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The Twins saw a trio of young players establish themselves at the big-league level in 2023. Would the front office consider trading a young player to fix holes at other parts of the roster? Image courtesy of Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports The Twins must be creative this winter to fill some of the club’s different needs. Minnesota needs a playoff-caliber starter to replace Sonny Gray in the rotation and a replacement for Michael A. Taylor in center field. Adding a right-handed bench bat and upgrading the bullpen would be nice, but those may be luxuries the team can’t afford while cutting payroll. It’s a tough spot for the front office, but they have previously shown the ability to be creative. Many trade rumors this winter have swirled around the club, including shopping veteran players with higher contracts, like Kyle Farmer, Christian Vazquez, and Jorge Polanco. Unfortunately, trade value for those player types will bring back a minimal return. Instead, the front office can look to trade some of their young, established MLB players to capitalize on their value. It will likely take a combination of moves to free up payroll and add impact players at positions of need. Here is a look at three young players the Twins might consider including in trades this winter. Each player’s surplus trade value is from Baseball Trade Values. Edouard Julien, 2B Surplus Trade Value: $35.3 million Julien has been an intriguing prospect over the last two seasons, and fans saw the value he provides at the plate. In 109 games, he hit .263/.381/.459 (.839) with 16 doubles and 16 home runs. His defense made strides at second base, but he’s still considered a below-average defender. Minnesota traded Luis Arraez last winter, when it was clear the club wasn’t confident in his ability to play second base. Julien might be in a similar position, and he has more years of team control than Arraez did last winter. If Polanco was traded, the assumption was that Julien would take over the second base duties. If Julien was also dealt, the Twins have other young options who might be ready to step into the role, including Austin Martin and Brooks Lee. Matt Wallner, OF Surplus Trade Value: $23.3 million Like Julien, Wallner is supposed to be the heir apparent at a position occupied by a current veteran. If the Twins trade Kepler, Wallner can slide over to right field and be part of the team’s line-up for most of the next decade. In 2023, Wallner hit .249/.370/.507(.877) with 11 doubles and 14 home runs across 76 games. The Twins can also look to include Wallner in a trade because his value might never be higher. Wallner’s offensive profile will come with many strikeouts and inconsistent contact. Other corner outfield options include Trevor Larnach, Nick Gordon, and Austin Martin. Wallner has been a great story as a Minnesota native, but the timing might be suitable for the Twins to maximize his value on the trade market. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF Surplus Trade Value: $19.7 million The Twins might consider other top prospects untouchable, like Lee and Walker Jenkins. Rodriguez is the team’s other consensus top-100 prospect, which can make other teams value his potential upside. Rodriguez was added to the team’s 40-man roster this winter and is projected to spend next season at Double-A. It's interesting to consider that Baseball Trade Values believes Rodriguez has much lower value than the other more established players, but that might be reflection of his extreme high-risk/high-reward profile. There are no indications that the Twins want to part with Rodriguez, but the organization will likely need to trade multiple prospects to acquire a frontline starting pitcher. Minnesota’s winning window is open right now, which might force the front office to be aggressive. Minnesota obviously has other highly valued players at or close to the big league, but some of those options might be untouchable in the eyes of the Twins. Will the front office consider trading any of the players mentioned above? Do you agree with the trade values? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Let's talk trades! An idea I submitted for Twins Daily's Offseason Handbook was acquiring Mitch Keller of the Pirates for a package of Matt Wallner and David Festa. Here's a discussion on why I like Keller as a trade target, whether this offer would be likely to get him on the Twins and a look at another similar trade idea offered by another Twins Daily contributor. View full video

The Minnesota Twins will have some internal decisions to make this offseason, and as they look to restructure their 40-man roster, some players will be pieced out in trades. One that seems likely and potentially valuable is Trevor Larnach. Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports Minnesota drafted Trevor Larnach with the 20th overall pick during the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were still getting their feet wet in the front office, and while Sean Johnson was still in charge of the draft, Larnach’s selection indicated a new direction. This current regime has leaned into college hitters with impressive exit velocities. As those sustain at the next level and give major league organizations something to work with, a player from a National Championship team in Oregon was plenty to get excited about. Three years into his big-league career, Larnach squeaked onto the Opening Day roster in 2023 but had been trending towards Triple-A for most of the spring. The one-time top-50 prospect had a .708 OPS through 47 games to start the season but got only brief stints in June and July while searching for his missing power. Despite being able to punish the baseball, Larnach’s game power has translated into just 20 dingers across his first 188 career games. Due to his inability to handle off-speed pitches at times, Larnach's lack of slugging prowess has held him back. When Joey Gallo went down late in the year for Rocco Baldelli’s Twins, it was Larnach who again got an opportunity. From the end of July to early September, Larnach had a .536 slugging percentage for the Saints, hitting seven home runs in a stretch of 38 games. The Twins were looking for that, and they were hoping it would finally translate. Filling in as Minnesota headed toward the postseason, Larnach drew starts in just four of eight games. Despite the sporadic playing time, he brought the power from St. Paul. Two of his four hits left the yard, and he doubled in a third. With a 5/3 K/BB, he showed solid plate discipline while stinging the ball when putting it in play, albeit in a small sample. There wasn’t much indication that Larnach would be on the postseason roster, even with Byron Buxton out of the equation. He