Sam Caulder

Image courtesy of Jeff Hanisch, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Friday morning marked the start of an exciting new chapter in Twins Territory. The Twins finally called up their No. 3 prospect, shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, giving one of the organization’s most impressive young players a chance to make his long-awaited MLB debut. Culpepper wasted very little time making an impression. Through his first two games, Culpepper is 1-for-5 with a home run, a walk, a strikeout and two hit-by-pitches. The homer came in his second career MLB at-bat, offering an early glimpse of the power that helped make him one of the system's most highly regarded prospects. But Culpepper's arrival could be important for reasons that extend well beyond his own production. The Twins have assembled a roster loaded with defensive versatility. What they've lacked is the stability at shortstop that allows Derek Shelton to fully take advantage of it. If Culpepper can provide that, suddenly a lot of pieces become much easier to move around. Across 343 plate appearances with Triple-A St. Paul this season, Culpepper slashed .271/.367/.478, good for an .845 OPS. He brings a compelling combination of power and speed along with the ability to play around the infield. But the Twins don't need him to become another utility piece. They need him to establish himself as their everyday shortstop within a position-player mix that already boasts versatility in abundance. Royce Lewis has played first and second regularly, and could still be used at third. Brooks Lee is a switch-hitter capable of handling multiple infield positions. Kody Clemens has spent time at first base, second base and all three outfield spots. Ryan Kreidler can play across the infield and handle center field. Luke Keaschall can move between second base and the outfield. Austin Martin offers another multi-position option. Culpepper gives Shelton the potential to anchor that entire puzzle with a natural shortstop. The immediate infield alignment is fairly straightforward. Lewis should continue playing every day, Lee can remain at third, Clemens has earned regular opportunities and Culpepper can take over at short. Lewis, in particular, has made himself impossible to sit based on matchups, posting a .900 OPS since the All-Star break with relatively even production against righties and lefties. The real benefit comes from what Shelton can do around that core. Kreidler no longer needs to be treated primarily as the Twins' solution at shortstop. Instead, Shelton can deploy him where his versatility and defense are most useful, including center field while Byron Buxton is sidelined. Clemens can bounce between the infield and outfield depending on matchups. Keaschall can move from the outfield back to second base when needed. Lewis can shift around the infield. Martin can enter the mix against left-handed pitching. That creates an array of possibilities for a roster that has often struggled to find the right combination. Against a right-hander, Shelton could lean more heavily on Trevor Larnach, Keaschall and Alan Roden in the outfield. Against a lefty, Kreidler or Martin could enter the picture, with Keaschall shifting positions if necessary. Late in games, Shelton can improve his defense without being boxed in by positional limitations. When someone needs a day off, there's a good chance another regular can slide over rather than forcing a bench player into the lineup. Culpepper himself doesn't create all of that versatility, but rather, helps unlock what was already there. That's what makes his promotion especially intriguing. The Twins didn't call Culpepper up to be another player shuffled around the diamond. They called him up because they believe he can be an everyday contributor at one of baseball's most demanding positions. If he proves capable of holding down shortstop, Shelton can be much more creative with everyone else. For a team searching for every possible edge down the stretch, that's no small benefit. Culpepper's bat could provide a needed spark, and his glove could stabilize an important position. But his biggest contribution might be giving Shelton the freedom to turn one of this roster's defining traits — its defensive versatility — into an actual strategic advantage. View full article

Walker JenkinsVahn LackeyKaelen CulpepperEmmanuel RodriguezMarek HoustonEduardo TaitHendry MendezRiley QuickGabriel GonzalezBrandon WinokurCarson TinneyCharlee SotoRyan GallagherJames EllwangerKhadim DiawBrett RenfrowQuentin YoungEthan WachsmannCJ Culpepper

Walker JenkinsVahn LackeyKaelen CulpepperEmmanuel RodriguezMarek HoustonEduardo TaitHendry MendezRiley QuickGabriel GonzalezBrandon WinokurCarson TinneyCharlee SotoRyan GallagherJames EllwangerKhadim DiawBrett RenfrowQuentin YoungEthan WachsmannCJ Culpepper

Neto would not be the plus defender you're referring to. He's tied for the fifth most errors in the league with 15, and has never graded out as a strong defender in any of his full seasons. If I'm misinterpreting your comment, I apologize. But his defense is very well below league-average

Image courtesy of Kevin Sousa, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Leading up to the trade deadline, the Twins had already added a trio of pitchers to bolster the pitching staff. But acquiring former All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman from the Blue Jays was on a different level. Minnesota has certainly made aggressive moves at previous deadlines, but it's been a while since the front office has acquired an established late-inning reliever with Hoffman's pedigree. Just one year removed from a 33-save season, the Twins paid a hefty price to bring him to Minnesota in hopes of solidifying the back end of the bullpen for a playoff push. And on paper, it's easy to see why. Going Oppo is two stories on Twins Daily with different opinions running simultaneously. Read the other side here. Hoffman's underlying metrics are nothing short of elite. Among all qualified major league pitchers this season, his whiff rate, chase rate and strikeout rate all rank in the 98th percentile or better. When he's locating his pitches, very few relievers in baseball can match the quality of his stuff. Hitters chase out of the zone, they swing through pitches in the zone, and they rarely make quality contact. It's exactly the type of profile contenders dream about adding at this point in the season. However, there's a reason those numbers are called "underlying" metrics. They're designed to explain what's happening beneath the surface, and in Hoffman's case, they've consistently painted a prettier picture than his actual results. Across 49 innings this season, Hoffman owned a 3.86 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP with Toronto. Now, a 3.86 ERA certainly isn't terrible for a reliever. Plenty of teams would gladly take that kind of production. But it's also worth asking why someone