Ray Stuedemann

With the 2028 season still two years away, the Minnesota Twins have time to reshape their roster and determine if their young players will turn into franchise cornerstones. The decisions on current veterans, development of young prospects, and potential additions through free agency and trades will all play in a role in what the team looks like by then. Looking ahead, here is a projection of the Twins’ 2028 roster and the players who could create the team’s next core. Starting Lineup C - Vahn Lackey 1B – Kody Clemens 2B – Kaelen Culpepper 3B – Brooks Lee SS – Marek Houston LF – Emmanuel Rodriguez CF – Byron Buxton RF – Walker Jenkins DH – Luke Keaschall Bench 1B Andrew Vaughn OF Alan Roden C Carson Kelly UTIL Amed Rosario A New Era for the Twins Offense This starting nine would be not only one of the most intriguing groups in recent Twins history, but one of the youngest. Former first-round picks Vahn Lackey and Marek Houston make their first Opening Day roster and start at their respective positions. With Houston coming up as an elite defender at short, Kaelen Culpepper slides over to second base, pushing Kody Clemens to first. Brooks Lee stays at the hot corner for what would be his second full season there, assuming he plays third all of 2027. As for the outfield, the actual positions are up for debate. Byron Buxton is Minnesota’s center fielder as long as he can still play there at an above-average level, but a move to the corners could be beneficial. If that were to happen, Walker Jenkins would probably slide into center, with Buxton, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Luke Keaschall splitting time between the corner outfield spots and designated hitter. When it comes to the bench, Andrew Vaughn could be a player to target after the 2027 season to platoon with Clemens at first base. Alan Roden could stick around as a backup outfielder, though prospect Hendry Mendez or another signing could fill that spot. Free agents this offseason, Carson Kelly and Amed Rosario each sign two-year deals in this scenario. Kelly would start in 2027 and pair with Victor Caratini behind the plate before shifting to the bench to make way for Lackey, while Rosario would be the primary backup to Lee at third base, as well being able to play second and the corner outfield spots. Overall, this would be a good group of position players for the Twins, and what would appear to be a good mix of young upside and potential with proven veterans. Time will tell if the Twins’ lineup looks anything remotely like this, but I feel that the starting nine may be close to accurate, as Minnesota looks to see what they have in their top prospects over the next few seasons. Starting Rotation RHP Pablo López RHP Taj Bradley RHP Mick Abel LHP Connor Prielipp LHP Kendry Rojas A Rotation Built On Current Potency Although Pablo López is set to become a free agent after the 2027 season, he has meant so much to the organization that he should be a Twin for life. Taj Bradley enters 2027 coming off his best professional season, wherein he was worth 4.4 bWAR. Bradley could be the face of the rotation by 2028, and he should be a long-term extension candidate this offseason. As for the rest of the rotation, Mick Abel, Connor Prielipp, and Kendry Rojas are (admittedly) wild cards, to some extent. Abel was good in only 20 1/3 innings before undergoing right elbow surgery in July. He should be a piece of the rotation moving forward, though his durability will be a major question. Prielipp had an up-and-down 2026 season, which saw him earn Twins Daily’s Rookie of the Year award—though there wasn’t a ton of competition in that field. Rojas bounced between starting and coming out of the bullpen as a long reliever, and even though command and walks were an issue, he is still just 23 years old and has huge potential to become a frontline starter. All this being said, the biggest omission from this list is Joe Ryan, as it doesn’t seem likely the Twins will sign him to a long-term extension after his final year of control in 2027. If they trade him, part of that return could contribute in 2028, but that remains to be seen. Other notable names would be David Festa and Zebby Matthews, who have had their struggles at the big-league level, but it would not be shocking for either of them to be a back-end starter or a long reliever out of the pen. The rotation, led by López and Bradley, could grow and develop over the 2027 season into a formidable force for 2028 and beyond. It remains to be seen if arms like Abel, Prielipp, and Rojas will develop as the Twins envision, but hopefully, new pitching coach Brian Reith maximizes their potential. Bullpen RHP David Bednar LHP AJ Minter RHP Jeff Hoffman RHP Andrew Morris RHP Yoendrys Gomez RHP Cole Sands RHP Marco Raya LHP Kody Funderburk At Last, Investment in the Bullpen Leading the way for this group would be the trio at the top of the list. David Bednar would sign in the 2027 offseason for multiple years, reuniting with Derek Shelton from his time in Pittsburgh and allowing the Pohlads to put their money where their mouth is. A.J. Minter would get a multi-year extension this offseason to be the primary left-handed reliever coming out of the bullpen, while Jeff Hoffman would receive an extension as well, after his contract expires after the 2027 season. These three would handle the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings during competitive games and be a formidable back end of the bullpen in 2028. The remainder of the bullpen is filled with familiar faces. Andrew Morris and Yoendrys Gómez threw quality innings in 2026, though they both tailed off into September. Cole Sands was injured