is a corner outfielder blocked by both Max Kepler and Matt Wallner. That resembles much of the same situation Minnesota will find this offseason, with Kepler’s option already picked up. Although some luster has worn off for a soon-to-be-27-year-old, Larnach could be a late-bloomer, not yet arbitration-eligible until 2025. In dealing Larnach, Minnesota would be moving on from a position of surplus. The outfield corners are ripe with options for the Twins, and a major league-ready talent could be sold as a high-floor breakout candidate if the pitch is correct. Sending Larnach out in a deal isn’t going to result in a blockbuster, and he won’t be the cornerstone of something massive. He does represent much more than a throw-in, though, and the team control he comes with could be appealing to plenty of suitors. Whereas the idea of trading for a young high-ceiling prospect like Yasser Mercedes may be titillating due to what you could dream on, Larnach is a more of the realized version with an opportunity to blossom. Ultimately, Larnach represents an ideal candidate to be moved by Minnesota this winter, and freeing up a spot on the 40-man roster by adding a more necessary talent is enticing. Sometimes draft picks and prospects are about future capital, and while Larnach wouldn’t be playing to his potential in the organization he initially joined, cashing in on him in the form of another provides a lengthened arc for the story. What do you think? Is Trevor Larnach in the Twins organization on Opening Day in 2024? What type of return do you see him bringing back? View full article

Matt Wallner had a frustrating postseason debut in 2023, and many fans were rightfully disappointed. It’s worth noting that despite a poor stretch of five games, Wallner should have established himself as an exciting part of the 2024 lineup. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson, USA Today Matt Wallner is a great story, being one of several native Minnesotans on the Twins roster in 2023. Many fans have been rooting for him since being drafted by the Twins 39th overall in 2019. His debut in 2022 left a lot of questions about his ability to hold up against MLB-level pitching. 2023 was far from perfect, but headed into 2024, Wallner should have fans feeling a bit better. Fans hate strikeouts. Twins fans especially do after watching the home team strike out a record number of times in 2023. They’ve also been subject to long stretches of hollow at-bats by hitters such as Miguel Sano and Joey Gallo in recent years, which has turned them particularly sour to whiffs. Strikeouts are a part of Matt Wallner’s game; there’s no way around it. Even in Triple-A, he struck out just a shade under 30% of the time in 2023. His 31.5% rate improved from the 38.5% he posted in limited action in 2022. The question with players like Matt Wallner isn’t whether they will strike out. It’s whether they make the strikeouts worth it. In 2023, Matt Wallner showed that he can make the trade-off worthwhile. In 254 plate appearances, Wallner slashed .249/.370/.507, good for 44% above the league average hitter. He walked 11% of the time and was on a 30+ homer pace for an entire season. Max Kepler had the lowest strikeout rate on the Twins, with a minimum of 250 plate appearances, and Wallner outpaced him in OPS .877 to .816. Matt Wallner’s 2023 is a prime example of how a high strikeout rate can be worth it. More encouraging even than Wallner cutting his strikeout rate from 2022 to 2023 is the fact that pitchers seemed to find a hole in his swing midseason, and Wallner was able to adjust back. The strikeouts became a focal point when Wallner went 0-16 with eight strikeouts from September 5-10, causing some to wonder whether we were watching things play out similarly to Trevor Larnach earlier in the season. Wallner took a day off to make some adjustments and finished the season, slashing .354/.456/.646 with a 28% strikeout rate. As a hitter who tries to wait out the pitcher to make a mistake, the strikeouts go hand in hand with the power and walks. Anything close that he doesn’t want to hit, he’ll spit on. Sometimes, he’ll miss pitches in the zone with two strikes, leading to higher strikeout rates. It’s an approach that could become a lot easier to accept if the Twins don’t have such a strikeout-heavy team in 2024. Joey Gallo and his 42.8% strikeout rate will be off the roster next season. Michael A. Taylor and his 33.5% strikeout rate may be as well. With fewer all-or-nothing hitters in the lineup regularly, Wallner should be a better complementary hitter in the Twins lineup, especially when contact specialists such as Brooks Lee and Austin Martin debut. It’s still a limited number of at-bats for Wallner in his career, but the high ceiling he’s shown, along with the ability to adjust, should be very encouraging. He may always be prone to stretches of low points to go along with the highs, but the hope is that as he develops, he becomes more consistent and continues to be able to adjust back to opposing pitchers. Five games in October shouldn’t warp fans' view of Matt Wallner. He had an unbelievable year, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t have a chance at an everyday role in 2024. Is he due for regression? Could he possibly even improve upon his impressive 2023? Let us know below! View full article

The Twins fell short in the postseason, mainly due to a lack of hitting. Some players stepped up and established themselves as playoff threats, and others wilted under the pressure. Will the lineup be able to take the next step in 2024? Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports In 2023, the conversation for the Twins in the playoffs finally changed. There were media outlets in September suggesting it would be good for the five seed to “tank” in order to face three-seeded Minnesota in the Wild Card round since “bulletin board material” didn’t apply to such a cursed franchise. But no longer can the Twins’ chances be reduced to a hand wave and a chuckle – they won as many games as they lost, including nearly handing the Astros a loss in the ALDS for the first time since the Obama administration. Now the conversation has to be (as with all playoff teams) what the Twins need in order to go further in 2024. They didn’t hit much against the Astros (or the Blue Jays for that matter), with a number of their hitters failing to eclipse the .600 mark in OPS for the two rounds. However, we did see evidence of a few guys who could terrify future playoff opponents by virtue of what they did in October 2023. Edouard Julien: He drew five walks in the six games, with three extra base hits and zero errors/misplays on defense. His OPS for the playoffs was a stout 1.043. He did make two baserunning errors, one ghastly (game one of the ALDS), and