. How did the team respond? By going into Milwaukee and not missing a beat. The pitching staff has been picking up a battered lineup by keeping opponents off the board to an almost unprecedented extreme. The Twins logged three consecutive shutouts and strung 35 straight scoreless innings before finally letting up on Sunday in the streak ending loss. The Twins have emphatically reasserted themselves as a force in the AL Central, and now they've got a big week at home on tap against two divisional rivals. They'll be shorthanded but undoubtedly more self-assured than the last time they faced either of these opponents. No team in baseball has been better over the past two-plus weeks. Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 5/12 through Sun, 5/18 *** Record Last Week: 5-1 (Overall: 26-21) Run Differential Last Week: +16 (Overall: +35) Standing: 2nd Place in AL Central (5.0 GB) Last Week's Game Results: Game 42 | MIN 6, BAL 3: Offense Adds Late, Bullpen Brilliant Once Again Twins bullpen: 4.1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 7 K Game 43 | MIN 8, BAL 6: Clemens Keys Late Comeback in 10th Straight Win Clemens: Go-ahead 3-R HR in 8th inning Game 44 | MIN 4, BAL 0: Paddack Leads Charge in Sweep-Sealing Shutout Paddack: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R Game 45 | MIN 3, MIL 0: Twins Pitching Plows Through Brewers in Border Battle Twins pitchers: 16 K, 1 BB Game 46: MIN 7, MIL 0: López Leads the Way in Third Consecutive Shutout López: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R; Twins offense: 18 H Game 47 | MIL 5, MIN 2: Matthews Loses Control as Winning Streak Ends at 13 Matthews: 3 IP, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 H IF YOU'D RATHER LISTEN TO THE WEEK IN REVIEW THAN READ IT, YOU CAN GET IT IN AUDIO FORM! FIND THE LATEST EPISODE ON OUR PODCAST PAGE, AS WELL AS ON APPLE AND SPOTIFY. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNELS SO YOU DON'T MISS OUT! NEWS & NOTES If you had to come up with series of worst-case scenarios for the Twins as they finally pull out of their tailspin and re-enter the American League power picture, Correa and Buxton running into each other and both suffering brain injuries would have to rank pretty high on the list. The incident occurred when Minnesota's veteran leaders converged on a pop-up in shallow center on Thursday; Buxton's call-off came too late and Correa couldn't get out of the way. Both players exited the game (though Buxton finished his inning in the field). Correa was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list on Friday, and Buck one day later following a more prolonged evaluation. It's a tough break for Correa, whose absence will test the organization's thin shortstop depth, but losing Buxton is especially unfortunate. His health and production have been the biggest bright spot in this Twins season so far, even while the team was struggling. As it goes with concussions, there's no way of knowing how long either player will be sidelined. As a silver lining, these IL placements did lead to a couple of storybook call-ups, with infielder Ryan Fitzgerald and outfielder Carson McCusker promoted from Triple-A. Both of these unheralded grinders have followed winding paths that included tours through Indy Ball. Fitzgerald, who made his MLB debut on Friday night, is on hand as more of a versatile bench piece, whereas McCusker – whose dominant performance in Triple-A instills a level of intrigue – could find his way into more regular action with the Twins in search of right-handed pop. He grounded out in his first plate appearance, as a pinch-hitter, on Sunday. Luke Keaschall and Michael Tonkin were both moved to the 60-day IL to free up space for the 40-man roster newcomers. As icing on the cake, we learned on Sunday that Danny Coulombe would also be headed for the injured list, due to a left forearm extensor strain that he says he's been dealing with all year. He expressed a low level of concern, but it's notable that Coulombe underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow last summer. For now Kody Funderburk sticks around as the sole bullpen lefty as the Twins will be forced to proceed without MLB's relief FIP leader for at least two weeks. In a non-injury-related roster decision, the Twins optioned Simeon Woods Richardson to Triple-A following his rough outing against Baltimore on Wednesday. Zebby Matthews was recalled from St. Paul to make