for much of the past season, throwing only 13 innings, but he was solid the previous two years, when the 29-year-old was worth 1.7 bWAR. Marco Raya pitched only six innings for the Twins in 2026, but has potential to be a crucial bullpen piece. Kody Funderburk would be the second left-handed arm in the bullpen, and he too has been good for Minnesota the past two seasons, worth 1.7 bWAR. This bullpen would give the Twins a strong combination of younger pitchers with room to develop and established late-inning arms. Bednar, Minter, and Hoffman would provide stability in high-leverage situations, while the rest of the group would offer depth and flexibility throughout the season. The biggest question would be whether Morris, Raya, and the other less established arms can consistently perform at the major-league level. If they can, Minnesota could enter 2028 with a bullpen fully capable of holding leads. The Future of the Twins Starts Here This roster projection represents a potential turning point for the Minnesota Twins. Jenkins, Culpepper, and Lackey could form the foundation of the next core, while established arms such as López and a strengthened bullpen would provide valuable experience and leadership. Of course, a lot can change over the course of the 2027 season, and the development of the team’s young players, decisions on veterans, and willingness to invest in the roster will determine how realistic this projection becomes. If things break the right way, the Twins could have the pieces in place to be a contender in 2028 and build a foundation for sustainable success in the future. Image courtesy of Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images View full article

As the Minnesota Twins look ahead to the 2027 season, the rosters of the 2026 American League playoff teams offer several options to consider this offseason. With teams evaluating their own rosters and making changes for the year ahead, Minnesota could look to capitalize on opportunities to add experienced players who would fill specific needs. From bolstering the bullpen to shoring up position-player depth, these six players stand out as targets the Twins could pursue from this year’s American League postseason field. White Sox: OF Randal Grichuk A true platoon bat, Grichuk could help the Twins as an upgrade over unsatisfying righty corner outfield options Austin Martin and Gabriel Gonzalez. The 35-year-old has a career .839 OPS versus left-handed pitching, and was even better in 2026, slashing .327/.371/.655 with 11 home runs in 178 plate appearances. Grichuk would not be a big-name addition, but he could provide valuable at-bats for a 2027 outfield corps comprised of left-handed batters Emmanuel Rodriguez, Walker Jenkins, and Alan Roden, with Kody Clemens also in the mix. Red Sox: SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa While Kiner-Falefa doesn’t provide much offensive value with a career 81 OPS+, the 31-year-old plays good defense. He was worth 8 Outs Above Average in 2026, and he doesn't strike out much at the plate—just 14.8% of the time this season. While a career-high walk rate (10.4%) may not stick moving forward, Kiner-Falefa is a fine defender and would be a good emergency fill-in for Kaelen Culpepper in 2027. Yankees: RP David Bednar Bednar turned it around after a disastrous 2024 season put his future in jeopardy. Since a mid-2025 trade to the Yankees, he has a 2.39 ERA with 111 punchouts and just 28 walks over 94 innings. He boasts a 1.01 WHIP and a 2.61 FIP. His struggles from 2024 seemingly behind him, Bednar throws plenty hard (96.1 MPH on the fastball), while inducing a ton of chases and weak contact. He's as reliable a ninth inning as you'll find and has a relationship with Derek Shelton already, having spent 2021 through 2025 in Pittsburgh under Shelton. Astros: RP Enyel De Los Santos Relievers Bryan Abreu and Steven Okert have been connected to the Twins often as fans look toward the offseason, but De Los Santos would be a much cheaper option than those two. While his 4.79 ERA does not look good, his FIP (4.11) and xERA (3.42) look significantly better. The 30-year-old has bounced around, as Minnesota would be his ninth team in MLB, but he could be a solid option. He limits both walks and barrels much better than an average hurler. Guardians: SP Foster Griffin Griffin came back from Asia to little fanfare, but he put together one of the best seasons among impending free-agent starters. He doesn’t throw the ball particularly hard, topping out in the low 90s. His primary pitch is his cutter, which he throws about a third of the time, and he mixes in a sweeper, four-seamer, changeup, and sinker to keep batters uncomfortable. The 31-year-old commands the ball well, which helps him limit hard contact. He did considerably worse after a trade from the cellar-dwelling Nationals to the pitching-savvy Guardians, but that may have been a product of bad luck. His FIP while with the Nationals was 4.10 to his 3.06 ERA, while in Cleveland, it dropped to 3.54, against a 5.19 ERA. The Twins could look to pounce, as the rotation behind Joe Ryan, Pablo López, and Taj Bradley has major question marks, but starting pitching is expensive, and another domino would have to fall. Still, Griffin would be a welcome addition to the staff, giving Minnesota a reliable innings-eater who could stabilize the back of the rotation. Rays: UTIL Jorge Mateo The cheapest option on the list, Mateo has been a poor offensive player over his entire MLB career, slashing .219/.264/.356 for a 74 OPS+. However, he does provide defensive versatility and speed. He has 125 career stolen bases, something the Twins could use: they ranked 20th in stolen bases this season. Like Kiner-Falefa, Mateo could give Minnesota a veteran option to provide shortstop depth behind Culpepper while offering flexibility across multiple positions. None of these players qualify as franchise-altering acquisitions, but each could address a need for the Twins heading into 2027. Minnesota has several avenues to add a platoon bat, improve the bullpen, or provide speed off the bench, and exploring the rosters of the teams that outperformed them in 2026 could be a good place to start the offseason. The Twins should be competing in the American League Central in 2027, so they ought to at least take note of the players their top rivals are set to lose. Image courtesy of David Dermer-Imagn Images View full article