with some of the most dominant swing-and-miss metrics in baseball has an ERA sitting a full run (or more) higher than many of the game's elite relievers. The answer isn't particularly complicated. When Hoffman is on, he's one of the nastiest relievers in baseball. The problem is that he simply hasn't been on consistently enough over the past two seasons. Let's go back to 2025. Hoffman couldn't have asked for a better start. Over his first 15 1/3 innings of the season, he posted a microscopic 1.17 ERA while striking out 22 batters and issuing just one walk. He looked every bit like one of the best relievers in baseball, and while nobody expected him to maintain that pace for an entire season, there wasn't much reason to believe disaster was around the corner either. Then May happened. Over just 10 innings that month, Hoffman surrendered 15 earned runs. He also allowed five home runs and issued six walks. For a late-inning reliever who's usually being trusted with close leads, that's about the worst combination you can have. The strikeouts didn't disappear, and the swing-and-miss stuff was still there. He just wasn't putting enough pitches in competitive locations. Instead of getting ahead in counts and finishing hitters, free passes created traffic, mistakes got punished, and crooked numbers followed. Unfortunately, that wasn't just a one-month anomaly. The inconsistency stuck with him throughout the remainder of the season. His final two months serve as a perfect example. Hoffman posted a 6.00 ERA in August before completely flipping the script with a dominant 0.84 ERA over the final month of the season. On the surface, those look like two completely different pitchers. In reality, many of the same issues remained. The command continued to come and go, and the walks never disappeared. The difference was simply that the extra-base hits weren't coming at the same rate in September as they had during some of his rougher stretches. That roller coaster carried over into 2026, where Hoffman once again opened the season as Toronto's closer. By the end of May, though, he owned an ERA north of 6 through 25 2/3 innings. And once again, the reasons looked awfully familiar. Too many walks, and too many extra-base hits. Eventually, Blue Jays manager John Schneider decided enough was enough. Toronto removed Hoffman from their closer role and handed ninth-inning duties to former Twins pitcher Louis Varland. Ironically, that may have been exactly what Hoffman needed. Since the start of June, he's been outstanding. Across his last 23 1/3 innings, Hoffman has allowed just three earned runs. And wouldn't you know it, the biggest differences haven't been his strikeout numbers or his stuff. He's simply done a much better job limiting walks and keeping hitters from doing serious damage when they make contact. That's ultimately what makes evaluating Hoffman so fascinating. The advanced metrics aren't lying; he truly does possess the arsenal of a dominant, late-inning reliever. Few pitchers miss bats at the rate he does, and when everything is working, he looks capable of shutting down anyone in baseball. But the surface-level numbers aren't lying either. There's a reason his ERA has consistently landed higher than many would expect given those elite peripherals. Over the past two seasons, his command has disappeared often enough to create disastrous stretches, and those blowups are especially damaging for a one-inning reliever who's expected to protect slim leads. That's the version of Hoffman the Twins are betting they can avoid. If he continues limiting walks and extra-base hits the way he has over the past two months, there's every reason to believe he'll become one of Derek Shelton's most trusted high-leverage relievers down the stretch. But if those command issues resurface, the Twins may quickly learn why some people have been far more cautious about Hoffman's profile than the underlying metrics would suggest. View full article

Image courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect The trade deadline has officially come and gone, and the Minnesota Twins walked away with three new arms to bolster their pitching staff. But while those were the moves that ultimately got done, there was another name that generated plenty of buzz throughout deadline day. It just never crossed the finish line. According to Bob Nightengale, the Twins were "all over" Angels shortstop Zach Neto leading up to the deadline. It was an interesting report considering there had been very little linking Minnesota to Neto in the days and weeks beforehand. On the surface, it's easy to understand why fans would've been excited. Neto is a young, controllable shortstop with legitimate power and speed, and adding a player of that caliber would've been one of the biggest splashes the Twins could've made. But as intriguing as the idea sounded, I think Minnesota dodged a bullet by not completing that trade. There's no denying Neto has developed into a quality major league player with the Angels. Across 476 career games, he's put together a .754 OPS and a 110 OPS+, while launching 77 home runs and stealing another 75 bases. That combination of power and athleticism has helped him quickly establish himself as Los Angeles' everyday leadoff hitter. Players capable of contributing 20-plus home runs while also providing impact on the bases don't exactly grow on trees. That's the appeal. But once you dig a little deeper into his profile, some pretty significant concerns begin to appear. The biggest issue comes with his approach at the plate. His whiff rate and strikeout rate both rank in the ninth percentile or lower among all qualified major league hitters. That's an alarming combination, especially for someone expected to be setting the table near the top of a lineup. His chase rate sits in the 14th percentile, meaning he's consistently expanding the strike zone and offering at pitches he probably shouldn't. Even though he's already hitting just .230 this season, the underlying metrics suggest things could actually be worse. His expected batting average sits all the way down at .202. Now, to be fair, expected batting average isn't everything. Neto intentionally sells out for pull-side power, and hitters with that approach often see their expected numbers suffer because they're trading contact quality for home run production. But it also reinforces a larger point. Neto isn't a particularly well-rounded offensive player. When the power is there, he's an exciting player to watch. But when the extra-base hits aren't coming, there isn't much else in his offensive profile to fall back on. The concerns don't stop once he takes the field, either. Despite possessing above-average athleticism and solid quickness, Neto's defensive metrics have consistently graded out poorly. He ranks in just the second percentile in Outs Above Average this season, making him one of the least effective defensive shortstops in baseball by that metric. More