Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Twins

 

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.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2024: Twins

I think it's as simple as this. The Minnesota Twins had the team this year. They were on track to make the playoffs with a month and a half left to go in the season. If Correa, Buxton, Kepler, Miranda, Lewis and Ryan stay healthy, they get there. Those six players are the heart of this team, and even in partial seasons accomplished so much. But for large swaths of the season, the majority of this group was hurt. Miranda and Lewis came back, Buxton and Correa would try and jump back in, but it was enough of a gap that the Royals and Tigers caught up and reduced them to fourth, just a year after finishing in 1st and winning a playoff series.

The injuries in Arlington and Atlanta may have gotten more publicity, but the injuries in Minneapolis turned a wild card favorite into a surprise onlooker. And it's very funny that Rocco Baldelli is showing the same 'never the same quality in consecutive seasons' tactic he had as a player. 

Trevor Larnach, barring the first couple weeks of the year, was a rare Twin that stayed healthy this year, and provided needed power assistance as the go-to DH this year. In 112 games, Larnach hit .259 with 52 RBIs and 15 home runs, and had a .771 OPS. Larnach has become a pretty reliable member of the young pack of hitters, and this year was another nice leveling up at the plate.

2025 Prediction: Another step further, hitting .276 with 25+ homers.

Because the Rays wait until the exact moment you're not expecting them to move you to move you, Manuel Margot was dealt to the Dodgers at the very beginning of the offseason [in the Tyler Glasgow deal], then moved over to Minnesota right at the end of camp. Margot had a chance to win a ring this year, but fate had other ideas. And so, Margot, now in a crucial OF role with the Twins, had his weakest season to date. In 129 games, Margot hit .238 with 31 RBIs and only 4 stolen bases. Three season after his defensive peak with Tampa, Margot was below average defensively and struggled at the plate. For the first time in his career, Margot will be facing free agency this year.

2025 Prediction: I honestly think the Rays'll bring him back. And he'll do better.

 

Kyle Farmer had his best statistical season to date last year, thanks to some excellent defense and strong contact numbers. This season, with an injury to recover from and other infield options getting play, Farmer's appeal was significantly lessened. In 107 games he hit .214 with 25 RBIs and 5 homers. Both defensively and offensively he was below average this year. 

2025 Prediction: Has something of a rebound year with Denver, though I doubt he'll be starting all year. Then again, if they trade McMahon he certainly might..

Matt Wallner was ushered into the young hitting group last year, as he took advantage of a late call-up and became one of the most refreshing hitters in the lineup. This year was very similar: he wasn't with the team initially, but once he got there he was a very helpful fill-in and helped the OF depth tremendously. In 75 games he had 37 RBIs and 13 home runs. And an .894 OPS, which is pretty fantastic.

2025 Prediction: Kepler's likely gone, Margot's gone, Larnach's primarily a DH...I think Matt Wallner's got a starting OF spot next year, and I think he's gonna be a serious ASG candidate. 

Chris Paddack came over in a trade in 2022, and considering that the Padres received Brent Rooker and Taylor Rogers in the trade, it's kinda wild that Paddack's lasted longer. Ultimately, 2024 was the Sheriff's most prolific year in Minneapolis, though still injury-shortened. In 17 games he went 5-3 with a 4.99 ERA and 79 Ks. At least a little closer to his 2019 breakthrough. 

2025 Prediction: Well, it's his last year before free agency, so watch him go absolutely wild out there.

Not only was Griffin Jax the Twins' best reliever of the season, he was one of their best players period. In 72 appearances, Jax had a 2.03 ERA, 95 Ks, a 2.8 WAR and 10 saves. Jax had a higher WAR than Pablo Lopez this year, which I would not have called. For a guy who didn't work as a starter in Minneapolis, I'm glad he's found a real niche for these guys.

2025 Prediction: I don't think the follow up will be as prolific but he'll have some great relief appearances. Perhaps less of them.

It was handy to have a consistent guy like Griffin Jax around because the closing option, Jhoan Duran, was less consistent this year. He finished the season with a  6-9 record, a ton of blown saves and only 23 saves. Duran can still throw as hard, but I think he just wasn't as unhittable as he's been in prior years.

2025 Prediction: Either he rights himself and becomes a great closer again or he blows his arm out and misses time.

Austin Martin was the other piece of the return for Jose Berrios, aside from Simeon Woods-Richardson, who was very useful this year. Martin got plugged into numerous roles this year, as he plays both the outfield and some infield positions. Unfortunately he doesn't play them very well. His very unpolished defense at least distracted from his passable offense, but while he hit .253, he only had 16 RBIs and 1 homer in 93 games. 