one a product of bad luck (game four). Julien showed that his blend of power and patience will play in the postseason. His home run and double in game four gave the Twins some life, and his pinch-hit, bases loaded, two-out single in game two sealed a win. He is a playoff caliber leadoff hitter. Royce Lewis: He posted an OPS over 1.100 in the playoffs, with four home runs that put him on the precipice of setting the Twins’ all-time playoff record. After six games. He appeared to press at times, swinging at some spiked breaking balls in crucial moments, but he’s also played in only 76 career games to this point, including the playoffs. Seeing more pitchers and how they attack him should make him even more of a threat next October. Carlos Correa: He also eclipsed a 1.000 OPS, and threw in some of the savviest shortstop play I have ever seen with his pickoff of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and deke of Jose Abreu. His performance sealed his reputation as a known quantity in the playoffs, regardless of how his regular season goes. In 2020, he posted an OPS lower than what he posted in 2023 sans any plantar fasciitis issues. In the playoffs he hit for a 1.209 OPS and six home runs in twelve games that year. That isn’t to say he is automatic in the playoffs, but he will be ready. Jorge Polanco: This one is borderline. Polanco’s .653 2023 playoff OPS doesn’t stand out, except when you compare it to the rest of the Twins’ lineup. He drew four walks and popped a key three-run home run in game one of the ALDS that drew a collective gulp from everyone in the stadium that day. Polanco has proven he can hit in the playoffs. He was one of the few players to show up for the 2019 ALDS, hitting a first inning homer in game one, then tying the game with a single in the fifth. His defense is another matter. He went about 1-4 in fielding chances against Toronto and the specter of his missed flip in 2020 still haunts me to this day. Outside of those hitters and Kyle Farmer, the rest of the position player group didn’t inspire much confidence. Playoff pitching just doesn’t compare to the regular season. It rewards superstars (Yordan Alvarez) and guys who play within themselves (Martin Maldonado). It can be hard to identify who will play the Jason Kubel (1-29 career in the postseason) role in a given playoff series, and the Twins had a few this year. Chief among those was Ryan Jeffers. Outside of two hits in game one of the ALDS, Jeffers contributed nothing offensively. Two walks and a lot of strikeouts. He hit some balls hard, but he also made you wonder if keeping the playoff-tested Christian Vazquez on the bench for every game was the right move. Watching Vazquez’s at-bats down the stretch compared to Jeffers’ catcher-leading OPS made it a justifiable decision, but giving Vazquez a start or two may have butterfly-effected an extra scoring opportunity. We’ll never know. Matt Wallner went hitless in twelve plate appearances for the playoffs, although he did contribute three walks and a key hit-by-pitch. His inability to make contact against jumpy fastballs was exposed, and he’ll have to work and adjust in order to avoid a reputation as a mistake crusher who wilts against good pitching. Max Kepler was victimized by two terrible strike three calls against Houston, and he did collect a hit in his first five games of the playoffs. But even at his best, Kepler isn’t a cleanup hitter for a serious playoff lineup. He struck out 14 times in the six games and was worth -1.6% cWPA (championship win probability added) against the Astros. As a seven hole hitter, his skill set would play a lot better. Alex Kirilloff was playing through a torn labrum in his lead hitting shoulder, and performed as such. He is a little jumpy at the plate, even when healthy (taking strikes, then swinging at balls). But his elite plate coverage and all-fields power could be a major asset on future playoff teams. Now, having only three hitters clicking at the same time can certainly play in the playoffs. The 2019 Nationals provided proof of that concept with Juan Soto, Howie Kendrick and Anthony Rendon delivering a World Series championship that year. But ideally, you would want more lineup depth than that. Wallner has shown an ability to make adjustments, Jeffers has shown an ability to hit good pitching, Byron Buxton is always a wild card, and Kirilloff has shown the skill set to succeed in October. But if the front office doesn’t add another big bat this offseason, that may be a decision they could come to regret, especially given that the pitching will be hard-pressed to match this year's production. What do you think? Is the projected 2024 lineup good enough to take the next step as is, or does it need another piece? Sound off in the comments. View full article

We all dig the long ball! If you're like us, you really liked these 2023 Twins home runs. Image courtesy of Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports With the season now at a bittersweet end, Twins fans should consider what matters most: our favorite moments when hitters smashed a ball out of the park. Although this list is entirely subjective, I did my best to collect a diverse set of well-timed dingers from the season. Let's review. 13. Joey Gallo Breaks Statcast vs. Hayden Wesneski (Cubs), May 13. Exit Velocity: 110.6 mph, Distance: 422 feet Most Twins fans would probably be happy to forget Joey Gallo’s frustrating Twins tenure. But the former Ranger had a monster start to the season, including a 1.066 OPS in the first month. In particular, how could anyone forget Gallo’s monster three-run shot against Cleveland that broke Statcast, the analytics tracker. Speculation about the distance of the ball took over Twins Twitter—did Gallo break 500 feet?—before the reported distance came in at a surprisingly minuscule 422 feet (the culprit turned out to be the poor launch angle; in fact, Alex Kirilloff hit one the same distance that day). But for those watching, the eye test made it seem like Gallo smacked it to another dimension. 12. Max Kepler Comes in the Clutch vs. Paul Sewald (Diamondbacks), August 6. Exit Velocity: 110.4 mph, Distance: 438 feet Max Kepler was the consensus favorite among Twins Daily writers for Most Improved Player of the Year. Continually cited as a DFA candidate throughout the early months, Kepler's sudden power surge came at opportune times, including several late innings smacks that often turned the scoreboard back in Minnesota’s favor. Just a week after the trade deadlines, Kepler faced down Mariners-turned-Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald. Down a run going into the bottom of the ninth, Kepler wasted no time and launched the pitch to tie the game. It was one of several moments that the right fielder made count in the second half. 11. Matt Wallner Goes Very, Very Far vs. Paul Blackburn (Athletics), September 26, Exit Velocity: 114.5 mph, Distance: 463 feet There was a lot of hope for Matt Wallner coming into the season after his late-season debut in 2022. Even during a slump late in the season, Wallner continued to get on base and prove his worth. During a final week game against the Athletics, Wallner smoked one from starter Paul Blackburn with the bases loaded a massive 463 feet, one of the longest home runs of the season that had fans in the upper deck scrambling for a ball they never expected to land anywhere near them. Expect a lot more like that next season. 