his season debut on Sunday. Woods Richardson was far from terrible through his first eight outings, by the standard of a fifth starter, but the bar in this rotation is mightily high. For now, Matthews will get a chance to hold it down at the back end. HIGHLIGHTS The pitching staff is flat-out demolishing the opposition. They went on a run unlike any we've ever seen from a Minnesota Twins team, carving through 35 scoreless innings in succession with three straight shutout victories mixed in. Over their six games, Twins pitchers held the Orioles and Brewers to a 2.38 ERA and .179 average with 56 strikeouts and 17 walks in 53 innings. As you'd expect when it's all coming together this nicely, the rotation and bullpen are contributing pretty much in equal measure. Chris Paddack, Joe Ryan and Pablo López produced scoreless starts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, combining to allow just seven hits in 19 innings. Matthews finally ended the shutout streak on Sunday, running aground after coming out of the gates on fire in the first. He exhibited some of the same tendencies that afflicted him as a rookie – missing spots, falling behind, paying the price – but Zebby also was firing 98 MPH and struck out five in three innings. That's some outrageous upside and talent to have in the fifth rotation spot. The relief corps, meanwhile, continues to be near-flawless when called upon. After allowing just one run in 21 innings the previous week, the bullpen once again allowed a single run, in 22 ⅓, and it didn't come until the last inning of the week on Sunday. These guys are chugging Red Bulls and shredding batters with a relentlessness. Jhoan Durán made two scoreless appearances and notched his eighth save. Griffin Jax struck out four over two shutout frames and has a 1.42 ERA in 13 appearances since his four-run implosion in Atlanta. Louis Varland also chipped in a pair of shutout innings, striking out three and lowering his ERA to 2.95 on the season. Cole Sands tossed five clean innings and converted consecutive save chances. Jorge Alcalá should also be commended for some quality low-leverage work, allowing one run and one hit in five innings across four appearances. This is what we wanted the bullpen to be, and what we thought it could be. It's Cleveland-2024-level dominance and then some, or at least that's been the case since the first couple weeks of the season. This reliever group leads the majors in fWAR by a sizable margin, and they've moved into the top 10 for WPA which is pretty amazing given some of those huge early lapses. The Twins are so deep on trustworthy options, and they've even got guys like Justin Topa giving them value. It's really good to see. On offense, the Twins are getting critical production from some unexpected sources. At the top of that list is Kody Clemens, who has not only locked himself quite firmly into a roster spot but has even elevated into the middle of the order, making back-to-back starts in the five hole by week's end. He's been the team's best hitter of late, going 8-for-23 on the road trip with two home runs, six RBIs and three walks. Clemens sparked Minnesota's winning streak with a go-ahead homer in Boston back in early May, and he continued to deliver throughout. Another unexpected but welcome difference-maker in the lineup: Christian Vázquez, who's been seeing more time behind the plate with Ryan Jeffers being used more at DH. Vázquez was 6-for-17 with a double and a homer in his four starts and has his OPS up into the .600 range, which is honestly perfectly adequate. Meanwhile, Jeffers continues to look dialed at the dish. He had four hits in Saturday's 7-0 rout of Milwaukee, and went 8-for-22 on the week. Finally, Trevor Larnach is flourishing in his new role as leadoff hitter against right-handed pitching. He was a consistent threat against the Orioles and Brewers, tallying seven hits including two doubles, triple and home run in the six games. And hey, since he gets (and got) plenty of flak when things go awry, let's give the manager Rocco Baldelli some props. The Twins were finally able to pull themselves out of a funk that seemed to be spiralling uncontrollably, and they've done it even while plagued by almost inconceivable misfortune on the injury front. That takes leadership. The ability of these players to steadily focused and let the results come has to reflect well on him. Plus, you don't win 13 straight games and reel