Greggory Masterson

Don't get me wrong; this isn't proposing that Roden be the primary first baseman--I'm just interested in him playing there once a week, a few times a month. My belief is that they should acquire another infielder, probably a 1B/2B with Clemens playing the other. If he's a righty, it's easy to find Roden a handful of starts there. If he's a lefty, it's harder to get Roden playing time there between Clemens and [New Guy]'s starts. And if that's the case, so be it. I'd care more about truly upgrading in the infield than finding Roden games in the infield. But even then, it would help Roden's flexibility and could come in handy if there were an infield injury.

Like I always say: the best benches have a guy who can only play second base

Because you have to fill out a 13-man lineup, and that includes role players. But more importantly, something about Roden's swing scratches an itch in my brain, so I want to see it more often.

Image courtesy of Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Alan Roden has had a Twins career that has been very unfair to Alan Roden, starting the moment many Twins fans learned that he existed. Twins historians may recall the 2025 trade deadline, during which the Twins made nine trades, the last of which sent then-setup man Louis Varland to Toronto. Roden was the second piece of the return for Varland (and Ty France), arriving in Minnesota alongside lefty pitching prospect Kendry Rojas. Fans were predisposed to dislike Roden for having the temerity to have been traded for a hometown kid, but he didn’t help himself much on the field. In 12 games, he mustered just a .463 OPS, then he sprained his thumb sliding into the wall chasing a foul ball. He missed the rest of that season. And Roden wasn’t in a position to struggle. At the time of his acquisition, he was just one of many left-handed corner outfield options, alongside (but not limited to) Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner, James Outman, Walker Jenkins, and Emmanuel Rodriguez. He was thrust into a situation where he not only needed to fight for playing time in the present, but also had to fend off higher-profile prospects on his heels. After roster decisions and injury delayed Roden’s 2026 MLB season, he struggled out of the gate, with another OPS under .500 through his first eight games. However, even with a demotion and inconsistent playing time, he finished the season strong, slashing .317/.403/.450 and posting more walks than strikeouts over his last 24 games, to end the season with a .769 OPS in 32 games—15-20% better than average. It was fewer than 100 plate appearances, but it offered a glimpse of the player the Twins thought they had acquired from Toronto: a solid defensive corner outfielder with great strike-zone control and a little gap power. It’s not a high ceiling, but it’s easy to see how a player like Roden can be a solid, everyday player who helps teams win games. However, everyday play in the outfield probably isn’t feasible in Minnesota next season, even assuming that Larnach has played his last game in a Twins jersey (which, given the club’s history, might be a big assumption). Roden will be jockeying for playing time with fellow lefties Jenkins and Rodriguez, the latter of whom is out of options and will need to be on the big-league roster. Furthermore, Byron Buxton and Luke Keaschall will see a good share of time in the outfield. You might even say that the outfield is crowded before considering Roden. But there is some playing time to be spared. Jenkins, Rodriguez, Buxton, and Keaschall all have checkered injury histories, and it’s safe to assume there will be at least a couple of trips to the injured list from that group. Once you factor in rest days and a potentially fluid designated hitter spot, it’s not difficult to see some playing time every week. But at this point, he’s slotted in as the fifth outfielder. However, there might be another lane to playing time for Roden. Prior to his surprise selection in the third round of the 2022 draft, Roden was viewed primarily as a first baseman, having logged 39 appearances there as a 22-year-old junior at Creighton, compared to 15 games in the outfield. He also split time between the outfield and first base his draft summer in the Cape Cod League. As a pro, Roden has only logged one inning at first base, and he’s listed at 5-foot-11, but he’s got some athleticism, and it’s not hard to imagine him over there after watching France and Kody Clemens (both within an inch of Roden, height-wise) playing first base for the past two seasons. Even if Roden’s a bit rusty around the bag, the Twins have been successful in recent years in improving first base defense in players like Clemens and France, the latter of whom won a Gold Glove after years of being regarded as a poor defender. Carlos Santana also won his first Gold Glove at first base as a Twin, and they converted players like Luis Arraez into passable first basemen. This isn’t advocating for Roden to be an everyday first baseman or anything. But if the Twins want to get him on the field as much as is reasonably possible as a bench player, this is one way. A couple of outfield starts paired with a game at first base each week allows the Twins to play Roden about 50% of the time. Given Rodriguez’s lack of experience and Buxton’s recovery from offseason hip surgery, the Twins probably need to count on Roden even more at the beginning of the season than almost any other team’s fifth outfielder. And that day-to-day playing time can go up when any of the four guys ahead of him miss time later on. Nonetheless, it's difficult to see Roden carving out a consistent three-game-per-week role without a little time on the dirt, and he has real experience playing first base. If his true talent level is close to what he showed in 32 games this season, he’s a player that the Twins should want in the lineup—and he’d be a luxury to have on the bench. Of course, that’s assuming his true talent level is close to what we saw late this season. Roden as the backup first baseman (in addition to his work in the corners) makes sense with the roster as currently constructed, given that Royce Lewis is penciled into that spot and hits right-handed. Roden, a lefty, giving him a day off against righties would help Lewis’s numbers. But it remains to be seen if Lewis is indeed in that role next season. His production since the summer of 2024 certainly hasn’t earned it. If the everyday first baseman is instead Kody Clemens, a fellow lefty, it doesn’t make as much sense, unless the Twins play Clemens at second base on days Roden starts against a righty. Similarly, many of the potential bats that the Twins could add in free agency to replace Lewis in some form (such as Jake Bauers, Brandon Lowe, Nathaniel Lowe, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jeff McNeil, or even Arraez) are left-handed. Adding a lefty infielder probably precludes Roden from any time on the dirt. But if they were to instead acquire a righty like Rhys Hoskins, Alec Bohm, or Gleyber Torres, Roden playing some first base could be valuable. Even without a little work at first base, Roden seems to be a valuable role player on next year’s team who could be thrust into more action at any time. But being able to add a bit of time at first base would immensely benefit his career and the Twins’ roster flexibility. Only read this if you won’t take it more than 10% seriously: Alan Roden was a high school catcher. The Twins have a very murky catching picture next season. Of course, they shouldn’t have him also come to camp with a catcher’s mitt. But maybe. View full article