importantly, this isn't simply a down year. He's ranked in the bottom tenth of the league defensively during each of his three full major league seasons. There's certainly arm strength there, and that has led some to believe third base could ultimately be his best long-term position. But that brings us to perhaps the biggest issue of all: the acquisition cost. Neto is only 25 years old and remains under team control through the end of the 2029 season. Players with that combination of age, production and years of control don’t come cheap. Yes, the Twins have built one of baseball's deeper minor league systems, but even organizations with strong farm systems have to be careful about which prospects they move. Trading away one of your top prospects for a player with clear offensive flaws, below-average defense and a hefty acquisition cost is far from a slam dunk - especially when two of those top prospects are also shortstops. That's an unnecessary gamble, and judging by the fact a deal never materialized, it may have been one the Twins ultimately weren't comfortable making. Would adding Zach Neto have created plenty of excitement on deadline day? Absolutely. He's a recognizable name, he's young, and he's capable of producing highlight-reel moments. But excitement doesn't always equal the right baseball decision. When you weigh the swing-and-miss concerns, the defensive limitations and, perhaps most importantly, the likely prospect package it would've taken to get him, the risk starts to outweigh the reward. The Twins certainly improved their roster at the deadline by strengthening their pitching staff. And while some fans may wonder what could've been had Neto ended up in Minnesota, there's a strong argument that the best move the front office made was the one it didn't make. Passing on Zach Neto may not have generated the biggest headlines, but in the long run, it might prove to be one of the smartest decisions the Twins made all week. View full article

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Trevor Larnach has quietly been one of the Minnesota Twins' best hitters over the course of the 2026 season. He's currently slashing .281/.370/.449 across 347 plate appearances, good for an .819 OPS and a 129 OPS+. He's become Derek Shelton's primary leadoff hitter, consistently getting on base while providing quality at-bats at the top of the lineup. After taking plenty of criticism from Twins Territory this past offseason—some of it admittedly coming from me—Larnach has done nothing but prove people wrong. Despite all of that, I still think the Twins made a mistake by keeping him at this year's trade deadline. Going Oppo is two stories on Twins Daily with different opinions running simultaneously. Read the other side here. To be clear, this has nothing to do with Larnach as a player. It's about the position the organization has put itself in. The Twins made it abundantly clear leading up to the deadline that they intended to move Larnach. In fact, they did everything but finalize it. A deal was reportedly in place to send him to the Houston Astros before it ultimately fell apart. Astros’ owner Jim Crane backed out at the last minute, and as a result, Larnach is staying in Minnesota. That sounds like a good thing on the surface. After all, why would you complain about keeping one of your best hitters? Because the Twins had already shown their hand. Now, assuming they revisit trade discussions this offseason or next summer, they'll be trying to move a player who's one step closer to free agency. Instead of selling a controllable outfielder, they'll be marketing an expiring contract. Whether that's this winter or next July, Larnach's trade value almost certainly won't be as high as it was just 24 hours before the deadline. But that's not even the biggest issue. The Twins have one of the deepest collections of left-handed hitting corner outfield talent in baseball–it's almost an embarrassment of riches. At the top of that list are the organization's No. 1 prospect, Walker Jenkins, and No. 4 prospect, Emmanuel Rodriguez. Both have made it abundantly clear this season that they're ready for the major leagues, yet neither has a clear path to consistent playing time. For as similar as their situations seem, they're actually a little different. Rodriguez is already 23 years old and occupies a spot on the Twins' 40-man roster. After spending time on the injured list, he recently began a rehab assignment and should be back in the St. Paul Saints' lineup very soon. Once he's healthy, though, what happens? Unless another outfielder gets hurt, there simply isn't playing time waiting for him in the majors. Instead, the Twins are left with one of their best prospects sitting in Triple-A; not because he isn't ready, but because there's nowhere to play him. That's not an ideal situation for either the player or the organization. Jenkins' situation is a little easier to justify. He's two years younger than Rodriguez and isn't yet on the 40-man roster, giving the Twins significantly more flexibility. Despite playing center field regularly with the Saints, he was not called up to play center field when Byron Buxton was recently placed on the IL. Considering the uncertainty surrounding the 2027 season and the long-term picture, that's not necessarily the wrong approach. There's no need to rush a player who could become a franchise cornerstone. At the same time, Jenkins has done just about everything you could ask. In fact, he's now the only top-seven selection from the 2023 MLB Draft who hasn't made his major league debut. You could even argue that, based purely on his all-around skill set, he's more MLB-ready than Rodriguez. It doesn't really matter, though, because just like Rodriguez, Jenkins is stuck in Triple-A despite continuing to prove he belongs at the next level. That's the roster crunch the Twins have created. Again, none of this is meant to diminish what Larnach has accomplished this season. If anything, it's the opposite. He's played well enough to significantly increase his value, and he's cemented himself as a key piece of the team for the remainder of 2026. The problem is that the Twins already decided he wasn't part of their long-term plans. They tried to trade him. When that deal fell through, they were left holding a player who now blocks the organization's next wave of outfield talent while simultaneously becoming harder to maximize in a future trade. Will Larnach help the Twins more than Jenkins or Rodriguez over the final two months of this season? Probably. But looking beyond 2026, the Twins may have backed themselves into a corner. They've got two elite outfield prospects knocking on the door, a veteran they already attempted to move, and fewer opportunities to maximize his trade value than they had just days ago. The Twins were buyers at this year's trade deadline, and they made several moves to improve their pitching staff. Those additions could absolutely pay dividends down the stretch. Still, if we're looking back at everything Minnesota did (or didn't do) at the deadline, I'd argue their biggest mistake wasn't one of the trades they made; it was the one they couldn't finish. View full article

