Cody Schoenmann

Not appearing at any of the three outfield positions in a major league game until June 20, Luke Keaschall appeared in right field against the Arizona Diamondbacks, signaling Minnesota Twins decision-makers were preparing to move the poor-fielding former infielder off second base. Keaschall then made his first start in right against the Colorado Rockies on June 26 and has almost exclusively been an outfielder since. The 23-year-old started nine games at the position before transitioning over to center field on July 8, one day after primary center fielder Byron Buxton was placed on the 10-day IL with a right hip strain. Since then, Keaschall has started eight games in center field, functioning as the club’s primary center fielder during Buxton’s absence. Buxton will return to patrolling the position at a near full-time rate now that he's returned from the IL. Keaschall filled in admirably, however, netting 21 putouts over 70 innings played at the position, including the fantastic one below: TUFYcXdfWGw0TUFRPT1fQXdOWEFnQU1YZ1lBREZzS0FBQUhDQUZWQUZoVEJ3QUFBUVpXQVZKVEFRRlJCVkFF.mp4 Admittedly, this ball did have a 65% catch probability. Any worthwhile center fielder would have caught it—Still, it was an exceptional catch for a player making their sixth start at one of the most demanding positions. He will then show how green a center fielder he is, missing balls that had a 99% catch probability, like the one below: akR3ckFfWGw0TUFRPT1fVTFKWlhGRU1VMVFBWGxNQVVBQUhCUU1DQUZoUkFGY0FBUVJXQ1FCV0J3TldVbFpS.mp4 One of the more interesting developments of Keaschall’s move to center fielder is how deep Twins decision-makers position him. He is tied with Matt McLain for the fifth-deepest starting position of all center fielders in baseball, typically positioned at 332 feet. For reference, Jose Caballero leads the league, positioning himself at 338 feet. Minnesota is likely positioning Keaschall that deep because it is usually easier for center fielders to come in on balls than it is to run back. Due to him having so little playing time at the position, the Twins and Keaschall could be in agreement that giving him the opportunity to use his athleticism to run in on balls and avoid challenging angles is in the best interest of both club and player. Still, him playing so deep is putting the club at a disadvantage, letting balls drop in front of him that result in bloop singles and/or hustle doubles, like the catastrophic play that happened against Chicago this past weekend: SzRCWmxfWGw0TUFRPT1fRGdBSFZBWU1CVlFBWFZSVEFnQUhBUUJmQUFBRlZWRUFWMUFIQWdGV0NRb0RBZ1pV.mp4 Keaschall is a horrendous fielder—That’s why Minnesota was wise to finally move him off second base. Still, he should have been playing shallow enough to catch that ball, with Nico Hoerner’s batted ball resulting in the second out of the inning instead of a bases-clearing triple. On average, Byron Buxton starts at 320 feet, which is one of the shallowest starting points of all center fielders in the game. The Twins and Buxton trust his ability to get back on balls, allowing the veteran to often play shallow, often catching balls that Keaschall couldn’t get to. Ryan Kreidler, Austin Martin, Kody Clemens, James Outman (when he was a Twin), and even Kyler Fedko played exponentially shallower than Keaschall, too, proving Minnesota is making a concerted effort to start the 23-year-old that much closer to the center field wall. Again, Keaschall is very athletic and has the range necessary to be an adequate backup center fielder, let alone a viable corner outfielder. The former second baseman has shown flashes of being an adequate outfielder who could play all three positions and serve as Buxton’s primary center field backup in the short-to-mid-term future. That said, Minnesota needs to take the training wheels off, as playing him so deep in center has been detrimental to him and the club. View full article

Vahn LackeyWalker JenkinsKaelen CulpepperRiley QuickMarek HoustonEmmanuel RodriguezDasan HillKendry RojasHendry MendezCarson TinneyGabriel GonzalezRyan GallagherCharlee SotoBrett RenfrowEduardo TaitJhomnardo ReyesKhadim DiawJames EllwangerEnrique JimenezCJ Culpepper