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images The Twins currently possess an accumulation of starting pitchers heading into 2027, potentially making Joe Ryan a name to watch on the trade market this offseason as he enters his last year of arbitration. While Ryan has established himself as a high-end arm over the past few seasons, concerns about with his consecutive second half falloffs has led many to question if he is going to be a Twin long term. Minnesota’s pitching depth could create an opportunity for the Twins to move what should be a valuable asset in exchange for some help elsewhere on the roster or in the minor leagues. The San Francisco Giants stand out as a fit among trade partners. A potential deal would depend on Minnesota’s willingness to part with the two-time All Star as well as San Francisco’s willingness to trade high-value players or prospects. It would be difficult for the Twins to trade one of their better pitchers in recent memory. Ryan has been worth 13.7 career fWAR through six seasons in Minnesota, pitching to a 3.79 ERA (3.80 FIP) in 786. total innings. However, his first-half versus second-half splits are a cause of concern. His career ERA in the first half is 3.17, compared to 4.98 in the second half, whereas in 2026 his ERA skyrocketed from 2.85 pre-All-Star break to 6.82 after. Still, Ryan is an elite arm when he is on, and maybe new pitching coach Brian Reith will be able to unlock Ryan’s effectiveness into the second half. Interestingly enough, Ryan does have some connection to the Giants. He is from San Francisco, so this would be a homecoming for the now 30-year-old. The Giants also took a flier on Ryan in the draft before he went to college, selecting him in the 39th round of the 2014 MLB draft. Of course, Ryan didn’t sign and was selected by Tampa Bay in the 7th round four years later. So, why would the Giants do this? Outside of Logan Webb, injuries and trades have removed a lot of top options from the 2026 Giants rotation. Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle were traded to the Padres and Braves respectively at the deadline, while young pitchers like Carson Whisenhunt, Blade Tidwell, Hayden Birdsong, and Trevor McDonald suffered significant elbow injuries in 2026. President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey has swung big in the past as well, signing shortstop Willy Adames to the largest contract in team history and trading for slugging first baseman Rafael Devers back in 2025. Posey could look to make a few big time moves this offseason to compete in the challenging N.L. West, and one of those moves could be an arm like Ryan to slot behind Webb in the rotation. As for the Twins, there are lots of options when it comes to the starting rotation in 2027. Ryan, Pablo Lopez, and Taj Bradley would be the clear 1-2-3, but there are too many names for not enough spots. Bailey Ober, Zebby Matthews, Deam Kremer, Connor Prielipp, Mick Abel, and Kendry Rojas could all start games for Minnesota in 2027, so something has to give with the rotation. Moving Ryan may not make sense completely, but if management does not plan on signing him to an extension anyway, they should try to get something for him. The Giants have the fifth-best farm system according MLB.com, containing five top-100 prospects including the recent #4 overall draft pick, starting pitcher Jackson Flora. Tarik Skubal was traded to the Dodgers at the deadline as a rental this past season for three prospects, two of whom were in MLB.com’s top 100. Ryan is obviously not on Skubal's level as a starter, but with the full year of control versus two months, the return should be in somewhat the same range. He should net at least one top-100 prospect and additional pieces from San Francisco if he were to be moved there. Ultimately, a Joe Ryan trade could make sense for both sides. San Francisco has the prospect ammo to make a move after their teardown at this past trade deadline, while Minnesota could get good value for a player they may not re-sign to begin with. While his second-half struggles could raise some questions about his overall value, Ryan's track record as an effective, frontline starter at a price tag under $10 million should make him attractive to numerous teams if the Twins were to make him available. San Francisco clearly has the prospect capital to make it happen, so if Buster Posey wants to make an impactful move and put faith back into the hearts of Giants fans, bringing Ryan home to the Bay Area could be an intriguing place to start. What are your thoughts? Could the Twins trade Ryan to the Giants? Who would you want in return? View full article