off about a billion straight scoreless bullpen innings without a plan that is well conceived and perfectly executed. The rumblings of a hot seat for Rocco have quickly become a distant memory, although his counterpart in Baltimore, Brandon Hyde was not so lucky, getting the axe over the weekend shortly after the Twins completed their second sweep over the Orioles in a span of 11 days. LOWLIGHTS The constant onslaught of attrition has thrown a wrench into the works during this winning run, keeping the elation of a thrilling 13-game streak in check. Not only are the Twins losing players to fairly serious injuries, one after another, but those players happen to be utterly crucial to their ability to stay on a roll. Correa still has yet to find his swing at the plate this season, but had been coming around in recent weeks and his presence is highly valued as a defender and leader. Buxton has pretty clearly been the team MVP through the first quarter of the schedule, and losing his bat alongside the already sidelined Matt Wallner and Keaschall deprives this lineup of three of its best hitters, for the foreseeable future, at a time where the offense is trying to find its rhythm and preparing to face some very tough pitching. If you've followed the Twins for any length of time, I don't need to tell you how unsettling it is to see beloved franchise centerpiece players battling brain injuries. We've seen superstars like Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau have their careers permanently altered by blows to the head that seemed, at first glance, far more innocuous than the forceful impact experienced by Correa and Buxton on that play. Obviously there's no reason to speculate and at this point, not much more to be said. We'll have to see what happens. The timing is especially rough as both players will miss, at minimum, almost the entirety of the upcoming six-game home stand against two AL Central contenders. But right now I'm less concerned about the implications for the team and more just thinking about Carlos and Byron as human beings. These guys have both dealt with so much physically and now to add this on top is heart-wrenching. Wishing them all the best in their recoveries. Beyond the injuries that are pushing players to IL, much of the Twins' active roster consists of the walking wounded. Harrison Bader missed time with a groin strain, and though he's returned to play it is apparent that he's not 100 percent. (One telltale sign is that he's been playing left field with DaShawn Keirsey Jr. in center.) Willi Castro exited Friday's game after fouling a ball of his knee and hasn't been on the field since. Major-league baseball can be a brutal sport, but damn y'all, this group has really been hexed. The next-man-up mentality has to win out for the Twins to succeed, and so far it has. Minnesota's beleaguered lineup will truly be put to the test in the next six games, facing off against a pair of premier pitching staffs. You can only expect so much from the Triple-A fillers who've been summoned out of desperation. What we really need to see is the few remaining cornerstone types to keep pulling weight. Larnach and Jeffers have been doing it. Is Royce Lewis ready to join the party? He showed some good signs with six hits in 21 at-bats last week, and on Sunday launched his first truly crushed home run since August 12th of last year. Up until then, Lewis had reached the seats just once in his previous 200 plate appearances, and "reached the seats" isn't quite accurate – one of the most weakly-hit homers of the entire MLB season barely scraped into the Target Field flower pots. In his last AB of the game Lewis came within inches of a game-tying second home run, only to have it robbed by Jackson Chourio on a spectacular play. The Twins have gone 11-1 since Lewis was activated from the injured list, despite the fact that he really hasn't done much at all. So that's perhaps a comforting nugget of food for thought as we process the losses of Correa and Buxton. TRENDING STORYLINE There is a massive opportunity in front of guys like Edouard Julien and José Miranda right now. With all due respect to the likes of Fitzgerald and McCusker, they are not players that the Twins were viewing as legitimate major-league options six weeks ago. I do think that the front office continues to hold Julien and Miranda in that esteem, and to some extent these former standout bats feel like aces in the