Image courtesy of Denny Medley - IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Box Score Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober - 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 0 K (74 pitches, 50 strikes (68% strikes)) Home Runs: Royce Lewis (13) Top 3 WPA: Yoendrys Gómez (0.21), Josh Bell (0.20), Brooks Lee (0.17) Win Probability Chart The Twins entered Thursday night's series finale against the Royals desperately needing something to stop the bleeding. After buying at the trade deadline, Minnesota had dropped four straight games and lost the first two contests of this series, putting plenty of pressure on the finale. For much of the night, it looked like that losing streak was only going to grow. The Twins managed just one run through seven innings against Michael Wacha and Kansas City's bullpen, while Bailey Ober continued to give them every opportunity to climb back into the game. Then, with the season threatening to spiral further, Minnesota finally broke through. A three-run eighth inning erased a two-run deficit, Brooks Lee delivered yet another clutch hit, and the bullpen slammed the door as the Twins escaped Kauffman Stadium with a much-needed 4-3 victory. After four straight losses and another sluggish offensive performance, this was exactly the type of win Minnesota needed. BAILEY OBER KEPT THE TWINS IN THE GAME One week after tossing a quality start against Kansas City, Bailey Ober turned in another strong performance against the Royals. The right-hander cruised through the first two innings, needing just 26 pitches while allowing only one baserunner. His lone hiccup came in the third, when Kansas City strung together three consecutive two-out singles. Carter Jensen started the rally with a single before Bobby Witt Jr. collected his second hit of the night and stole second base. Jac Caglianone then reached down to hook a two-strike changeup into right field, bringing home both runners and giving the Royals a 2-0 lead. Outside of that inning, Ober was in complete control. He retired 11 of the final 13 batters he faced and continued working efficiently throughout the night, throwing only 63 pitches through five innings. Kansas City added another run in the sixth after Witt doubled and eventually scored on Salvador Perez's RBI ground ball that snuck through the left side, but Ober once again gave the Twins a chance to win. His final line won't fully reflect just how well he pitched. Aside from one two-out rally and a seeing-eye ground ball, Ober was exactly what Minnesota needed. ROYCE LEWIS STAYS HOT For the first four innings, the Twins had almost nothing going offensively. Alan Roden's leadoff double in the third went to waste, and after several well-hit balls found gloves early in the game, Minnesota finally broke through thanks to Royce Lewis. Leading off the fifth inning, Lewis jumped all over a 2-0 sinker from Michael Wacha and demolished it 421 feet over the bullpen in left field for his 13th home run of the season. The blast cut Kansas City's lead to 2-1 and finally gave the Twins some life. Minnesota immediately threatened to do even more. Victor Caratini and Tristan Gray each worked walks before Trevor Larnach reached on an infield single that deflected off Wacha's glove, loading the bases with two outs. Unfortunately, Luke Keaschall couldn't cash in, flying out to center field to end the inning and leaving all three runners stranded. At the time, it felt like another missed opportunity that might come back to haunt them. BROOKS LEE COMES THROUGH AGAIN Trailing 3-1 entering the eighth inning, the Twins finally mounted the rally they had been searching for all night. Keaschall started things with a single before Ryan Jeffers delivered a terrific nine-pitch walk as a pinch hitter. Josh Bell followed with an RBI single to right field, bringing home Keaschall while Jeffers went first-to-third, cutting the deficit to one. Kansas City went back to the bullpen, but it didn't matter. Lewis wore a two-strike pitch to load the bases, setting the stage for Brooks Lee. With two runners in scoring position, Lee ripped a line drive through the right side of the infield, scoring both Jeffers and pinch-runner Alex Jackson to give Minnesota its first lead of the night. It was another huge moment for Lee, who has developed a habit of delivering in the biggest spots this season. In a game where offense was incredibly difficult to come by, his two-run single completely flipped the outcome. THE BULLPEN FINISHED THE JOB Once the Twins grabbed the lead, it was up to the bullpen to make it stand. Kody Funderburk tossed a scoreless seventh before Andrew Morris made quick work of the heart of Kansas City's lineup in the eighth. Morris struck out Carter Jensen before getting Witt Jr. and Caglianone on consecutive ground balls, preserving Minnesota's one-run advantage. That handed the ball to Yoendrys Gómez in the ninth. Things didn't start smoothly, as Salvador Perez worked a leadoff walk before Tyler Tolbert entered as a pinch-runner representing the tying run. But before Kansas City could create any chaos on the bases, Gómez calmly picked Tolbert off first base for the inning's biggest out. From there, Gómez took over. He struck out Michael Massey after an eight-pitch battle before freezing Isaac Collins with a perfectly located backdoor sweeper to end the game. After dropping the first two games of the series and watching another early deficit develop, the Twins refused to let this one slip away. They finally found the big hits they had been searching for all night, their pitching staff once again kept them within striking distance, and Minnesota walked away with one of its most important victories of the season. It won't erase the frustration of the past week, but after buying at the trade deadline and immediately losing four straight, this was exactly the kind of comeback the Twins needed to remind everyone why they still believe they can make a run. What’s Next? The Twins continue their road trip, as they begin a three-game weekend series in Milwaukee against the Brewers tomorrow night. No starter has been announced yet for the Twins, but whoever it may be, they'll face off against left-hander Shane Drohan. First pitch is set for 6:40 PM. Postgame Interviews Coming Soon! Bullpen Availability Chart View full article

I hear where you're coming from. I think the reason we do games versus at-bats is that USUALLY a higher number of games naturally comes with a higher number of at-bats, but what do I know. As for your second question, it's certainly been a while. Buxton probably fits that description, but I can't think of anyone more recent (aside from Houston). Hopefully he stays red-hot at the plate for the remainder of the year!