Image courtesy of William Liang-Imagn Images Every offseason brings change, but sometimes, the best way to fix a team’s weaknesses is by looking back. As the Twins head into the 2027 offseason, a few familiar faces could make sense, as the team looks to fill holes from the 2026 roster. Of course, nostalgia alone isn’t enough. The numbers must back it up, whether that means a former Twin still has the bat, arm, or underlying metrics to contribute. Here are a few “old friends” who are 2027 free agents, and whom the Twins could therefore consider bringing back. Ty France – 1B, San Diego Padres After a disappointing 2025 campaign offensively, he still won a Gold Glove for his first base play for the Twins and Blue Jays. The offseason didn’t present a ton of opportunity for France, as he signed a minor-league deal with the team that initially drafted him. The 32-year-old has had a resurgence this year, slashing .295/.363/.502 in 500 plate appearances while clobbering 21 home runs, a career high. France could be the primary first baseman for the Twins in 2027, as well as another right-handed bat to plug into the middle of their lineup. While France will have suitors this offseason, the Twins should at least put in an offer, given the revolving door they had at first base in 2026 and how popular France was in the clubhouse during his brief stint with the team. Luis Arraez – 2B, Philadelphia Phillies This season was a tale of two teams for Arraez, as his first half with the Giants led to a trade to the contending Phillies. He slashed .324/.360/.440 in 464 plate appearances for San Francisco, compared to .278/.309/.369 in 191 plate appearances for Philadelphia. The main development for Arraez this season was his defense. The 29-year-old spoke out this offseason about wanting to return to second base, and he backed it up, posting the highest Outs Above Average of his career (12). It was a nice return to form for Arraez offensively, given his 101 OPS+ with the Padres the season before, a career-low mark. He could be an option for the Twins to add at second base. Is it the most realistic option? Certainly not, given the Twins' infield depth, plethora of left-handed bats, and young players penciled into roles for 2027 already. Still, with the uncertainty surrounding Royce Lewis’s place on the Twins, an infielder could (and should) be added, so why not Arraez? Isiah Kiner-Falefa – UTIL, Boston Red Sox This one is stretching a bit, as Kiner-Falefa was a Twin for not even two days (in the offseason, at that) before being traded to the Yankees. He’s bounced around since then, spending time with the Blue Jays, Pirates, and now the Red Sox. His offensive ability isn’t great, as he slashed .242/.322/.311 in 183 plate appearances in Boston this year. Kiner-Falefa’s career OPS+ is 81, so he wouldn’t be brought in to provide meaningful at-bats at the top of the order. The 31-year-old could still provide value as a defense-first utility man off the bench, though. He appeared at all four infield spots, though he spent most of his time at second base. The Twins could have a player such as Ryan Kreidler or Ben Ross fill the utility infield role, but Kiner-Falefa is still a plus defender, posting 8 OAA in 2026, and he could contribute as a fill-in player for Culpepper at short and whoever's playing second base. Brusdar Graterol – RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers Injuries have been the roadblock of late for Graterol, who went to the Dodgers in the Kenta Maeda trade back in 2020. After posting a 1.4-fWAR season in 2023, the 28-year-old has only thrown 7 1/3 big-league innings since 2024, missing all of the last two seasons and undergoing back surgery in June. Still, when he is healthy, Graterol is effective. His career ERA is 2.78 (3.20 FIP), with a WHIP of 1.04. Graterol should not be relied on to provide any kind of consistency for a team in 2027, but if the Twins were to sign him to a minor-league deal, he would be a low-risk, high-upside signing that teams with budgets such as the Twins are always searching for. Other relievers (such as David Bednar or Bryan Abreu) would be surer things, but if Graterol is healthy and performing as he has before, he could be a very productive player. Steven Okert – LHP, Houston Astros Okert has become a completely different pitcher since he departed Minnesota after the 2024 season. The 35-year-old signed with the Astros and hasn’t looked back, posting a 2.58 ERA (2.99 FIP) in 139 1/3 innings in Houston over the two seasons he's pitched there. His slider has been his best pitch—almost the only one, but good enough to allow him to thrive without much of a complement. He isn’t just a platoon pitcher, either. His OPS allowed to right-handed batters is only slightly higher (.591) than his OPS allowed to lefties (.545). There may be some cause for concern given his home/road splits (0.97 ERA at home, 3.52 on the road), but the need for a left-handed arm is there for the Twins. Taylor Rogers and A.J. Minter are both headed out the door. Okert would be another trusted veteran arm for Derek Shelton and the new pitching coach (whoever that may be) to utilize in the bullpen, alongside Jeff Hoffman, Andrew Morris, Yoendrys Gómez, and others. Beyond the five above, there are a few other names who are possibilities but might not make sense. The Twins may have a need at catcher. Mitch Garver and Christian Vázquez could be cheap, low-risk options, although it's hard to imagine either being excited about a reunion—or fans being happy about one, either. Gary Sánchez could be a major-league backup option, though. Tyler Austin and Lamonte Wade Jr. could provide some first-base depth, while veteran starters such as Tyler Mahle and Martín Pérez could be options to add some depth to the starting rotation. Caleb Thielbar would be another familiar, low-cost bullpen option, if he doesn’t retire, but his numbers were not great in his age-39 season (4.70 FIP in 50 innings). None