hole. But they've got to show something to make us believe again. So far there hasn't been much to point toward as meaningful progress. Julien has a .214 average with just three extra-base hits in 55 plate appearances since his demotion to St. Paul. Miranda is batting .154 in seven games since coming off the Triple-A injured list. Both did show glimmers late in the past week: Miranda ripped three doubles over the weekend in Iowa (Friday through Sunday), while Julien had four walks and a homer. LOOKING AHEAD Buckle up folks. The Twins have jumped to second place in the AL Central, but they're just a half-game in front of the Guardians and Royals, who are tied for third place. You wish that Minnesota was coming into this important stretch at anything resembling full strength, but it should be an exciting and competitive week at Target Field nonetheless. MONDAY, MAY 19: GUARDIANS @ TWINS — LHP Logan Allen v. RHP Bailey Ober TUESDAY, MAY 20: GUARDIANS @ TWINS — RHP Gavin Williams v. RHP Chris Paddack WEDNESDAY, MAY 21: GUARDIANS @ TWINS — RHP Tanner Bibee v. RHP Joe Ryan FRIDAY, MAY 23: ROYALS @ TWINS — TBD v. RHP Pablo Lopez SATURDAY, MAY 24: ROYALS @ TWINS — RHP Michael Wacha v. RHP Zebby Matthews SUNDAY, MAY 25: ROYALS @ TWINS — LHP Kris Bubic v. RHP Bailey Ober View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints The Minnesota Twins will have a new face, and hard-to-miss physique, in their dugout on Sunday. Carson McCusker, the towering 6-foot-8, 250-pound slugger nicknamed McCrusher, is heading from Des Moines to Milwaukee to join the major-league club, as reported by Dan Hayes of The Athletic and others on Saturday evening. The circumstances, unfortunately, are sobering. Outfielder Byron Buxton is being placed on the 7-day concussion injured list, joining Carlos Correa, after their violent outfield collision on Thursday. Buxton had been under daily evaluation, but the Twins ultimately opted for caution following concussion protocol guidelines. While the injury news is tough, McCusker’s call-up is undeniably one of the most heartening stories of the Twins’ season. A few years ago, McCusker was on the verge of retirement. As Bobby Nightingale of the Star Tribune noted, the Oklahoma State product was coming off a second season in independent ball without a single offer from a major-league organization. But the Twins took a flier on him, and he’s made them look smart ever since. McCusker has mashed at every level of the system, and this year he's turned it up to 11. In 38 games with the St. Paul Saints, he’s slashing .350/.412/.650 with 10 home runs and 11 doubles, ranking third out of 119 International League hitters in OPS. That kind of production has made him impossible to ignore, especially for a Twins team that ranks in the bottom third of the league in slugging and home runs, and is now going to be without its most prolific power bat in Buxton. Make no mistake: this is not your typical big-league promotion. McCusker isn’t on any top prospect lists. He’s nearly 27, was drafted in the 26th round out of college, and has a career minor-league strikeout rate over 30 percent. He’s not a polished, five-tool player. But he does one thing exceptionally well: hit the baseball very hard. In profiling McCusker earlier this season, Jamie Cameron pointed out that his max exit velocity clocked in at over 114 mph, and he boasted a hard-hit rate above 60 percent. In other words, the Twins are adding something they are sorely lacking with Buxton down and Royce Lewis still not looking like himself: right-handed thump. McCusker’s late-bloomer trajectory, sky-high whiff rates and lack of discipline might make some skeptical, but Twins fans are ready to root for a grinder who earned his shot the hard way. Whether he becomes the next slugging sensation or simply a feel-good flash, he’s earned this moment. And for a team still searching for offensive identity — and now down two cornerstone players — it might be the perfect time to unleash McCrusher. Are you as excited as I am about this news?! Sound off in the comments! View full article

Sure, but elite pitching is what makes a streak like this possible. It's hard to lose very often when you're giving up two runs a game. And now they're about to swap out their lone underperforming starter with their top pitching prospect.

The Twins have one of the best pitching staffs in the league. The Orioles have the worst. I'm cherry-picking? Come on.