fwiw I expect Clemens to be a major factor next year, but I just have reasonable doubt that he's their first or second baseman on Opening Day

It depends on your definition of "large," but yes, there are many fans who would prefer to not see Buxton play for the Twins again, one way or another. As for being healthy and productive, that also depends on your definition; many would say that Buxton has never been healthy and productive. I doubt anyone has ever thought, "I don't want a healthy and productive Buxton playing for the Twins," but that's probably because playing 100 games with a well above-average OPS isn't their version of "healthy and productive," given the time lost to injury. The best ability is availability, and all that.

September days and days on the injured list don't count.

Aaron Sabato

Image courtesy of Matt Krohn-Imagn Images There’s a lot of uncertainty about Twins baseball right now, and a ton of questions about the hitting group manager Derek Shelton will have at his disposal next spring. About a month ago, I posted on Twitter the group I believe will almost certainly be locked into the Twins lineup next year (spoiler below). Now that the season is over, let’s go through those names. But first, defining what I mean by bolted down: I’m just going to say beyond a reasonable doubt as my standard. There might be a world in which any of these names are traded over the offseason, or the Twins might acquire players that squeeze someone on this list out of a starting job, but it’s so unlikely that it’s not worth considering. Likewise, I probably failed to include someone that you’re confident will be an everyday player. If they’re not on the list, though, I can easily envision a scenario in which they aren’t an everyday player for the Twins next season (when healthy). Let’s dig in. Infield: Brooks Lee Brooks Lee is probably the lowest-ceiling inclusion on this list. However, it’s very difficult to see him not penciled into the Opening Day lineup next season. He was a league-average hitter this season, with a .728 OPS and a low-OBP profile bolstered by a career-high 24 home runs. After being moved off shortstop midway through the season, Lee settled in well at third base, posting 6 outs above average (OAA) in about 100 games at the hot corner. A league-average bat with above-average defense at third base is a valuable secondary piece, and there’s some hope that the 25-year-old can continue to develop at the plate with better plate discipline and consistent pop. It’s very difficult to see the Twins moving on from Lee. I have him listed as a general infielder, though, because there’s a world in which he’s playing second base, instead, should the Twins bring in a third-base-only option. It’s unlikely, but hey, reasonable doubt. You might have expected Royce Lewis or Kody Clemens to appear here. Clemens is the more likely to return, but it’s hard to see both of them back in 2027, at least as everyday players. Maybe one of them is at first or second base, but the offseason was probably a failure if the Twins didn’t upgrade at either position. Neither is expensive, but neither is young, either. There are just too many ways that either could find themselves out of the picture to make this list. Shortstop: Kaelen Culpepper Kaelen Culpepper is the Twins' shortstop—at least for now. He'll still be rookie-eligible next year, after 128 plate appearances in which he slashed .274/.328/.393. Culpepper showed flashes that should get Twins fans excited for his career prospects, and there's no one crowding him out of shortstop at this point. He had moments that showed why some are skeptical about his shortstop defense, but he did enough, along with a league-average bat (which is a great thing!), to solidify his spot next season. Perhaps he has a sophomore slump that necessitates a detour to Triple-A, and maybe fellow prospect Marek Houston moves him to second or third base, but it’s very unlikely he won’t be the Opening Day shortstop. Outfield: Walker Jenkins Walker Jenkins, the Twins' No. 1 prospect, struggled in his first taste of the bigs, beginning his career 4-for-45 and making me nervous about my initial prediction. Over his final 10 games, though, he slashed .385/.400/.615. It’s clear that the global top-15 prospect will very much be in the picture next season. It’s unclear whether the Twins prefer him in right or left field, and that’s probably dependent on who the other corner outfielder is. Jenkins exclusively played center field in the majors, filling in for the sidelined Byron Buxton. When Buxton is unavailable, Jenkins is the likely fill-in. The other corner position? There are too many names to feel confident in any of them being the everyday guy. Emmanuel Rodriguez, Luke Keaschall, or even Alan Roden could be slotted into that other spot. Rodriguez has to be on the roster (or someone else’s) because he’s out of options and held his own in limited late-season MLB action, but it’s possible the Twins aren’t ready to foist him into everyday action quite yet. (Leadership did name him as part of the core around which they're building for next year, though, so he's closing in on this list.) Center Field: Byron Buxton Speaking of outfielders, Byron Buxton is the most obvious name on the list, when healthy. Being realistic, if he’s available, he’s playing. And yes, until further notice, he’s the center fielder. This almost isn’t even worth discussing. Yes, he’s coming off of labrum repair, and there’s uncertainty about his status, but if he’s healthy, he’s playing. You can’t stop it from happening. ????: Luke Keaschall Finally, Luke Keaschall. He’s probably going to be hitting leadoff. I have no idea where he’s going to play, though. The two most likely options are a corner outfield spot or a designated hitter role. Shoot, maybe even first base. I don’t know where he’s playing, but I know he will be at the top of the batting order. After a dreadful start in 2026, Keaschall rebounded to finish the season slashing .282/.374/.407, about 20% better than an average hitter. Although most designated hitters or left fielders have more power in their profiles, Keaschall’s overall line is more than sufficient to occupy one of those spots, making him a lock for next season. He added power as the season progressed, anyway. For the other four positions, your guess is as good as mine. But these five guys are locks. Potpourri This was put together with a focus on the lineup against right-handed pitching. Jenkins might not play every day against lefties. However, there’s not a platoon partner for him set in stone, either. Austin Martin got off to a great start in 2026, but he hit just .164 in the second half when he was mostly facing lefties. Gabriel Gonzalez or Aaron Sabato could factor in, but the Twins showed very little interest in playing them down the stretch. The catcher position is a mystery. Victor Caratini is under contract for next season, and it’s unlikely that the Twins cut him or find a trade partner willing to take on the $10 million he’s owed after barely playing enough late in 2026 to call him a second catcher. There’s reasonable doubt that he’s the everyday catcher, even if that is the most likely scenario. The Twins could get Ryan Jeffers back on a qualifying offer or pursue a different catcher in free agency that clears Caratini’s bar. So then, are you in agreement with this assessment? Do you have someone else bolted down, or do you think the screws are looser on any of the names I gave here? View full article

