Cody Christie

The season-ending elbow injury to Pablo López has forced a reality check for the Twins before the regular season has even begun. With their ace now set to undergo Tommy John surgery, questions about Minnesota’s direction are surfacing once again. Appearing Monday on Fair Territory, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal was asked whether López’s absence could impact how the organization approaches trade discussions involving key players such as Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan. "I would expect the Twins are going to be sellers, but not just yet," Rosenthal said Monday. Rosenthal pointed to the immediate impact López’s injury has on the club’s competitiveness, especially when evaluating how the roster stacks up against the rest of the division. "Certainly with losing Pablo Lopez, the team is not as competitive as it might have expected," continued Rosenthal. "But their new ownership, or I should say their shift in control people, to a different Pohlad, he's talking like they want to compete, and he keeps saying that, and he keeps coming out saying, 'We intend to be competitive in the AL Central.' So, I don't expect a trade of either of those players, Ryan or Buxton, to happen this spring." Both Buxton and Ryan have remained popular names in trade speculation dating back to last summer’s deadline when Minnesota reshaped much of its roster but ultimately held onto several cornerstone pieces. Ryan recently told The Athletic’s Dan Hayes he was "really happy" to still be in Minnesota after the front office opted against dealing López or Buxton earlier in the process. Buxton, meanwhile, has consistently stated his desire to remain with the Twins, even as rumors have continued to circulate. “All it takes is for somebody at the top to go to the media: ‘We’re not trading you.' Trade rumors stop," Buxton said recently. Ownership, led by controlling owner Tom Pohlad, has been clear in its desire to remain competitive rather than move additional talent. Still, Rosenthal noted that stance may become more difficult to maintain if Minnesota struggles in the standings. "Could it happen down the line, by the deadline? Certainly could happen if the Twins don't contend," Rosenthal reasoned. "And I'm still having a hard time seeing how they will contend. Now, they're in the forgiving AL Central. That will help. But the Tigers should be really good. The Guardians always seem to figure it out. The White Sox are improving. And the Royals, they see themselves as a contender as well." Rosenthal also referenced last July’s deadline decisions and the inherent risk of holding onto players who could have been moved at peak value. “The Twins are a team that, of course, deconstructed in a major way last July at the deadline. You remember all the players that they moved, Correa being the headliner, but a number of others as well, including really their entire bullpen.” “At that time, they chose not to trade Joe Ryan, not to trade Pablo Lopez, who was hurt. And the danger when you do that is you’re risking a player or pitcher getting injured or not performing to his previous norms. The Twins, in this case with Pablo Lopez, they were probably going to trade him at the deadline if he was healthy this year.” “Joe Ryan might have been a trade candidate and still might be a trade candidate for them at the deadline. They talk about competing. The Twins keep saying, ‘we want to compete, we want to be back in the AL Central mix,’ and all that. Well, they haven’t spent enough money to do that, and now they have this question of their rotation without one of their big premier starters.” Whether Minnesota stays the course or pivots later this summer could ultimately depend on how it navigates the first few months of the season without its ace leading the rotation. View full rumor

Spring training is always about progression, but for David Festa, the climb toward Opening Day may be a little more deliberate this year. According to The Star Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale, Festa is “gradually ramping up” this spring after ending the 2025 season on the injured list. In September, Festa was diagnosed with a mild form of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, which caused nerve compression in his right shoulder. He underwent treatment that included Botox injections in an effort to avoid surgery. Over the weekend in Fort Myers, Festa took another step forward by throwing live at-bats on a back field. Nightengale reported that his fastball sat between 91 and 92 miles per hour during the session. That mark falls short of last season when Festa averaged 94.1 miles per hour on his four-seamer, but it is also an indication that he is trending in the right direction after previously being limited to bullpen sessions. The nerve issue near his pitching shoulder required a cautious offseason approach, and the Twins are clearly taking the same path this spring. Even so, Festa still has a legitimate opportunity to win a spot in Minnesota’s rotation as camp progresses. Earlier in the winter, there was some speculation that Festa could shift to the bullpen in order to bolster a group lacking high upside right-handed options. However, starting pitching depth has quickly become a priority for the Twins following the news that Pablo López will miss the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Minnesota’s projected rotation currently includes Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson, and Taj Bradley. The final spot could ultimately come down to Festa, Zebby Matthews, and Mick Abel as the calendar inches closer to Opening Day. Whichever two pitchers fall short in that competition will likely begin the year with the St. Paul Saints and serve as early-season depth should injuries arise or performance dictate a change. Festa entered last season as arguably Minnesota’s top pitching prospect after posting a 34.9 K% with a 4.00 FIP at Triple-A in 2024. However, his big-league tenure has matched those upper-minors results. In 117 2/3 innings, he has posted an 83 ERA+, 4.27 FIP, and 25.7 K%. For Festa, Saturday’s live session was not about velocity as much as it was about availability. If the trend continues upward, he could still find himself in the Opening Day conversation even as the Twins take a patient approach to his return. View full rumor

