Cody Christie

Image courtesy of ​© Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images With the World Baseball Classic on the horizon, many were wondering whether Byron Buxton or Pete Crow-Armstrong would be Team USA’s starting center fielder. That debate may have just resolved itself. Presumed starting left fielder Corbin Carroll suffered a broken hamate bone in his right hand. While Team USA will replace Carroll on the roster, it is difficult to imagine that replacement being a better overall option than either Buxton or Crow-Armstrong. The most logical alignment now features Crow-Armstrong in center field, Aaron Judge in right, and Buxton sliding over to left. And that possibility should grab the Twins’ attention. Buxton has never played a corner outfield position in the majors. Yet given how well he handles center field, there is little doubt he would be an elite defender in left. In fact, he might immediately become the best defensive left fielder in baseball if he played there full-time. The reads, the closing speed, and the arm strength. Those tools would not disappear simply because the wall is closer and the angles are different. But the numbers suggest this conversation is arriving at the right time. Baseball Prospectus’ Deserved Runs Prevented metric shows a clear month-to-month picture of Buxton’s defensive performance this season. March and April: - 0.1 May: 1.4 June: -1.1 July: -2.4 August: -1.4 September: - 0.9 Even early in the year, there were hints of slippage. As the season progressed, the inconsistency became more pronounced. Buxton still makes spectacular plays, but the day-to-day impact has not been as steady as it once was. He turned 32 in December. Speed is often the first tool to fade as players move into their 30s, and center field is one of the most physically demanding positions on the diamond. The Twins understand that reality. If Minnesota wants to maximize Buxton’s offensive value during one of the most productive stretches of his career, it may soon be time to reduce the defensive burden. The World Baseball Classic could serve as a trial run. If Buxton thrives in left field on an international stage, the optics change. It no longer feels hypothetical. It becomes practical. And then there is Walker Jenkins. Minnesota’s top prospect reached Triple-A as a 20-year-old and appears poised to debut sometime next season. His short-term future is in center field. In the minors this year, Jenkins has logged 443 innings in center and just 43 in right. Emmanuel Rodriguez, another top prospect, also has significant center field experience and could factor into the big league roster soon. The Twins may not want to block that pipeline. Buxton is under team control through 2028. Even if his defense in center remains solid through a modest decline, the organization has to consider roster optimization over the next several seasons. Moving Buxton to left field would allow Jenkins to step into center without forcing an awkward positional shuffle. There is also the matter of health. Buxton’s career has been defined as much by time on the injured list as by highlight reel catches. He has been healthier recently, but reducing the physical demands of his position could help keep his bat in the lineup more consistently. Corner outfield spots typically require less ground to cover and fewer all-out sprints into the gaps. Preserving Buxton’s body has always been a priority. A move to left field could be a proactive step rather than a reactive one. It does not have to be viewed as a demotion. It is a natural progression that helps extend careers. Some of the game’s best center fielders eventually make that move. The bat stays in the lineup. The legs last longer. The value shifts but does not disappear. The World Baseball Classic might only last a few weeks. But for Buxton and the Twins, it could quietly preview the next phase of his career. Should the Twins consider moving Buxton to a corner outfield spot in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

The Minnesota Twins continued reshaping their bullpen on Saturday by signing veteran left-hander Andrew Chafin to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. As camp opens in Fort Myers, the organization is clearly investing in relief depth and experience. Chafin’s addition may seem modest on paper, but in what figures to be a tightly contested American League Central race, reliable left-handed options could quietly influence the team’s postseason outlook. News of the agreement was first reported by Jon Heyman, who noted that Chafin will report to Minnesota’s big league camp to compete for a bullpen job. According to Darren Wolfson, Chafin would earn $2 million if he makes the active roster, with an additional $1.25 million available through incentives. Chafin enters his age-35 season, and what would be his 13th year in professional baseball. While the deal does not guarantee him a spot on the Opening Day roster, it immediately throws him into legitimate competition for a role. This is less of a speculative flyer and more of a calculated depth play by a front office intent on fortifying the relief corps after last season’s midyear bullpen turnover. The veteran split the 2025 campaign between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels, posting a 2.41 ERA across 33 2/3 innings. He struck out 36 hitters against 19 walks and limited left-handed batters to a .136 average. That type of platoon effectiveness remains especially valuable when navigating late-inning matchups against division rivals built with left-handed thump throughout the middle of the order. Even with strong run prevention on the surface, some of Chafin’s peripherals told a more complicated story. His elevated walk rate, paired with an 81.9 % strand rate, pushed his SIERA to 4.11, a number that sat well above his actual ERA. Outside of the command concerns, many of his underlying indicators remained encouraging, though durability remained his biggest hurdle. A right hamstring strain and later inflammation in his left triceps each led to injured-list stints that cost him more than five weeks of the season. This also marks the second consecutive offseason in which Chafin has signed a non-guaranteed contract. He followed a similar path last year after agreeing to a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers in February. Chafin exercised an opt-out near the end of April and soon secured a major league opportunity with the Washington Nationals, making 26 appearances before being dealt to the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline. Minnesota