10. Carlos Correa Declares His Time vs. Devin Williams (Brewers), June 13, Exit Velocity: 108.6 mph, Distance: 408 feet It became a running joke in my household that I would declare Carlos Correa finally “back,” only to watch another week of struggles due to his injuries. Correa’s lack of clutch hitting this season may have frustrated Twins fans, though most writers on this site would argue his playoff performance wiped away the slate. Even within that struggle, Correa found quite a few moments to awe fans and teammates alike. None felt like a personal victory, as much as a bottom of the 9th smack against the Brewers. Closer Devin Williams had already given away the lead on a Michael A. Taylor home run. Fans were already joking that Correa was due for a double play with a runner on first. Instead, the shortstop took a 1-1 pitch deep to left field to walk it off. He immediately pointed at his wrist in one of his classic moves: “It’s my time.” 9. Ryan Jeffers Lasers the Ball vs. Bryan Abreu (Astros), May 29, Exit Velocity: 117.4 mph, Distance: 374 feet There were several highlights as Ryan Jeffers rose from backup catcher to Joe Mauer’s apparent heir, as both the team and fans saw a swing that seemed full of dynamite. What has always made Jeffers’s dingers fun is how incredibly unique they are. Rather than get the right launch angle, the dingers look like cruise missiles. How else can you categorize this critical extra inning hit against the Astros in May? Coming off the bat at 117 mph, look at how quickly the ball gets out to the Crawford Boxes. It’s a shame Jeffers could not match it during the ALDS, but the potential remains. 7-8. Byron Buxton Obliterates It…Twice vs. Brandon Walter (Red Sox), June 22, Exit Velocity: 112.2 mph, Distance: 466 feet vs. Justin Garza (Red Sox), June 22, Exit Velocity: 111.9 mph, Distance: 465 feet Fans will debate the contours of Byron Buxton’s disappointing season, not only due to the injuries that once again plagued his availability but also the poor performance as a Designated Hitter. Although the All-Star had transformed himself from a hit-and-run guy into a power hitter, the DH position seemed to change his mental stance and balloon his strikeout rate. But when that power came, it sure did. His June 22nd game against the Red Sox showed the Buxton that we all desperately desired, pulverizing not just one but two dingers. The first was 466 feet, and the second nearly matched it at 465 feet. No hitter since the Statcast Era began had ever hit multiple home runs over 460 feet. Buxton’s response? “They all count the same, so if they go over, they all feel good.” Let’s see it again next year, Buck. 3-4-5-6. Royce Lewis, Holy S**T! vs. Xzavion Curry (Guardians), August 27, Exit Velocity: 98.2 mph, Distance: 393 feet vs. Chris Stratton (Rangers), August 28, Exit Velocity: 111.7 mph, Distance: 423 feet vs. Lucas Giolito (Guardians), September 4, Exit Velocity: 107.6 mph, Distance: 401 feet vs. Jesse Scholtens (White Sox), September 15, Exit Velocity: 99.9 mph, Distance: 397 feet How can you even begin to explain it? Royce Lewis, He is Him. Lewis hit four grand slams throughout the season, a ridiculous record that already put him on the top of numerous Twins record lists. They all came after he spent over a month recovering from an oblique strain, almost like he was never injured in the first place. Luck is always a factor in whether a player will even have an opportunity, but Lewis relished it. None of these dingers were particularly unique, but the fact it kept happening, repeatedly felt like a new page of baseball had arrived in Minnesota. If I had to choose only one, I would choose the third against Cleveland. The smash against Lucas Giolito made the game a 6-0 ball game, and, more importantly, signaled to the still barely in-the-running Guardians that their season was over. The Era of Lewis has arrived. 1-2. Royce Lewis Breaks the Curse vs. Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays), October 3, Exit Velocity: 105.5 mph, Distance: 386 feet vs. Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays), October 3, Exit Velocity: 104.2 mph, Distance: 397 feet I initially began drafting this list before the playoffs. Only minutes into Minnesota’s first playoff game did it become apparent I needed a different home run to top this list. The game that ended Minnesota's 0-18 playoff curse perhaps surprised some as boppers from both sides of the plate went quiet - except one. Minnesota beat the Blue Jays 3-1. The entire difference was, once again, Royce Lewis. Lewis put himself and the entire Twins team on the map through his dingers to left and then to center, both off Cy Young candidate Kevin Gausman. Only to add insult to injury, these were his first two plate appearances in over a week after a hamstring pulled him out of the regular season. The man could barely run to first base, and here he was, creating a Minnesota Miracle. By the end of the team’s run, Lewis popped four home runs over the six playoff games. The cruelest part of the end of the Twins season? Having to wait a whole year for Lewis to cement his name as a new "Mr. October." Did you have any favorite home runs from the season? (Perhaps from the Yankees series?) Include them in the comments below. View full article

The Minnesota Twins weren't less talented than the Houston Astros... they may have even been the better team. The difference, as it is most times in October, was execution in the biggest spots. The Astros have been there and done that while the Twins have far less seasoning in those moments. View full video