Image courtesy of © Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images With their first two selections in the 2026 MLB Draft, the Minnesota Twins (led by assistant GM Sean Johnson) selected catchers Vahn Lackey (3rd overall) and Carson Tinney (43rd), fortifying the minor-league depth of a position group that had been the organization’s greatest area of future insecurity. The primary reason for team decision-makers' uncertainty about the position’s medium- and long-term health was that All-Star-caliber backstop Ryan Jeffers is almost guaranteed to depart the organization as a free agent this offseason. Veterans Victor Caratini and Alex Jackson are under team control for 2027 and could serve as a serviceable short-term tandem at the position, assuming Jeffers leaves. Still, Caratini and Jackson aren’t long-term candidates to anchor the position as Minnesota enters its next World Series-contending window. Until the selection of Lackey and (to a much lesser extent) Tinney, the prospect much of Twins Territory was projecting to be Jeffers’s long-term successor at the position was Eduardo Tait, acquired alongside Mick Abel in the 2025 MLB trade deadline swap that sent Jhoan Duran to Philadelphia. Still appearing on many top-100 prospect lists, Tait boasts plus power and a strong arm behind the dish. However, he swings at almost everything, sporting a 40.8% out-of-zone swing rate. His extreme lack of plate discipline has resulted in a .216/.280/.420 (73 wRC+) line over 339 plate appearances. Tait is 19, and he does have exciting in-game power, with 15 home runs this season. Still, a sub-300 on-base percentage (OBP) at High-A is catastrophic, and he will need to make drastic, sustained changes to his plate discipline to advance to the high minors. More than three years younger than the average High-A player, Tait will have plenty of time to make those developments, and Twins fans should remain optimistic about the 19-year-old’s long-term prospects. Still, it feels more likely that he'll reach the majors in 2029 than that it could happen by 2027. That being the case, the organization was in dire need of more developed, easier-to-project catching talent in the minors. Enter Lackey and (again, to a lesser extent) Tinney. Selected third overall, Lackey instantly slots in as Minnesota’s catcher of the future, with a chance to make his major-league debut early next season. He was arguably the most refined prospect in the 2026 draft, and he could soon slot in above Walker Jenkins on Twins top prospect rankings. There arguably wasn’t a better fit between player and team in the draft than Lackey and Minnesota, and Twins Territory should reap the benefits of the pairing for seasons to come. Lackey immediately usurps Tait, though the way the Twins prefer to deploy their catchers, there's plenty of room for both to contribute. Khadim Diaw and Enrique Jimenez were the organization's other top catching prospects alongside Tait before Lackey and Tinney were selected. Diaw’s bat will likely be what guides him to the majors, as the 22-year-old struggles to suppress base stealers, throwing out only six of the 109 runners who attempted to steal a base on him between High-A and Double-A. He's spent significant time in center field in Wichita, and projects to be an outfielder if he does reach the majors. Jimenez is a better defensive catcher than Diaw. However, given that he is only 20 and hitting .232/.400/.402 at High-A, it's nearly impossible to project his long-term viability as a major leaguer. Right now, Tait is a better prospect than Tinney. However, Tinney sneaks in above Diaw and Jimenez on the organization’s depth chart at the position. Unlike Lackey, Tinney is a raw prospect, with a lot of swing-and-miss in his offensive profile and uncertainty about his ability to remain behind the plate as he progresses through the minors. Still, after sporting elite exit velocity and raw power at the University of Texas, the 21-year-old has a clearer path to the majors than Tait’s, Diaw’s, and Jimenez’s, even if he’s spending more time at designated hitter, first base, and the corner outfield than behind the plate. Lackey is arguably the best catching prospect drafted in the 2020s, and Tinney could serve as the other half of the tandem. Minnesota has dramatically changed its long-term outlook at the position, making Tait’s, Diaw’s, and Jimenez’s shaky development feel less enormous. View full article

Right-handed pitching prospect Paulshawn Pasqualotto began his 2026 campaign with High-A Cedar Rapids, operating as the Kernels' primary closer. Through 18 innings pitched, the 25-year-old generated a 1.50 ERA, 1.96 FIP, and 44.1% strikeout rate, while netting four saves. He was promoted to Double-A Wichita, where he took on a setup role, netting a 3.94 ERA, 3.57 FIP, and a 24.3% strikeout rate over 16 innings pitched before being promoted to Triple-A St. Paul on July 2. It took Pasqualotto only 34 innings pitched before he took the substantial jump from High-A to Triple-A, signaling Minnesota Twins decision-makers are rushing the 12th-round pick through the high-minors, seemingly with intentions to convert the former starting pitching prospect into a viable major league relief option. The young righty made his Triple-A debut against the Buffalo Bisons on July 3, striking out three in a scoreless inning, earning his first save as a Saint. Pasqualotto’s ascension isn’t unique, as fellow former starting pitching prospects Mike Paredes, Alejandro Hidalgo, and CJ Culpepper have been promoted aggressively this season, with eyes on them impacting the major league pitching staff in some capacity (obviously, Paredes already has). Yet, Pasqualotto has been promoted the most aggressively, potentially signaling that Twins decision-makers might view him as an arm that could soon become a member of the scuffling parent club’s eight-pitcher relief collective. Right now, Minnesota has the fifth-worst bullpen in baseball, according to Wins Above Replacement at FanGraphs (fWAR). Yoendrys Gomez and Andrew Morris have developed into viable late-inning arms. None of Taylor Rogers, Travis Adams, Eric Orze, Kody Funderburk, Marco Raya, or Woo-Suk Go can be trusted in high-leverage roles, however. That being the case, Derek Shelton is often forced to use inconsistent arms in high-leverage situations, which has led to multiple late-game collapses for the Twins. Obviously, it would be malpractice to suggest Pasqualotto would immediately become a reliable late-inning arm. He has less experience and is of a lower prospect stature than the young arms that presently populate the bottom of Minnesota’s bullpen in Raya and Go. Given how dire a state Minnesota’s bullpen is in, however, Pasqualotto could soon earn a 40-man roster spot and join the club’s eight-pitcher relief unit, especially if he can build off his impressive Triple-A debut. Pasqualotto has excelled at pounding the zone between Double-A and Triple-A, sporting a near-elite called plus swinging strike rate (CSW%), zone contact rate, and whiff rate between the two levels. The right-handed arm’s stuff isn’t particularly eye-popping, with his four-seam, slider, and cutter grading out as slightly below average. As noted earlier, however, he locates his pitches incredibly well, mixing his two fastball variants and slider with his change, which operates as his out-pitch against left-handed hitters. His slider functions as his out-pitch against righties. Sitting around 96 MPH, Pasqualotto’s four-seam functions as his foundational pitch, which he throws against hitters of either-handedness. The young righty has utilized his four-pitch mix to produce an impressive 34.7% strikeout rate between Double- and Triple-A this season, signaling he has the potential to miss bats in the majors. He does struggle with walks, evidenced by him netting a 14.8% walk rate this season. Still, Pasqualotto has impressed while being promoted aggressively this season, missing bats with his four-pitch mix in short relief spurts at three different levels. Minnesota’s bullpen is in dire straits and in need of young, high-upside internal options to fill out the bottom half of the unit. That being the case, Pasqualotto could soon be handed an opportunity. View full article