has now added three left-handed relievers in the past month. Taylor Rogers signed earlier in free agency, and Anthony Banda arrived via trade. Minnesota also already had Kody Funderburk on the 40-man roster. Chafin’s presence intensifies competition while expanding the Twins’ flexibility against left-handed heavy lineups within the division. Across 12 major league seasons, Chafin owns a 3.35 career ERA while pitching for eight different organizations. If he can replicate anything close to last season’s surface-level results, this minor league deal could evolve into meaningful in-season value rather quickly. The message from Minnesota’s front office is straightforward. The Twins are stockpiling experienced arms in an effort to stabilize the late innings and create internal competition before Opening Day decisions are finalized. With multiple non-roster invitees and recent acquisitions now in camp, the bullpen battle is shaping up to be one of Spring Training’s defining storylines. View full rumor

Fort Myers felt a little more official on Thursday. Pitchers and catchers reported to the Lee Health Sports Complex, the Florida sun was beating down on the back fields, and a new chapter began as Derek Shelton officially started his first spring training as Twins manager. Bullpens popped, catchers dropped into their stances, and optimism was easy to find. One notable arm, however, was not firing away. Twins pitching prospect Cory Lewis has been shut down from throwing after being diagnosed with a moderate subscapularis strain in his right shoulder. Lewis reported discomfort following a bullpen session on Saturday after arriving at camp early. Shelton told reporters that Lewis will be reevaluated in two weeks. For a player trying to force his way into the big-league conversation, it is far from an ideal start. Lewis, 25, entered camp as a non-roster invitee after spending last season at Triple-A. The numbers were not kind. In 73 innings with the Saints, he posted a 7.27 ERA while striking out 87 and walking 68. The uneven command and high traffic outings made for a frustrating campaign. He also missed time with a right shoulder issue last season, though it is not yet clear whether this strain is connected to that prior injury. The disappointment of 2025 stands in sharp contrast to the trajectory Lewis was on before reaching Triple-A. When the Twins selected him in the ninth round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of UC Santa Barbara, he was viewed more as an intriguing project than a fast-moving arm. What set him apart was not overpowering velocity but creativity. Lewis featured an unorthodox delivery and a deep mix of pitches, highlighted by a knuckleball that has become increasingly central to his identity. In 2023, he split his professional debut between Low- and High-A. Across 22 starts, Lewis posted a 2.49 ERA with a 28.6% strikeout rate and an 8.0% walk rate. His poise and command stood out as much as the knuckleball itself. By the end of 2024, he had reached Triple-A and continued to miss bats, posting a nearly 28% strikeout rate, a 2.51 ERA, and a 1.31 WHIP. In many farm systems, that type of rise would have generated louder buzz. In Minnesota, he was somewhat overshadowed by Zebby Matthews and a wave of pitching prospects who grabbed headlines. Still, evaluators appreciated Lewis for what he was becoming. Not a traditional power arm, but a different look. A pitcher capable of disrupting timing in a sport increasingly built around velocity. That is what makes this spring important. With Shelton taking over and the Twins once again leaning on pitching depth as an organizational strength, camp reps matter. Lewis was unlikely to break north with the club, but a healthy and productive spring could have reestablished him as a depth option and potential call-up candidate during the season. Instead, the focus shifts to recovery. Shoulder injuries are always delicate, and a subscapularis strain impacts one of the key stabilizing muscles in the shoulder. For a pitcher who relies heavily on feel and touch, especially with a knuckleball, any interruption to throwing progression can complicate timing and command. The Twins will reevaluate Lewis in two weeks, and the hope is that this is merely a short-term pause rather than a lingering issue. Minnesota has seen how quickly pitching depth can evaporate over a long season. They will need arms at St Paul ready to contribute. For Lewis, the path forward remains the same even if the timeline shifts. Embrace the uniqueness. Refine the knuckleball. Regain the command that fueled his rise. The Twins believed enough in the profile to invite him to big league camp. Now the challenge is getting back on the mound and proving that last season was a detour, not a destination. Spring training is about fresh starts. For Lewis, that fresh start may just have to wait a few weeks. View full rumor

Image courtesy of © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Last July, the Twins and Dodgers linked up on a deadline deal that raised eyebrows the moment it crossed the wire. Minnesota sent reliever Brock Stewart to Los Angeles in exchange for outfielder James Outman, a move that felt odd on its face given how well Stewart had been pitching for the Twins at the time. Stewart was one of the more effective bullpen arms Minnesota had, missing bats and handling leverage despite a long, well-documented injury history. That history loomed large in how the trade was interpreted. The assumption was that the Twins would be able to get value for Stewart, especially from a contending team. However, a one-for-one deal for Outman seemed underwhelming. Stewart’s medicals likely raised some red flags, and that forced the teams to find a deal that worked for both sides. That reading of his medicals proved prescient. Stewart made just four appearances for the Dodgers before landing on the injured list. In September, he underwent a debridement procedure on his shoulder, ending his season and keeping him sidelined during Los Angeles’ run to a World Series title. He is not expected to be ready for Opening Day, and there are real questions about how much he can contribute in 2026. Stewart had already pushed his workload to a career high 37 2/3 innings in 2025, and the durability concerns that followed him never really went away. Realistically, Stewart might be a bullpen option for the Dodgers a few months into the season. That might be the best way to get the most value from him in one season. He has shown that he only has so