On August 17, the Minnesota Twins had a record of 70 wins and 53 losses. At the time, it seemed like the team was a lock to play postseason baseball. However, the Twins went on a 12-27 slide to end the season, and the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers overtook them in the race to the playoffs. The Twins finished in 4th place in the A.L. Central, still far ahead of the Chicago White Sox, who lost a record 121 games this season.
To say that this year's Twins team underperformed is putting it mildly. Sure, there were plenty of injuries, but mental and physical errors combined with a lack of quality pitching and some questionable managerial moves contributed to the team's late-season slide.
With that in mind, here's a closer look at the team, starting with the position players:
Byron Buxton: .279, 18 HR and 56 RBI in 102 games. It was good to see Buxton patrolling center field once again, and he topped 100 games in a season for only the second time in his career. It would be nice to see Buxton play an entire year without having to go on the injured list.
Jair Camargo: 0 for 6 in 5 games. Camargo spent most of the 2024 season with the AAA St. Paul Saints. He was called up a few times to be a third catcher and is a veteran backup behind the plate.
Diego Castillo: 2 for 6 in 4 games. Castillo also spent most of the year with the Saints and was called up when injuries decimated the bench infielder roles. He might be worth another look if the injury bug strikes again in 2025.
Willi Castro: .247, 12 HRs, 60 RBI, and 14 SB in 158 games. Castro was the team's All-Star. He played 25 games or more at 5 different positions (2B, SS, 3B, LF, and CF) and was the only player on the team to reach double digits in stolen bases. A true asset to this lineup because of his durability and flexibility.
Carlos Correa: .310, 14 HR, 54 RBI in 86 games. Plantar fascitis shelved this Gold Glove shortstop a few times this season. He's a clubhouse leader who was understandably frustrated by the team's collapse in August and September.
Kyle Farmer: .214, 5 HR, 25 RBI in 107 games. Kyle had a terrible first half, hitting under .200 with no home runs. He rebounded after the All-Star break and got more playing time, including a few pitching performances.
Michael Helman: 3 for 10 in 9 games. Helman added some outfield depth late in the year after being recalled from St. Paul. He will probably start 2025 with the Saints.
Ryan Jeffers: .226, 21 HR, 64 RBI in 122 games. Jeffers slumped badly during the second half of the season. If he regains his form, he could be counted on to be a powerful bat in the lineup again next year.
Edouard Julien: .199, 8 HR, 21 RBI in 94 games. Julien had a great April, a month in which he hit 7 long balls. He suffered a sophomore slump and really seemed to get too much inside his own head, necessitating a demotion to AAA. Hopefully, he figures things out in 2025.
DaShawn Keirsey Jr: 2 for 13, including a homer, in 6 games. Keirsey Jr. also spent most of 2024 with the Saints. Another outfielder that could be called upon as needed if injuries attack the big league roster.
Max Kepler: .253, 8 HR, 42 RBI in 105 games. I always enjoy watching Kepler play and saw him slug a homer against the Red Sox in a game at Target Field in May. Injuries marred his season, and he's an impending free agent. With Larnach, Wallner, and other young outfielders in the minors, I don't believe the Twins will re-sign him at this point.
Alex Kiriloff: .201, 5 HR, 20 RBI in 57 games. Another Twins player with great potential but also a long history of injuries. I really hope that this corner outfielder/first baseman stays healthy in 2025.
Trevor Larnach: .259, 15 HR, 52 RBI in 112 games. Larnach has great power potential. If he could become an everyday corner outfielder, he'd easily to 20 HR and 70 RBI or more every season.
Brooks Lee: .221, 3 HR, 27 RBI in 50 games. A rookie who made an immediate impact after his initial call-up. He doesn't have a ton of power but can play second, third, or short and keep the team in close games.
Royce Lewis: .233, 16 HR, 47 RBI in 82 games. I would love to see Lewis play a full season because of his home run pop. Questions have been raised about his throwing ability, which led to him seeing some time at second base late in the year.
Manuel Margot: .238, 4 HR, 31 RBI in 129 games. The Twins acquired Margot from the Los Angeles Dodgers not long after they made a trade with Tampa Bay for the veteran outfielder. Margot is a good defensive outfielder, but you're not going to get much offense from him. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up with another team next year.
Austin Martin: .253, 1 HR, 16 RBI in 93 games. Martin proved to be a valuable utility man as injuries struck the roster. He rode the AAA/big league shuttle several times throughout the season, and proved to be someone that the team can depend on. Just wish manager Rocco Baldelli would have played him more.