Signed to a two-year, $4.5 million contract by the San Diego Padres in early January 2024 as an international free agent emigrating from the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), Woo-Suk Go was traded alongside Jakob Marsee, Dillon Head, and Nathan Martorella to the Miami Marlins for Luis Arraez on May 4, 2024. Throwing only 12 1/3 innings for San Diego’s Double-A affiliate, Go was almost immediately uprooted from the organization he chose ot begin his affiliated ball career with, joining a new organization on the opposite side of the country, Unsurprisingly, the then-25-year-old struggled after undergoing multiple life-altering moves in a four-month span, posting a 10.42 ERA, 5.52 FIP, and a 23-to-11 strikeout to walk ratio over 19 innings pitched for Miami’s Double-A affiliate. Yet, given Go’s unique contractual circumstance, Miami elected to promote him to Triple-A, wherein he generated a 4.29 ERA, 6.00 FIP, and a 14-to-7 strikeout ratio. Go bounced between Miami’s complex league, Low-A, High-A, and Triple-A affiliates before getting designated for assignment in June 2025 and subsequently released. The right-handed reliever signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers, throwing a combined 27 innings pitched between the organization’s High-A and Triple-A clubs, before re-signing with the organization after the 2025 season. The now-26-year-old began his 2026 campaign dominating over 13 2/3 innings pitched (0.66 ERA, 1.98 FIP, 44.9% strikeout rate) for Detroit’s Double-A affiliate, before earning a promotion to Triple-A Toledo in early May. The former KBO star has continued his dominance at the highest minor league level, posting a 1.96 ERA, 2.28 FIP, and a 29.1% strikeout rate over 27 2/3 innings. Exercising his escalation clause, Detroit elected not to add Go to its 40-man roster, trading the former KBO star to Minnesota this past Sunday. In turn, he will join Minnesota’s eight-pitcher bullpen as the club begins a three-game series against Cleveland on Tuesday, expected to make his major league debut this week. Again, Go has struggled mightily since emigrating from South Korea and beginning his affiliated ball career stateside in 2024. However, the former KBO star appears to have found his footing in the high minors this season, signaling he could still become a viable major league reliever despite his early-career shortcomings. In fact, Go has a chance to quickly insert himself as a high-leverage reliever for the Twins, which currently possesses the fifth-worst bullpen in baseball, according to Wins Above Replacement at Fangraphs (fWAR). Despite having one of the worst relief collectives in the sport, Minnesota has produced two developmental success stories in the unit, highlighted by Yoendrys Gomez’s and Andrew Morris’s ascent to reliable, high-leverage arms. Unfortunately, the sextet of Taylor Rogers, Travis Adams, Eric Orze, Kody Funderburk, Cody Laweryson, and Marco Raya has barely performed above replacement level, combining for 0.2 fWAR. Having one of the least effective relief corps in baseball, Minnesota is aggressively looking for late-inning arms to pair alongside Morris and Gomez. Interestingly, Go’s aggressiveness on the mound could be a driving factor in him earning a high-leverage relief role with the Twins. Primarily relying on his four-seam fastball and cutter, the former LG Twin has attacked hitters in the strike zone with his fastball variants, evidenced by a 45.6% zone rate. More importantly, he is getting hitters to swing and miss on pitches in the zone, as evidenced by an above-average 30.2% whiff rate. His fastball variants are velocity-deficient, sitting around 92-94 MPH. However, his fastball variants have plus ride and command, allowing him to attack hitters with pitches high in the zone early and often. Go has also relied on curve more often in 2026, raising his usage rate from 5.8% in 2025 to 19.3% this season. Operating as his primary breaking pitch, he attacks hitters low in the zone, generating a ton of swing and miss. Despite the pitch hovering around 80 MPH, it has become a real out pitch, evidenced by opposing batters generating a measly .163 wOBA against it. Again, Go’s lack of fastball velocity is a concern. Yet, if he can continue locating his four-seam and cutter up in the zone while utilizing his curve as a true out pitch, Go’s three-pitch mix could guide him toward sustained success in the majors. He also leans on his splitter 7.9% of the time. Despite his minimal usage rate, the righty could ramp up his splitter usage with Minnesota, considering it has generated plus results similar to his curve. Go could struggle during his first cup of coffee in the majors, quickly working his way out of the Twins bullpen. Yet, given his history of being one of the best relievers in the KBO for multiple seasons, his plus performance and improved stuff in the high minors this season, and Minnesota’s glaring need for plus bullpen arms, Go could quickly earn a high-leverage role in the club’s shaky bullpen. View full article