Image courtesy of Stephen Brashear (Luis Castillo), Kevin Sousa (Jeff Hoffman), Dale Zanine (Foster Griffin) - IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect The 2026 MLB trade deadline is officially in the books, and all five teams in the AL Central were active over the past week. Some clubs pushed their chips into the middle of the table in hopes of making a playoff run. Others took a step back and focused on building for the future. That's the beauty of the trade deadline; no matter how much you think you've got it figured out, there are always a few surprises. Starting with the Twins, it was pretty obvious what the front office wanted to accomplish. They needed pitching and pitching they got. Minnesota added three relievers by acquiring Jeff Hoffman and Tommy Nance from the Blue Jays, along with left-hander AJ Minter from the Mets. More importantly, Hoffman and Minter give the Twins legitimate late-inning options that can help lock games down in October if they get there. Giving up high-upside pitching prospect Dasan Hill in the Hoffman deal certainly wasn't cheap, and there's always a chance that move comes back to haunt them years down the road. But when you're in the middle of a playoff race, sometimes you have to be willing to pay that price. I'm generally a fan of being aggressive when you believe your window is open. The Twins also addressed another glaring need by acquiring Dean Kremer from the Orioles. No, Kremer isn't the flashiest name available. He isn't going to headline any trade deadline grades. But the Twins desperately needed another starter who could simply take the ball every fifth day. Between injuries and inconsistent performances throughout the rotation, adding someone capable of eating innings was a necessity. His 6.50 ERA doesn't look pretty, but many of the underlying metrics paint a much more favorable picture than the surface numbers suggest. The Twins needed pitching, and they got pitching. Unfortunately, the two teams sitting ahead of them in the division standings also got noticeably better. The White Sox have been one of baseball's biggest surprises this season, and they entered the deadline with four obvious needs. They addressed every single one. Behind the plate, they landed Joey Bart from Atlanta without giving up much major league value. They bolstered their bullpen by adding Huascar Brazobán and Jose Urquidy, even after moving Seranthony Domínguez. They also landed arguably their biggest addition by acquiring veteran starter Luis Castillo from Seattle. Chicago's rotation has plenty of talented young arms, but adding someone with Castillo's résumé gives them a proven veteran to stabilize the staff down the stretch. Taking on the remainder of his sizable contract also shows just how committed the White Sox are to winning now. They rounded things out by adding outfielder Brenton Doyle, whose elite defense should immediately improve their outfield while giving manager Will Venable another option against left-handed pitching. The White Sox were already in first place entering the deadline, and it certainly feels like they improved. The same can be said for Cleveland. For an organization that's built its identity around developing pitching, adding All-Star left-hander Foster Griffin from Washington is a scary thought for the rest of the division. The Guardians also took a chance on Craig Yoho, whose nasty changeup gives him legitimate late-inning upside if he can stay healthy. Blake Perkins came over in that same deal, giving Cleveland another quality defensive outfielder. While parting with Bo Naylor and Codi Heuer wasn't insignificant, I really like the overall return Cleveland received. But they didn't stop there. The Guardians also addressed two holes in their lineup by acquiring Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe, adding a pair of established major league bats to an offense that desperately needed more production. That's bad news for Minnesota. Neither Cleveland nor Chicago made it any easier for the Twins to climb the standings over the final two months. Instead, this division feels like it's setting up for an absolute dogfight. Whichever team gets hot at the right time (and stays the healthiest) may very well win the AL Central. The Tigers took a much different approach. The biggest story of the deadline was Detroit trading away back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers. It's never easy to move a player of that caliber, but the Tigers walked away with an impressive haul. Detroit added outfielder Zyhir Hope along with pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith, with all three immediately landing among the organization's top 15 prospects. According to MLB Pipeline, Hope now ranks as Detroit's No. 2 prospect, Ryan checks in at No. 5 and Smith at No. 15. They also acquired left-hander Kash Mayfield (awesome name by the way) from San Diego in the Casey Mize deal, and he now slots in as the Tigers' No. 6 prospect. As painful as it is to trade someone like Skubal, Detroit clearly prioritized its long-term future. And honestly, they did a pretty good job of improving it. Then there's Kansas City. The Royals moved a pair of expiring contracts by trading Kris Bubic and Lane Thomas, while also sending Bailey Falter to Atlanta in the deal that brought back pitching prospects Lucas Braun and Carter Holton. Braun, especially, is a nice addition, but it still felt like Kansas City left opportunities on the table. For a team that's well outside the playoff picture, it was surprising to see both Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha remain on the roster. I don't want to speculate too much about why deals never materialized, but I'd have to guess age and contract commitments played a role. Both pitchers are in their mid-to-late 30s, and both are owed roughly $20 million annually over the next couple of seasons. Even so, it felt like Kansas City could have been more aggressive in maximizing the value of veteran players. Instead, the Royals walked away with what felt like a fairly underwhelming deadline. The AL Central was one of the busiest divisions in baseball over the past week, and it should make for an incredibly entertaining finish. The Twins addressed their biggest weakness. The White Sox and Guardians strengthened already competitive rosters. The Tigers boosted their long-term outlook with an impressive collection of prospects, and the Royals, well, they still leave plenty of unanswered questions. Now comes the fun part. With roughly two months remaining, it feels like this division belongs to three teams. The White Sox, Guardians and Twins all did what they needed to do at the deadline. Now it's simply a matter of who gets hot, and who can stay healthy the longest. View full article