of these names would be major additions, but each could provide some depth—and maybe some upside, if the right opportunity presents itself. The Twins don’t need to bring back every former player purely based on nostalgia, but there are certainly names here who could help the team in 2027. None of them should be out of the Twins’ price range, especially with the Pohlads insisting they will invest in the team’s payroll. Nevertheless, the Twins have lots of decisions to make about the 2027 roster, and a reunion or two could boost the on-field play, as well as fan sentiment. The best offseason moves aren’t always the biggest names on the market, but rather, cheaper players who can fill a role for a team that needs it. Besides, who doesn’t love a reunion? What are your thoughts? Could any of these names be contributors for the 2027 Twins? View full article

Image courtesy of D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images As the Minnesota Twins look toward next season, their bullpen is beginning to present more questions than answers. Andrew Morris and Yoendrys Gómez both have shown stretches of great play this season, but their recent struggles have raised concerns about whether the Twins can rely on either pitcher for a significant bullpen role in 2027. Those struggles could influence how aggressively the Twins look to add to the bullpen, whether through free agency or the trade market. The bullpen was a topic of conversation for much of the past offseason. The Twins didn’t spend a lot to make it significantly better, adding only veteran Taylor Rogers on a major-league deal. The bullpen was still lacking at the deadline, which led to the acquisitions of Jeff Hoffman and A.J. Minter. While Hoffman will be back, relief pitching remains a topic of conversation heading into 2027 for a team that carries forward strong starting pitching depth and a relatively well-set position player group. On the relief side, the biggest question will be whether the Twins can count on Morris and Gómez in higher leverage roles, and those questions are extremely valid. Morris, a fourth-round pick by the Twins in 2022, made his debut earlier this season and pitched well up until the end of July, earning a 3.12 ERA (2.92 FIP) in 52 innings over that span. He stuck out 23.4% of the batters he faced while walking 7.3% of batters. Those numbers have flipped since the calendar turned to August, as Morris has a 6.97 ERA (3.68 FIP) in 20 ⅔ innings since then. The 25-year-old has a diminished strikeout rate, 17.3%, and a heightened walk rate, 11.2%, during this period. Morris’ strong point is his fastball, worth 9 runs so far this year. However, his breaking and off-speed pitches have both been bad, worth -1 and -2 run respectively, so that will be something that needs to be addressed to turn around his performance. Gómez, on the other hand, was not good for the Rays, pitching to a 6.23 ERA (7.25 FIP) in 17 ⅓ innings before being designated for assignment. The Twins acquired him for cash considerations on May 7th, and from that day until the end of July, Gómez was arguably the best reliever in the Twins bullpen, emerging as the primary closer. He posted a 1.67 ERA (3.09 FIP) in 32 ⅓ innings, converting every save attempt. The 26-year-old was striking out 24.1% of the batters he faced, which is encouraging but a walk rate of 11.3% allowed for a lot of baserunners in the middle months of the season. Since August 1st, his ERA rocketed up to 7.71 (4.14 FIP). Gómez is still striking out a ton of batters as his strikeout rate remained the same. However, he was already issuing a lot of free passes, and his walk rate has climbed significantly, up to 17.7%, leading to him being demoted the bullpen pecking order. A key weakness of Gómez’s arsenal, unlike Morris, is his fastball; it is currently worth -4 runs and his most used pitch, with opposing hitters slugging .450 off it this season. With both Gómez and Morris struggling to maintain their earlier success, the Twins may have to reconsider where the two fit into their bullpen hierarchy going forward. How much should the Twins let these last two months impact their bullpen planning? For starters, it should mean bumping these two down the hierarchy of relievers, at least for the start of the 2027 season. Both players have shined at points, but their inconsistencies down the stretch can’t go unnoticed. Hoffman should be the bullpen’s highest-leverage arm in 2027, and with the pending departures of Minter and Rogers the Twins should add at least one high-end arm via free agency. David Bednar, Jonathan Loáisiga, and Bryan Abreu could be right-handed options the Twins look to sign, especially Abreu, given their rumored interest at the trade deadline. If the Twins are looking to replace the left-handedness lost in Rogers and Minter specifically, they could take a look at old friend Steven Okert, Gregory Soto, or Brock Burke. Of course, at that point they could also just resign Minter. He has been very solid for the Twins, putting together a 2.49 ERA (4.39 FIP) in 21 ⅔ innings for Minnesota so far. While it's smart to ratchet down their role leverage, Morris and Gómez can absolutely be important pieces of the Twins in 2027. What matters is what version of these players are going to show up. For Morris, the Twins will need to see if he can find a more reliable secondary pitch. For Gómez, the biggest focus will be limiting the free passes and figuring out how to get more out of his fastball, which has been a challenge for him in previous stops. There's a reason he's already pitched for five different teams in the majors at age 26. Neither pitcher should be written off because of two difficult months, especially considering how effective they were beforehand. However, the Twins cannot enter 2027 assuming that either Morris or Gómez will automatically return to viability is a closer or setup man. If both can make necessary adjustments, they could give the Twins two important internal, late-inning options for the bullpen. Regardless, Minnesota will need to make an addition or two this offseason to prevent the bullpen from persisting as the question mark it has been since the 2025 trade deadline. View full article