Image courtesy of © Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images ​ Every spring, a handful of players force organizations to make uncomfortable decisions. They may not have the prospect pedigree or the lengthy big-league résumé, but something in their profile demands a closer look. Sometimes it is a mechanical tweak. Sometimes it is an approach change. Increasingly, it is something that shows up in the data before it shows up in the box score. That is where the newest public-facing metrics from Baseball Savant begin to matter more than ever. The Athletic recently highlighted Bat Speed, Swing Tilt, and Intercept Point as part of a growing toolkit that can help teams identify future impact hitters even in the smallest samples. These numbers are not perfect in isolation, but together they can start to paint a predictive picture of what a player might become before traditional production ever catches up. Swing tilt, in particular, has become an increasingly useful piece of the puzzle. A higher tilt swing is generally more capable of lifting the baseball and doing damage on pitches located in the lower part of the strike zone. That aligns naturally with the movement profile of many breaking balls. It is not surprising that many of the game’s best power hitters generate their thump with a steeper bat path designed to create loft. Of course, there is another path to offensive success. Hitters with lower tilt swings tend to produce more contact because that flatter bat path plays better against fastballs that enter the zone on a more direct plane. That trade-off between contact and power has historically made bat-path evaluation difficult across the league. Multiple MLB front offices have wrestled with grading swings in a way that fairly captures both outcomes. The research group at Driveline Baseball sought to bridge that gap by separating bat-path evaluation into two metrics. Contact+ attempts to measure a hitter’s ability to consistently put the bat on the ball. Power+ focuses on their ability to drive it with authority. When looking at last season’s leaderboards through that lens, one member of the Minnesota Twins quietly stands out as a sleeper candidate for more. James Outman posted a 28 Contact+ alongside a 61 Power+. That profile aligns with what his career 34.5% strikeout rate already suggests. He is not built to be a high-contact hitter. The model sees it, and so do the results. However, the encouraging piece of the puzzle is the combination of bat speed and swing tilt that gives him a legitimate chance to impact the baseball when he does connect. Outman demonstrated that power potential throughout his time in the minors, including a .945 OPS and 131 wRC+ at Triple-A last season. Those numbers are not just the product of favorable environments. They reflect a swing that is capable of generating damage in a way that traditional contact-oriented profiles cannot. There is also a practical roster element at play. Minnesota could use a defensively capable fourth outfielder who can handle center field on occasion. Outman is out of minor league options, which means a strong showing this spring could force the organization to carry him rather than risk losing him on waivers. The other outfielders on the 40-man roster include Alan Roden, Austin Martin, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Gabriel Gonzalez. There will likely be room for two of those names on the Opening Day roster, with Martin and Outman having the inside track at the start of spring training. In a roster battle that often comes down to marginal differences, a player with real underlying power traits can quickly become the more intriguing choice over a younger but lower-impact alternative. The strikeouts may never disappear. That is the cost of doing business with a swing designed to lift and drive the baseball. But in an era where teams are increasingly comfortable trading some contact for impact, Outman’s underlying profile suggests there may be more upside than his surface numbers currently indicate. Recently, I reviewed the Twins trade that brought Outman to Minnesota from Los Angeles. It was starting to look like this might be a trade that didn’t help either organization. However, if Bat Speed, Swing Tilt, and Intercept Point truly are as predictive as early research suggests, the Twins may already have a potential breakout candidate hiding in plain sight. Can Outman be a breakout player for the Twins in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports Spring training optimism is easy to find this time of year, but the Hall of Fame ballot has quietly provided its own jolt of hope for fans of modern era starting pitchers. The 2026 election delivered a shockwave when Felix Hernandez vaulted from 20.6% of the vote to 46.1% in a single year. No pitcher has ever made a jump that large, and it feels like more than a curiosity. It feels like a course correction. Nearly six decades passed between Sandy Koufax walking away from the game in 1966 and King Felix appearing on the ballot in 2025. In that span, 32 pitchers retired with win totals between 165 and 199. None of them were elected to the Hall of Fame. Most were not even close. That context makes Hernandez’s rise impossible to ignore. It suggests voters are finally grappling with how different the job has become (and perhaps how little pitcher wins matter). Hernandez has been here before. In 2010, he won the American League Cy Young Award with just 13 wins, a result that helped break the stranglehold of pitcher wins as the defining measure of excellence. That moment mattered, and this one does too. The same evolution that reshaped Cy Young voting now needs to reshape Hall of Fame voting. Johan Santana is the clearest example of why. In 2005, Santana lost the Cy Young Award to Bartolo Colon because Colon had more wins. Santana led the league in rWAR, strikeouts, and WHIP, but that did not matter at the time. Had he won that award, Santana would have captured three straight Cy Youngs, a feat that historically functions as a fast pass to Cooperstown. Instead, he owns two, and the difference between two and three has loomed far larger than it ever should have. Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Glavine has openly acknowledged the problem. “Listen, I’ve had numerous conversations with (his fellow Hall of Famers) about what the Hall of Fame is going to look like. And what I tell them is, the days of what guys in past eras have done are gone. I mean, we’ve got to redefine everything, right? So I think that for those of us who are accustomed to what the Hall of Fame is at the moment, that’s going to be a little bit of a hard sell.” Baseball never stops changing, and no position has been reshaped more dramatically than starting pitcher. The 250-inning workhorses are gone. The march toward 300 wins is effectively extinct. Unless the sport takes a hard turn back in time, those milestones won't come back. That reality makes direct comparisons to earlier generations unfair and increasingly useless. It also helps explain why starting pitchers have struggled so badly with BBWAA voters. Only 38 of the 75 Hall of Fame starters were elected through regular BBWAA voting. That is barely over half. If the standards do not evolve, entire generations will pass with few or no starters elected, and the list of well-qualified snubs will keep growing. Santana already fell victim to that system. His lone appearance on the BBWAA ballot came in 2018, one of the most crowded ballots in history. Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, and Trevor Hoffman were elected. Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Larry Walker, and Fred McGriff were still building support. Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Curt Schilling continued to dominate the discussion while siphoning off votes. Santana received 10 votes, 2.4 percent, and fell short of the five percent needed to remain on the ballot. That outcome looks worse with every passing year. From 2003 through 2009, very few pitchers matched Santana’s dominance. He was a four-time All-Star, won the pitching Triple Crown, and captured three ERA titles. He won two Cy Young Awards and should have won a third (see above). Santana finished in the top five in Cy Young voting five consecutive seasons. According to fWAR, only Roy Halladay, a first ballot Hall of Famer, provided more value during that seven-year stretch. Santana threw more innings, struck out hitters at a higher rate, and posted a lower ERA. Every pitcher with three Cy Young Awards, besides Clemens, has been elected to the Hall of Fame or is expected to be elected when eligible. Santana sits just outside that club because of an outdated obsession with wins that the sport itself has already abandoned. Because Santana fell off the BBWAA ballot after just one year, his path to Cooperstown now runs through the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee. That group evaluates players whose primary contributions came from 1980 to the present day, offering a second chance for candidates who were overlooked or misunderstood during their brief window with the writers. It is a different process, one driven more by peer perspective than historical inertia, and it creates a renewed opportunity for voters to reassess Santana’s peak dominance within the context of a modern game that no longer values pitchers the way it once did. Hernandez’s ballot surge suggests voters are finally willing to meet the modern game where it is. If that shift continues, the Hall of Fame can begin to properly honor pitchers whose greatness did not come packaged in round numbers. For Santana, that change in perspective may be the only path left. It just might be enough. Should Santana be in the Hall of Fame? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of William Parmeter There's a different tone when Emmanuel Rodriguez talks this spring. The talent has never been in question. The production has been tantalizing, when he's been healthy enough to play. What has stood between him and a sustained run toward Minnesota Twins stardom has been availability. Rodriguez knows that as well as anyone. “I worked a lot this offseason, working on my body," he told reporters in Ft. Myers, through a team interpreter. "I feel extremely healthy right now. I feel really good. I worked on strengthening my body so that I can last a whole season.” That emphasis on durability comes from experience. Injuries have interrupted stretches of momentum in recent seasons, and for a player who thrives on competition, the mental toll can be just as real as the physical one. “Ultimately, it's frustrating. I like to play baseball. It's my favorite thing to do," Rodriguez said. "When I get off the field because of an injury, I see my teammates playing, and it gives me a little bit of an uncomfortable feeling. I want to be out there with them. It's something, it's frustrating. But I prepare and try to be my best and do what I can do going forward.” This offseason was not just about lifting more or adding bulk. Rodriguez split his time between winter ball in the Dominican Republic and training in Florida, building both experience and structure into his routine. “I loved winter ball. I learned a lot because of the veterans they have there," he reflected. "It helps you compete at a high level in the offseason in the DR. As far as my offseason training goes, not only did I train in the DR, but I came to Tampa to train with my trainer. I think that went really well, and I saw two different sides of training.” That blend of competition and conditioning is showing up in his approach at the plate. Rodriguez has always combined patience with power, but as he climbs the ladder, the game has adjusted back. “The levels as I move up, I notice the pitchers are more consistent with their pitches and hitting their spots. If I have a certain weakness, they try to attack my weakness, but they're more consistent attacking it at every level I go.” Recognizing that reality has led to a conscious tweak in his mindset. “I am focusing on my approach. This is the time to work on it," he said. "There's a lot of pitches I feel comfortable swinging at with two strikes, but just because I am doesn't mean I shouldn't swing at the first pitch strike if I see one. This is the time to work on it, and we're working on it right now.” The physical gifts are loud. The strike zone awareness is advanced. The question has simply been whether the full package can stay on the field long enough to force the organization’s hand. Rodriguez is not alone in that push. He has come up alongside fellow outfield prospects and can already picture what the future might look like in Minneapolis. “It's an incredible feeling. I've played with [Gabriel Gonzalez]. I've played with [Walker Jenkins]. We've talked about it ourselves. We all get along," Rodriguez said. "We feel like we have great vibes out there in the outfield. If it was to come true, it'd be an incredible experience for the three of us.” The possibility is real. So is the proximity. All three outfielders played together at Triple-A at the end of the 2026 campaign. “We know it's there. We know it, but we can only control what we can control. We're going to let the front office decide when it's our turn. We're going to keep playing hard and do our best every day. We want to win as much as we can. We see it. We know it's there.” For 2026, the expectations are straightforward, even if they are ambitious. Stay healthy. Log a full season. Continue refining the approach against upper-level pitching. Force the conversation. If Rodriguez does that, the timeline will not matter much. His bat will speak loudly enough. His glove and athleticism will fit naturally into a big league outfield. Most importantly, his body will allow the talent to show up every single day. The Twins do not need him to be a savior. They need him to be available. If this offseason work translates into 140-plus games for Emmanuel Rodriguez, the rest of the league will quickly remember why he is considered one of the most dynamic prospects in all of baseball. What should the expectations be for Rodriguez this season? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Twins Territory got some good news on Sunday morning after Joe Ryan underwent an MRI that revealed what can only be described as a best-case outcome. Scratched from his scheduled spring training start on Saturday due to lower back tightness, Ryan underwent imaging to determine the severity of the issue. According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, the MRI showed only inflammation in Ryan’s lower back rather than anything structurally concerning. You could sense the relief felt by Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll when he addressed reporters Sunday morning. “He’ll be down for a few days here just to let things calm down,” Zoll said. “We’ll progress him as tolerated and don’t envision this impacting his readiness for Opening Day. As of now, we’re just going to take WBC readiness day by day here before we have anything definitive on that front. We’ll see how things go. But overall, this is about as good of news as you could have.” In Hayes’ words, this represents a best-case scenario for Ryan and one that should allow him to avoid a lengthy layoff. While the Twins’ exact plan as he works through the inflammation is not yet clear, there’s little reason to believe his availability for Opening Day will ultimately be affected. That’s critically important for Minnesota, considering Pablo López is already slated to miss the entire season as he prepares to undergo Tommy John surgery. Losing López from the front of the rotation was a difficult blow on its own. Losing Ryan as well would have been devastating for a pitching staff already leaning heavily on internal depth. Ryan figures to be joined in the rotation by Bailey Ober, with the remaining spots likely coming from some combination of Simeon Woods Richardson, Zebby Matthews, Taj Bradley, Mick Abel, and David Festa. Ryan’s importance is only magnified by the fact that he’s coming off the best season of his career. A first-time All-Star in 2025, the right-hander posted a 3.42 ERA across 171 innings while making 30 starts and striking out 28.2% of opposing hitters against just a 5.7% walk rate. While his availability for next month’s World Baseball Classic remains uncertain, Ryan made it clear he is focused on the immediate rehab process rather than any long-term decisions. “The WBC crossed my mind, but I’m not taking anything off the table,” Ryan said. “I’m not really jumping to any conclusions too quickly. I’m just focused on hitting this rehab process and getting through that. Feeling good and I’m excited. It’s all we could ask for.” In the shorter term, additional caution around insurance approval across the league could ultimately influence whether Ryan participates internationally. Even if he is unable to suit up, Team USA’s rotation options remain formidable with Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, Logan Webb, Nolan McLean, and Matthew Boyd among the available arms. For now, however, the most important takeaway for the Twins is simple. Two days after suffering what looked like a catastrophic loss to their rotation, Minnesota has avoided another one. Ryan may miss a handful of days, but barring any setbacks, the club’s Opening Day plans appear to remain firmly intact. View full rumor

The Minnesota Twins lost a member of their extended family this week with the passing of former outfielder and coach Joe Nossek. While his time as a player may not stand alongside some of the more recognizable names in franchise history, his role in one of the most important seasons the organization has ever experienced ensures that his impact will not be forgotten. Nossek joined the Twins during their early years in Minnesota and quickly became part of a club that was building toward something special. The 1965 season remains a defining moment in franchise history, and Nossek was a member of that American League pennant-winning team. That group, led by stars like Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva, captured the imagination of baseball fans across the Upper Midwest and helped solidify Major League Baseball in Minnesota following the franchise’s relocation just a few years earlier. Nossek appeared in 87 games for the Twins during that 1965 campaign, serving primarily as a depth outfielder and defensive replacement. While his contributions did not always show up in the box score, his presence on a roster that went on to win the American League pennant connected him forever to one of the greatest teams the organization has fielded. During Game 7 of the 1965 World Series, Nossek was involved in a controversial play. AL MVP Zolio Versalles singled with one out in the sixth inning and tried to steal second base. As Nossek swung, Versalles broke and had the base stolen easily, but umpire Ed Hurley ruled that Nossek had interfered with catcher John Roseboro’s throw. Versalles had to return to first base, and Nossek was called out for interference. Nossek denied that he interfered: “I just went for an outside pitch. I tried to duck when I heard Roseboro coming.” The Dodgers, behind Koufax’s three-hit, 10-strikeout performance, defeated the Twins 2-0 to win the World Series. Following his playing career, Nossek remained involved in the game and returned to the Twins organization in a coaching capacity. He served as the third base coach during the 1976 season but was released following a disappointing season (85-77, 3rd place in the AL West). Nossek bounced around to multiple other organizations during his coaching career, including the Indians, White Sox, Brewers, Mariners, Royals, and Astros. Baseball is built on more than just the stars who dominate headlines. It is shaped by role players, coaches, and lifelong contributors who help create a culture inside the clubhouse and maintain continuity across eras. Nossek’s career represented exactly that type of impact. His connection to the 1965 pennant winners ensures that his name will always be part of Twins history. As the organization reflects on the legacy of that era, Nossek’s passing serves as a reminder of how many individuals helped build the foundation that still exists today. His contributions to the Minnesota Twins, both on the field and in the dugout, remain an important chapter in the story of baseball in Minnesota. View full rumor

Image courtesy of William Parmeter For the better part of the last few seasons, the Minnesota Twins did not have to think very hard about how they were going to finish games. When a lead made it to the ninth inning, the ball went to Jhoan Duran, and the rest of the league usually understood what came next. Duran developed into one of baseball’s most dominant closers thanks to his overpowering fastball and splinker combination that made even elite hitters look overmatched. He brought consistency to a bullpen that had spent years searching for a true shutdown presence. When he took the mound in save situations, there was a level of calm that had been missing in Minnesota for a long time. That stability is now gone. At last year’s trade deadline, the Twins made the difficult decision to part ways with Duran, along with Griffin Jax and Louis Varland. All three had experience pitching in high-leverage roles, and any one of them could have entered spring training as the favorite to close games in 2026. Instead, Minnesota will attempt to piece together the ninth inning with a mix of veteran reclamation projects and internal arms looking to take the next step. LHP Taylor Rogers Minnesota signed Rogers to a one-year, $2 million deal, but that does not mean the left-hander cannot provide value in the closer role to begin the season. In fact, it probably makes the most sense for the Twins to lean on his experience early in the year, given the number of other lefties projected to make