Former first round pick might be something there

Good point; I neglected to give the breakdown. Here’s his (innings) DRS/OAA/FRV at each position this season 2B (636): -5/-7/-4 RF (350): -7/-1/-2 CF (210): -8/-4/-4

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Luke Keaschall is 188 games into his MLB career. He’s a career .281 hitter with a .370 on-base percentage, and has stolen 31 bases at a 76% clip. The last time the Twins had a leadoff hitter this good was in 2022 with Luis Arraez, who hit .314 across four seasons in Minnesota. And like Arraez, no one has any idea where to put him on the field. Keaschall has been one of the worst defenders in baseball, splitting time between second base, center field, and right field. He’s accumulated a league-worst -19 defensive runs saved (DRS) between the three positions, meaning that he’s been 19 runs worse than a merely average defender. Those 19 runs equal about two wins lost in WAR, as well. Even if you’re not a defensive stats believer, you’ve watched enough Keachall misplays to know that his defense is an issue. He’s struggled to read balls off the bat in the outfield, made poor throwing decisions, and his lack of arm strength disqualifies him from completing many plays. Arraez never put up a defensive season this bad, but he was suspect with the glove for his whole Twins tenure. He was worth -11 DRS in 2019, with 9 of those lost runs coming at his natural position, second base. During his time in Minnesota, he was closer to average, though he fluctuated from year-to-year. For most of Arraez’s Twins tenure, he bounced around defensive positions. He played second, third, shortstop, and left field as a rookie in 2019. He stuck at second base in 2020, but in 2021, he played more third than second and spent a little time in left field, and in 2022, he played first base, with some second and a bit of third sprinkled in. He also was the designated hitter 47 times during that four-year stretch, 42 of which came after 2020, when he was replaced by Jorge Polanco as Minnesota’s primary second baseman. Because Arraez ranged from bad to middle-of-the-road defensively, the Twins felt comfortable playing him in whatever hole the lineup had in a given day. Sometimes this would change from day to day. At other times, he was filling in for an injured teammate on more of a long-term basis. But the equation was simple: he’s not going to be a plus defender at any position, so just stick him in the lineup where needed. Could this be the route with Keaschall as well? There are a few paths the Twins could take next season to keep his bat in the lineup every day. Play Keaschall Everyday in Left (or Right) Field Analyzing Keaschall in a vacuum, planting him in left field is probably the most straightforward way to keep him in the lineup every day. This is especially true if there’s a belief that Keaschall’s ability to read fly balls will improve with practice; he’s only played 717 innings in the outfield as a professional. He has the raw athleticism to get to balls, and his weak arm is mitigated by moving out of right field. The issue, though, is that Keaschall’s situation can’t be analyzed in a vacuum. Top prospects Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez have debuted this season, both of whom are natural outfielders. Adding the center field presence of Byron Buxton, the Twins’ outfield is crowded. Not only are all three players better outfielders than Keaschall, but they also probably have higher offensive ceilings as well (this is no guarantee, as Keaschall has set a high bar already, hitting about 20% better than an average hitter for his career). Planting Keaschall in left field squeezes one of Jenkins and Rodriguez out of the picture when Buxton is healthy, and that seems not to be something the Twins want to do. Jenkins is a top-20 prospect across baseball and has played himself to the big leagues at age 21. Rodriguez, who has been on top-100 lists for half a decade, is out of options next season, and thus needs to stick on the major-league roster or be traded. It’s a tough proposition. Send Keachall Back to the Dirt The infield is also a little crowded heading into next season, with Brooks Lee, Kaelen Culpepper, Kody Clemens, and Royce Lewis currently penciled into spots and Marek Houston potentially being an option by midseason. But if any of those options—particularly Clemens or Lewis—were to be moved over the offseason, there could be room at first or second. Keaschall played some first base in the minors