Image courtesy of Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images A few short weeks ago, fans and media were rightfully wondering whether Rocco Baldelli's job might be in danger as the Twins dug deeper into an early-season hole, following last year's second-half collapse. That notion's been quelled by a 12-game winning streak that has Minnesota back to five games above .500 and firmly in the American League contention mix. Ironically, the epic run from Baldelli's squad played a direct role in the dismissal of a different manager: Brandon Hyde of the Orioles, against whom half of Minnesota's wins during the streak were recorded. On Saturday Baltimore announced that they've relieved Hyde of managerial duties, replacing him with third base coach Tony Mansolino in the interim. The Orioles are in last place in the AL East with a 15-28 record. The Twins looked like the clearly superior team while going 6-0 against them in an 11-day span this month, outscoring the O's by 23 runs. As Minnesota rose, Baltimore fell, and now their skipper is the one to take the fall, after guiding his team to the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. It was true with Baldelli and the Twins, and it's true with Hyde and the Orioles: the manager is not the primary issue at play. The desire for a shakeup is understandable, but the Baltimore Orioles are plagued by deeper problems that are in large part self-inflicted by the organization's leadership and its shortcomings. There is one glaring point of distinction between these two ships passing in the night: Pitching. The Orioles can’t stop losing for the same reason the Twins can’t stop winning. Baltimore’s team ERA ranks dead last in the American League at 5.31. Minnesota, by contrast, is second at 3.23. When your arms are giving you that kind of advantage — or disadvantage — the manager’s job becomes almost irrelevant. Twins fans have had plenty of valid gripes over the past couple years, most notably the front office’s decision to scale back payroll after a playoff breakthrough. But they can’t hold a candle to what the Orioles have put their fanbase through. After forcing fans to endure years of non-competitive rebuilding, Baltimore finally emerged with a fun, talented young core ... and then failed to follow through with the investments needed to take the next step. Most notably, they couldn’t retain Corbin Burnes — one of the few high-end pitchers they had managed to acquire — allowing the four-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner to walk in free agency. Burnes is now excelling in Arizona while the Orioles scramble to field competent starters. But Baltimore’s problems go beyond money. The Twins aren’t dominating opponents because they outspent anyone; they’re dominating because of development. Under Derek Falvey, Minnesota has built a pitching pipeline that consistently turns mid-round picks and overlooked arms into legitimate contributors. They’re identifying talent, nurturing it, and maximizing its value. It’s the difference between a flash-in-the-pan contender and a team with staying power. Case in point: Danny Coulombe. The Orioles had him in-house, but declined to activate a modest contract option this past offseason. Minnesota scooped him up, and Coulombe has returned to their bullpen as a key force with a zero runs allowed in 19 appearances and an MLB-leading 1.19 FIP, helping anchor one of the league’s most overpowering relief groups. Meanwhile, Baltimore’s bullpen is a mess, and one of their better lefty options is thriving elsewhere, on a team that’s now beaten them six times in a row. Twins fans have every right to be irritated in many regards with the state of their favorite franchise. But we just saw firsthand how much worse it can be. If you can pitch, you’re going to have a chance. Right now, the Twins have arms in abundance, and a front office that’s showing it knows how to keep them coming. Falvey may not be perfect, but he's doing the main thing he was asked to do when the Twins hire him. Rocco Baldelli is enjoying the benefits. Brandon Hyde, not so much. View full article

Image courtesy of Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images 1. No Correa, No Buxton Amid Concussion Concerns Neither Carlos Correa nor Byron Buxton is in the lineup after Thursday’s scary outfield collision, and both remain in concussion protocol. Their absences loom large, especially with Matt Wallner on the injured list and Harrison Bader apparently still not available (but on the active roster). Ryan Fitzgerald is on standby via the taxi squad, as the Twins' depth continues to get stretched. "Players can remain in the league’s concussion protocol for multiple days, even if they haven’t been diagnosed with a concussion," reports Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune. "Correa said he felt fine when he walked around downtown Milwaukee on Friday morning, but he wasn’t visible in the clubhouse when it opened to reporters in the afternoon." UPDATE: Correa has officially been placed on the 7-day injured list and Fitzgerald has been activated. Buxton remains in the protocol. 