the bullpen, like Kody Funderburk and Anthony Banda. On a recent episode of Inside Twins, Rogers spoke about the adjustments he has made later in his career to rely more on sequencing and pitchability as his velocity has dipped. He also mentioned that new bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins has been a valuable resource when it comes to finding ways to extend a reliever’s career and remain effective in high-leverage spots. Rogers seems to have the inside track to the closer role, but he’s told Twins manager Derek Shelton that he must earn the spot. RHP Liam Hendriks Hendriks has been one of the best closers of his generation, but the reality is that he has thrown fewer than 20 innings over the last three seasons. Since 2022, Hendriks has dealt with seemingly constant adversity, beginning with a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that offseason, which delayed his 2023 debut until May 29. He was only able to make five appearances that year before suffering an elbow injury that ultimately required Tommy John surgery. “[He’s a] veteran guy that people speak so highly of in the game in terms of who he is as a human being,” Shelton said. “Obviously, he’s had some challenges in his life over the last couple years. Just talking about the person, [we're] excited to add him into that group.” If Hendriks can rediscover anything close to his previous form, he could quickly move to the front of the closer conversation. RHP Cole Sands Sands might possess the highest upside of anyone currently projected to make the Twins’ bullpen. However, he also seems like a candidate to slide into the fireman role that Jax occupied in recent seasons, which takes him out of the full-time closer conversation. Minnesota may prefer to keep Sands flexible enough to enter during the middle innings to escape a jam or bridge the gap to one of the more traditional ninth-inning options. He has been working on adding a gyro slider that could help neutralize left-handed hitters more consistently. “So the big idea here is just try and put lefties away," Sands told reporters this past week. "And that's kind of where the gyro came into play. And we're always going to continue to push all, you know, all these pitches to try and execute lefties as well as I [do against] righties.” RHP Justin Topa Topa arrived in the Jorge Polanco trade after a breakout season with the Mariners that saw him post a 152 ERA+ and a 3.15 FIP. He has recorded a handful of saves throughout his career, which gives him at least some credibility in late-inning situations. However, his 18.3 K% last season suggests his skill set is better suited for a setup role. Minnesota will need reliable right-handed options throughout the year, which should still allow Topa to carve out meaningful opportunities even if they do not come in the ninth inning. Dark Horse Candidates David Festa and Connor Prielipp Festa and Prielipp are both expected to begin the year building starter workloads, but the reality is that each comes with injury concerns, and the Triple-A rotation is likely to be crowded. Both pitchers feature electric arsenals that have allowed them to succeed as starters in the minors. Limiting their pitch mix in shorter bullpen stints could unlock additional velocity and give Minnesota another potential late-inning weapon. The organization has already seen how that transition can work with pitchers like Jax, Varland, and Sands in recent seasons. Replacing a talent like Duran is not something that can be done with a single move. The Twins are not just searching for someone who can collect saves but for someone who can bring a sense of stability to the bullpen’s most important moments. That responsibility could shift month to month depending on performance and health. There is also value in keeping the role fluid early in the season. Locking in a closer on Opening Day might provide clarity, but it could also limit the Twins’ ability to deploy their best relievers in the highest leverage spots, regardless of inning. Minnesota has leaned into that philosophy at times over the last few years and may now be forced to embrace it more fully. Ultimately, this bullpen will look very different from the one that opened last season. New opportunities often create unexpected outcomes, and the Twins will be hoping that one of these veterans or emerging internal options can seize the ninth inning and make it their own. If that happens, Minnesota might not completely replicate what Duran provided at the back end of games, but they could still find a path toward building their next trusted late-inning presence. Who should be the team’s closer on Opening Day? Who will have the most saves for the Twins in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

As expected, Minnesota Twins ace Pablo López will undergo Tommy John reconstructive surgery on Wednesday. A second opinion confirmed the initial diagnosis of significant tearing in the ulnar collateral ligament in López’s right elbow, leaving little doubt about the path forward. The procedure will take place in Texas under the care of noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister. It will be López’s second Tommy John surgery, and while the Twins are optimistic about a full recovery, he is expected to miss the entire 2026 season. The typical recovery timeline for pitchers following the procedure is roughly twelve months, which gives López a chance to return near the beginning of the 2027 campaign. That timeline would place his comeback in the final season of his four-year extension with Minnesota. Minnesota acquired López in one of the franchise’s most impactful trades in recent memory when they sent batting champion Luis Arraez to the Miami Marlins prior to the 2023 season. Since then, López has been everything the Twins hoped for at the top of their rotation. Across three seasons in Minnesota, he posted a combined 3.68 ERA while striking out 26.8% of opposing hitters and walking just 5.8%. He also helped the club end their playoff losing streak that had stretched into a second decade. López looked poised to deliver another excellent season in 2025 before injuries began to mount. He carried a 2.82 ERA through his first 11 starts before suffering a Grade 2 strain of his teres major in early June, an injury that ultimately sidelined him for roughly 3 months. He returned for three strong starts in September, allowing four runs across 15 innings, but ended the year back on the injured list due to a minor forearm strain that he suffered after diving for a ball. He entered the offseason with a clean bill of health, making the sudden UCL tear that surfaced all the more surprising. With López officially sidelined, the responsibility of leading the rotation will almost certainly fall to Joe Ryan on Opening Day. Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson should also slot into prominent roles, while younger arms such as Zebby Matthews and David Festa now find themselves with an opportunity to claim meaningful innings. Minnesota built its pitching staff around stability at the top of the rotation. Losing López for the entire season changes the outlook in a significant way and puts immediate pressure on the club’s depth to respond. The Twins still believe they can compete this season, but that task became considerably more difficult the moment their ace’s elbow gave way. View full rumor