Joe Ryan looked like one of baseball's best pitchers for most of the season, but the Twins' ace has hit an unexpected rough patch since the All-Star break. The underlying data suggests it's likely more than just bad luck. View full video

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Marek Houston) The month of July featured no shortage of impressive performances at the plate across the Twins' farm system. Some of the organization's top prospects continued to prove why there's so much excitement surrounding the future, while a handful of under-the-radar names quietly put together excellent months of their own. There was even a familiar face who reminded everyone he could still factor into the Twins' plans before long. The Twins' system was loaded with offensive production throughout July. Before we get into our top four, though, there are a few honorable mentions that deserve some recognition. Honorable Mentions Matt Wallner (Triple-A St. Paul): 21 G | .288/.391/.603 (.994 OPS) | 7 HR | 2 2B | 18 RBI | 15 R | 3 SB Yovanny Duran (FCL Twins): 15 G | .364/.532/.614 (1.146 OPS) | 1 HR | 4 2B | 2 3B | 6 RBI | 23 R | 17 SB Cody Morissette (Triple-A St. Paul): 21 G | .277/.368/.600 (.968 OPS) | 5 HR | 6 2B | 11 RBI | 12 R | 4 SB #4: Jacob McCombs (High-A Cedar Rapids) 16 G | .327/.471/.582 (1.053 OPS) | 2 HR | 6 2B | 1 3B | 10 RBI | 8 R | 4 SB Jacob McCombs had already been putting together a solid season for High-A Cedar Rapids, but July may have been his most complete month yet. He reached base nearly half the time he stepped to the plate while collecting nine extra-base hits and continuing to show excellent plate discipline. Perhaps the most impressive number of all was the seven strikeouts. McCombs consistently put the ball in play, worked quality at-bats, and rarely gave opposing pitchers easy outs. His strong July pushed his season OPS to .865, and he's beginning to look like a player who's ready for the next challenge. If he keeps producing at this level, a promotion to Double-A shouldn't be far away. #3: Aaron Sabato (Triple-A St. Paul) 18 G | .328/.419/.584 (1.003 OPS) | 4 HR | 5 2B | 10 RBI | 14 R | 5 SB It's no secret that Aaron Sabato's professional career hasn't gone according to plan. After being selected in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft, the first baseman has struggled to consistently translate his tremendous raw power into game production. But 2026 has easily been the best season of his professional career, and July was another big step in the right direction. He collected nine extra-base hits in just 18 games while continuing to show the power that made him a first-round pick. His bat-to-ball skills still aren't perfect, and strikeouts will likely always be part of his profile. But when he's consistently driving the baseball like he did throughout July, those concerns become much easier to live with. Sabato now owns a .932 OPS for Triple-A St. Paul this season, and if he continues hitting like this over the final two months, he could very well force his way into the Twins' plans sometime in 2027. (Note - Sabato will be a free agent if the Twins do not put him on their 40-man roster before the completion of the 2026 World Series.) #2: Caden Kendle (High-A Cedar Rapids / Double-A Wichita) 20 G | .423/.500/.606 (1.106 OPS) | 2 HR | 7 2B | 16 RBI | 14 R | 6 SB Few hitters across the organization were as consistent as Caden Kendle in July. The outfielder began the month with Cedar Rapids before earning a promotion to Double-A Wichita on July 7. Rather than slowing down against tougher competition, Kendle didn't miss a beat. He drove in 16 runs, scored 14 more, stole six bases, and finished the month with nearly as many walks as strikeouts. That's the kind of all-around offensive profile every organization loves to see. The promotion itself speaks volumes about how highly the Twins think of Kendle, and the fact that he continued producing immediately after arriving in Double-A makes his July even more impressive. If this level of production continues, Kendle's stock within the organization will only keep rising. #1: Marek Houston (Double-A Wichita) 23 G | .358/.429/.611 (1.040 OPS) | 5 HR | 7 2B | 1 3B | 22 RBI | 18 R | 12 SB Taking the top spot this month is Twins No. 5 prospect Marek Houston. Houston has been one of the biggest breakout stories in the organization this season, and he somehow managed to take things up another level in July. He piled up 13 extra-base hits, drove in 22 runs, scored another 18, and swiped 12 bases along the way. He was also named Texas League Player of the Week during the month, consistently finding ways to impact games in every facet. What's made Houston's emergence so exciting is that he's long been viewed as a glove-first shortstop. The defense has never been in question, but the offensive breakout has considerably elevated his ceiling. Now, he's showing legitimate power, getting on base consistently, and creating havoc once he reaches base. Houston has quickly become one of the biggest risers in the Twins' farm system over the course of the 2026 season, and if he continues on this trajectory, there's a very real chance Twins fans will see him make his major league debut at some point in 2027. The Twins' farm system continues to trend in the right direction, and July was another reminder of just how much offensive talent is working its way through the organization. Whether it was established prospects like Houston or players like Kendle, McCombs, and Sabato taking important steps forward, the future remains bright. And if these performances carry over into August, there may be even more promotions on the horizon. 