Image courtesy of Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Josh Bell has provided the Minnesota Twins with a steady presence in the middle of their lineup throughout the 2026 season, but with the offseason approaching, the organization will have to decide whether he's done enough to earn another year in Minnesota. He's been a solid hitter, slashing .254/.316/.419 with 20 home runs in 605 plate appearances, primarily from the designated hitter spot. He struggled early in the season with a 73 wRC+ through the end of May. Since June 1, though, Bell has a 125 wRC+, with 15 of his 20 homers and a sturdy .281/.345/.471 line. He's famous for being good for just half of each season, but this is a 381-plate appearance stretch over which he's been very good. Replacing that kind of production wouldn't be easy. However, Bell's value is tied entirely to his offense. He barely played first base this season, only appearing in 141 innings at the position while it has been held down primarily by Royce Lewis, Kody Clemens, and Victor Caratini. As a designated hitter, his full-season line is pretty much average, relative to the league's performance at that spot (.241/.325/.414), so to believe he actively makes you better, he would have to be the good version of himself from the last few months. More importantly, retaining a full-time DH may limit the Twins’ flexibility in an unwelcome way. Byron Buxton will be coming off hip surgery, which may mean he needs time to ramp up to full-time center field duties—or that he never returns to them. The outfield is crowded even without Buxton, with Emannuel Rodríguez, Walker Jenkins, and Luke Keaschall projected to start there in 2027. Keaschall has struggled defensively at every spot the sport has invented. Some time at designated hitter for Keaschall may be best next year to get the most out of him. Between Keaschall, Buxton, Hendry Mendez, Gabriel González and Aaron Sabato, at the moment, the team has no shortage of bat-first or bat-only players. Bell would have to be shoehorned in, at the expense of someone else. The other aspect Bell brings is a veteran presence. While it may seem like that doesn’t matter much, Derek Shelton has raved about Bell, specifically citing the stability he brings to the clubhouse. With what should be a younger Twins team next year, that may be what Minnesota requires, with the uncertainty around Buxton’s start date and Ryan Jeffers headed elsewhere via free agency. Bell’s experience could be extremely valuable to younger players such as Rodríguez, Jenkins, and Kaelen Culpepper. Bell’s contract has a $10-million mutual option for 2027, with a $1.25-million buyout attached. Virtually all mutual options are declined by one side; this one is more likely to turned down by the team. The 2027 version of the Minnesota Twins should be focused on playing their young players as much as possible. Bell may be a better bat then most of the Twins’ younger talent right now, but if they're going to spend what it requires to keep him, they should do so on a player who more ineluctably (and more flexibly) upgrades the lineup. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images In a straight one-for-one trade made at the deadline last year, the Twins acquired Taj Bradley for Griffin Jax, who was a reliever at the time. Since then, Bradley has become one of the Twins’ better arms, while Jax has made the transition from reliever to starter. As the deadline inches closer, it's a good time to reexamine that trade and answer the question: Who would you rather have? 2026 Performance Bradley's uneven but exciting performance has been especially welcome, given the injuries in the rotation. He made six starts in his initial half-season with the Twins, pitching to a 6.61 ERA (4.73 FIP) in 31 1/3 innings, but 2026 has been a whole different experience. Currently worth 1.6 fWAR (second on the team among pitchers, behind only Joe Ryan), Bradley has made 17 starts this year, with a 3.67 ERA (3.80 FIP). He’s striking out 27.8% of batters, the second-highest mark of his career. When batters do make contact, they do damage, but you can miss enough bats to work around that shortcoming; Bradley is doing so this season. Bradley has thrown his fastball, cutter, and splitter well this year. All three boast a positive run value, according to Statcast. His curveball hasn’t been great, with a -7 run value, and opposing hitters are slugging .568 on it. Again, though, he's been able to outpitch his weaknesses so far. Jax, on the other hand, had well-documented struggles early in the year as a reliever. His FIP was way up at 7.56, despite an xFIP of 4.58, and his walk rate was up to 15.9%. He was giving up lots of home runs, and opposing hitters had a .413 wOBA against him. He lasted only nine innings as a reliever before transitioning to a starting role. Since then, though, Jax has pitched to a 2.89 ERA (3.99 FIP) in 56 innings, while striking out 26.1% of the batters he faces. His walk rate has plummeted to 6.8%, and batters have just a .297 wOBA against him.. As for his pitch mix, Jax has been effective with his three most-used pitches: sweeper, changeup, and sinker, all