many bullets in his arm. Having Stewart (potentially) available for the playoffs is more valuable than early-season games when the weather is colder, and there is a greater chance of muscles tightening up. The Dodgers will be in the playoffs, and that’s where Stewart can be a difference-maker. From the Twins’ side, the return was Outman, a former top prospect who had fallen out of favor on a Dodgers roster that is loaded with talent. On paper, there was a path to relevance. Minnesota needed outfield depth, particularly behind Byron Buxton, and Outman brings strong defensive chops in center field. The complication is that Alan Roden exists, and the organization appeared to favor him before his hand injury last season. Roden was talked up extensively after being acquired from the Blue Jays, and he can handle center as well, even if Outman is generally viewed as the better defender. Roster mechanics muddy the picture further. Outman is out of options, meaning he either makes the roster or risks being lost. Roden does not carry that same pressure. Someone has to back up Buxton, and while Roden offers flexibility, Outman’s glove might give him the edge in a vacuum. Performance, however, has not helped his case. In 59 major league games last season, Outman posted a .537 OPS and a 47 OPS+. That production is difficult to carry, even for a defense-first reserve. There is some hope to be found in his Triple-A numbers, where he put up a .945 OPS across 92 games. That kind of gap suggests there may still be something to unlock at the big-league level. At the same time, Outman will be 29 years old next season, so this is not a young prospect still finding his way. What you see may largely be what you get. As things stand, this trade is drifting toward an outcome where neither side truly benefits. The Dodgers lost a useful bullpen arm for essentially nothing during a championship run, even if they were protected from further risk down the line. The Twins may not get meaningful value either, especially if Outman struggles in spring training and does not break camp with the team. Deadline deals often look cleaner in hindsight, and this one already feels messy. Minnesota took a calculated risk on Stewart’s health and bet on Outman’s ability to rebound. Los Angeles took the arm and hoped the medical gamble would pay off. Instead, both teams are left with questions, and the trade is shaping up to be one neither side will look back on fondly. Did either team win this trade? Will Outman make it out of spring training on the Twins’ roster? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Kaelen Culpepper) Projection systems are not in the business of hype. They are cold, calculating, and often conservative. That's what makes it so interesting when one of them plants a flag on a player who has barely cracked the upper minors. FanGraphs’s ZiPS has done exactly that with Kaelen Culpepper. The Twins likely don’t agree with ZiPS's plan to promote him aggressively in 2026. It seems more likely that they'll roll with Brooks Lee at shortstop. But after a dynamite first full professional season, the Twins' 2024 first-rounder has quickly become one of the system’s favorites, and that's no accident. A Massive Step Forward Culpepper took a massive step forward last season, showing he can impact the game with his bat while sticking at shortstop. In 113 games, he posted a 138 wRC+ with 25 steals, flashing both on-base ability and speed. The organization named him its Minor League Player of the Year, and he enters 2026 as a consensus top-100 prospect. ZiPS noticed. He was among MLB’s biggest ZiPS gainers for 2026, a list that includes Aaron Judge and Yordan Alvarez. A year ago, he was projected for just 0.3 fWAR. Now he sits at 1.9 fWAR, were he to get a full year's worth of playing time. That's a substantial jump for a player who has yet to play at Triple-A. To reach that 1.9 fWAR mark, ZiPS projects Culpepper for 510 plate appearances in 2026. Obviously, that's essentially a default number, to give a sense of what a full season would look like from him. He's unlikely to play that much at Target Field this year. If he did, though, the model thinks he'd be perfectly serviceable. The offensive line is modest on the surface. ZiPS projects a 94 wRC+ and a .376 slugging percentage, pointing to a lack of present power. But there is value baked in elsewhere. He's projected for a .305 wOBA, positive defensive value, and enough overall contribution to be an above-average regular. His player comparisons are not superstar names: Bill Spiers. Howard Freigau. Ricky Adams. Those comps speak to versatility and steady value, more than flash. ZiPS isn't projecting stardom right now. It just shows promise, with room to grow. That's where it gets interesting. The Defense Debate The Twins front office believes Culpepper improved his overall outlook with defensive gains last season. That belief is reflected in the positive defensive projection. “His makeup and his leadership on the field, the way he goes about his work, have all been exactly what we’ve been looking for,” Twins GM Jeremy Zoll said. The arm strength is there. The internal reviews are strong. But not everyone is convinced he sticks at shortstop long term. Baseball America’s JJ Cooper has expressed skepticism about Culpepper’s ability to remain at the position. While he has the arm, some evaluators question his range and actions. Many scouts believe he may ultimately slide to third base. That positional uncertainty matters, because the offensive bar changes depending on where he plays. A 90 OPS+ with solid defense is more palatable at shortstop than at third base. ZiPS, at least for now, is betting that the glove will be good enough. A Complicated Shortstop Picture The Twins' shortstop depth chart adds another wrinkle. Lee is expected to open the season as the starter. The team added a veteran backup option, Orlando Arcia, to provide depth and stability. On paper, there is no everyday job available for Culpepper. But depth charts have a way of unraveling. One injury to a significant player could change the equation quickly. If Lee misses time or struggles offensively, Culpepper could force the issue. Whether it's Lee, Royce Lewis or Luke Keaschall, a major injury to any of the injury-prone infielders slated to start could crack the door for Culpepper. For that matter, Lee is projected for a lousy 84 wRC+ and worse defense than Culpepper, so if you ask ZiPS, the Twins should simply escalate the young player past the incumbent right now. The Twins haven't been shy about promoting