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images (Rogers), Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports (Hendriks) For a Twins team that has spent the last calendar year reshaping its pitching depth chart, the 2026 season represents something more than just another attempt to stabilize the late innings. The Twins are asking two veteran relievers to do more than get outs in high-leverage spots. They are being tasked with helping mold the next wave of pitching talent that could define the organization for years to come. Taylor Rogers recently said that veteran relievers are most effective in helping younger players when they come to you. You don’t want to insert yourself into their development because that might screw them up. Also, he appreciated that when he was coming up to the big leagues, nobody made a big deal about it. But when they come to you, they are receptive. “Unfortunately," Rogers said, "that’s usually because the ****’s hitting the fan.” That kind of hands-off leadership style might prove especially valuable this spring, as several young arms attempt to find their footing in roles that could change quickly based on need. Twins manager Derek Shelton emphasized the importance of constructing a bullpen that balances experience with adaptability when discussing how the front office approached its offseason additions. “When you have that mix of people, and then Jeremy did a really good job in our conversations of being diligent about the guys that we brought into this group in another way," Shelton said. "Taylor Rogers is a perfect example.” Shelton also pointed to the return of a familiar face as a critical piece in building a cohesive pitching group. “I mean, even signing Liam Hendriks and bringing him back, a guy that … has been at the end of the game and has done things and has relationships here,” said Shelton. “Yeah, it's very important how we add people to that group.” From the player's side, the messaging has been consistent. Opportunity often comes down to performance and the ability to adjust when roles change. “You look at it from a point of view where there are lot of guys that have flip-flopped between (starter and reliever) and been very successful," Hendriks said. "There's a lot of guys that may not necessarily have been the best starters but turned out to be really good relievers. You want the opportunities, you've got to go out there and pitch.” There will be plenty of young pitchers who will be walking a fine line between starter and reliever this spring. Minnesota has already discussed using Marco Raya and Travis Adams more regularly in relief. Connor Prielipp, one of the team’s top pitching prospects, has told reporters that he is building up to be a starter, but things could certainly shift later this year. Minnesota also has other starters, like David Festa, Zebby Matthews, and John Klein, who could get more time in a relief role. St. Paul’s rotation could include Prielipp, Matthews, Festa, Klein, and other options such as Andrew Morris, Kendry Rojas, and Mick Abel. That’s a lot of arms for the beginning of the year, which usually has plenty of weather-related postponements. Jeremy Zoll and the rest of the front office understand that bullpen development is rarely linear. The organization has increasingly viewed relief work as a way to both manage innings and accelerate major league readiness for pitchers who may not have a clear rotation path in the short term. If that strategy works, the impact could stretch far beyond the 2026 season. Veteran relievers might be remembered not just for locking down wins, but for helping a new generation of arms learn how to navigate the mental and physical challenges of pitching in the late innings. In that sense, this bullpen is not just about protecting leads. It's about building the framework for the next great Twins pitching staff and making sure that when the next wave arrives, they are ready for whatever role the team needs them to fill. How can Rogers and Hendriks help rebuild the team’s bullpen this year? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images (Buxton, Lopez, Keaschall), John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images (Wallner), William Parmeter (Ryan) Once players arrive at spring training and start to do baseeball activities in public again, uniform talk always finds its way into the baseball conversation. For the Minnesota Twins, the 2026 season brings five distinct uniform options, which each offer something a little different. Some are rooted deeply in tradition, while others are built to reflect a more modern version of the organization. When the Minnesota Twins took the field in 2023, it marked the beginning of a new visual era for the organization. After beginning a brand refresh process in 2020, the club unveiled an entirely redesigned on-field identity that included a new primary Twins script, a refreshed TC logo, a modernized Minnesota wordmark, and the return of pinstripes on the road gray uniform. That redesign also introduced four new uniforms into the rotation, including a home white set, a primary road gray pinstripe look, a navy blue alternate that could be worn both home and away, and a cream alternate featuring 'Twin Cities' across the chest for the first time in franchise history. Since then, Minnesota has continued to evolve its look. The club added its City Connect uniform in 2024 after initially allowing the new branding to stand on its own, and has since made tweaks, including updating the blue alternate jersey ahead of the 2026 season. With Minnesota continuing to tweak its set of looks, now feels like the perfect time to rank the club’s current threads heading into the 2026 uniform cycle. 5. Road Uniform (Gray) Minnesota’s gray road look has quietly shifted back toward a more traditional pinstripe design. Paired with the newer white M hat featuring the red North Star above it, the uniform checks plenty of historical boxes. Every Twins player inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame wore pinstripes at some point during their Minnesota career, which gives this look legitimate credibility. Still, it feels more functional than iconic in the current rotation and lands at the bottom of this list. 4. City Connect Uniform The Twins City Connect uniforms lean heavily into the Land of 10,000 Lakes identity, with an azure blue base and bright yellow accents designed to evoke sunlight reflecting off the water. The club dubbed the look the “Ripple Effect” when it debuted in 2024, and it certainly stands out from Minnesota’s traditional navy-red-and-white color palette. The switch from matching blue pants to white pants in 2025 helped significantly balance the design. While it remains one of the more unique looks in the league, it still does not quite match the everyday appeal of some of the more classic options. 