Jose Miranda: .284, 9 HR, 49 RBI in 121 games. Miranda wasn't on the Opening Day roster but proved his worth during a summer hot streak. Now the questions are if he can stay healthy and where he fits in the lineup (3B, 1B or DH).
Carlos Santana: .238, 23 HR, 71 RBI in 150 games. The 15 year veteran could potentially win his first Gold Glove award after his stellar play at first base this year. He signed a 1-year deal with the Twins, and it's possible that he might be re-signed.
Matt Wallner: .259, 13 HR, 37 RBI in 75 games. Wallner slumped badly early on, leading to a demotion to St. Paul. He found his swing with the Saints, and came back a reinvigorated player. Injuries kept him out toward the end of the year, but I could see him taking over Kepler's spot in right field.
Christian Vazquez: .221, 7 HR, 27 RBI in 93 games. Vazquez hasn't been much of an offensive powerhouse during his time with the Twins, but proved his worth, even filling in at third base for a game in San Francisco. He still has one year left on his deal, and should be the Twins' second catcher unless they sign or trade for someone else in the offseason.
Pitching:
Jorge Alcala: 4-3, 3.24 ERA, 16 holds. Alcala was up and down once again with the Twins. He still doesn't have an established role within Rocco Baldelli's bullpen.
Scott Blewett: 1-1, 1.77 ERA in 20.1 IP. While he doesn't have the type of name that you'd expect a reliever, Blewett was one of the Twins' most consistent arms after his recall from AAA.
Caleb Boushley: 0-0, 4.50 ERA in 4 IP. Boushley spent most of the 2024 season with the St. Paul Saints, He could be a feasible bullpen option in 2025.
Matt Bowman: 0-0, 2.35 ERA in 7.2 IP. Bowman started the year with the Twins, and also pitched for the Diamondbacks, Mariners and Orioles in 2024 along with several minor league affiliates of those organizations.
Diego Castillo: 0-0, 2.70 ERA in 10 IP. Not to be confused with infielder Diego Castillo, this veteran pitcher also split time between the majors and minors. I doubt that he'd be resigned to anything more than a minor league contract at the most next year.
Randy Dobnak: 0-0, 5.59 ERA in 9.2 IP. Dobnak resurfaced in the major leagues for the first time in several years this season. He's been a real innings eater for St. Paul, and I sincerely doubt that he'll ever become a big league starter again. A nice bullpen option to have if he's pitching well.
Daniel Duarte: 1-0, 2.25 ERA in 4 IP. The Twins picked Duarte up from the Reds, but he spent most of the season on the injured list. I don't see him as a long-term solution.
Jhoan Duran: 6-9, 3.64 ERA and 23 saves in 54.1 IP. Duran can be lights out. He can also be a bit erratic, especially when his pitches are out of the strike zone. He can easily throw 100 MPH-plus. I'd like Baldelli to make him the closer on a permanent basis.
David Festa: 2-6, 4.90 ERA in 14 games (13 starts). Festa was one of several rookies who made the Twins this year. His first couple of starts were nothing to write home about, but he improved as the season went on.
Kody Funderburk: 1-0, 6.49 ERA in 34.2 IP. Injuries and ineffectiveness marred Funderburk's 2024 season. I don't expect him to make next year's Opening Day roster.
Brett Headrick: 3.00 ERA in 3 IP. Headrick spent most of the year on the injured list. Hopefully he can return to form and be a vital cog in the Twins' bullpen.
Ronny Henriquez: 1-1, 3.26 ERA in 19.1 IP. Henriquez was mostly overlooked when he was in the majors. He even made a start. He could be a relief specialist or a back end of the rotation option.
Cole Irvin: 0-1, 12.27 ERA in 4.1 IP. Irvin was a September pick-up from Baltimore. He was quickly given up on after his less than stellar outings. Expect to see him elsewhere in the league in 2025.
Jay Jackson: 1-2, 7.52 ERA in 26.1 IP. This veteran made his first Opening Day roster, but pitched progressively worse the more that he was used. Another possible candidate for a minor league contract with another team, or he might pitch overseas.
Griffin Jax: 5-5, 2.03 ERA and 10 saves in 71 IP. Jax was the most consistent reliever on the Twins staff this season. He's said that he wants to start again, but I think he's a great set-up man.
Pablo Lopez: 15-10, 4.08 ERA and 198 K's in 32 starts. Lopez anchored the starting staff that was decimated by injuries. He can be a bit erratic, but most of the time he can be counted on to keep his team in ballgames.