prospects who prove ready. Culpepper may not need much Triple-A seasoning. Minnesota saw this in 2025, with Luke Keaschall playing only 28 games at Triple-A before his promotion. The Offensive Ceiling Culpepper is not a finished product offensively. He can be prone to chasing off-speed pitches out of the zone. That approach will be tested at higher levels. But there were encouraging signs, too. He walked 50 times and struck out just 90 times, showing better swing decisions than some evaluators expected. He also reached the 20-home run mark, despite posting the system’s third-highest groundball rate. That's significant. If he can learn to elevate consistently, there's more power in the profile than the current projections imply. That's part of why ZiPS is optimistic. The system sees a player who already produces value and has room to grow if the batted-ball profile improves. Why You Can Love Him, Too Culpepper profiles as an above-average regular with All-Star upside at an infield spot still to be determined. That kind of player doesn't need to be a franchise cornerstone to be immensely valuable. He's played just 139 minor-league games and has yet to face Triple-A pitching. On the surface, it might feel aggressive to expect a big-league debut this season. It's not unrealistic, though. If Culpepper keeps hitting as he did in 2025, the Twins will have no choice but to give him a look at the major-league level. ZiPS already believes he can handle a near-everyday role. Now, it becomes a matter of timing. Projection systems don't often fall in love. When they do, it's worth paying attention. ZiPS loves Culpepper. You probably should, too. Do you believe in the ZiPS projection for Culpepper? If not, what are realistic expectations for him in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of William Parmeter Joe Ryan did not sound bitter. He did not sound triumphant. Mostly, he sounded tired of the whole thing. “It is what it is — it’s done,” Ryan said after he and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a one-year, $6.2 million contract on January 26 that includes a $13 million mutual option for 2027. The deal came together just hours before Ryan and team officials were scheduled to board flights to Phoenix for an arbitration hearing. In the end, cooler heads and simple math won out. The Twins and Ryan were just $500,000 apart when they filed figures ahead of the Jan. 8 deadline. For a pitcher coming off a 13-10 season with a 3.42 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 171 innings, the gap was relatively minor. But the process is rarely about the gap. It is about the ritual. And the ritual remains as uncomfortable as ever. A Strong Season With Some Late Noise Ryan’s platform year was strong by any reasonable measure. He worked 171 innings, missed bats at an elite clip (28.2 K%), and for much of the season pitched like a steadying force in a rotation that needed one. Through his first 121 1/3 innings, he posted a 2.82 ERA and allowed just 14 home runs. He looked like the type of arm who could anchor a playoff series and was named to his first All-Star team. Then the context changed. Following a rough outing in Toronto on August 25th, Ryan acknowledged that his energy dipped in the weeks after the August 1st trade deadline when the Twins were no longer positioned to chase a postseason spot. Over his final 10 starts, he logged a 4.89 ERA and allowed 2.17 home runs per nine innings across 49 2/3 innings. The sharpness faded. The fastball command wavered. The ball left the yard more frequently. In arbitration, those details matter. The late-season fade becomes an exhibit. The home run rate becomes a bullet point. The human context often gets stripped away. For teams and players, this can create wounds that are hard to heal. Ryan recently switched representation to VC Sports Group, but the figures for the filing had already been exchanged with his previous agency. When talks stalled, the numbers went in. When neither side blinked immediately, the hearing date loomed. Ryan admitted he was not a fan of the system and feels like baseball needs to find a new salary system for young players. “They’re trying to win, and that’s kind of their show,” Ryan said. “That’s their baseball game. … I think at the end of the day that process is pretty antiquated and kind of stupid. No one in the league likes it. No team likes it. No one that works for a team likes it. No players like it. It doesn’t benefit anyone. It’s just a dumb system.” The Skubal Effect If there is any momentum for change, it may come from cases like Tarik Skubal’s. The Tigers ace recently secured a significant arbitration win, as he filed at $32 million and Detroit countered at $19 million. The ruling shattered the previous arbitration salary record of $31 million set by Juan Soto in 2024. More importantly, it represented a raise of $21.85 million, more than double the previous record increase of $9.6 million set by deGrom in 2019. Skubal’s decisions reinforced the fact that frontline starters with elite results are being rewarded aggressively by panels. When a Cy Young caliber arm walks into a hearing with comparable stats and walks out with the number he filed, it shifts the landscape. For pitchers like Ryan, that matters. While Ryan is not coming off a Cy Young season, he is part of a wave of arbitration-eligible starters who combine innings volume with swing-and-miss ability. As salaries for that tier climb through arbitration, teams will have a harder time suppressing numbers by leaning on selective splits or brief downturns. Panels have shown a willingness to reward impact and durability. Skubal’s case strengthens the argument that pitchers with high strikeout totals, strong run prevention, and meaningful innings loads deserve to be paid accordingly. It nudges the system slightly toward the players, even if the framework remains flawed. Business as Usual For the Twins, avoiding the hearing was the priority. Arbitration hearings can strain relationships. They force teams to highlight weaknesses. They require players to sit quietly while their value is dissected in an adversarial fashion. Minnesota has generally tried to avoid that outcome with its core pieces. Getting a deal done at $6.2 million keeps Ryan in the fold on reasonable terms and leaves open the possibility of a $13 million mutual option next season. From a roster-building standpoint, it is tidy. From a player relations standpoint, it avoids unnecessary scars. Still, Ryan’s blunt assessment lingers. The system is antiquated. It benefits no one. Both sides play their roles because the collective bargaining agreement requires it. In the end, the Twins and Ryan did what most teams and players eventually do. They compromised. They shook hands. They moved forward. The process may be dumb, as Ryan put it. But until something replaces it, this is the game within the game. Do you agree with Ryan that something needs to change? What system would be fair for both players and teams in the next CBA? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Pitchers and catchers report to Twins camp in Ft. Myers Wednesday. With that milestone comes the annual ritual of looking back at what the Twins did (or didn’t do) over the winter. This offseason was not defined by splashy headlines or aggressive spending. Instead, it was marked by modest depth additions and a series of transactions that mostly reshuffled the bottom of the roster. Minnesota thus enters spring training with many of the same questions it had when the season ended—and, perhaps, with a bit more business left to do. Free Agents 1B/DH Josh Bell 1-year, $7 million C Victor Caratini 2-years, $14 million LHP Taylor Rogers 1-year, $2 million The most notable additions came through free agency, starting with Bell. Signing the slugger to a one-year deal worth $7 million was a strong way to open the winter. He provides an immediate offensive upgrade for a lineup that badly needed a reliable veteran bat. Bell’s switch-hitting power lengthens the order and gives the Twins some much-needed stability, regardless of whether he plays first base or DH. The downside is his defense. Bell is a clear liability at first base, which is why he might spend more time as the designated hitter. That creates some roster tension, as Minnesota already has several players who profile best there (including Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach), along with some lineup regulars who will need partial rest days. Caratini’s two-year, $14-million deal raised more eyebrows. The Twins have been open about their desire to give Ryan Jeffers regular time behind the plate, and they also acquired Alex Jackson in a trade with Baltimore. Jackson is out of minor-league options, which complicates the roster math. Carrying three catchers seems unlikely, unless Caratini sees frequent time at first base or designated hitter. (General manager Jeremy Zoll indicated when the signing became official that Caratini could play those spots.) That said, catching depth is rarely a bad thing, and Caratini provides a steady presence with experience handling pitching staffs. Rogers returned on a one-year, $2-million deal, addressing the need for bullpen depth at a reasonable cost. The issue is that this move alone does not come close to replacing what the Twins lost last summer, when five relievers were dealt away at the trade deadline. The bullpen remains inexperienced, and while the front office has spoken openly about adding another arm, the free agent market is essentially dry. That leaves trades or internal conversions as the only realistic paths forward. Trades: Acquired C Alex Jackson from the Orioles for 2B Payton Eeles Acquired 1B Eric Wagaman from the Marlins for LHP Kade Bragg Acquired IF Tristan Gray from the Red Sox for C Nate Baez Acquired cash considerations from Mariners for C Jhonny Pereda Acquired RHP Jace Kaminska and cash from the Rockies for 2B Edouard Julien and RHP Pierson Ohl The trade market brought volume, but little impact. Jackson came over from the Orioles. a move that clearly focused on raising the floor of the catching depth after Christian Vázquez departed in free agency. Wagaman and Gray were acquired as infield depth, but neither significantly changed the outlook of the roster. Pereda was moved shortly after the Caratini signing, making his brief stint in the organization officially forgettable. The most notable transaction sent Julien and Ohl to Colorado for Kaminska and cash considerations, a deal that largely reflected roster management decisions at the fringes of the 40-man roster. None of these trades made the Twins meaningfully better for 2026. They added depth and flexibility, but not wins. When you zoom out, the offseason feels uninspiring. Bell, Caratini, and Rogers are useful players, but none move the needle significantly. The roster looks deeper, but not stronger. That reality was underscored by the unexpected news that longtime baseball head Derek Falvey and the Twins mutually parted ways just as spring training approached, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already underwhelming winter. There is still time for the front office to make a meaningful addition before Opening Day, but as things stand now, this offseason earns a D. It is a passing grade only in the sense that the Twins showed up and turned something in. There is a chance to resubmit the assignment, but it will require more than marginal depth moves to change the final mark. What grade would you give the Twins for this winter? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

The Minnesota Twins are welcoming one of the franchise’s most beloved figures back into the fold as they approach the 2026 season. Paul Molitor’s connection to the Twins stretches back decades, both as a hometown player and an influential presence in the organization. His return in a new capacity is sure to resonate with long-time fans and offer fresh insight to viewers tuning in this year. This week, the Twins revealed Molitor’s latest role. “Hall of Famer Paul Molitor is joining the Twins' rotation of TV analysts this season, along with Justin Morneau, Trevor Plouffe, Denard Span, and Glen Perkins. Cory Provus returns as the play-by-play voice and Audra Martin is back as the sideline reporter,” reported Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic on Tuesday. Molitor’s addition to the broadcast team brings a respected voice with firsthand experience in nearly every corner of the sport. He has been a superstar player, a veteran leader, a manager, and a special assistant in the front office. There are not many perspectives within baseball that he has not experienced. His playing credentials remain among the most impressive in the game’s history. Over a 21-year career, Molitor compiled 3,319 hits, a .306 batting average, 234 home runs, 1,307 RBIs, and 1,782 runs scored. He also stole 504 bases, making him one of the rare players to pair 3,000 hits with 500 steals. His .817 OPS reflected a balanced offensive profile built on consistency, durability, and intelligence. Those accomplishments secured