I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but the Minnesota Twins probably won't make the playoffs. With a 69-77 record, Minnesota is 4 1/2 games behind Cleveland for the final American League Wild Card spot with 16 regular-season games remaining. FanGraphs gives the Twins a 2.7% chance to make the playoffs.
I'm not saying the Twins can't finish the season on an insane run, but even if they do, there are three teams between them and the Guardians in the Wild Card standings, meaning those teams would have to play poorly enough for Minnesota to sneak in as the final Wild Card team. It's probably about time for fans to look ahead to the 2027 season (if there is one).
As Twins fans prepare for the 2027 season, they need to understand there's a strong possibility that Joe Ryan will be traded during the offseason. Ryan is set to be a free agent at the end of the 2027 season, so the Twins might deal him over the winter to receive controllable assets in return for the right-hander.
If the Twins trade Ryan, it wouldn't mean they're throwing in the towel for the 2027 season. Look at the Milwaukee Brewers. They traded right-handed starter Freddy Peralta over the offseason because he's on an expiring contract. Despite that trade, Milwaukee has the best record in all of baseball.
As the Twins enter a pivotal offseason, let's take a look at some players who definitely belong in the team's core.
2 Twins players who definitely belong in Twins' core
3B Brooks Lee
Earlier in the season, many argued that Lee belonged in the minor leagues. He was playing awful shortstop defense and struggling at the plate. Now, he clearly belongs on the team going forward.
Lee has posted 2.5 fWAR and a .250/.299/.438 (104 wRC+) slash line with 23 home runs and 79 RBI over 139 games this season. He posted an awful -9 Defensive Runs Saved over 400 innings at shortstop this year. Since moving to third base, he has recorded +9 DRS. The Twins should feel good about having Lee at third base for the foreseeable future.
OF Luke Keaschall
Keaschall has emerged as an exceptional leadoff hitter for the Twins. He began the season on the wrong foot, slashing just .226/.272/.292 through April. Since then, Keaschall has hit .296/.400/.431 with eight home runs and 21 doubles over 418 plate appearances.
The only issue with Keaschall is that he is a poor defender. After a rough start to the year at second base, Keaschall was moved to the outfield. Unfortunately, Keaschall's defensive metrics in the outfield have also been poor. It could be a Luis Arraez situation where the Twins might consider trading Keaschall for a top starting pitcher, but for now, Minnesota should want to keep him in their lineup as the leadoff hitter.
With Josh Bell set to hit free agency at the end of this season, Keaschall could be a primary DH next year. Keaschall is also very athletic and known for his strong work ethic, so it wouldn't be shocking if he improved massively in the outfield next year.
Other young players who 100% belong in Twins' core
- RHP Taj Bradley
- RHP Mick Abel
- RHP Yoendrys Gómez
- RHP Andrew Morris
- LHP Connor Prielipp
- INF Kaelen Culpepper
- OF Walker Jenkins
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