zero intellectual curiosity

Eighty-six games into the 2026 MLB regular season, Trevor Larnach has started 58 games in left field for the Minnesota Twins, accounting for roughly 68% of starts at the position. At first glance, this development comes as a moderate surprise. Entering the season, Larnach wasn’t expected to occupy a full-time role at either corner outfield spot, evidenced by him splitting time in left with platoon partner Austin Martin and Matt Wallner being the full-time right fielder early this spring. Yet, given Wallner’s demotion to Triple-A, Martin’s subsequent move to right field (and eventual demotion back to a bench bat), and the organization’s younger, inexperienced corner outfield options Alan Roden, Gabriel Gonzalez, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Walker Jenkins, and Hendry Mendez not yet receiving extended opportunities in the majors, Larnach has become the club’s full-time left fielder. Circumstance isn’t the only reason for Larnach’s unexpected full-time role. Hitting .288/.381/.437 (good for a 131 wRC+), The 29-year-old’s bat has become a mainstay, often hitting in the upper-third of the club’s lineup. He has become an irreplaceable piece in Minnesota’s ability to succeed this season offensively. That being the case, he has received extended opportunities in the field. Unlike his sustained success at the plate, however, Larnach hasn’t improved defensively, despite how hard those in the Twins.TV broadcast booth try to persuade you otherwise. Over 139 attempts in left field, Larnach has manufactured -4 Outs Above Average (OAA), tying him for the second-lowest rating at the position alongside Isaac Collins and Yohendrick Piñango. Larnach’s downfall, in particular, is that he struggles getting to balls hit both to his left and right. He’s servicable on balls hit in front of and behind him. However, the quality of a corner outfielder comes in their ability to chase down balls in the gaps and corners—Larnach struggles at both. Let’s take a look at some examples. QndSUDlfWGw0TUFRPT1fVkZOWkFWUUZWZ0FBQ1FBQ1hnQUhDRkJVQUFOV1VWa0FDbFpVQ1FjQVZRUlRBUUFI.mp4 What do you think the catch probability was of this ball? Close your eyes and think about it for a second before continuing to read this piece. Okay—are you ready? Have you regrouped? Okay, it was 99%. Larnach had 4.1 seconds to travel the 48 feet necessary to catch that ball. Instead, he stood flat-footed for multiple seconds as the bloop off Max Muncy’s bat traveled through the air before landing for a single. That’s not what a plus fielder does, Cory Provus! Let’s take a look at a more challenging ball put into play. eUx3M2VfWGw0TUFRPT1fVlFoWkJnRU5Wd0FBQ1Z0VFZRQUhWUUVIQUZrRVZWVUFCUUFHQUFJRlUxSlRWQXNB.mp4 Let’s play the same game. Close your ey—It had a 95% catch probability. Larnach had 5.4 seconds to travel the 68 feet necessary to catch the ball hit off rookie icon Kevin McGonigle’s bat. Instead, he took a poor route and misplayed, allowing McGonigle to course into second with a double. That's not what an improved left fielder does, Justin Morneau! Finally, let’s take a look at a play that appears incredible, but should have been much less dramatic. WU9WbERfWGw0TUFRPT1fVWdOVFZWUlFWUUVBQUFFQkF3QUhDQVplQUZrQ0FWTUFWbFFFQXdSV0JRTUhCZ05R.mp4 The ball hit by Sam Antonacci had a 55% catch probability, with Larnach trekking 82 feet in 4.9 seconds to make the catch. Again, this was a nice play by the long-time Twin, and he deserves credit for making the tough catch. That being said, more agile left fielders likely would have gotten under that ball, removing the theatrics entirely. Larnach is slightly faster this season, improving from a 26.1 ft/sec sprint speed in 2025 to 26.9 ft/sec this season. It is also true that his arm value and strength have improved mightily in 2026. Still, he’s clunky— often getting poor jumps and failing to reach balls hit to his left and right that average left fielders catch with ease. Again, Larnach has been an incredible surprise at the plate for the Twins this season, but we need to stay measured. He isn’t a good defensive left fielder—In fact, he’s one of the worst in the league. View full article

are you actually Andy MacPhail?

