Minnesota Twins 2026 Preview: The Roller-Coaster Ride Continues

The Minnesota Twins made the playoffs in 2023, but they finished 18 games out of first place last season. They have a star in Byron Buxton and another one in Joe Ryan. Last season, they were able to get out of their contract with Carlos Correa, and they did bolster their strong farm system.

However, it is likely going to be a long season for the Minnesota Twins. Their roster is not very talented or deep, and they are likely to struggle, particularly with pitching. How many games do you think the Minnesota Twins will win this year?

Minnesota wins Pitching

Health is very important for the Minnesota Twins. Their top starting pitchers, Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez, are very good but often injured. Lopez had three injuries last season. Ryan was more durable; he started 30 games last season, throws hard, and has a variety of pitches. The rest of the starting rotation is more questionable. The rest of the starting pitchers are not that good. Zebby Matthews, Simeon Woods-Richardson, and Taj Bradley are in the mix.

In the bullpen, the closer is Taylor Rodgers. The Twins have traded away most of their bullpen, so we can see several pitchers coming into the game for them. Anthony Banda, Kody Funderburk, Andrew Chafin, Eric Orze, Travis Adams, Justin Topa, and Cole Sands are all in the mix. There could also be some expatriots from the starting rotation. The bullpen is where you see a lack of depth for small marketst teams, like the Minnesota Twins.

Minnesota Twins Hitting

Ryan Jeffers is the starting catcher for the Twins. He has been above average on most metrics. However, a strong defender is needed to back him up. Alex Jackson could be that guy. The infield has been puzzling. That starts with Royce Lewis, who has not yet lived up to his superstar billing. He will play at third base.

At second base, Luke Keaschall had a 134 WRC+ last year and does have some power. Minnesota signed Josh Bell to play first base. This is the seventh team for this huge guy. He will also see some time at designated hitter. Brooks Lee is the shortstop, but he may not hit. Kody Clemens, Roger’s son, backs up first, second, and third bases.

In the outfield, Byron Buxton is the fragile star. He is a great fielder who has some power. He is starting for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. He needs to stay healthy. The rest of the outfield is not as skilled. Look for Matt Wallner and Austin Martin to start. Wallner has great power.

Martin does not have great power, but he does have a good eye.At Designated Hitter, though we could see Bell there, the Twins need to get the bat of Trevor Lanach into the game. Larnach hit 17 home runs last season. He also had 60 runs batted in.

Management

Regretably for Twins fans, the Pohlad family still owns the team. That fact has made the job of team president Derek Falvey and the new General ManagerJermey Zoll, difficult. New manager, Derek Shelton, is the former Pittsburgh Pirates Manager. He did not fare well in Pittsburgh and was let go during the 2025 season.

Parting Shots

This is probably going to be a rough season for the Twins. Health is very important for them; their roster is not deep enough to withstand injuries. Too bad for them, their stars in Buxton, Ryan, and Lopez have a history of injuries, or are hurt now.