3. Alternate Uniform (Navy Blue) This is where things start to get interesting. Minnesota’s updated blue alternate jersey returns in 2026, with subtle but meaningful changes. The base navy color remains, but the arched Minnesota wordmark across the chest has been replaced with a white scripted Twins logo. It marks the first time since the 1986 powder-blue era that the organization will have a regular road option with 'Twins' across the front. That gives this uniform a slight note of nostalgia, but it looks very modern, overall—and a bit pasted-together. 2. Home Uniform (White) The classic white home uniform remains one of the cleanest looks in the sport. The Twins script stretches across the front with the standalone “T” followed by the connected cursive “wins” underlined in a design that traces back to the 1987 World Series championship season. Typically worn with the TC hat, which dates back to the franchise’s move to Minnesota, this uniform delivers exactly what a home look should. It's timeless, without feeling outdated. 1. Alternate Home Uniform The cream 'Twin Cities' alternate continues to be the best look in Minnesota’s closet. Featuring 'Twin Cities' across the chest and the crisscrossed 'M' and 'StP' flag logo, the uniform celebrates both Minneapolis and St. Paul, while bringing back the iconic cream color that fans immediately embraced. Paired with the navy TC hat featuring cream lettering, this set blends history, civic pride, and modern design into a cohesive package. It feels distinctly Minnesotan in a way few uniforms ever do. Ultimately, what makes Minnesota’s current uniform set work is the balance between honoring the franchise’s history and embracing a more modern identity. The 2023 refresh gave the Twins a cohesive foundation that finally allowed each look to feel connected, rather than like a collection of one-off ideas from different eras. Whether it's the classic home whites or the cream Twin Cities alternate, there is a clear throughline that ties the organization’s past success to its present-day ambitions. As the Twins continue to make subtle updates like the revised blue alternate and experiment with newer concepts through initiatives like City Connect, the uniform lineup should remain one of the more versatile in Major League Baseball. Fans may not always agree on which look deserves the top spot, but having multiple strong options in the rotation is a sign that the brand refresh accomplished exactly what it set out to do. Do you agree with these rankings? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of William Parmeter The news surrounding Pablo López cast an immediate shadow over Minnesota’s spring outlook, and the numbers shifted just as quickly as the mood inside the clubhouse. According to FanGraphs, the Twins saw their playoff odds fall from 31.7% to 26.6% following the announcement that López is expected to miss the 2026 season after suffering a torn UCL. While López will receive a second opinion, the expectation is that he will miss significant time and is likely headed for Tommy John surgery. Minnesota built its roster around stability in the starting rotation, and losing its ace before Opening Day creates a ripple effect that impacts everything from bullpen usage to innings distribution across the staff. Interestingly, Jared Greenspan of MLB.com recently listed the Twins as one of 10 teams capable of outperforming their playoff odds in 2026. He pointed to the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays as an example of a club that beat the projections and played its way into October. However, those projections for Minnesota were calculated before López’s injury became public, which means the climb is now steeper than initially expected. Reasons Why the Odds Are Against Them 1. Losing Their Ace: The most obvious hurdle is replacing López at the top of the rotation. Minnesota can shuffle names into his spot, but there is no internal option capable of replicating the value he provided every fifth day. His leadership will also be sorely missed, as young pitchers get their first full season at the big-league level. 2. Shortstop Depth Chart: Shortstop depth is another concern, with Baseball America recently saying, “They don’t have a shortstop.” The Twins are projected to rank 30th in fWAR at the position. Brooks Lee has shown flashes at the big-league level, but has also battled injuries and inconsistency. Kaelen Culpepper broke out last season but has yet to play above Double-A. Marek Houston is widely viewed as the organization’s best defensive shortstop, but evaluators still question whether his bat will play at the highest level. 3. Bullpen Rebuild: Minnesota also lacks proven high-leverage right-handed relievers after trading Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and Louis Varland at last year’s deadline. The club can hope for more from Cole Sands and Justin Topa, but both may ultimately be better suited for middle-inning roles. 4. Lack of Offensive Upgrades: Offensively, the lineup needs internal growth. Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner have shown the ability to be impact hitters, but each needs to recover from an underwhelming 2025 to offset the loss of run prevention on the pitching side. Josh Bell was the team's biggest offseason signing, but he can't save the entire lineup. Reasons Why They Can Defy the Odds 1. Rotational Depth: Even without López, Minnesota still has rotation depth that many teams would envy. Taj Bradley, Mick Abel, and Zebby Matthews now move up the depth chart and will have opportunities to prove they can handle meaningful innings in a competitive environment. 2. Potential All-Star Players: The Twins also feature two of the best players in the division in Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan. Both can carry stretches of a season and swing the outcome of tight games, which often determine postseason positioning in the AL Central. Luke Keaschall could also build on a strong rookie campaign that included a 134 wRC+ and further lengthen the lineup; the projections like his bat a lot. 3. Prospects on the Verge: Help may arrive from Triple-A sooner rather than later. Outfielders Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Gabriel Gonzalez can all provide an offensive boost for a lineup that struggled in the second half. Left-handed pitchers Connor Prielipp and Kendry Rojas are two of the most exciting arms in the system, but they struggled in their first taste of Triple-A. Any of the names above could provide a meaningful boost over the course of the season. A five-percentage-point drop in playoff odds feels significant in February, because there are no wins in the bank yet. Everything is theoretical, and projections become the loudest voice in the room. But 26.6% is not zero. It is not a white flag. It's a reminder that the margin for error just shrank. For Minnesota to beat the odds, several things must happen simultaneously. The young arms stepping into larger roles can't simply survive. They