Having his contract purchased from Triple-A St. Paul on May 31, Mike Paredes has played an integral role in the Minnesota Twins’ ability to stay in postseason contention this summer, unexpectedly operating as the club’s fifth starter in June. Paredes’s rise to his newfound role with the parent club was unanticipated on many fronts. The 25-year-old began his 2026 campaign as a part of Double-A Wichita’s starting rotation. Also, Minnesota was rich in starting pitching depth to begin the regular season, with ten or more starters above Paredes on the organizational depth chart. Given extended injuries to Pablo López, David Festa, Mick Abel, Kendry Rojas, and Bailey Ober, and Simeon Woods Richardson unexpectedly getting designated for assignment in late May, Twins decision-makers were more or less forced to hand Paredes a spot on the club’s 13-pitcher staff. Surprisingly, the inexperienced righty has been serviceable, netting a 4.26 ERA, 5.44 FIP, and a 13-to-9 strikeout to walk ratio over 25 1/3 innings pitched. Again, Paredes’s numbers don’t pop off the page—his 11.8% strikout rate is rather alarming. Still, his serviceability has saved Minnesota’s starting rotation, helping the club stay in postseason contention as the All-Star break nears. Despite Paredes’s honorable service, Ober is nearing a return from the 10-day IL, rejoining Minnesota's five-pitcher starting rotation. With Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley, Zebby Matthews, and Connor Prielipp being the other four pitchers in the quintet, Paredes will be the odd starting pitcher out, signaling the 25-year-old could soon be demoted to Triple-A St. Paul. That said, Paredes has impressed in his first cup of coffee in the majors, meaning Twins decision-makers could opt to transition him into a relief role. Operating out of the bullpen, Paredes could again operate as a bulk reliever, helping Ober ease back from the 10-day IL or pitching multiple innings if one of the other starters is pulled from a start early due to injury or poor performance. Given that the Twins bullpen continues to struggle mightily, however, the right-handed arm could transition into a short reliever, helping fortify a unit in dire need of dependable arms. In his six appearances this month, Paredes’s most effective pitch has been his cutter, with hitters generating a modest .159 wOBA against it. However, his best pitch from a movement and stuff perspective is his sweeper, generating a 26.9% strikeout rate while throwing it 21.3% of the time. His sweeper would likely play up in a short relief role, generating higher velocity and greater horizontal break in short bursts. Paredes could fortify his sweeper and turn it into an above-average complementary pitch alongside his four-seam when facing right-handed hitters, while relying more on his change as an out-pitch against left-handed hitters. Assuming he’s able to elevate his sweeper and change while adding velocity to his four-seam in a short relief role, Paredes should be more of a strikeout pitcher, meaning he could improve his presently well-below-average 11.8% strikeout rate as a starter. Paredes has been an incredible development story, playing a vital role in keeping Minnesota’s playoff hopes from sinking in June. However, he is walking a thin line as a starter and could soon implode, given his inability to miss bats over multiple innings pitched. When Ober returns from the 10-day IL, Minnesota would be wise to transition Paredes to the bullpen, providing him an opportunity to solidify a role in a unit desperate for reliable arms. View full article

To reiterate the points made in my piece, Buxton is seventh if you filter this to AL-only, and he’s only 0.3 points of fWAR away from placing fourth. There’s a really good chance he surpasses Montgomery, McGonigle, Dingler, and even Kurtz if he sustains this performance. Witt Jr. and Alvarez are all but guaranteed to finish with more fWAR than Buxton. But what good is 9.0 fWAR for Witt Jr. if his team finishes 20 games under .500 and is out of playoff contention come August? Also, Buxton has been a meaningfully better hitter than Witt Jr. this season. Alvarez is a DH, and i highly doubt he ends the season with a wRC+ above even 170. Not to mention the Twins are more likely to make the playoffs than any club on this list other than the A’s. I’m a broken record at this point but there’s a clear path for Buxton to win.