2. Clemens Over Lewis? Believe It. Kody Clemens hitting sixth, Royce Lewis seventh. That sentence alone would’ve broken a few brains back in March. But it says a lot about both players’ current trajectories. Clemens — a fringe big-leaguer by most evaluations — has delivered in big moments, with multiple clutch, game-altering homers during this win streak. Meanwhile, Lewis has struggled to regain form since coming off the IL and, truthfully, has looked lost at the plate dating back to last August. Talent favors Lewis long-term, but right now, Clemens is the more dangerous bat. The lineup reflects that. With all of these injuries to key players piling up, now would be a GREAT time for Royce Lewis to remember who he is. 3. Larnach Leads Off (Again) For the third time this season, Trevor Larnach finds himself in the leadoff spot. With Edouard Julien down in St. Paul, Buxton in limbo, and Wallner still likely weeks away, the Twins are without a trio of players who've led off in 40 of their 44 games. Now it looks like Larnach has emerged as the next man up, and to his credit, he’s earned it. His left-handed approach plays well at the top, and he's been swinging a hot bat lately with an .856 OPS during the win streak. 4. Brooks Lee, #3 Hitter: Ready or Not Lee batted eighth when he made his season debut for Minnesota back in mid-April, coming off a rookie season where he looked very much like a hitter who belonged at the bottom of the order. In just over a month with the Twins, he has worked his way up into the heart of the lineup, batting cleanup in each of the past six games and tonight moving into the #3 spot. He's come through with some big hits to earn the vote of confidence from Rocco Baldelli. Personally, I'm still not fully sold on what I'm seeing. Lee has shown flashes at the plate, but his plate discipline remains a work in progress — a 12-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .250 OBP in May don’t exactly scream “middle-of-the-order anchor.” But with injuries piling up and bats slumping, Lee gets a chance to hit in a premium spot. The tools are there — the consistency needs to catch up. Ready or not, he’s got a chance to prove something. Plagued by attrition, the Twins need Lee and other players like him to step up and carry the load. So far over the course of this streak, guys have been answering the call. View full article

Is that true though? The most memorable season of the last 5 years, if not the last 20, came in 2023 when Correa and Buxton had the worst campaigns of their career, and Lewis played 50 games. That's kind of my point. It's about having guys elsewhere step up, which this team is capable of. Not sure what your point is on Lee/Lewis -- I'm downgrading them both for the same reason: neither has been a remote offensive threat in their past 200 plate appearances.

Image courtesy of Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins have won eight games in a row, and most impressively they've been able to do it without Matt Wallner and Luke Keaschall, who looked like their two best hitters before going down with injuries. Wallner had an .847 OPS before suffering a significant hamstring strain on April 15th. Keaschall went 7-for-19 with five steals in seven games up until a wayward fastball fractured his forearm. Before they went down, Wallner was routinely leading off and Keaschall had found his way into the No. 3 spot, reflecting the magnitude of these losses in the lineup. Neither is going to be back anytime soon; Wallner is still weeks away and Keaschall probably won't return until around the All-Star break. The good news is that these two crucial reinforcements could set up the Twins offense, which has started to click somewhat in their absence, for a big second half. If the pitching staff continues the way it has, that's a recipe for a lot of winning and maybe a sprint to the top of the division. But in order for this to be in the cards down the line, Minnesota first needs to hang in the race. They need to their offense to keep holding up its end of the bargain. That doesn't mean they need the lineup to dominate. They haven't, and they probably aren't going to. Even over the course of this eight-game winning streak the Twins have scored more than five runs only twice, and their team .312 wOBA ranks right in middle of the MLB pack, at 15th. Supported by a staff that has allowed the fifth-fewest runs in baseball, the offense can get by with being merely solid. But they were far from that in the first month as the Twins dug this whole they're now trying to escape. In order to keep making progress toward that end in the weeks ahead, from my view, they need four players to build upon the success that has helped fuel Minnesota's turnaround. But first, I'm going to start by naming a few players I am NOT expecting to lead this charge. Because a couple of them may surprise. I'm not counting on Carlos Correa. He's been better of late, in terms of getting some singles to drop, but I'm still not seeing any indicators that Correa is on the verge of recapturing his form as a true impact player on the offensive side. Pitchers are challenging him relentlessly in the strike zone and rarely paying for it. I'll be satisfied enough with average production from him. I'm