Zebby Matthews: 1-4, 6.69 ERA in 9 starts. Considering that Matthews began the year in Single A ball, I'm impressed with his progress. He's not quite ready to be in a major league rotation for an entire season yet, but some more time in AAA might help him make some adjustments.
Bailey Ober: 12-9, 3.98 ERA in 31 starts. Ober emerged as the Twins #2 starter this year. i'm glad that he can be counted on every fifth day.
Steven Okert: 3-2, 5.09 ERA in 35.1 IP. Another reliever who started off okay, but faded down the stretch. The Twins picked him up from the Marlins, but I don't think he'll be on the roster next year.
Chris Paddack: 5-3, 4.99 ERA in 17 starts. Paddack is still on the mend after 2 Tommy John surgeries. He was placed on the IL a couple of times in 2024, and was planning to return in time for the playoffs. Now he has more time to rest and fine-tune things.
Trevor Richards: 0-1, 4.15 ERA in 13 IP. Richards was the one player the Twins traded for before the July trade deadline, but didn't play that much for his new team. We should have pursued starting pitchers instead.
Simeon Wood Richardson: 5-5, 4.17 ERA in 28 starts. Woods Richardson proved that he can be a major league starter this year. I just wish Baldelli wouldn't limit his innings.
Joe Ryan: 7-7, 3.60 ERA in 23 starts. Ryan was very reliable before going on the IL. Ryan reminds me of Bert Blyleven. They're both dependable starters who strike out a lot of batters and also give up a fair amount of home runs.
Cole Sands: 9-1, 3.28 ERA in 71.1 IP. Sands was the Twins' second most reliable reliever, behind Griffin Jax. Once a rotation option, I think he's a better middle inning or 7th inning specialist.
Josh Staumont: 1-0, 3.70 ERA in 24.1 IP. Staumont was a Twins killer until the team signed him. He was outstanding early on, but showed a few cracks in his armor before being let go.
Brock Stewart: 0-0, 5.17 ERA in 15.2 IP. Like Headrick, Stewart also spent most of the season on the injured list. If healthy, he could be a dependable bullpen arm in 2025.
Caleb Thielbar: 2-4, 5.32 ERA. I root for Thielbar because he's a fellow Minnesota native, but he has reminded me of Ron Davis this year. I wish he could be more consistent.
Michael Tonkin: 0-0, 3.86 ERA in 16.1 IP. Tonkin also spent time with the Yankees and Mets in 2024. He's one of those guys who's a good AAAA player: he dominates the minors but is never quite good enough to stay on a major league roster.
Justin Topa: 0-0, 0.00 ERA in 3 IP. Topa was acquired from Seattle in the Jorge Polanco trade, but wasn't activated from the IL until late September. Another reliever that might be beneficial in 2025 if he's healthy.
Louie Varland: 0-6, 7.61 ERA in 16 games (7 starts). An 0-4 record with an ERA over 9 led to a demotion early in the season. I don't think he's a quality starter. He's better as a long man/spot starter.
Josh Winder: 0-0, 3.00 ERA in 9 IP. Winder was also hurt most of the year. He is another of those bullpen/rotation options that shuttle between St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Castro, Wallner and Farmer also pitched for the Twins, but I'm not including those stats in this section, for obvious reasons.
I often struggle with Baldelli's managerial decisions, like his lineups and his unwillingness to define specific bullpen roles. The fact that all of his hitting coaches were dismissed after the season signifies the need for offensive upgrades next year.
Twins' general manager Thad Levine recently stepped down. Last year, after breaking long playoff game and playoff series losing streaks, fans were understandably upset with the team's decision to cut payroll. The reason given for that was the need to secure a television deal. Now they need to do it all over again, as Diamond Sports Group (Bally Sports' parent company) announced that they are dropping 11 teams, including the Twins, in 2025.
Besides a new television deal, the team will need to invest in starting pitcher. This has been a weakness of the Twins for many years. I know that many veteran starters don't want to pitch in Minnesota, but there have been some exceptions, of course. A trade may be necessary to obtain the arms that can pitch deep into games as #3 or #4 starters.
The team also needs to stay healthy. Too many injuries disrupted the lineup throughout the course of the season. It would be nice if Buxton, Correa, Lewis and other key pieces of the lineup could stay on the field for most of 2025. Unless the team addresses those issues, they might be closer to the White Sox than the Guardians in the standings next season.
Well, that's all I have for now. Time to catch the end of the Vikings/Jets game from London. Until my next post, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another.