The Twins 2023 season is hard to look at as anything but a success. With the playoff curse behind them and a new core arriving, they’ll be looking to build on 2023 next year. Consistency on offense should be a priority, but how can they do it? Image courtesy of Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports The Twins had a good offense in 2023, finishing seventh in all of baseball by OPS and 10th in runs scored. As fans surely remember, they accomplished this by following up a .709 OPS in the first half with a .809 OPS in the second half. Despite this marked improvement and solid overall numbers, consistency always seemed to be lacking to some degree, and this really showed up in the postseason. How might they improve this over the offseason? Cut The Strikeouts The Twins set the all-time record for strikeouts in the regular season with 1654. Based on their final offensive numbers for the season, it’s easy to say this wasn’t a major problem, but it was clearly this team’s biggest issue. Far too often did the lineup fall into a rut of hitter after hitter failing to put the ball in play. Based on their strong second half, the hope was that they could overcome this record-setting flaw, but their playoff performance showed that this is a tall task. True to their offensive identity, the Twins struck out 28 times in their final two postseason games in front of the home crowd, an untenable 52% strikeout rate. It was an offensive formula Twins fans watched plenty often in 2023, and it leaves so little margin for error that fixing it should be priority number one this offseason. There were rumblings of the scouting approach or overall team philosophy being a problem in the first half that could certainly be tweaked. The front office could also do a better job of the personnel they’re targeting in avoiding the Joey Gallo types this winter. By all accounts, the Twins expected to be top 10 in the league in strikeouts from day one in 2023. They don’t need to model their team after the Cleveland Guardians, but perhaps they should challenge themselves to not have such low expectations in the strikeout category in 2024. Development of Youth The Twins were undoubtedly saved by the next offensive core that emerged in 2023. There’s no doubt the offense remains stagnant without the emergence of Edouard Julien, Royce Lewis, Matt Wallner, etc. While prospect development isn’t linear, the Twins have several young players who have flashed their star power and ability to adjust. Royce Lewis showed strides in plate discipline down the stretch that he’ll hope to build off of, and perhaps a normal offseason and being another year out from ACL surgery keep him healthier for the grind of a full season. Edouard Julien emerged as a postseason star, and his plate discipline and power should only continue to improve as he prepares for a full-time role in 2024. Matt Wallner fell into a deep pit of strikeouts in early September and was able to adjust back in less than a week. It’s hard to deny that the Twins best hitters were rookies in 2023. If they stay at the same level the Twins will be formidable in 2024. It’s easy to see a scenario where they improve and bring the offense to a whole new level. New Faces As always, the departure of several players will bring new additions from the trade and free-agent market. It’s become nearly impossible to predict what this front office has in store, but additions to the outfield and infield are certainly in the cards. Effectively rounding out the roster around the emerging rookies that weren’t yet factors last offseason will be key. The Twins may see another emergence of youth in 2024 as well. Several young players are on the doorstep of the MLB and will surely make their debuts next season. From the power profile of Yunior Severino, to Austin Martin’s on-base and speed combo , to Brooks Lee’s well-rounded profile making him a top-20 prospect in all of baseball, the Twins have no shortage of candidates to come up and help the team next season. While the Twins are sure to add to the pitching staff in some fashion, it’s hard to deny that building a more consistent offense should be priority number one in 2024. What the team accomplished with record-breaking strikeout numbers is impressive, and it’s interesting to consider how much more effective the offense can be with a bit more balance. Hopefully, in 2024, Twins Territory will find out. View full article

Only one team ends the year on a high note, with 29 others dealing with the agony of defeat. After a successful season, how close are the Twins to a World Series run? Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Everything didn't go perfectly for the Twins during the 2023 season, but there were some positive signs by the season's end. The team's playoff losing streak is over, and the fanbase doesn't need to focus on losses that happened in the past. Instead, the team will turn its focus to 2024 and beyond. So, are the Twins any closer to winning a World Series title compared to one year ago? Rocco Baldelli was clear in his post-game comments that he believes the Twins are ready to take the next step. "The team is hungry in a way that I don't think we probably even were before. You get a taste of something like this, you show this to people, what this looks like and what it is. We're not that far from playing in the World Series." Rookie Trio One reason for optimism with the Twins is the young core of players that established themselves during their rookie season. Minnesota became the first club since 1930 to have three rookies with an .830 or better OPS. Royce Lewis showed why he was considered one of baseball's top prospects by hitting .309/.372/.548 (.921) with 15 home runs and seven doubles in 58 games. His offensive output continued into October, where he became the first Twins batter since Kirby Puckett to have four home runs in the same postseason. Lewis wasn't the only rookie to leave his mark on the Twins. Matt Wallner also showcased multiple strengths during the 2023 season after being named the team's Minor League Player of the Year in 2022. In 76 games, Wallner hit .249/.370/.507 (.877) with 11 doubles, one triple, and 14 home runs. He also demonstrated a tremendous outfield arm, which can limit runners advancing on the base paths. Edouard Julien completed the Twins rookie trio and hit .263/.381/.459 (.839) in 109 games. He combined for 16 doubles, one triple, and 16 home runs with a 130 OPS+. Julien's defense at second base has improved significantly during the season, improving his projected value for future years. While these players impacted the 2023 season, other prospects are even more highly touted than this trio. Prospects on the Way Brooks Lee was named the Twins' Minor League Player of the Year after reaching Triple-A in his first full professional season. He hit .275/.347/.461 (.808) with 39 doubles, three triples, and 16 home runs between Double- and Triple-A. His OPS dropped by over 100 points after his promotion, but he was over four years younger than the average age of the competition in the International League. He will be considered a top-25 global prospect entering next season. Lee isn't the only prospect to get excited about in the Twins' system. Emmanuel Rodriguez played the entire 2023 season at High-A, where he was over two years younger than the average age of the