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Before being demoted to Triple-A St. Paul a month ago, Royce Lewis was the Minnesota Twins’ primary third baseman, starting at the position nearly every game regardless of the opposing starting pitcher’s handedness. After he was quickly recalled on June 6, however, the 27-year-old was informed that he would be playing a much different role in the field, moving to the right side of the infield, primarily playing second and first base while occasionally mixing in at third. Ten games into his return with the parent club, Lewis has almost exclusively played first base, starting seven games there, two at second, and one at third. He also eventually moved over to first base in two of the three games at other positions. At the same time, Luke Keaschall has continued operating as Minnesota’s primary second baseman, starting seven of the past 10 games at the position. On the surface, this development shouldn’t come as a surprise. Keaschall has been Minnesota’s primary second baseman since early August 2025, and no other infielder has received substantial time at the position during that span. However, when Lewis was preparing to transition to second and first base at Triple-A, Keaschall was partaking in extended pregame work at first base: Despite undergoing pregame work at first, Keaschall has yet to appear at the position, signaling that Minnesota prefers him at second base over Lewis. Should they? Let’s take a look. Last season, Keaschall generated -2 Outs Above Average (OAA) at second base over 156 attempts. The then-22-year-old demonstrated poor range and a weak arm, but he wasn’t a trainwreck, leading club decision-makers to believe he could make the necessary adjustments to blossom into a serviceable-to-slightly above-average defensive second baseman in 2026—especially as he got another year of distance from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in August 2024. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. Over 237 attempts at second base this season, Keaschall has netted -4 OAA, continuing to display poor range at the position while sporting one of the worst arms in the sport. Keaschall often struggles to field what should be routine plays to his right: Vndaa09fWGw0TUFRPT1fQlZKUVVWWUJWRkFBRDFFQVZnQUhBZ1FGQUZnRFdsSUFDd2NIQlZBRFZGZFhWbEJY.mp4 And his left: OTdQWFZfWGw0TUFRPT1fRGdGWkFRVUdVd3NBQUFBQUFnQUhCVmNIQUFBQUFGY0FWbHhSVVZZQ0FGY0hWZ0FI.mp4 His poor arm also often negates Minnesota’s ability to turn double plays, shown below: NHlLMUJfWGw0TUFRPT1fVndnQVVWRUFVUUVBWGxaWFhnQUhVRkJmQUFNQ1ZsUUFDd2NDQWdBTkFGWUhVUVFD.mp4 This call was overturned, as Luis Rengifo was confirmed safe at first base. Given how routine the play looked, it is fair to assume most second basemen with serviceable arms would have successfully turned the double play. Keaschall, however, has demonstrated that he is unable to convert routine double plays time and time again. As mentioned earlier, Minnesota moved Lewis off third base, moving him to the right side of the infield. Still, he has barely played second base. Although that’s been the trend to this point, Lewis is probably a better defensive baseman than Keaschall, and could be inserted as an instant improvement at the position, fortifying the club’s middle infield defense alongside plus defensive shortstop Ryan Kreidler. Kody Clemens, Tristan Gray, and Kreidler could also mix in at the position, replacing Keaschall in the aggregate, similar to what the club did with Brooks Lee at shortstop earlier this season. Keaschall has consistently demonstrated poor range, shaky fielding, and one of the worst arms in baseball at second base for nearly a full season, confirming he won’t be the Twins' long-term answer at the position. That being the case, Minnesota would be wise to move him off the position and provide him opportunities in the corner outfield and/or first base, while keeping him in the lineup on a game-to-game basis. (Yes, a noodle arm is a problem in the outfield, too, but most players are capable of throwing better out there, where a crow hop and a longer arm action are often available to them. The difference-making throws on the infield require a quick release and easy power generation that are missing for Keaschall; he could still prove adequate as an outfield thrower.) Keaschall’s bat plays. There’s a strong chance he’s part of Minnesota’s short-, medium-, and long-term plans. Unfortunately, he isn’t a major league-caliber second baseman. That being the case, team decision-makers should be proactive and move Keaschall off second base. They can have him split time in the corner outfield and at first base (and potentially at designated hitter), while providing Lewis, Clemens, Gray, and Kreidler with more opportunities at second. View full article