of which have a positive run value. His fastball has been his worst pitch by far (-5 run value); his curveball and cutter haven’t been thrown nearly as much as the other four. There were rumblings, even back to the time when he was a Twin, about Jax wanting to convert into a starting role. Now that he has done it with the Rays, the change has brought positive outcomes for both Tampa Bay and Jax himself. Here's hoping that will lead to a big payday soon. Jax is a good pitcher. The Twins (and their fans) knew this when he was traded away. Team Control Control of a player can be crucial in evaluating a would-you-rather situation like this one. Bradley is currently in the pre-arbitration phase and will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this fall. He won’t be a free agent until November 2029. As for Jax, he avoided arbitration this year by signing a one-year deal with the Rays. The 31-year-old has one more year of arbitration before becoming a free agent. Bradley being younger and having more years of control is certainly a win for the Twins, as he looks like a potential front-of-the-rotation starter. Even if Jax is one, too, he's sooner out the door. And then there's the money. Salaries Talking about the Twins always means money must be part of the conversation. Current salaries once again favor Bradley in this comparison. Bradley’s salary is $802,050 in 2026, while Jax is making $3.6 million. In the end, the Twins saved money by dealing Jax for Bradley, and while they didn't make the robust investment in restocking their bullpen for which fans might have fairly hoped, it's easy to guess that the extra few million made a difference for them somewhere along the way. Bradley and Jax have been linked ever since last year's trade deadline, and they'll continue to be compared for as long as they remain with their current clubs. Every strong outing from Bradley or dominant appearance from Jax will inevitably reignite the debate over which team came out ahead. One year later, both organizations have reasons to be satisfied, but the long-term verdict is still pending. Bradley has given the Twins a young, cost-controlled starter with years of team control remaining, while Jax has transitioned into a good starter for a win-now Rays team steaming toward a division title. For now, there may not be a definitive winner—only two teams that addressed different needs in different ways. All things considered, who would you rather have right now? Have the Twins clearly fleeced the Rays, or will Jax yet prove to be so valuable that Minnesota should have retained him, converted him to this new role, and extended him? Weigh in! View full article

Image courtesy of © David Dermer-Imagn Images The AL Central has been widely regarded as a poor overall division in the past. 2021 through 2023 saw the division champion be the only team above .500, while 2024 and 2025 had four and three teams respectively. The Guardians are the hottest as of late, winning three out of the last four division championships and have established themselves as the team to beat in the division, despite significantly better efforts from the Tigers and Royals in recent years. Now, shifting focus to 2026, the Guardians lead the way in the standings once again. The other clubs trail behind, searching for consistency in a wide-open American League this year. With the season beginning to take shape with the summer months upon us, here is how the A.L. Central teams stack up so far this year, and maybe a thing of two the Twins can learn from their competitors. No. 1 - Cleveland Guardians (34-26) Pythagorean Record- 31-29 (+3) RS/G – 4.08, RA/G – 3.98 The Guardians currently lead the division by two games. While two-time All-Star Steven Kwan (71 OPS+) is struggling, young players such as Travis Bazzana, Brayan Rocchio, Chase DeLauter, and Angel Martinez have all stepped up, each with above average OPS marks. Cleveland made a notable trade already as well, acquiring Patrick Bailey from San Francisco for his defensive ability behind the plate. Gavin Williams (3.07 ERA, 3.31 FIP) and Parker Messick (2.24 ERA, 3.03 FIP) are the key arms in the rotation, while the ever-reliable Cade Smith leads MLB in saves with a 2.70 ERA (1.19 FIP). Cleveland has something that the Twins currently don’t: young hitters performing at the MLB level. Bazzana, Rocchio, DeLauter, and Martinez have provided energy into a Cleveland lineup that desperately needed it, and the Twins could use that from Kaelen Culpepper, Walker Jenkins, Gabriel Gonzalez, and more of their in the lower ranks. Nevertheless, expect Cleveland to be in the hunt for the division title once again if they aren’t already leading come the later months. No. 2 – Chicago White Sox (31-27) Pythagorean Record – 30-28 (+1) RS/G – 4.71, RA/G – 4.59 One of the great surprises in baseball this year, the White Sox currently hold the second wild card spot. Free agent signee Munetaka Murakami leads the way with a .947 OPS, good for fifth in the league. The slugger is in the 93rd percentile or above in xSLG, average exit velocity, barrel percentage, hard hit percentage, and walk percentage, while being in the 5th percentile in strikeout rate. Murakami is a Three True Outcome hitter and the deal he signed this past offseason is only looking better as the season progresses. However, Murakami could miss the next four-to-six weeks with a hamstring injury. Miguel Vargas’ presence as an offensive contributor has been welcomed as well after a few down years, rocking a 133 OPS+ going into Friday’s action. The Twins could learn something from Murakami and the White Sox in that it is okay to spend a little money in free agency and take a