I agree that the best players should be playing, however the guys making playing time decisions with the Twins do not. That and this team has several young players that have not been given the chance to adjust after the league makes adjustments, especially players that have come from other systems.
I 100% hope Martin is the opening day LF and is given the chance to play 145 games out there, but I think the Twins are hoping he's Willie Castro 2.0 and want to play him all over the diamond.
As far as batting him lead-off; no, that's Buxton's spot, and his best numbers have come out of that that spot. Martin batting 9th could be a nice weapon ahead of Buxton as pitchers might be more willing to pitch to him instead of Buxton.
If it is one of or a platoon between the two, Roden (LH) and/or Martin (RH) fit the 9 spot in line-up better than the 2 spot (that's where Keaschall should be).
Outman profiles a little higher in the line-up, 6th or 7th with his power and higher K rate, but batting him 9th IF he earns the spot also works.
According to this article,and others I have read, Steer is more valuable as a utility type player as his bat is below average for a 1B....(we've seen that pony before).
https://www.si.com/mlb/reds/onsi/cincinnati-reds-analysis/spencer-steer-will-mash-in-2026-but-major-question-remains-01k9wdx38d4f
This guy might be onto something with some of these, but still funnier than anybody on TD....
https://www.mlb.com/news/hypothetical-mlb-trades-2025-26-offseason?adobe_mc=TS%3D1764351043|MCMID%3D69464912638303632122041409053634959245|MCORGID%3DA65F776A5245B01B0A490D44%40AdobeOrg&affiliateId=mlbapp-android_webview&rsid=mlbat.bat.android&theme=dark
Career slash lines of 2 players:
Player A: .243/.329/.421 (.750 OPS) 101 OPS+. Arb est. $4.5 M
Player B: .241/.323/.403 (.726 OPS) 101 OPS+ Arb est $4.7 M
They are basically the same player, but one is desired by TD in a trade, and one TD thinks should be DFA'd....
He is basically league average by both OPS+(99) and wRC+(101), and we don't know that he will cost $5 MM, that's one projection ($4.7 MM actually), I saw somewhere else that his projected salary could be $3.5 MM. That being said, I think his numbers can be replicated by a younger, cheaper player, but maybe the Twins offered him a contract to keep him on the roster to get some sort of return in a trade, unlike when they cut Rosario and allowed him to leave via FA. Time will tell.
Using wRC+, Larnach is roughly equal to Alec Bohm, Luis Arraez, Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Paul Goldschmidt, Teoscar Hernandez, Gavin Lux, Trevor Story, and Miguel Vargas, among others. New age stats don't lie!!
With all the OF prospects due up at some point during the '26 season, I would have expected the team to seriously consider Wallner for 1B, he has a higher upside than either Julien or Clemens. And let's be serious, if Julien and Miranda can be given reps at 1B, why not Wallner??
Until they acquired Suarez at the deadline and moved Polanco to 2B late in the season, but they are FA's, as are Naylor and Garver, so they might be a fit, but their ask would probably start with Wallner or Lewis, maybe both, and a young SP.