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Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect July looked nothing like June for the Twins' pitching staff. After a brutal stretch in which Minnesota's pitchers struggled to consistently keep games under control, the script completely flipped over the last month. The Twins allowed more than five runs in just five of their 24 games in July, and nowhere was the turnaround more noticeable than in the bullpen. In June, Twins relievers combined for an ugly 6.94 ERA. Just one month later, that number plummeted all the way to 2.86. Coincidence? Probably not. Behind that dominant pitching, the Twins went 15-9 in July, climbed back into the American League playoff picture, and ultimately convinced the front office to buy at the trade deadline instead of sell. The pitching staff didn't just improve; they kept the Twins’ season alive. With that, here are your Pitchers of the Month for July. 4. Yoendrys Gómez July Stats: 11 G, 10 1/3 IP, 1.74 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 10 K, 7 BB, 3.20 FIP It almost feels disrespectful putting Yoendrys Gómez fourth on this list. After all, he was last month's Pitcher of the Month and has done nothing to lose the closer's job. But that's just a testament to how dominant Minnesota's pitching staff was throughout July. Across 10 1/3 innings, Gómez allowed just two earned runs while striking out 10 hitters. He also walked seven and surrendered eight hits, so there was certainly no shortage of traffic on the bases. The difference was that Gómez consistently found a way out of trouble. Whether it was inducing a weak ground ball, missing a bat in a big spot or simply making the next pitch when he needed to, the Twins' closer repeatedly escaped jams before they could snowball into anything bigger. Even after Minnesota acquired A.J. Minter ahead of the trade deadline, Gómez has maintained a firm grip on the closer role. Yes, he was tagged with the loss on Sunday, but that came in a tie game during the ninth inning and was his first defeat of the entire season. It doesn't change the fact that Gómez continues to be one of the biggest reasons the Twins have been able to shorten games late. 3. Taj Bradley July Stats: 6 G, 37 IP, 2.92 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 48 K, 14 BB, 3.40 FIP Just like Gomez, Taj Bradley almost feels too low on this list. The right-hander was everything the Twins could have asked for throughout July, leading all of Major League Baseball with 37 innings pitched during the month. And they weren't empty innings, either. Bradley posted a 2.92 ERA while piling up 48 strikeouts, good for a remarkable 33% strikeout rate. Time after time, he gave the Twins exactly what they needed—a workhorse capable of pitching deep into games while missing bats at an elite level. Since arriving in Minnesota, Bradley has settled into the role of a reliable #2 starter behind Joe Ryan, and July may have been his best month yet in a Twins uniform. When his fastball is commanding the zone and his breaking stuff is generating swings and misses, Bradley has shown he can dominate just about any lineup in baseball. For a Twins team hoping to make noise in the American League Central race, that's exactly the kind of pitcher they'll need down the stretch. 2. Kody Funderburk July Stats: 10 G, 11 2/3 IP, 0.77 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 11 K, 3 BB, 1.98 FIP After a slow start to the season, Kody Funderburk is beginning to look like himself again. The left-hander was outstanding throughout July, posting a microscopic 0.77 ERA across 11 2/3 innings while striking out 11 batters and issuing just three walks. Perhaps even more encouraging than the ERA was how he got there. Funderburk's strikeout rate jumped nearly 20 percentage points compared to June, showing that his swing-and-miss stuff has returned in a big way. At the same time, he continued generating ground balls at an elite rate, posting a 69% ground-ball rate for the second consecutive month. Missing bats while keeping the ball on the ground is exactly what every bullpen wants out of a late-inning reliever, and that's exactly what Funderburk provided throughout July. The Twins have waited patiently for the left-hander to find his rhythm after his rough start to the year. It certainly looks like he's found it. And with the playoff race heating up, Minnesota would love to see this version of Funderburk stick around for another two months. Twins Pitcher of the Month: Andrew Morris July Stats: 12 G, 14 IP, 0.64 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 11 K, 3 BB, 3.31 FIP Andrew Morris finished second in last month's rankings. Apparently, he wasn't satisfied with that. The rookie right-hander claims the top spot this time around after another dominant month out of the Twins' bullpen. Across 14 innings in July, Morris surrendered just one earned run while striking out 11 hitters and walking only three. That lone run came on a solo home run. Every other baserunner Morris allowed to reach safely (which wasn’t many) ended up stranded. That's incredibly difficult to do, but it has become something of a trademark for the rookie. Morris continues to rank among the best pitchers in baseball at generating soft contact, consistently forcing hitters to beat the ball into the ground or make weak contact rather than driving the baseball. He doesn't overpower opponents with eye-popping strikeout totals, but he rarely gives hitters anything to square up. As a rookie, Morris has quickly transformed himself into one of the Twins' most dependable bullpen arms. If this is the pitcher Morris already is during his first taste of the major leagues, it's hard not to be excited about what he'll become over the next several years. After an ugly June, the Twins' pitching staff answered with one of its best months of the season in July. For the time being, the group is also relatively healthy, with Mike Paredes' move to the 60-day injured list serving as the lone significant exception. The front office has already rewarded that turnaround by adding a pair of arms before the trade deadline, and it wouldn't be surprising if another move is still on the way. Because if the Twins can get two more months of pitching like they received in July, they'll have a very real chance to play postseason baseball. View full article