his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004. Although Molitor built the bulk of his playing legacy with the Milwaukee Brewers and added a World Series title with the Toronto Blue Jays, his time with the Twins holds a special place. A native of St. Paul, he finished his career in Minnesota from 1996 through 1998, batting .312 across those three seasons, earning a Silver Slugger Award, and producing 5.2 bWAR in what were supposed to be his twilight years. For a player in his late thirties, that level of production was remarkable, and it provided a bridge between eras for the franchise. Molitor’s impact in Minnesota extended well beyond his playing days. He managed the Twins from 2015 through 2018 and authored one of the more memorable managerial seasons in team history. In 2017, he guided Minnesota to the postseason one year after a 100-loss campaign, earning American League Manager of the Year honors in the process. Even after being let go from that role, Molitor remained involved as a Special Assistant in Baseball Operations, helping shape player development and instruction throughout the organization. He has also made radio appearances over the years, offering thoughtful and measured analysis. There is a reason Molitor has remained intertwined with the Twins for much of the past decade. His Hall of Fame resume commands respect on its own, but his steady demeanor and deep understanding of the game make him a natural fit in any role. He is not necessarily remembered first as a Twin when it comes to his playing career, yet his post-playing identity has become closely tied to Minnesota. That matters to him, and it matters to the organization. Now, as he joins a television rotation that already includes Morneau, Plouffe, Span, and Perkins, Molitor brings historical context and credibility to the broadcast. He understands what it means to chase 3,000 hits. He understands what it feels like to manage through a 100-loss season and then turn it into a playoff berth. He understands the pressure of expectations in this market. For fans, that means more than just another analyst in the booth. It means hearing the game explained by someone who has lived every angle of it. Even if the Twins encounter bumps along the way in 2026, Molitor’s presence on the broadcast will offer perspective, nostalgia, and a connection to the franchise’s past. That is a win for the organization and a win for viewers tuning in all summer long. View full rumor

Image courtesy of William Parmeter (photo of Marco Raya) Pitchers and catchers report this week, which means optimism is officially back on the menu in Fort Myers. Every organization arrives believing that this will be the year injuries cooperate, prospects take the leap, and depth charts magically sort themselves out. For the Twins, spring training feels especially important because there are real decisions to be made on the mound and not all of them are theoretical. Roles are open. Health matters. And a few arms could reshape how this staff looks by Opening Day. Pitching enters the spring as one of Minnesota’s clear strengths. The Twins have more usable arms than rotation spots, and that is a good problem to have after years of scrambling for innings. Last summer’s trade deadline played a major role in that shift, as the front office targeted pitching help that could impact both the short and long term. With multiple starters capable of handling big league innings and a bullpen that is lacking upside options, spring training will be less about finding warm bodies and more about determining fit. That depth makes the following three pitchers particularly interesting to watch over the next few weeks. RHP Bailey Ober Why To Watch: Can his velocity return? Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez will be away with their national teams for the World Baseball Classic, which quietly places Ober at the top of the Twins rotation this spring. That alone makes him worth paying attention to, but there is more going on here than spring training optics. The 2025 season was a frustrating one for Ober. A lingering hip injury sapped velocity from a pitcher who already lives on precision rather than raw power. In 2024, his four-seamer averaged 91.7 mph, and that dipped to 90.3 mph last season. It was never about dominance disappearing overnight. It was about margins shrinking. The Twins believed the injury would resolve itself over the winter without surgery, and that belief will be tested immediately once Ober starts stacking outings in camp. RHP Marco Raya Why To Watch: How does he transition to the bullpen? Over the last week, Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll discussed Raya as one of the former starting pitchers in the organization who is transitioning to a bullpen role. It is a notable pivot for a pitcher who has been one of the Twins' top prospects since being drafted out of high school in the shortened 2020 MLB Draft. Raya’s 2025 season at Triple A was rough. A 6.02 ERA and 5.48 FIP came alongside a 22.6 K% and a career-worst 12.6 BB%. That last number is the one that really matters now. Moving to the bullpen can unlock velocity and simplify pitch usage, but free passes become even more damaging in shorter stints. As the old Metrodome video board famously reminded everyone, walks will haunt. LHP Connor Prielipp Why To Watch: Will he be a starter or a reliever for the long term? Prielipp has been one of the most dominant pitching prospects in the system when healthy, and that qualifier has followed him since he turned pro. Drafted in the second round in 2022, Prielipp made just two starts in A ball before undergoing Tommy John surgery that wiped out his 2023 season. He returned in limited fashion in 2024 before finally getting a chance to build momentum last year. The results were encouraging. Across Double- and Triple-A, Prielipp posted a 4.03 ERA with a 3.54 FIP and a 98 to 31 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 82 ⅔ innings. The organization used him almost exclusively as a starter, while carefully monitoring his workload. His stuff and injury history naturally invite bullpen speculation. Spring training may not provide a definitive answer, but how the Twins deploy him will be telling. Spring training is rarely about results, but it is always about information. For the Twins, these three pitchers represent different questions that need answering before the games start to count. Is a veteran starter healthy again? Can a former top prospect reinvent himself in a new role? And where does a talented but injury-tested arm fit best going forward? If pitching is going to carry Minnesota in 2026, the clues will start showing up this spring. What pitchers will you be watching in spring training? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Welcome to your next real estate opportunity in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. After introducing a budget-friendly ticket package earlier this week to encourage fans to return to the ballpark, the Minnesota Twins have decided to think even bigger. If cheap tickets get people through the gates, selling the gates themselves might finally balance the books. Target Field is officially on the market. Not as a whole, of course. That would be drastic. Instead, the Twins are offering fans the chance to purchase individual sections, concourse corners, and possibly a bullpen bench, if the price is right. Think of it less as a baseball stadium and more as a sprawling mixed-use property with occasional professional sports interruptions. Property Overview This expansive outdoor venue features natural grass, skyline views, and a retractable sense of fiscal responsibility. With seating for over 38,000 and standing room for plenty more, the space offers endless customization options. Want to rename a section after your dog? Done. Interested in turning the third deck into a home office that overlooks left field? The Twins are listening. Buyers will enjoy access to exposed steel beams, limestone finishes, and a light rail stop that occasionally reminds you that you live in a city. The stadium has hosted playoff games, concerts, and several seasons of optimistic rebuilding. Comparable properties simply do not exist. Interior Highlights Each section comes fully furnished with fold-down seats, cup holders, and fans who may or may not agree with your life choices. Club-level ownership includes exclusive access to climate-controlled areas and the quiet satisfaction of knowing you paid extra to watch the same product as everyone else. Concourse ownership is ideal for buyers looking to dabble in a small business. Beer sales, helmet nachos, and passive-aggressive signage about standing in the aisles are all included. Plumbing is shared, which really brings the community together. Neighborhood and Amenities Located steps from downtown nightlife, Target Field offers walkable access to bars, restaurants, and people explaining how they would manage the bullpen better. The surrounding area is vibrant and lively, and several parking ramps are conveniently close, though they cost more than some ticket packages. Owners should be aware that the property is shared with 81 home games a year and a front office that still insists this is a competitive window. Noise levels may increase during fireworks nights and whenever the wave starts for no clear reason. Important Disclosures The Twins are only slightly concerned about new owners fully embracing the live-at-the-park lifestyle. While robes are not explicitly prohibited, management asks that owners at least pretend to wear real clothes while walking the concourse. This is a family-friendly environment, even if the payroll no longer suggests it. Security will gently remind robe-clad owners that wandering near the hot dog stands barefoot is frowned upon. Repeat offenses may result in a polite email and a strongly worded comment from someone named Dave on social media. Investment Potential With revenue streams shrinking and creativity expanding, Target Field represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of baseball history. Values may fluctuate depending on win totals, weather, and how often ownership reminds fans to be patient. Serious buyers only. Cash preferred. Emotional attachment to the Twins is optional but discouraged. Schedule a tour today. Even if buying doesn't turn out to be for you, consider an October rental. There's always plenty of space to enjoy the fall colors. View full article

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Tom Pohlad has talked more openly about the Minnesota Twins in recent months than, perhaps, any member of the Pohlad family ever has. The problem is not a lack of transparency. It's that the transparency points in several different directions at once. Taken individually, each quote sounds thoughtful. Put together, they paint a picture of an organization apologizing for the past, promising competitiveness in the future, and asking fans to ignore the present. That's a difficult sell when the current reality is a payroll just north of $100 million; the departure of the team’s top baseball executive; and a fan base that feels more deflated than it did during the very period Pohlad admits was mishandled. Speaking about the decisions made following the 2023 season, Pohlad didn't mince words. “We made what we thought at the time was a responsible financial decision, and we obviously failed to consider the long-term impact of that decision, and the short-term impact of that decision, frankly,” he said. “We sucked the air right out of our fan base, and it did significant damage to our brand and to our family from a confidence standpoint. Plain and simple, we got it wrong.” That is an extraordinary admission for a Twins owner. It also lands awkwardly when paired with the state of the team today. Payroll is lower now than it was then. Confidence is not restored. If anything, the air feels even thinner. Pohlad has repeatedly pointed to 2026 as a pivotal season, framing it as both a goal and a justification for the current approach. “We will be competitive in 2026,” Pohlad replied. “Yes. I expect that. But the sense of urgency is about making sure that we start, right this second, getting after what the long-term plan is for this organization. And I’ve talked a lot recently about finding a way to build a business that can support a level of investment in the team, two or three years from now, that can be playing competitive baseball for a string of seasons in a row. That’s what we’re trying to build. And I think 2026 is critical to that success.” There is logic in building toward sustained competitiveness, rather than chasing short bursts of performance. The issue is that the Twins are asking fans and employees alike to buy into a long-term vision, while simultaneously scaling back in the short term. That tension became impossible to ignore when Derek Falvey stepped away from the organization. Whatever else his departure represented, it signaled that the internal understanding of competitiveness did not match the public one. Pohlad has also tried to shift the conversation away from