need to be legitimate contributors. The lineup can't tread water. It must produce at a top-half-of-the-league level, making good on what has looked like stalled talent the last two years. The bullpen can't just piece together outs. It needs to develop new late-inning answers. At the same time, baseball history is filled with teams that looked finished on paper before the games started. The difference between 31.7% and 26.6% is meaningful in a model, but over 162 games, it can be erased by one breakout season, one unexpected rookie, or one dominant stretch from a star player. In 2017, they entered the season with a similarly unimpressive chance to make the postseason, according to Baseball Prospectus. They shocked everyone that year, and they have the latent talent to do so again. That's the bet Minnesota is now making. Losing López changes the ceiling, and it certainly complicates the path. But it doesn't eliminate it. If the Twins are going to defy expectations, they will have to do it the hard way with internal growth, health from their core players, and impact from prospects knocking on the door. The projections have adjusted. Now the organization has to respond. Do you believe the Twins can beat their playoff odds? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of William Parmeter For a team that has spent the better part of the last calendar year trying to insulate itself from exactly this type of situation, the timing is less than ideal. The Minnesota Twins have quietly built legitimate starting pitching depth over the last year, particularly following last season’s trade deadline acquisitions that reshaped the upper levels of the organization. That group was supposed to supplement a rotation headlined by Pablo López, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober, a trio viewed internally as the foundation of what could be a contending club in 2026. Now, the rotation may be asked to carry the load after López will likely miss the 2026 season with a tear in his UCL. Twins Chairman Tom Pohlad has spoken openly this offseason about his belief that Minnesota can outperform outside expectations. Public projection systems have not been nearly as optimistic. FanGraphs currently forecasts the Twins for an 80-82 finish, while some betting markets have placed the club’s win total at just 73.5 victories. “That’s ridiculous,” Pohlad said. “I’ve been consistent from the beginning, saying that we feel confident in this team and that we think what you see, the talent we have, is stronger than maybe you guys or the fans are giving the roster credit for. We’re very confident in what this group of people can do together.” Those projected win totals were built with López firmly at the front of Minnesota’s rotation. His injury threatens to shift that math considerably. “Everything’s getting rolling and the expectations and stuff, and then just having him go down like that, it’s tough,” Ryan said. “It doesn’t feel real in a sense, it’s just a shock. We’ve got to make that adjustment.” Fortunately for Minnesota, making that adjustment was always part of the plan. Rotation Options Already in Camp Ryan now becomes the de facto leader of the staff. The All-Star right-hander continues to miss bats at an elite rate thanks to one of the most deceptive fastballs in baseball and has developed into a stabilizing presence capable of working deep into games. With López sidelined, his ability to anchor the rotation becomes even more critical. Ober remains one of the most underrated starters in the American League if he can return to his 2022-24 form. His extension-based approach and elite command allow him to limit hard contact despite below-average velocity. Now, Minnesota must trust that he is healthy and can consistently provide quality innings regardless of the matchup. Simeon Woods Richardson offers a different look with a deep pitch mix and an improving strike-throwing ability. He may not have the upside of some of the other arms in camp, but he’s been one of the most consistent young pitchers for the team over the last two seasons. The former top prospect took meaningful steps forward last season and appears poised to handle a full-time rotation role if needed. Acquired last July, Taj Bradley has over 380 innings at the big-league level, and there’s a reason the Twins targeted him in a trade. He finished the 2025 campaign with a 5.05 ERA in a career-high 142 ⅔ innings, but his 4.37 xFIP suggested that he got a little unlucky. His development has centered around improving fastball command, but the raw stuff is capable of overpowering opposing lineups when he is in rhythm. Zebby Matthews has impressed internally with his poise and ability to attack hitters in the zone. Matthews posted a 3.79 FIP and paired it with an 18.1 K-BB% that sat well above league average. He may not generate the same level of chase as others on this list, but his strike-throwing and efficiency give him a strong chance to contribute meaningful innings. There has been talk of moving David Festa to the bullpen, but that plan may need to be put on hold with the Lopez news. The primary reason behind Festa’s struggles in the majors is that his four-seam fastball has surrendered a .609 slugging percentage last season. Improving his secondary offerings could allow his fastball to perform better. Perhaps the most intriguing name in the mix is Mick Abel. Abel’s fastball shape and spin rate grade out better than average, especially once one adjusts for his low three-quarter arm slot. Abel can still refine his mechanics and improve his strike-throwing to put himself squarely in the conversation for early-season innings. Depth Waiting in St. Paul At Triple-A, additional reinforcements are expected to be available. Connor Prielipp remains one of the system’s highest upside arms when healthy and could factor into the major league picture at some point this season. Prielipp has told reporters he is building up as a starter this season, and that makes sense given teams' need for high-upside pitching depth. Andrew Morris has steadily climbed the organizational ladder with a polished repertoire that plays up due to his command. Meanwhile, Kendry Rojas offers another developmental arm with the type of stuff that could force the issue if he continues to progress against upper-level competition. Minnesota spoke very highly of Rojas after acquiring him from Toronto. The Twins entered camp believing their starting pitching depth was finally a strength rather than a question mark. López’s injury does not erase that progress, but it immediately places added pressure on the next wave of arms to prove they are ready for meaningful innings at the major league level. If Minnesota is going to surprise the sport in 2026 as Pohlad expects, the path likely runs through this group. The rotation depth built at last summer’s deadline was designed for moments like this. Now the Twins will find out just how prepared they really are. Can the Twins still outperform their projections even with López’s injury? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article