also not counting on Royce Lewis, not right now anyway. He looks out of whack at the plate and uncomfortable on the bases. And while you'd like to attribute that to temporary rust, Lewis's struggles date back the final six weeks of 2024. He now has one home run in his past 175 plate appearances, and that one barely skimmed over the left field wall at Target Field. Like with Correa, we know full well what Lewis is capable of, but in both cases I'm just not seeing anything to make me believe at the moment. Finally, I'm not counting on Brooks Lee. He's had some clutch hits over this winning streak and is coming off an awesome three-hit game, but in general he's just not showing enough discipline for a guy that lacks standout power. Lee is slashing .232/.277/.347 through 278 MLB plate appearances. Again: not saying by any means that these three players can't be key factors — along with Ty France, Willi Castro and even Edouard Julien or José Miranda — but I'm not expecting them to be the top difference-makers. Instead, I've got my eyes on these four players, who have already experienced offensive breakthroughs with potential to sustain. Byron Buxton Obviously. Even with a league-leading strikeout total, Buxton has been one of the most valuable players in baseball, ranking 16th among qualified players in fWAR. Just writing a sentence that included "Buxton" and "qualified player" makes me feel so happy. He's slashing .264/.304/.520 this year, including .322/.364/.610 since Keaschall got hurt on April 25th, and he's 8-for-8 on stolen base attempts with the second-most runs scored in the American League. Healthy at last, Buxton has easily been the team's MVP so far, and again: he's done it while whiffing at an exorbitant rate. Makes you wonder what's possible if he dials in the strike zone control just a tad. Buxton was showing signs of doing so, tallying seven strikeouts against four walks through his first eight games in May before striking out seven times on Saturday and Sunday. Harrison Bader When Bader homered three times with eight RBIs in his first five games as a Twin, it had the clear makings of an isolated hot start. Sure enough, after 10 more games played, he had a .686 OPS and 11-to-1 K/BB ratio. This seemed to match up with the reports on Bader, a defensive stud whose hitting ability and plate presence had largely gone amiss. But Bader refused to succumb to such a fate. Instead, he got back on track offensively in mid-April and now he has the best OPS on the team here at the one-quarter milestone. In 14 games since Keaschall joined Wallner on the IL, Bader is slashing .405/.490/.571, and after flailing at times early, he's putting together really solid professional at-bats. During this span, Bader has a 7-to-7 K/BB ratio, and on the season, his 10% walk rate dwarfs his career mark. He surely won't maintain at that rate, but if Bader's evolution in pitch selection is at all legit, he is plenty capable of continuing to contribute at an All-Star level alongside Buxton. So far, this is shaping up as one of the best free agent signings in team history, especially given the stakes. Trevor Larnach Through his first 15 games this year, Larnach was sporting lean .189/.279/.208 slash line with just one extra-base hit through 64 plate appearances. Personally, I wasn't that concerned. Nothing I saw led me to believe Larnach's talent wouldn't eventually win out and start translating to results. Now we are seeing it, in timely fashion. Since Wallner went down with his injury on April 15th, Larnach has produced an .846 OPS that is nearly identical to Wallner's team-leading mark when he suffered the injury (.847). Larnach has been a vital factor as really the only left-handed bat that presents any kind of threat in the Twins lineup, batting .303 with two homers and two doubles during the current winning streak. Ryan Jeffers The signs were there, even as Jeffers stumbled to a slow start the plate. But he has answered the call in the face of these injuries, slashing .271/.370/.457 in 21 games since April 15th. Like the others named above, Jeffers is inspiring a lot of confidence with not just his production but his approach at the plate (15 K and 9 BB in these 21 games). Overall, his .717 OPS on the season is about average, but that kind of steady output at the position is hard to come by, and too often was for the Twins last year. When you're getting offensive impact at all from catcher it can greatly benefit a lineup. Helpfully, Christian Vázquez has started to at least find his way on base, with four walks in 18 May plate appearances. Since the Wallner injury, Minnesota's catchers are top-10 in wOBA, and if that keeps up the offense should be alright. I'm certainly not giving up on the likes of Correa, Lewis or Lee in the grand scheme, but they all need to show me something. The four hitters above have done so, and they're helping lift the floor of the offense in the process. If they can keep it up, the Twins are going to keep winning, and if some of the team's other dormant stars can awaken in time for Wallner and eventually Keaschall to rejoin the fight, there's a whole lot to like about the lineup's eventual ceiling. View full article