when playing through a torn UCL. Arraez himself has turned into a better defender at second base after being given the chance to play at the keystone full-time this season for San Francisco and Philadelphia, accumulating 13 outs above average (OAA). He’s still been mediocre by DRS (-3), and the eye test suggests he’s closer to average than one of the best defensive second basemen in baseball, but given that he was moved off the position to be a 5’10” first baseman, it’s a very positive development Many fans know the oft-repeated anecdote about how Corey Koskie was a dreadful third baseman at his debut, but after thousands of reps he became a good defender. Players can improve defensively, but it would be nice if Twins fans had a second example of this happening. Arraez’s improvements conspicuously coincided with working with esteemed fielding coach Ron Washington in San Francisco. It may be wishful thinking to believe Keaschall can make these same improvements. Maybe two years out from Tommy John surgery, his throwing will improve, but there are still other warts. Play Keaschall Every Day at Designated Hitter Many probably scoff at this proposition because of Keaschall’s offensive profile. But the most basic answer to “Where do we play a good hitter who’s bad in the field?” is “designated hitter.” No, Keaschall is not the aging, burly slugger that you might imagine when you close your eyes and think of a designated hitter, but he is a very productive hitter who can have his defensive woes mitigated by simply not grabbing a glove. However, Keachall has thus far been a 20%-above-average hitter by wRC+, given his doubles power and high on-base percentage. The average designated hitter this season has mustered a slash line just 5% above average, compared to left field at 2% above average or even first base, which is 15% above average. The bar for a full-time DH should be higher than a 105 wRC+, but even using first base’s 115 as a benchmark, Keaschall’s 120 career wRC+ is solid. It’s not perfect, but it’s workable, and it keeps one of the Twins’ key cogs in the lineup every day. The Luis Arraez Approach As a Twin, Arraez never played more than 65 games at a single position during a year (first base in 2022). The Twins could use a similar approach with Keaschall, though maybe not to the same extreme, or with the same positions. Keaschall can play second base, the corner outfield, center field, and first base. None of them are pretty—center field was practically a disaster—and we haven’t seen him play first base in the majors. But in moderation, maybe some time bouncing around won’t hurt the Twins. Let’s use this example as a thought exercise. About a third of the team’s games are against left-handed starters. Both Jenkins and Rodriguez are lefties, and even if you want them to face lefties, maybe you can agree to have the two rookies split reps in right field against southpaws, turning left field over to Keaschall those days. That’s hypothetically 54 games in left field without cutting into Jenkins and Rodriguez games against righties. There are 108 games left in the schedule. Say Keaschall is the DH for 60 of them. He’s the team’s primary DH, but he’s not an everyday DH, which allows 102 days at DH for other Twins. Between games in left against lefties and DH days against righties, we’ve already accounted for 114 games of Luke Keaschall. Even assuming he will play all 162 games, you only need to find a spot for him 48 times. You don’t want Keaschall being your second baseman every day. But can you stomach a dozen starts at second base? That’s two games a month. Could you bear the same at first base? Maybe there’s an injury to one or more of (perhaps the most injury-prone outfield in baseball) Buxton, Jenkins, and Rodriguez, and he gets some more action in a corner outfield spot. Those other 48 games fill up quickly, even without accounting for routine days off. There’s probably something to be said for just sticking him at DH when he’s not in left field, simplifying his workload and keeping him off the dirt, but adding that wrinkle helps the team remain flexible. The point is that it’s not easy to find a way to fit Keaschall into the lineup with the team as currently (and projectedly, for next season) constructed, whether that be because the outfield is crowded or because he doesn’t have a standard profile for a first baseman or DH. It might require some creativity to make it work, but one thing is certain: the Twins need to find a way to do it. View full article

