Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins - Andy Witchger/CC BY 2.0
The Minnesota Twins and their fans had great optimism at the start of the 2023 MLB season. They had assembled their best starting rotation in several years and had an experienced bullpen with a closer that throws bullets. They had several veteran players in their prime, such as Byron Buxton, Jorge Polanco, and Carlos Correa. And the roster also included potential stars like Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, Jose Miranda, and by midseason, Royce Lewis.
Fast forward to today and you find a team on their heels. Although still leading the AL Central by a game and a half, they are in the midst of a five-game losing streak and back-peddling more each day. The fact that no team in the division is even playing .500 ball is the main reason the team remains in first place. Talk of a long playoff run is not even a faint whisper at the moment. With that, let’s go over the six things that the Twins need to do to win the division.
The Twins Need to Stay Healthy
No small feat for this club. Even with the change in trainers from last year, the Twins clubhouse remains a M.A.S.H. unit. The team currently has five players on the 10-day injured list including Buxton, slugger Joey Gallo, and starting pitcher Kenta Maeda. And currently, four Twins are on the 60-day injured list including starter Tyler Mahle and supersub Nick Gordon.
Also. Jorge Polanco, Larnach, and outfielder Max Kepler were previously on the 10-day list and have recently returned. Correa is struggling with Plantar Fasciitis and Polanco left yesterday’s game with a leg injury. These are the same types of injuries that derailed their 2022 season. This cannot continue if they hope to maintain their lead in the Central Division.
Don’t Waste this Starting Pitching
The Twins have compiled their best starting rotation since the Johann Santana-led 2005 squad. Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, and Pablo Lopez have been a formidable trio accumulating quality starts that have enabled the team to be less reliant on bullpen innings. Even with injuries to Maeda and Mahle, youngsters Baily Ober and Louis Varland have stepped up to form a solid backend of the rotation.
But too often, the starters have been betrayed by a bullpen that cannot sustain a lead and a batting order that lacks clutch hitters. The Twins must provide better support for their starters and ensure that these quality starts will not be wasted due to deficiencies in the rest of the lineup.
The Twins’ Big Guns Gotta Hit
Offensively, the Twins lead the American League in strikeouts, fourth in runners left on base, and dead last in at-bats that end with the ball in play. Simply put, this team strikeouts too much and leaves too many runners stranded. This is obviously a team-wide problem but unfortunately, the biggest problem lies with the team’s two best hitters, Correa, and Buxton.
The two have combined for 118 strikeouts, a .212 batting average, and they have been no-shows when at the plate with runners in scoring position. Both of these players need to get healthy and bring some potency back to the middle of the Twins lineup.
Let the Youth be Served
The Twins must continue to coach up their younger players and put them into situations where they can succeed. Kirilloff, Larnach, and Lewis have to be given every opportunity to shine at the major league level. Sometimes this means benching a veteran player to open up an opportunity for a rising talent.
It also might mean promoting a player from the minors whose time has come. Which leads me to my next subject…
Wallner for Kepler
Okay, this is the bandwagon part of my story. I am not the first, nor will I be the last person to call out for this change. Kepler has had one bountiful year in the majors (2019), but his inability to put hard-hit balls in play and his futility against lefties is adding additional misery to a team that is already experiencing a run-scoring drought.
Wallner, like Kirilloff and Lewis before him, has simply outgrown Triple-A baseball. He had a dynamic, short stay with the Twins and has been tearing the cover off the ball since his return to St. Paul. Pull the trigger Rocco. Please!!!
Help for the Bullpen
When the Twins started the season, I felt like they were a relief pitcher short of having a quality bullpen. Now I feel like they are two-three pitchers short. It doesn’t help that Griffith Jax, Emilio Pagan, and Jorge Lopez of late have been unable to hold late-inning leads. Only Jhoan Duran, Caleb Thielbar, and the surprising Brock Stewart have pitched at a consistent level.
The Twins need to be an active trade partner as the deadline approaches and go out and procure at least two additional arms for their pen. And a hard-throwing lefty would be at the top of their wish list.
So, there it is. The good news is that the Twins are still leading the division despite some of the above-mentioned issues. But they must play at a more consistent level to maintain their division lead and to have any chance at a playoff run. Here’s hoping our home team finds the light and elevates their play for the rest of the season.
