In May 2025, the Minnesota Twins won 13 games in a row, including 6 wins against the Orioles, and key matchups against playoff teams Boston and Milwaukee.
From August 15, 2025, until the end of the season, the Minnesota Twins won only...13 games.
So something clearly happened. And that something was the organization completely giving up.
After the deadline, not only were some of the few short-term successes, like Harrison Bader, Chris Paddack, Ty France and Willi Castro, gone, but so were some long term organizational pieces like Carlos Correa, Griffin Jax, Jhoan Duran, Louie Varland and Danny Coulombe. By the end of the season, Rocco Baldelli would join them out the door. So now, going into 2026, the Twins only have a few strong pieces remaining. Byron Buxton is still there, but how healthy will he be at 32? Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan are still starting weapons, provided they're not dealt in the next two months. Royce Lewis is still there, assuming he doesn't miss 80 games again. And Luke Keaschall, Zebby Matthews, Mick Abel and David Festa will all factor into this team's development. Eventually.
But it's clear that the dream of the Baldelli years is over, the Bomba squad is all but dead, and the new task needs to be reestablishing an identity. I will most likely be checking in on the Twins in Ft. Myers this spring, and hopefully what I have to report back with is remotely positive.
For now, there is at least the fact that the Twins got 27 starts out of Bailey Ober this year. They weren't the highest quality, and he had a 5.10 ERA and a 6-9 record, but he was there for the Twins all year, topped out at 146 innings and ensured they at least had two guys they could count on all year.
2026 Prediction: A much better year. Not sure if he'll still be around by August though.
Trevor Larnach has consistently attempted to legitimize himself without being an altogether impressive ballplayer. He's never hit above .260, he's never notched 20 homers, his defense is nonexistent, and this was his fullest season yet at 142 games, and his most disposable. Larnach hit .250 with 17 homers and 60 RBIs, fine for a mid-lineup bat but I really thought he'd be on a better pace by now.
2026 Prediction: Loses playing time to younger, and better, competitors.
Similarly, Ryan Jeffers, who had a terrific year in 2023 as a difference-making contact catcher, has mellowed out to being perfunctory both offensively and defensively. This year, Jeffers hit .266 with 9 homers and 47 RBIs, offensively more on target than last year. Trouble is his defense is an issue now. Meaning at a certain point Christian Vazquez felt like a defensive upgrade.
2026 Prediction: At some point, the Twins are gonna give Noah Cardenas a shot, and Jeffers' days may be numbered in Minnesota.
Royce Lewis is the definition of a novelty. When he's healthy, he blasts homers out of Target Field at an alarming pace. But he's NEVER healthy. This was Lewis's fullest season yet, at 106 games, and also his least noteworthy. He hit 13 homers and had 53 RBIs, with a .671 OPS. Big whup. Not much better defensively either.
2026 Prediction: It will be his age 27 season. Sometimes, somebody can do something incredible at 27 and then go back to how it was before. I'm thinking Lewis will fall into that category.
In a move that initially confused fans, the Phillies sent Kody Clemens to Minnesota midyear, in what would later become a move to free up space for Otto Kemp. Clemens had no trouble finding playing time in Minneapolis, and took 1st from Ty France after he left, doing a pretty bang-up job, with 19 homers and 52 RBIs in 112 games. I think Clemens is best used as a backup/utility guy, but even in a starting role with a dire team he was one of the highlights.
2026 Prediction: May start occasionally but I think the Twins will use him mostly as a backup 1B, assuming they have any desire to make Josh Bell play 1st at all.
Coming Tomorrow- I was not expecting I'd have this many White Sox left. They actually seemed to figure out what the future looks like after a bit.
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