payroll, urging observers to focus instead on results. “Yes, our payroll is down from last year,” he said. “I think there’s still investments to be made between now and Opening Day. And I’d also say that, at some point, I’d love to get off this ‘payroll’ thing for a second and let’s get halfway through the year, to the end of the year, and let’s judge the success of this year on wins and losses, on whether we’re playing meaningful baseball in September. And if we’re doing that, I think we’re gonna be in position to grow payroll the following year, and the following year. That’s what I hope we can start focusing on.” In theory, judging a season on wins and losses makes perfect sense. In practice, payroll remains the clearest signal of intent in modern baseball. Asking fans to ignore that signal requires trust, and trust is hard to rebuild after publicly acknowledging that it was broken. Now look at the roster construction. Few experienced and healthy free agent relief options remain. Teams rarely make significant trades during spring training, even if it is not impossible. That leaves the Twins (probably) relying on young starting pitchers to transition into bullpen roles, a process that often takes time and rarely goes smoothly. None of this means Tom Pohlad is being dishonest. It means he's speaking from multiple timelines at once. He's apologizing for past restraint while practicing present restraint. He's promising future competitiveness while overseeing the Twins' lowest payroll in over a decade. He is asking for urgency while preaching patience. Fans are not confused because they're ignoring what he is saying. They're confused because they're listening to it all. Pohlad needs to fix that, and changing actions (rather than words) seems the only way to do so. What do you make of Pohlad’s comments? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images It's easy to imagine the Louis Varland trade as one of those moves that will linger in the background for a while. Varland and Ty France landed with a Blue Jays team that went on to win the American League pennant, and any contribution on a stage that big tends to tilt public opinion quickly. From the Twins’ perspective, the return has mostly been discussed through the lens of Kendry Rojas, a left-handed starter the organization remains high on despite a rocky performance in Triple-A after the deal. He's the player whose upside so tantalized Derek Falvey and the front office that they were willing to deal away a local kid with several years of team control remaining. That's not quite fair to Alan Roden, the quieter piece of the trade and arguably the one who could make the whole transaction feel a lot different by the end of the 2026 campaign. When the Twins and Blue Jays lined up on the deal, Varland was still viewed by many as a controllable arm with upside, and France provided immediate major league depth. Rojas fits Minnesota’s long-term pitching mold as a young lefty with traits the organization believes it can develop. Roden, though already having played in the majors and being a more instantly recognizable name than Rojas, was viewed as a low-ceiling inclusion—a perception that has stuck. Though immediately brought to the big-league team, Roden wasn't able to demonstrate his value down the stretch. His year ended on the 60-day injured list, after he sprained a ligament in his left thumb on a headfirst slide. Surgery followed, and the timing could not have been worse for someone trying to establish momentum in a new organization. The good news is that the 25-year-old is healthy now and had a normal offseason, which matters a lot for a player whose game is built on rhythm and consistency. The roster math in Minnesota does him no favors. The Twins already have a logjam of left-handed-hitting corner outfielders, in Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, and fellow traded deadline addition James Outman. Roden adds another lefty bat to the mix, but his profile is different enough to matter. He is more athletic than Larnach or Wallner, can handle all three outfield spots, and does not bring the same swing-and-miss concerns as each of the other three do. In the minors, he showed an ability to hit for average, draw walks, and sprinkle in occasional power, rather than sell out for it. Before the trade, Roden was one of the most productive hitters at Triple-A Buffalo, in the Blue Jays system. In 32 games, he slashed .331/.423/.496, with nine doubles, 3 home runs, and more walks (16) than strikeouts (13). That wasn't just a hot month, either. Across four minor-league seasons, Roden has posted a .302/.409/.457 line, walking and striking out exactly 165 times each over 1,319 plate appearances. He also graded out as a plus defender, something that can give him a leg up on the other lefty corner options. There are still obstacles to clear and questions to answer. Roden has two minor-league options remaining, while Outman is out of options entirely. That reality likely sends Roden to St. Paul, unless injuries open a door. At the same time, he is entering his age-26 season, and there isn't much left for him to prove against minor-league pitching. Players with his track record tend to force the issue eventually, especially when their skill set fits multiple roster needs. He also needs to prove adaptable and smart in making changes to his swing and/or approach. Although the sample is small, his big-league time showed below-average bat speed, a flat swing plane and some issues with timing he'll need to iron out. If he makes progress on those points this spring, though, he'll rise especially quickly in the organization's esteem. There's an important precedent to consider. Roden was the star of Blue Jays spring training last year and played his way onto the Opening Day roster by hitting .423 with a 1.287 OPS. He did exactly what organizations say they want from their prospects: He made it impossible to keep him off the roster. If he repeats anything close to that in Twins camp, the calculus changes quickly. The Varland trade may not be judged fairly for another year or two, but it's worth paying attention to the quieter parts now. Rojas still has a chance to develop into a meaningful arm. Roden might be closer to helping than most people think. If he turns his on-base skills, athletic defense, and low-maintenance approach into real production at the major-league level, the narrative around that deal could flip faster than expected. Can Roden make the Twins’ Opening Day roster? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article