The Twins capped off their trade deadline by acquiring reliever Jeff Hoffman from Toronto, sending Dasan Hill, John Klein, and Dameury Pena to the Blue Jays in return. It's a hefty price, but Hoffman brings elite swing-and-miss stuff and could be a major boost to Minnesota's bullpen. View full video

Image courtesy of Matt Blewett & Bruce Kluckhohn, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect We all knew coming into the season that the Twins’ bullpen was going to be the biggest question mark on the roster. After last year's trade deadline saw Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland , Brock Stewart and Danny Coulombe all shipped elsewhere, there simply wasn't much left behind. With the front office doing very little over the winter to replenish that group, it felt inevitable that the bullpen would take a step back. That's exactly what's happened. Minnesota's late-game arms have struggled to consistently protect leads, putting additional pressure on a team that has already dealt with its fair share of inconsistency. The Twins' bullpen currently ranks 26th in baseball with a 4.92 ERA and 29th with a 1.52 WHIP. They've also issued the sixth-most walks of any team, and they haven't generated nearly enough strikeouts to offset all of the extra traffic. It's been a difficult season for a unit that, just one year ago, was viewed as arguably the organization's biggest strength. One of the more surprising parts of last summer's fire sale was that the Twins didn't just trade one elite reliever; they traded both Duran and Jax. Considering both pitchers were among the very best late-inning arms in baseball and would’ve remained under team control through 2028, it seemed far more likely that they’d move one while keeping the other as the anchor of the bullpen moving forward. Instead, both were gone. That decision left the Twins without proven options in the eighth and ninth innings, and replacing pitchers of that caliber was never going to happen overnight. But while the bullpen as a whole has struggled, it's becoming increasingly clear that Minnesota may already have the foundation of its next dominant late-inning tandem. Andrew Morris and Yoendrys Gómez aren't there yet. Comparing them to Duran and Jax today would be unfair. Still, it's hard to ignore what both pitchers have done this season, and even harder to ignore the potential that's still ahead. Gómez, in particular, has transformed into exactly what the Twins desperately needed after arriving in Minnesota. He's posted a sparkling 1.78 ERA across 30 1/3 innings with the club while converting all 12 of his save opportunities. Every time Derek Shelton has handed him the ball with a lead in the ninth inning, Gómez has delivered. For a bullpen that has struggled to consistently close out games, that reliability has been invaluable. The underlying metrics aren't quite as enthusiastic as the traditional numbers, but there's important context there. Much of the damage to his expected statistics came earlier in the season during his brief stint with the Rays, before landing with the Twins. Since arriving in Minnesota, Gómez has looked like a completely different pitcher. His sweeper has emerged as a legitimate weapon, comparable to the devastating breaking ball that made Jax one of the league's premier setup men. It's the type of pitch that can carry a reliever through high-leverage situations, and Gómez has leaned on it with tremendous success. The rest of his arsenal still has room to develop, but that's what makes his performance even more encouraging. He's only 26 years old. There are still adjustments to make and refinement left to come, giving the Twins reason to believe there's another level he can eventually reach. Morris has followed a different path, but his rookie season has been every bit as encouraging. In fact, there's a strong argument that he's been Minnesota's best reliever over the course of the year. Unlike Gómez, Morris has built success through a deep arsenal and an impressive ability to avoid hard contact. Few pitchers in baseball have been better at generating weak contact this season, and that's allowed Morris to consistently work out of difficult situations despite not having a traditional wipeout offering. What's especially exciting is that the swing-and-miss ability is already beginning to show up anyway. All six of Morris' pitches have generated whiffs on at least 20 percent of swings this season. That speaks to the quality and deception throughout his entire repertoire rather than relying on one dominant pitch. If he eventually develops a true put-away weapon to pair with everything else, his ceiling rises considerably. The building blocks are already in place. Just like Gómez, Morris feels like a pitcher whose best baseball is still in front of him. Together, they've already become two of the most dependable relievers in the Twins’ bullpen. Blown leads and bullpen meltdowns have become all too common, yet Morris and Gómez have consistently been the exceptions. They've earned meaningful roles, and both have looked comfortable handling them. Again, suggesting they've already replaced what Duran and Jax were would be getting ahead of ourselves. But saying Morris and Gómez are incapable of becoming that kind of duo feels just as premature. Both pitchers remain under team control through the 2031 season, with two years of pre-arbitration eligibility remaining before entering arbitration for three seasons. That gives the Twins a long runway to continue developing both arms while keeping them together during what should be the prime years of their careers. For an organization that suddenly found itself searching for a new identity in the bullpen after last year's deadline, that's an encouraging place to start. The Twins still have plenty of work to do before their relief corps returns to being one of the league's strengths, but if Morris and Gómez continue progressing the way they have, Minnesota may already have the next great late-inning duo sitting right in front of them. View full article