competition. He posted a .940 OPS or higher in four-of-six months during the season. His biggest moments came in the deciding game of the Midwest League Championship Series when he hit a grand slam that put the Kernels in front. He won't rank as highly as Lee on national lists, but he has one of the highest ceilings of any prospect. AL Central and Playoff Picture The AL Central also provides an opportunity for the Twins to make the playoffs regularly in the coming years. Both Chicago and Kansas City finished with over 100 losses, and neither has a clear winning window in the immediate future. Cleveland was the team the Twins competed with for most of the season, but they fell apart down the stretch and finished ten games below the .500 mark. Detroit showed some positive signs in the second half to finish at 78-84, including some young players moving in the right direction. However, the Twins should be the AL Central favorites entering next season. MLB's playoff structure allows for upsets, and the best regular-season teams can struggle in October. Minnesota finished with a worse record than Toronto, who plays in a tougher division, but the Twins managed to sweep the Blue Jays out of the playoffs. Arizona was the last team into the NL playoffs, and they have swept their way into the NLCS. Anything can happen in the postseason, so the Twins must put themselves in a position for the playoffs and hope they can find some magic. Baseball is a funny game that can be hard to predict. Baldelli is right to look at this club and believe in the future. A World Series run isn't out of the question, but many things need to go right for that to happen. Baseball is a funny game that can be hard to predict. Do you believe the Twins are closer to a World Series title? What must they add to the roster to make that dream a reality? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Minnesota Twins have looked for offense from a handful of different places this season, and often it has come from the youngsters in their lineup. As they fell flat against the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the ALDS, it was the youth that cost them most. Image courtesy of © Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports Rocco Baldelli’s club should’ve felt a good deal of comfort going into Game 3. The Houston Astros were starting righty Cristian Javier, and despite him being incredible during the 2022 World Series run, he had been nothing close to that this season. Rather than piling on behind Sonny Gray, the offense was nowhere to be seen. Even before Javier continued to throw up zero after zero, it was Alex Kirilloff making one of the worst plays of his young career. Having debuted against the Astros during the 2020 postseason when Josh Donaldson couldn’t go for the Twins, it felt like this might be a spot where he got things going. Instead, starting at first base, he recorded an error that led to four first inning runs. With Yordan Alvarez stepping into the batter’s box, Kirilloff missed a routine double-play ball that had just a .070 expected batting average. Houston’s slugger pushed Jose Altuve to third base on the play, and Kyle Tucker drove in the first run during the very next at bat. Gray then served up a meatball to former White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, and before the Twins even stepped up to the plate, they were down 4-0. Kirilloff’s gaffe was the epitome of any number of miscues Minnesota fans have grown far too accustomed to seeing. Like a Gary Anderson or Blair Walsh missed kick, this one was entirely on the player failing to execute. Phil Cuzzi wasn’t there to incorrectly impact Joe Mauer, and neither D.J. Reyburn or Brian Knight were behind the dish to screw things up. Kirilloff just came up empty, in one of the biggest games of his career. Unfortunately for the Twins young first baseman, the defensive issue wasn’t the only one. He’s been non-existent at the plate all series as well. After posting a .793 OPS this season, good for a 117 OPS+, he has gone 0-for-9 with four strikeouts in five starts this postseason. He’s not a traditional slugger, but as a guy who has game power that can run into a pitch, he’s been nothing close to valuable at the plate. Minnesota would likely be struggling if their primary first baseman wasn’t producing, but it isn’t just Kirilloff, and that makes things worse. Matt Wallner, playing in the postseason in front of his hometown fans, has been in the same boat. Despite slumping during part of the second half, it seemed the Forest Lake native had figured things out. He had continued to take walks, and then found a way to drive the baseball again. Although he is still trotting 90-feet to first base, the rest of his production has been completely non-existent. Going 0-for-8, Wallner has also struck out in five of those at bats. Not only is he showing an inability to drive the baseball and do damage, but he has looked overmatched at the plate. Maybe the moment has become too big for some of Minnesota’s youth. That is something that could be said for the first at bat from Royce Lewis during Game 3. After chasing three pitches out of the zone, he squandered an opportunity to add, and it was an expansion of the zone we haven’t seen from a guy who has consistently done damage. Lewis missed during the latest game, but has come through the rest of the postseason. Edouard Julien is in a similar boat, and we’ll see how Joe Ryan can show up soon. Either way, youth propping up a roster has benefits until familiarity comes into play. Maybe Baldelli needs to turn starts over to Donovan Solano and Willi Castro on Wednesday, but the reality is that it’s unfortunate Minnesota hasn’t gotten more from Kirilloff and Wallner. Maybe their moment is yet to come, and that could be necessary if they want to advance. No matter what, even if it’s a lot to ask, the team needs more from a pair that is still wet behind the ears. Houston isn’t going to be beat by the Twins getting nothing from corner spots, and the combination of starters against right-handed pitching have now begged the question as to whether they are up to the task. View full article