2025 Prediction: Honestly, I think he gets cut at some point.

So, Carlos Correa got hurt, then Royce Lewis got hurt, and there was a vacancy at short. So...in comes Brooks Lee, the Twins' top infield prospect, to get a taste of the majors. Unfortunately the 23 year old couldn't get much done at the MLB level, hitting .221 with 3 homers and 27 RBIs in 50 games. With both those guys back in 2025, I'm not sure what kind of role Lee will play with this team.

2025 Prediction: If the Twins get good enough that they need to make a big deadline deal, Lee will be the top piece going to a competitor. And THERE he'll blossom into something.

Towards the end of the year, the Twins called up two pretty well-regarded pitching prospects to start some games. Paddack and Ryan were hurt, there was room, let's get the kids up. Zebby Matthews had a really rough go of it, but David Festa, who was around for 14 games, did decently, with a 4.90 ERA and 77 Ks.

2025 Prediction: Will make camp with the team, but he's gonna have to be used in long-relief for a bit.

Coming Tomorrow- Mercifully, not very many White Sox. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2022: Twins

 

The Twins have done the '1st place team falls apart and doesn't make the playoffs' thing as recently as 2017. The Twins have done the 'Byron Buxton gets injured and the team shutters without him' thing as recently as last year. And the Twins have done the 'finishes low in a tight race but still doesn't make the playoffs' thing as recently as 2018. 

The Minnesota Twins by the halfway point were playoff favorites, and by the end of the season they were in third behind the exactly .500 White Sox. What a fall. It's not that it was a bad year, as Luis Arraez had an incredible year, and so many young pieces came alive. But two of the team's top 4 performers, Carlos Correa and Gio Urshela, will not be on the team as they suit up in...underwhelmingly-designed new uniforms.

Nick Gordon, after years of bubbling up, finally got a full year to showcase his skills in Minneapolis, and the 26-year-old hit .272 with 110 hits, 50 RBIs and 9 homers. Gordon seems to be a bit more versatile than his older brother [who bowed out with Washington this year], and can be useful as a power hitter, a contact hitter, an outfield bat and a speedster. And, as another one-up on Dee, he's not on any illegal substances.

2023 Prediction: Another full year, some more great production, and perhaps a nice extension of some sort?

Trevor Larnach, like Buxton, was excellent when he was healthy but bowed out too soon to aid the team down the stretch. In 51 games, Larnach hit .231 with 37 hits, 18 RBIs and 5 homers. The goal is for him to be more useful over the course of a full year, but we've never seen such a year from him so far.

2023 Prediction:  Kepler hasn't gone yet, but I reckon he will at some point, after which Larnach will get a ton more reps and a ton more eyes on him. I think he'll notch 20 home runs at least.

Several Twins starters this year fell into the category of 'how the mighty have fallen'. Dylan Bundy was a strikeout artist in his prime, and was a phenom for LA as recently as 2020. However, he struggled mightily last year, and this year he tried his damndest to not rely on throwing hard as much as he had. Bundy started all 29 games, and had a 4.89 ERA, an 8-8 record and 94 strikeouts. An improvement over 2021, but a pretty boilerplate year overall.

2023 Prediction: Minor league deal, maybe a few MLB starts, but the big stuff might be over for this guy.

Similarly, Chris Archer was an absolute stud for the Rays before he lost his footing and never picked it up again. He'd done well in Tampa last year with more control, but his hard stuff is sorely missed. This year with the Twins, Archer, had a 4.56 ERA, 8 losses and 84 Ks in 25 starts. Yes, fuller season than usual, but like with Bundy, the edge is gone.

2023 Prediction: I hate to say it, but I don't think anyone comes calling. Maybe he tries the international leagues.

Bailey Ober starts were fleeting this year due to both call-ups and injury, but he made the most of them, with a 3.21 ERA and 51 Ks spread across 11 starts. Ober is young, reliable, and coming into his own, and if the Twins' rotation wasn't so crowded in 2022, he could have proved it.

2023 Prediction: Thankfully the rotation will be a lot sparser next year, so he'll get 28 starts and be a top arm for this team.

The injuries got so bad at one point that the Twins called upon Voorhees, NJ product Devin Smeltzer, who they'd flirted with giving some starts to in 2019, for some integral starts. Smeltzer outdid expectations, with a 5-2 record, a 3.71 ERA and 40 Ks over 70 innings. Once some more arms got activated and dealt for, Smeltzer's role diminished, and after the year he was cut to make room for...somebody.

2023 Prediction: I really, really hope someone picks him up. You always want local kids to succeed, and he's pretty sharp.

Royce Lewis was the Twins first overall pick in 2017, and it's taken him this long, thanks to injuries and such, to make it to the majors. Ironically, his first ever MLB season was halted in its tracks by another injury, but until then he was actually doing pretty well for the Twins, hitting .300 with 5 RBIs and 2 homers in 12 games. 