chance. Players such as Josh Bell and Victor Caratini are pretty known commodities at this point in their careers, and a bat like Murakami would be nice to slot in at first base daily. On the pitching side, Davis Martin is off to a great start with a 2.00 ERA (2.30 FIP) over 67 2/3 innings of work while striking out 71. These excellent results are largely due to three pitches: his changeup, sinker, and slider, each of which have a run value of 4. Left-handed reliever Bryan Hudson (1.37 ERA, 2.57 FIP) and 26-year-old starter Sean Burke (3.90 ERA, 3.40 FIP) have been good as well. The White Sox could be a formidable force by the end of the year; however, they’ll likely need to work on their walk problems (pitchers have walked 215 batters so far, sixth worst in the league) and perhaps another bat to replace Andrew Benintendi in the DH spot (77 OPS+ so far in 2026). Still, Murakami has made the White Sox a fun team to watch so far in 2026, and they’ll hope to catch the Guardians to win their first division title since 2021. No. 3 – Minnesota Twins (27-32) Pythagorean Record – 28-31 (-1) RS/G – 4.61, RA/G – 4.86 The Twins sit just a game back of a wild card spot entering Friday’s games, a spot most fans and analysts didn’t expect them to be. Performances from All-Stars Byron Buxton (147 OPS+) and Joe Ryan (2.94 ERA, 2.58 FIP) lead the way, while players such as Austin Martin (119 OPS+) and Taj Bradley (2.77 ERA, 3.26 FIP) have provided value where little was expected. Still, an injury to Ryan Jeffers and struggles and eventual demotions to Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner has left the lineup thin. Nevertheless, this team goes as Buxton and Ryan go, and if they are both still on the team after the trade deadline it wouldn’t be surprising to see this team in contention for a wild card spot come August, though it isn’t likely the postseason will be a part of the Twins’ season. Performances from the franchise players, as well as younger players like Martin and Brooks Lee (in the clutch), are making this team fun to watch at least. No. 4 – Detroit Tigers (22-37) Pythagorean Record – 25-34 (-3) RS/G – 3.77, RA/G – 4.41 A playoff team last year, the Tigers spent big in the offseason, signing Framber Valdez to a three year, 115-million-dollar deal while bringing in other arms such as Justin Verlander, Kyle Finnegan, and Kenley Jansen. Gleyber Torres accepted his qualifying offer to come back to Detroit after being an All-Star in 2025. Even with those additions, the Tigers haven’t performed up to par in 2026, currently second to last in all of MLB ahead of just the Rockies. 2025 Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is on the IL due to a surgery to get a loose body out of his elbow while Verlander had just one start before going to the IL as well. Valdez’s pitching has been mediocre, with a 4.28 ERA (4.08 FIP) and has spent more time in the news for hitting Trevor Story after giving up back-to-back homers than for the positives of his game. Casey Mize has been a bright spot for this pitching staff, worth 2.2 bWAR with a 2.27 ERA (2.37 FIP). Offensively, injuries have continued to remove Tigers from the lineup, with Torres, Kerry Carpenter, and Javier Baez all on the injured list. Struggles from Spencer Torkelson (99 OPS+), Colt Keith, (96 OPS+) and Zach McKinstry (32 OPS+) haven’t helped either. Riley Greene leads the way with a 136 OPS+ for this group, though 21-year-old rookie Kevin McGonigle follows close behind (131 OPS+) and leads the team in bWAR currently. The Tigers have a big decision to make. The way their season is going, they could sell off some or their larger pieces, such as Skubal, to get a haul at the deadline, or they could wait it out, get healthy, and try to make a playoff push later in the year. Detroit must hope they can find some of the magic they had last year soon, otherwise they could be a big seller come August 3rd. No. 5 – Kansas City Royals (22-36) Pythagorean Record – 23-35 (-2) RS/G – 3.76, RA/G – 4.72 An above .500 team a year ago, the Royals sit second to last in the division. Only two of their qualified hitters have an OPS above .700, one of which being superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (137 OPS+) with the other being third baseman Maikel Garcia (100 OPS+). Besides those two, struggles to Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, and Isaac Collins, among others, has led to the 2nd lowest runs scored per game in MLB, better then only the Giants. On the mound, Seth Lugo (3.74 ERA, 3.07 FIP) and Michael Wacha (2.69 ERA, 3.90 FIP) have led the way for a rotation currently without lefties Kris Bubic and Cole Ragans. The Royals should use this season as a reminder of how good their franchise shortstop is, and with their record well on the wrong side of .500, need to do everything in their power in building a competitive team around him in 2027. The A.L. Central has been criticized over the years for being an overall bad division, but it has been more competitive as of late. Cleveland still leads the way, while Chicago and Minnesota follow closely in hopes of making it a race come August and September. Detroit and Kansas City sit at the bottom, both 10 or more games back from Cleveland entering June. As the summer unfolds, the hope is that the Twins can be competitive in this division, but only time will tell as they have overperformed expectations so far. With plenty of baseball still left to play, the AL Central remains a division filled with stars and teams searching for answers to how to move forward, and that likely won’t change at the end of this season. So how would you rank the five AL Central teams? View full article