The Twins entered Tuesday's matchup expecting a pitcher's dual. They were half right. Cristian Javier delivered while Sonny Gray and a collection of Twins starters struggled out of the bullpen, and the Twins now must win two straight to keep their season alive. Here's how the loss came to pass. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson, USA Today Box Score Starting Pitcher: Sonny Gray - 4 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (83 Pitches, 57 Strikes, 69%) Home Runs: None Bottom WPA: Gray (-.302), Royce Lewis (-.152), Ryan Jeffers (-.038) Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): The Twins came into Tuesday's Game 3 riding high after bringing the home field advantage back to Target Field. With a sell-out crowd awaiting them, the former stars were shining. Johan Santana tossed the first pitch to Joe Mauer (who made an excellent scoop!), and Pablo Lopez was shocked to see his fellow Venezualan hero Santana sporting a #49 Lopez jersey. It turns out that was the highlight of the game for Twins fans, because once the actual pitching started, the Astros started teeing off. Sunny Skies = Astros Runs Gray had yet to surrender a run in the 2023 postseason, but by the time he left the mound in the first inning the Astros sported a 4-0 lead. The afternoon shadows had not yet crept in, and the Astros hitters were more than ready for Gray's offspeed pitches. Jose Altuve led off the game with yet another hit, this time a single. Yordan Alvarez was initially awarded with a double to right, but that was later changed to an Alex Kirilloff error on a play that loomed large early. With runners now at second and third, Kyle Tucker finally scraped across an RBI single. Gray looked to get out of the danger, but Jose Abreu is danger. Target Field was not yet silenced, but the game now carried a sense of urgency and angst. In the bottom half of the first, Javier struck out Edouard Julien to start off the frame, but Jorge Polanco worked a walk, and Max Kepler boomed a double to put the Twins back in business with runners at second and third with only one out. Now in the shade at home plate, Royce Lewis echoed shades of Game 1's beginnings, by reaching on three straight pitches and leaving runners in scoring position. October Correa was up next, but he too could not time Javier in the shadows, and was the third strike out of the inning. October Javier is Real The Astros have another playoff ace, and his name is Cristian Javier. The talk entering today's game revolved around the extra two runs per game that Javier gave up this season compared to 2022. His K-rate was down from 33% to 20%. The more important statistic was his 11 innings of one-hit baseball in the 2022 postseason, and the fact that it definately carried into today's contest. Javier scattered five walks alongside the one hit, but his nine strikeouts continually came at the right time. The Twins left runners in scoring position in the first, third, and fifth against Javier, and he completed five scoreless yet again. Alex Bregman Still Has "It" Alex Bregman finally delivered in this series, blasting a lead off home run in the top of the fifth. After allowing another double to Alvarez, and a walk to Tucker, Gray left the game and Emilio Pagan came in with cluttered bases, and he left them cluttered to send the Twins to the bottom of the fifth down 5-0. Kenta Maeda got the call for the sixth inning, and it was Bregman who again built the Astro lead. This time he delivered a single that plated Jeremy Pena with one out to make it 6-0. Twins Finally Break Through, and Then Break Down Yet Again Once Javier left the game in the top of the sixth, the Twins and their packed stadium gathered some hope for a rally. Correa led off with a single, and Matt Wallner worked a walk to put Correa into scoring position. Willi Castro was looking to give the fans something to finally cheer about, and he delivered the first run of the game with a single to right. With the fans on their feet yet again, Ryan Jeffers stepped up to the plate and promptly hit a hard ground ball to the wrong man. Pena dove, flipped and the Astros completed the 6-4-3 to strand yet another runner in scoring position. Bailey Ober came in and pitched a scoreless eighth inning, but the ninth was not as kind to him. Alvarez launched his fourth home run of the series to up the score to 7-1. Ober walked Tucker, and then gave up a moon shot to Abreu for his second of the night. 9-1 Astros. The Twins crowd tried their best, but they started streaming out before the game ended thanks to the endless Astro assault. Griffin Jax came in to finish off the ninth inning, and the Twins bats stayed silent to end the game. The Twins need to turn the page on today, and deliver tomorrow to send us to one more Pablo Day on Friday. What's Next Game 4 pits Twins RHP Joe Ryan (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 11-10, 4.51 ERA in regular season) against Astros RHP Jose Urquidy (0-0, 0.00, 3-3, 5.29 ERA in regular season). First pitch changed due to the Rangers sweeping the Orioles Tuesday night. The Twins will now have their first pitch at 6:07pm CDT at Target Field on Wednesday evening. Postgame: Bullpen Usage Chart: FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Maeda 0 43 0 0 25 68 Ober 0 0 0 0 38 38 Pagán 0 14 0 0 14 28 Stewart 0 0 22 0 0 22 Paddack 0 19 0 0 0 19 Thielbar 0 18 0 0 0 18 Jax 0 0 0 0 9 9 Durán 0 0 7 0 0 7 Varland 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

The Twins are returning home after splitting the first two games in Houston. Here are four keys to keep momentum on the Twins' side with the return to Target Field. Image courtesy of Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports Minnesota announced that Games 3 and 4 are sold out at Target Field, which should help build off the tremendous atmosphere fans created during the Wild Card Series. If the Twins want to upset the Astros, the club must win its home games and avoid a return trip to Houston. Playoff games take on a different ebb and flow than regular season action. However, there are some keys the Twins can focus on to turn the tide in their favor. Get to Houston's Starters In Game 1, the Twins made Justin Verlander work in the early innings, but the club failed to push across any runs against him. Multiple double plays turned behind Verlander helped to keep Minnesota off the board, and Verlander eventually found his groove on the mound. The team missed early opportunities and ran out of time to complete their comeback in the final innings. Thankfully, the Twins bounced back in Game 2 and scored five runs against Framber Valdez, and that trend needs to continue. In Games 3 and 4, the Twins are projected to face two of Houston's more inconsistent starters. Cristian Javier is the Astros' projected Game 3 starter, and he finished the season with career-worst totals in ERA (4.56), WHIP (1.27), and K/9 (8.8). He also allowed three runs or more In three of his final four regular season starts. The Astros can go in a few different directions for Game 4 by turning to Jose Urquidy (5.29 ERA) or switching to Verlander on short rest, but he's struggled in those types of appearances in the past. Minnesota's hitters need to take advantage of these opportunities. Home Run Barrage During the Toronto series, Royce Lewis used multiple home runs to help the team to a Game 1 victory. Jorge Polanco and Lewis hit back-to-back home runs in their