2023 Prediction: Correa and Urshela are both gone, Farmer will get one infield position...maybe Lewis tries at another one, and plays more than 12 games this year.

As for the trade deadline deals, the Twins got saddled with some bad luck. Tyler Mahle was a great piece for them, as he'd been stellar in Cincinnati. Mahle only got 4 Twins starts, with a 4.41 ERA and a 1-1 record, before he was injured for the majority of the season. Meanwhile, Spencer Steer, who he was traded for, got some playing time in Cincinnati. 

2023 Prediction: My thinking is he stays healthy and pitches well enough for his own good, but not enough to make much of a difference.

Then, after a phenomenal year in the bullpen for the Orioles, Jorge Lopez landed in Minneapolis with the closing job basically his. The only thing that could stop Lopez was a third party getting in the way, and that's ultimately what Jhoan Duran did, though Lopez' 4.37 ERA and 2 blown saves didn't help either. Lopez filled in as a decent middleman, but was nowhere as dominant as he was in Baltimore.

2023 Prediction: An improvement, but I don't think he'll be used in the ninth as much as he was.

Tomorrow, more about that 81-81 White Sox team.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Twins

 

Nobody does worst to first, and back, quite like the Minnesota Twins.

I mean, they did it famously in 1991, going from last to a World Series. They did it in 2011 after a pair of division wins. They did it in the late 2010s, going from a joke to a contender. And now, after a playoff appearance in 2020, they ended the year in last place, with a lot of dead weight, and a lot of question marks.

In the absence of Mitch Garver for most of 2021 due to injuries, 2020 rookie Ryan Jeffers became the primary starting catcher for the Twins this year. In 85 games he had 14 homers and hit .199, with decent enough defensive numbers.

2022 Prediction: Something keeps telling me the Twins are gonna try to trade Mitch Garver this offseason, so I reckon Jeffers is gonna get even more starting time in 2022.

The other rookie who became a starting piece this year was Trevor Larnach. Like Rooker, Larnach's stats weren't HUGE- he only had 58 hits and 28 RBIs in 79 games, but he had a few big-game moments, especially in June, where he shifted into the main core of the youth movement.

2022 Prediction: With a slightly sparser lineup, Larnach is gonna become a under-the-radar favorite that will get stronger as more people leave. 

The big rookie prospect going into the season was Alex Kirilloff, especially after a brief appearance during the 2020 postseason. Kirlloff flirted with big-league greatness, hitting .251 with 8 homers and 34 RBIs in 51 games, but in a crowded outfield schematic, he spent some of 2021 in the minors as well.

2022 Prediction: The big statement season. I think he laps Larnach for a starting spot and starts getting some traction as Twins hero.

Willians Astudillo continued to be one of my favorite unsung heroes whose team has no idea how to use him. In 72 games, La Tortuga hit .236 with 7 homers and 21 RBIs, including a few big clutch hits along the way, but with most positions full, and with Astudillo not exactly known for his defense, he mostly spent the year as a bench bat.

2022 Prediction: Will sneak onto someone's roster and be a force at some point.

Another long-gestating rookie prospect was Nick Gordon, Tom's kid and Dee's step-brother, who was a decent name in the minors for the Twins in the last few years. Unlike his brother, Nick seems to be more of a power hitter, and hit .240 with 23 RBIs and more strikeouts than hits. 

2022 Prediction: Similar swing OF position with some replacement perks down the stretch.

As far as pitching is concerned, one of the big letdowns of 2021 was Alex Colome in Minnesota. After some strong work in Chicago, Colome buckled under the weaker roster, and only had 17 saves, with a 4.15 ERA, in 67 appearances. 

2022 Prediction: Will be picked up as a reliever, not necessarily as a closer. Which isn't to say he won't work the ninth once or twice next year, just...his time of being an elite closer might be over.

As for the rotation helpers, Bailey Ober came into the equation in June and was a decent young starter, with a 4.19 ERA and 96 Ks in 20 games. It was hard for him to really establish himself positively in the shadow of Berrios and Maeda, but he did as good of a job as any, I reckon.

2022 Prediction: Ober will be the second man behind Kenta Maeda, and may eventually have to act as makeshift ace. I'm expecting Scott Baker-esque numbers- good for a barren rotation, but maybe not a league-wide talent yet.

Meanwhile, as sad as the departure of Nelson Cruz was, the Twins still got a decent return in Joe Ryan, the longtime Rays farmhand. In his first taste of the bigs, Ryan wowed crowds, with a 4.05 ERA, 30 Ks, a 0.788 WHIP and 2 wins in 5 starts. It was a big exclamation point to end the very blah year with.

2022 Prediction: Will win a rotation spot over Griffin Jax and will have similar strikeout numbers with a few more human moments. 

Tomorrow, a few extra customs for the White Sox team that almost made it.