Image courtesy of Rhona Wise-Imagn Images A Twins hitter, who has requested anonymity, was seen crying at his locker in the home clubhouse. Although there’s no crying in baseball, this was understandable. He’d been moved from the 8-hole the day prior up to the seventh spot. Nerds and people who have never played the game beyond their Strat-o-Matic are probably confused, but those of us who understand how baseball works know just what’s happened here. “H-h-he can’t keep doing this to us,” the player said of manager Derek Shelton between sobs. “W-w-we’re h-human beings, n-n-n-not robots! The Poindexters in the front office don’t understand that we’re creatures of habit.” You simply can’t move a ballplayer around in the batting order. They get confused. They can’t settle into a rhythm unless they know every day where they’ll hit. There’s a massive difference between hitting fourth, where you might have your first plate appearance in the first or second inning, or batting seventh, where it might also be in the third inning. “Write this up in the paper, media man,” an onlooking player started. “For the suits up in the front office, imagine if you were told on a day-to-day basis whether your day started at 8 or 8:15. Bet you couldn’t do any spreadsheets for the rest of the day with that uncertainty.” At this point, a third player joined in. “I used to play in Biloxi. They traded me. For three straight days, I kept showing up to the ballpark, because it was a habit. Manager kept writing me in the lineup out of habit, too. There’s something that would never happen in the big leagues, since none of the managers here ever played baseball. Only realized I was on the wrong team when I tried to get on the team bus and the pencil-neck travel coordinator told me I couldn’t get on.” He went on to tell me that the team’s GM was upset with him, but he’s clearly not a creature of habit like a real ballplayer is. Glorified pencil pusher. As professional baseball players, they’re expected to be adaptable. The only thing they can control is their effort and their attitude, and they need to be ready to contribute any time. “Put me in coach, I’m ready to play,” as John Fogerty said. But sometimes hitting fourth and sometimes hitting sixth? No one could possibly be expected to perform under those conditions. While I was standing there, some dweeb coach who probably came straight from Driveline told the player that he might hit fifth tomorrow. The player immediately called his therapist. “I mean, what’s next? I have to choose the jerseys for tonight’s game?” A nearby pitcher snickered. A former Twins manager, who also asked to remain nameless, was quoted saying, “No, they’re absolutely right. Second basemen hit second and catchers hit third, whether it’s Mauer or Redmond. Chrysler, these guys aren’t rocket surgeons.” View full article