On June 5, New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was placed on the 10-day IL with a right rib stress fracture, sidelining the perennial All-Star for six to eight weeks. Before fracturing his right rib, the 34-year-old was hitting .248/.375/.533 with 17 home runs and a 148 wRC+. Performing 48% better than league average, Judge was performing like one of the best hitters in the league. However, he was performing meaningfully worse than in 2024 and 2025, when he generated a combined 212 wRC+ and 111 home runs over 1,383 plate appearances, winning back-to-back AL MVP awards. Unfortunately, due to his six-to-eight absence and slow start (again, relative to previous seasons from Judge) to his 2026 campaign, the future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer is all but guaranteed not to earn his third consecutive AL MVP Award, opening the door for a new winner. At first glance, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez appear to be the co-favorites to earn the award this season. Headlined by his platinum glove-caliber defense at shortstop, Witt Jr. has generated the most Wins Above Replacement at Fangraphs (fWAR) among position players in baseball, with 4.0. Putting together a Judge-esque season himself (24 home runs over 318 plate appearances; 194 wRC+), Alvarez is close behind Witt Jr., generating 3.7 fWAR. West Sacramento (occasionally Las Vegas) Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz has generated the third most fWAR in the AL, with 3.4, and a pair of Detroit Tigers in Dillon Dingler (3.2) and Kevin McGonigle (3.0) round out the top-five. Coming in with the sixth-most fWAR, however, is Minnesota Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton. Earning AL player of the week honors for the week of June 8-14, Buxton has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball this month, hitting .348/.388/.804 with six home runs and three doubles over 49 plate appearances. Buxton’s performance this June has been the peak of his best offensive season in the majors, wherein the 32-year-old has hit .276/.335/.606 with 23 home runs (the third most home runs hit in MLB) and a 154 wRC+ over 278 plate appearances. Buxton hasn’t been the same caliber of hitter as Alvarez or Kurtz this season. Kurtz has generated a 173 wRC+ and 18 home runs over 325 plate appearances, and Alvarez, as mentioned earlier, is the only AL batter with more home runs than Buxton this season, while also manufacturing 40 more points of wRC+. What separates Buxton from Kurtz and Alvarez, however, is that he is playing well above-average defense at an up-the-middle position in centerfield, while Kurtz plays first base and Alvarez exclusively hits. If Buxton can continue his elite performance at the plate while being a plus defensive centerfielder, he could surpass Kurtz and Alvarez as AL MVP favorites. As mentioned earlier, Dingler and McGonigle have generated more fWAR than Buxton. Yet, Buxton is outhitting both Tigers' position players, netting 16 more points of wRC+ than Dingler and 23 more than McGonigle. McGonigle is a rookie who has consistently been one of baseball’s best hitters this season. Dingler, on the other hand, has undergone a recent offensive renaissance while catching almost every game, helping him jump up the fWAR leaderboard. Still, however, given that McGonigle is the heavy-favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year Award, and Dingler should regress at the plate soon, the Tigers' star duo likely aren’t legitimate AL MVP Award contenders. Witt Jr. has meaningfully outperformed Buxton in terms of fWAR. However, a significant portion of his fWAR accumulation has come from his stellar defense at shortstop. Witt Jr. might be the best defensive shortstop ever. Still, just like how hitting alone likely won’t be enough for Alvarez to don AL MVP honors, it is going to be exceptionally difficult for Witt Jr. to win the AL MVP primarily on his elite defense. Through 325 plate appearances, Witt Jr. has hit .284/.357/.450, which is good for a 120 wRC+. The 26-year-old has performed well offensively, but he hasn’t been a world-class hitter, which is a trait that should be necessary for any MVP award winner. The primary reason for Witt Jr.’s lackluster season at the plate (again, relative to Witt Jr.’s career norms) is that he has hit only nine home runs, resulting in a modest .450 slugging percentage (SLG). There is a chance Witt Jr. turns things around offensively and hits closer to the 169 wRC+ over 709 plate appearances performance he put together in 2024. If that occurs, he will likely win AL MVP honors. That said, though, if he doesn’t pick things up offensively and Buxton continues to perform at the rate he has, an argument could be made that Buxton’s elite offense and above-average defense are more valuable than Witt Jr.’s elite defense and above-average offense. The final consideration when discussing potential MVP award winners is team performance. Right now, the Twins have better playoff odds than the Royals and Astros. The Tigers have better playoff odds than Minnesota, according to FanGraphs. The Twins are still three games up on Detroit in the AL Central and Wild Card standings, however. Only two games out from the third AL Wild Card spot, Minnesota is very much in postseason contention and should continue to remain in contention late into the season. If Minnesota does make the postseason, Buxton will have had to play a significant role, meaning he avoided any serious injuries while maintaining his elite production at the plate. Again, a lot has to go right for both Buxton and the club. Still, given that Judge is hurt; Alvarez doesn’t play the field; Witt Jr. has performed much worse than Buxton offensively; Dingler, and McGonigle are likely due for regression while playing on a worse club; and Kurtz plays a position much lower on the defensive spectrum while hitting for less power than Buxton, the long-time Twins could win his first AL MVP award this season, signifying a triumphant display of perseverance for a player who was once one of the most injury-riddled players in the sport. View full article

1 1/2 games out from the third wild card spot.

every front office makes moves like these over a 162-game season. we need to recalibrate how we view microtransactions for relievers.

Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Last Friday, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones returned to the PNC Park mound, making his first major league start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2025. The home crowd celebrated Jones’s return, as the 24-year-old pitched 4 1/3 innings against the Minnesota Twins, surrendering five earned runs over 21 batters faced. However, the hard-throwing righty’s return to Pittsburgh’s five-pitcher rotation was partially overshadowed by how Carmen Mlodzinski (who held Pittsburgh’s fifth rotation spot for most of 2026) responded to Pirates decision-makers informing him that he would be transitioned back into the bullpen upon Jones’s return. “(I’m) still communicating with the organization and the people in my corner, whether that’s my family or my agency, about what is next,” Mlodzinski said, when asked about transitioning back to the bullpen during a media scrum last Thursday. Unsurprisingly, Mlodzinski’s quote took off among national baseball media, with many criticizing the 27-year-old’s dejected response to returning to the bullpen. Many of those critiquing Mlodzinski are doing so solely to profit from the salaciousness of a conflict between player and team, but for those viewing the situation more clearly, it's easy to see why Mlodzinski would be upset about the change in roles. Through 55 innings pitched, Mlodzinski has generated a 3.76 ERA, 3.31 FIP, and a 19.3% strikeout rate, while making nine proper starts. According to Wins Above Replacement at FanGraphs (fWAR), the righty has been Pittsburgh's fourth-most valuable starting pitcher, coming in behind Braxton Ashcraft, Paul Skenes, and Mitch Keller. Mlodzinski is firmly above the Pirates’ fifth-most valuable starting pitcher, Bubba Chandler, earning 1.0 fWAR over 44 innings pitched as a starter compared to Chandler’s 0.2 fWAR over 52 innings. Still, Pittsburgh opted to keep Chandler in the rotation over Mlodzinski, seemingly due to Chandler’s far superior raw stuff and higher ceiling as a starter. Pittsburgh placed Mlodzinski on the restricted list on Sunday, citing the pitcher expressing that he wasn’t ready to pitch in the series finale against Minnesota. Big-leaguers are unpaid while on the restricted list. However, the 24-year-old’s stint on the list was short-lived, as he was reinstated Monday night. In effect, they suspended him for two days and docked his pay for the missed time. According to Jason Mackey of MLB.com, Mlodzinski didn’t request a trade, and is expected to pitch out of the bullpen in a bulk role during the club’s Tuesday night contest against the Houston Astros. Still, animosity between Mlodzinski and Pittsburgh lingers, making a trade of the 27-year-old likely before the trade deadline on August 3. If that is the case, Twins top baseball executive Jeremy Zoll should aggressively pursue an early-June trade for Mlodzinski, handing the talented righty a solidified role in Minnesota’s five-pitcher starting rotation. Like Pittsburgh, Minnesota entered the 2026 campaign with a surplus of high-end starting pitching talent, headlined by Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, and budding stars Taj Bradley and Mick Abel. However, injuries have quickly decimated the club’s rotation depth, with Ober, Abel, and talented, young lefty Kendry Rojas on the 15-day IL for the foreseeable future. Losing these three arms, Minnesota is down to a four-pitcher rotation, headlined by Ryan, Bradley, a struggling Connor Prielipp, and an inconsistent Zebby Matthews. Mike Paredes is on the 26-man roster as a long reliever, at least for the moment, but even after the team picked up another Pirate (Justin Lawrence, a short reliever) in a cash deal Monday night, it's not clear who will start Thursday evening against the Royals. Minnesota is still in dire need of starting pitching depth, particularly if the club wants to remain in postseason contention as the dog days of summer near. ""Yeah, I think everything needs to be on the table," Zoll told reporters Monday about the apparent hole in the rotation. "We've worked through all the considerations ... but I think when you go true bullpen games, that can be challenging, but we probably need to see how we get through the next day or two and the state of the bullpen before we finalize any plans." Primarily throwing a four-seamer, splitter, sinker, and curve, Mlodzinski would instantly slot in as a valuable member of Minnesota’s starting rotation, likely filling the third spot behind Ryan and Bradley. Even if Ober, Abel, and/or Rojas return soon, Mlodzinski would be in position to retain a rotation spot, given Prileipp’s, Matthews’s, and Rojas’s inconsistency this season and the team's desire to keep Prielipp and Rojas from taking on too large a workload too quickly. Though it's hardly ideal, the team might well switch to a six-man rotation for some stretches, giving their young starters an extra day between appearances to both optimize recovery and slow their accumulation of innings. Any team that acquires Mlodzinski would want to avoid recreating the awkward series of events that has led to the promising righty’s falling out with Pittsburgh’s decision-makers. Given the injuries Twins starting pitchers have sustained this season, Mlodzinski would be all but guaranteed a rotation spot with Minnesota for the rest of the 2026 season, potentially playing an integral role in the club’s ability to return to the postseason for the first time since 2023. Besides, there's one person we know likes Mlodzinski as a starter, and who gave him that job for the first time at the end of spring training last year: then-Pirates manager Derek Shelton. "I think through the spring, we saw him not only increase in velocity, but saw him maintain the velocity, which was something that really made us feel confident that he can be a starting pitcher,” Shelton said after Mlodzinski returned to the rotation last March, having spent the previous two seasons working in relief. “It wasn't one time through the order; we saw it maintain in the fourth inning, fifth inning in Spring Training." There's familiarity between the manager and this prospective addition—and a history of the kind of trust and faith the pitcher clearly needs to feel from his superiors. There's also a glaring need. Presumably, the Pirates won't give up Mlodzinski for nothing—he remains under team control through 2029 and isn''t even arbitration-eligible until this winter. If the cost of acquiring him has been dramatically reduced by the tension between employers and employee, though, the Twins should swoop in. View full article

Kyler Fedko? The Triple-A Slugger?