Game 1 loss to Houston. In Game 2, Kyle Farmer connected for a massive two-run homer. Home runs have been part of the equation for the Twins for the entire season. In 81 home games, the Twins hit 118 home runs and posted a .778 OPS. However, the club's offense struggled in the first half (.709 OPS) before an influx of young talent helped improve the team's OPS to .808 after the All-Star Break. To continue to win in the playoffs, the Twins must use the long ball to their advantage. Minnesota saw Houston's lone left-handed pitcher on Sunday, so the club's young left-handed hitters will get plenty of home run opportunities against Houston's starters mentioned above. Matt Wallner, Edouard Julien, and Alex Kirilloff were held hitless in both home games against the Blue Jays. The Twins need their young bats to step up if they are going to take down the defending champions. Keep the Crowd in the Game A raucous crowd played a role in the Twins series win versus the Blue Jays. Carlos Correa told Sonny Gray and the team's coaches that Toronto's runners couldn't hear the third base coach from second base because the crowd was so loud. The Blue Jays were also taking significant leads on the bases to try and get back in the game. Correa and Gray used the loud crowd to their advantage and picked off Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a critical spot of Game 2. A situation like this likely won't repeat itself, but the crowd can play a factor in favor of the Twins. Twins fans are very familiar with home-field advantage in the playoffs. The Metrodome provided a perfect environment to amplify crowd noise and helped the Twins to be nearly unbeatable at home during their World Series runs. Target Field is built on the smallest footprint of any MLB ballpark, which means fans in the upper deck are closer to the field than most other places. Twins fans must be on their feet and ensure the Astros can't get comfortable in Minnesota. Quit Pitching to Yordan Alvarez This change is quite simple. Alvarez might be the best hitter on the planet, and he's already an October legend. Quit giving him pitches to hit. Do you think the Twins should make these changes for Game 3? What's the most critical change for the club? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Minnesota Twins have been an organization that subscribes to the idea that data can be helpful since Derek Falvey and Thad Levine took over. That doesn’t mean they manage as slaves to analytics, but process is something that drives results for them. Platoon lineups have been a thing most of the year, but they’ve paid off in a big way down the stretch. Image courtesy of Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports After facing two right-handed starters against the Toronto Blue Jays, Rocco Baldelli was able to go with his ideal lineup in the wild card round. Rookies Edouard Julien and Matt Wallner were routinely deployed, and youngster Alex Kirilloff was kept in the lineup. Facing a left-handed starter, those three have all been held out of the starting lineup, and in the American League Division Series it clicked in the best way possible. The Houston Astros employ only one left-handed pitcher on the roster they brought into the postseason. Despite lefty Bennett Sousa pitching in the bullpen late for them, starter Framber Valdez was the only southpaw that Dusty Baker was going to bring with to the tournament. After facing Justin Verlander in Game 1, that meant the Twins would have their opportunity to right the ship in Game 2. Going with righties where the lefties can pinch hit, Minnesota knew where they'd turn. Baldelli saw Verlander shut his lineup down against Bailey Ober. The Astros got big hits from Yordan Alvarez, and the Twins found themselves up against a wall. Although Jorge Polanco and Royce Lewis worked to bring Minnesota back, it was too little too late. Going up against a southpaw wasn’t ideal in Game 2 considering the struggles they have presented this year, but the manager stood firm in his process. With the three aforementioned lefties all starting on the bench, Donovan Solano, Kyle Farmer, and Willi Castro were all in the starting lineup. Solano worked as the leadoff batter playing first base. Castro started in left field, and Farmer worked at the hot corner moving Polanco back to second base. Although Solano couldn’t get one during his first two at bats, Farmer stepped in with Castro on and blasted a dinger into the Crawford Boxes. Valdez has been an incredible performer in the postseason, but he struggled in the second half this year and was ripe for the picking. Handing the Twins a heavy dose of curveballs early, he left a bender in a bad spot to Farmer before being taken deep. Going curveball heavy against Minnesota wasn’t a shocking strategy, but it seemed clear that the Twins were keyed in on the pitch. Forget the fact that the Astros came into Game 2 with a lead, and that Minnesota was still on the road. Baldelli has stayed consistent with process throughout the entirety of the season, and it was that steadfast belief that paid off in a big way. Farmer’s big fly was the first hit of his postseason career, and it’s arguable that he’ll never hit a more impactful one. Multiple times during the course of this season, it has seemed Farmer represents a talent worthy of so much more than his impact in the box score. As a glue guy in the clubhouse, a veteran, and a leader, he has consistently provided more than expectations may present of him, and the youth around him is getting a master class in team unity because of it. Added as fringe players to the 26-man roster, both Castro and Solano had less than straightforward paths to playing time when leaving spring training in Fort Myers. Thanks to the production they have shown throughout the season, Baldelli’s lineup has been given flexibility that may have otherwise been unexpected. The production from Minnesota’s youth this year has been noteworthy, and the rookie class alone has been nothing short of incredible. That said, seeing positive performance from fringe guys, and putting those players in advantageous positions has helped to reduce pressure from the lineup as a whole. Baldelli used his bench with Kirilloff coming in late for Solano, and Julien pinch hitting for Farmer. The latter came through with a bases-loaded single that drove in a run and gave Minnesota breathing room. Despite the lefties beginning the game on the pine, they remained focused on the task, and the Canadian leadoff guy came through just like his manager drew it up. Minnesota has employed the platoon advantage all year long, and it paid off in the spot they needed it most. With Houston having no lefties to throw the rest of the series, Baldelli can choose whatever spots he wants for his hitters. View full article