Image courtesy of Reese Strickland-Imagn Images I suppose I didn’t have a choice but to be a baseball fan. It’s in my blood, to some degree. My great-uncle died of head trauma, after years of wearing beanballs as a barnstormer in the 30s and 40s. He and my grandfather had the chance to play against Satchel Paige and Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe when they played for the Bismarck Club (sometimes known as the Churchills) in 1935. Apparently, Grandpa got a hit, but I’m skeptical. But Grandpa passed down his love of baseball to his son, and his son passed it down to me. Really, baseball is something you inherit from someone, whether it’s your parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, or even your persistent friend who begs you to come out to the ballyard some Sunday afternoon; I myself made a baseball fan out of a nerdish grad school classmate with an afternoon Triple-A game. You don’t stumble into being a baseball fan; you’re led. If you became a baseball fan when you were a child, it probably involved a game of catch. I think my uncle was the first one to really play catch with me, but I also played with my dad plenty. At some point, though, you have your last game of catch with your father. You typically don’t know it. It’s something the two of you have always done, but over time, you play less and less catch. Suddenly, you haven’t played in years. And you didn’t even know it. Maybe it’s when you left for college. Maybe it’s when you hung up your glove after two agonizing years of tee ball. Maybe your dad throws out his shoulder, as many middle-aged men do, and you never get back to it. Maybe Dad left too soon, earlier than either of you hoped or expected. It's what Field of Dreams is famous for. Really, ask yourself, if Kevin Costner asked Dwier Brown anything other than if he'd "wanna have a catch," would you remember the film for anything other than its poor pacing and dialogue? It doesn't truly become a tear-jerker until we start thinking about playing catch with our own fathers, grandfathers, uncles, what have you—because it's something that nearly every baseball fan of a certain age or experience understands: that one last catch with Dad. You didn't know during your last catch that it was your last catch. Or, for some, it's the yearning for their first catch with their father—a catch that never actually happened. I had the privilege of knowing I was playing catch for the last time with my father. When I was 24, and Dad was 58, he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s—a disease that slowly (though much faster than you’d ever hope) and irreversibly erodes the brain, leading to a loss of memory and executive function. It’s a terrible, terrible disease to watch someone experience, and I can only imagine (although I may someday know, or even not-quite-know) how terrible it is to live through. A few months after his diagnosis, I was visiting home. My younger brother was spending the summer in our hometown before leaving for graduate school, and we’d planned to play catch that afternoon. My brother called me a bit later, saying he’d gotten busy with some friends and not to wait up for him. So my dad, sensing the opportunity, asked if I’d like to play catch for a bit. I have no idea when he’d last thrown a baseball, let alone when we’d last played catch together. His arm was shot from years of throwing us batting practice, and I’d hung up my cleats after my junior year to focus on other sports. I clocked what was happening in the moment, and I think he did, too. He made it through about ten overhand throws, his shoulder stiff from years of disuse, before switching to underhand. We played for maybe ten minutes before putting our gloves away for good. But for those ten minutes, we were both 20 years younger. It’s been seven summers since that game of catch. By his 59th birthday, he required a walker to get around, after a lower back injury that he never recovered from. These days, Dad doesn’t do much talking. Or moving. Or even looking around. Once in a while, on a good day, you’ll look him in the eyes, and you’ll know that he knows who you are. We both knew we’d reach a day like today. So I like to think something divine kept my brother away from our backyard that day. We both needed that game of catch. To this day, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth to have had it—tied for first place with thousands of people I'll never meet, and with Dad. My story isn’t special. As I said, most people reading this of a certain age or experience have their own version of this story. There are an enormous number of people who would do anything to play catch with Dad one more time. I suspect many baseball fans think about exactly that every time the Field of Dreams game is played in Dyersville, Iowa. There’s the beauty of the players walking out of the corn, but there’s also the reminder of that final question. Hey, Dad. Wanna have a catch? I’d planned on telling a version of this story about the man who coached me not only in baseball, but also in football, basketball, and track, at a later date. You know, that later date. But Thursday’s Twins-Phillies game hit home for me in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Every time MLB plays a game in that corn, I lower my head and shed a tear thinking about my own father. But this time was different. Because when I lowered my head on Thursday to think about the big strong man that I used to play catch with, I saw my own newborn daughter, my firstborn, sleeping in my lap. She’d been born less than a week before; it was her first Twins game sitting in front of the TV with me. The Field of Dreams Game could have set an impossibly high bar, but given how the game played, I’m sure there are more magical Twins games in her future, if I’m successful in leading her to baseball fandom. I have no idea if she’ll be a baseball fan. She might not even be a sports fan of any sort, and that’s okay with me. But I hope that someday she’ll ask me some version of that question. Hey Dad. Wanna have a catch? Although she’ll never get a chance to play catch with her grandfather, maybe she’ll feel his love playing catch with me. I felt that same connection to my own grandfather when my dad taught me how to throw his dad’s palmball, even though I’d never met him. And I hope that, until she’s ready to see me years later when I’m worn down by life, I can be half the man that I see my own dad as, when I imagine his former, able body walking out of the corn. View full article

The premise of the backend in this writeup is that a) Sabato could fill one of the most gaping holes on this roster, even if it’s minor and b) they aren’t using this roster spot efficiently anyway. Even beyond Jackson and Sabato, it’s unclear how they would use that spot efficiently, short of calling up Jenkins, who himself would be the 5th or 6th outfielder and would push Lewis or Keaschall out of the lineup vs RHP and is not good against lefties. Gonzalez could be another option, but he’s not hitting at AAA and would be filling the same role. If you have an internal option in mind, I’d love to hear it.

I will counter this question with a question: how many teams carry a third catcher who has started one game at catcher in the last month

The Twins only had 4 draft picks in 2020. Culpepper was a 2022 guy. They lost their 3rd round pick signing Josh Donaldson, and their second round pick was Alerick Soularie, who they cut in 2024

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Aaron Sabato) The Twins selected Aaron Sabato with the 27th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, and the first baseman has had a rough go of it in the seven seasons since then. However, now might be the time to finally give him the call. When you draft a player with the First Base Only tag, he has to hit. Sabato was the highest-drafted first baseman in 2020—a draft mired by the uncertainty of only having a few weeks of scouting for players whose seasons were shut down in March—mostly because Spencer Torkelson was drafted as a third baseman. Unfortunately, Sabato’s minor league career is littered with not hitting. Or at least not hitting enough. He’s got a pretty standard first-base-only profile: a lot of strikeouts, a lot of homers, a low batting average, and enough walks to keep his on-base percentage above water. That batting average has, for the most part, been low enough to keep him from being taken seriously as a prospect. Across six minor league seasons, he’s mustered just a .230 average and has struck out over 30% of the time. That type of hitter generally doesn’t have a long major league career, or one at all. But Sabato has managed to hang around in the Twins organization, and every season, he’ll have a few weeks in a row that lead fans to think he might finally be putting it together. This season is as close as we’ve gotten to the fabled “putting it together.” Sabato began the 2026 season—his age-27 season—with Triple-A St. Paul. He played sparingly, in just four of the team’s first 17 games, registering 14 plate appearances and striking out in seven of them. Then he started getting opportunities. Starting with a three-hit night on April 16, he played nine of the team’s final 13 April games, slashing .310/.375/.621 (.996) with three doubles and two home runs across 32 plate appearances. And he really hasn’t looked back. Since April 16th, when he started playing consistently, he’s hitting .293 with 47 extra-base hits (20 home runs) and an OPS of .961. Even factoring in those bad first handful of games, his OPS sits at .936. The International League is a high-offense league, so raw OPS can be deceiving, but he sits about 30% above league average by wRC+. His .287 batting average at Triple-A in 2026 is the best mark at any level of his career, outside of his .305 average in 39 games at Double-A last season. His next-best year-end average in a sample of more than 50 games was .245 last season at Triple-A. His wRC+ has only been this high twice—in 39 games at Double-A last season and in 22 games at High-A in 2021. This might be a fluke, or it might be a player in the prime of his career having found an approach that clicks. He’s managed to produce against fastballs, off-speed, and breaking pitches alike—though he’s absolutely feasted on fastballs, with a .326 average and .433 wOBA. He’s still swinging and missing plenty, but he’s cut his strikeout rate down to 24% this year (which will increase if he gets a call-up). He’s cut down his walks over the last two years, but that has been a product of a more aggressive approach with pitches both inside and outside of the zone. Even with a reduced walk rate, the improvement in his batting average has given him a .356 OBP on the year, better than any season of his career outside of Single-A. And he’s pulling the ball more than he ever has, with a pull air percentage of 17%, which is merely on the higher side of average (72nd percentile), but the best mark of his career. And contextually, he’s a great fit for the Twins right now. Sabato has a staggering 1.243 OPS against lefties this season, slashing .364/.470/.773 against southpaws. The major league club, on the other hand, ranks in the bottom five in baseball against left-handed pitchers in batting average, OPS, wRC+, and wOBA. It’s dire, with only five Twins with more than 10 plate appearances who have been league-average or better performers against lefties (wRC+, where 100 is average, in parentheses): Ryan Jeffers (165), Austin Martin (124), Royce Lewis (117), Byron Buxton (104), Kody Clemens (103). And it’s not even close after that. The next-best hitter is Josh Bell, who has a .667 OPS that’s 14% below league average. Right now, Victor Caratini is being trusted with first base against lefties, and he’s following close behind with a .607 OPS against southpaws this season, 21% below league average. The two have accounted for 64% of the team’s plate appearances against lefties at first base and designated hitter. It would be foolish to sit here and say “Well Sabato couldn’t be worse!” because he absolutely could. If he’s walking less and his strikeout rate jumps in his transition to the majors, he can absolutely be worse. If MLB pitchers can attack him with offspeed and breaking pitches for strikes, they’ll take away his biggest strength, demolishing fastballs. And even when he gets fastballs, it’s unclear that he’ll be able to keep up with MLB velocity, as the average fastball he’s seen thus far this season is around 94 MPH. But the bar for him to clear isn’t that high. If he were to muster just league-average offense against lefties, he would be a significant addition to this lineup. And there’s plenty of room for him. Tristan Gray and Alex Jackson are currently on the big-league roster (or at least one of them is, pending Kaelen Culpepper's corresponding move), but they are rarely playing. Gray has started just three of nine games since replacing an injured Byron Buxton a week and a half ago. Jackson has started three games since Ryan Jeffers returned from injury on July 10th, two of which were at first base against a lefty (in very limited action versus lefties, Jackson has a .382 OPS across 24 plate appearances). It’s rare that a team could reasonably have room for a first baseman who would strictly fill the short side of a platoon, but the Twins are in that position now. Even after Culpepper's promotion, or if Walker Jenkins were to be called up, there could still be room for someone like Sabato to try to keep the line moving against lefties, if they valued a platoon hitter and didn’t bite on one of several potential right-handed bats currently designated for assignment. Or perhaps he could be their September position player call-up when the roster expands by one hitter and one pitcher. Sabato doesn’t have a high ceiling in the majors, and projection systems like ZiPS don’t forecast him being even an average hitter at a position you need to hit. But right now, what’s the risk in giving him a shot a few times a week against left-handed pitchers? And it would be fun—if you dig big dudes who ding dongs, anyway. View full article

Dozens of players are traded every deadline. Fans love some and hate others. Fans also beg for their favorite players to come back. Admit it, you want them to trade for Luis Arraez, Sonny Gray, Louis Varland, and, if you're a real sicko, Tyler Wells. But for Twins fans, what would be the funniest possible Welcome Home trade candidates? Here's my top five. 5. Randy Dobnak, SP (KC) Randy Dobnak went from beloved folk hero to unwitting villain faster than any player I have ever seen because he had the temerity to commit two unforgivable sins. First, he was the last man standing in 2019 as the club's third-best starter after injury, ineffectiveness, and a lack of reinforcements sapped the Twins of all their starting depth. Second, he had the gall to sign a very modest contract that paid him nine million dollars over five years before getting injured. Twins fans have never forgiven him for that. He's a great story, perhaps bordering on a sideshow, a husky sinkerballer with a horseshoe mustache and a winning smile who was signed out of independent baseball and drove Uber in the offseason. After years marred by injury and ineffectiveness, Dobnak left the Twins organization not as an MLB rotation piece but as perhaps the most beloved St. Paul Saint of the Triple-A era. Why would the Twins trade for Dobnak? They've shown a penchant for using bulk relievers this season, and they might need a little more rotation depth even after acquiring Dean Kremer. And Dobnak has thrown 26 innings to the tune of a 1.04 ERA for the Kansas City Royals, including seven shutout innings against the Twins last week. 4. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, UT (BOS) Isiah Kiner-Falefa had perhaps the shortest tenure as a Minnesota Twin in the modern era, as it didn't even last 24 hours. He was acquired in the 2022 offseason for Mitch Garver, alongside Ronny Henriquez. The following day, he was packaged with Josh Donaldson and Ben Rortvedt and sent to the Yankees for Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela. The Twins have trotted out several utility infielders to play shortstop for them this season, so what's one more? It's not like Kaelen Culpepper is beating down the doors. It's still early, anyway. They still have time to trade for him and then hours later send him somewhere else. 3. Brent Headrick, RP & Luis Gil, SP (NYY) - Specifically in return for Ryan Jeffers There's a lot going on with this one, but hear me out. Brent Headrick was a DFA casualty in 2025 (when the Twins bullpen was good), snatched away by the Yankees in February of 2025. He's put up a 1.84 ERA across 78 innings out of New York's bullpen and would have been a very good addition for the Twins—if they didn't already have four lefties in their bullpen after trading for A.J. Minter. Luis Gil was traded to the Yankees ahead of the 2018 season for Jake Cave. Gil was 19 at the time (a year older than Jhomnardo Reyes, who was just traded for Kremer, much to the chagrin of many fans), but he was excellent for the Yankees between 2024 and 2025, starting 40 games with a 3.45 ERA and winning Rookie of the Year in 2024. He's a great example of why self-scouting is so important, though he's struggled this season and is currently on the injured list. Were the Twins to trade Jeffers for this package, not too dissimilar to the Anthony Volpe-Camilo Doval (two Yankees who have been spiraling lately) package that circulated the baseball world last week, basically everyone would be mad. The anti-Jeffers-trade crew would be upset he was traded. The pro-Jeffers-trade crew would be upset at the return. The people who have never forgiven the Twins for trading away Gil would say it's too little too late. 2. Tyler Mahle, SP (SF) Tyler Mahle was the headliner for the Twins' most significant trade deadline during the Derek Falvey era. The Twins sent Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Steve Hajjar to Cincinnati for his services at the 2022 deadline for the last year and a half of Mahle's contract. They received nine starts for this investment, as Mahle was lost for the season twice in two years. He was solid when healthy (and to hear him tell it, he always was), but he just wasn't healthy. And Steer had a great start in Cincinnati, further frustrating Twins fans. Mahle continued to struggle with injury since leaving the Twins, but he had a 2.82 ERA in 16 starts with Texas last season, and since returning from a hamstring injury this season, he's got a 3.06 ERA in six starts. The Twins already made a trade for a backend starter in Kremer, but if they decided to shift some more assets around or bolster their rotation a bit more, Mahle could be a solution. As long as they don't Google "Tyler Mahle hamstring injury," anyway. "Oh but Gregg, you buffoon, the Braves just made a trade for Mahle last night!" I hear you say. Well, starting pitchers can be traded twice during a single deadline. Maybe the Braves will get cold feet. Ever heard of Jaime García?? 1. Emilio Pagán , RP (CIN) Emilio Pagán's 2022 is up there with the worst seasons for a reliever in Twins history. Not necessarily because he was the worst reliever, but because he had a penchant for giving up bombs at the most inopportune times: in the bottom of the ninth, against Cleveland, and in a pennant race. His meltdowns did put the Twins in position to draft Walker Jenkins, and he was actually pretty good in middle relief for the division-winning 2023 Twins, but Minnesotans never forget a slight. Pagán signed a two-year deal with Cincinnati ahead of the 2024 season and was a pretty effective closer for them in 2025, netting him another contract worth $10 million in 2026 with a player option for another $10 million in 2027. He's struggled this season and missed some time due to injury, but he had a 1.93 ERA in July and pitched himself back into the closer role just in time for the Reds to shop him. If you removed the Twins history component, he'd probably be on some lists for good fits with the Twins, as a low-end overpaid closer is a nice slot for the Twins who want to improve the pen without giving up much in the way of prospects. And if you haven't heard, Dan Hayes and Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic threw out Pagán's name as an option for the Twins. Honorable Mentions: Spencer Steer. Steven Okert, Michael Tonkin (as a signing, only to be waived August 10th), Dallas Keuchel, Trevor Richards, Daniel Susac View full article