It's understandable for Twins fans to be checked out of the 2025 season at this point; with 10 games left in the season, Minnesota is already eliminated from postseason contention. However, there are still many reasons to watch the rest of the Twins' season despite the disaster it has been.
3 reasons why it's still worth watching the rest of the Twins' 2025 season despite the disappointment it has been
1. Byron Buxton is having the best year of his career
It's a shame the Twins couldn't be more competitive during Buxton's career year, but it's still worth tuning into games to see what Minnesota's star center fielder can do. In 119 games this season, Buxton has produced a career high 4.9 fWAR while slashing .270/.333/.551 (137 wRC+) with career highs in homers (31) and RBIs (76).
Buxton isn't just producing with his bat. At age 31, Buxton is still one of the fastest players in the league and arguably the best defensive center fielder in baseball. Buxton has an average sprint speed of 30.2 feet per second, which is tied for second in MLB with Victor Scott II and Bobby Witt Jr. behind Trea Turner's 30.3 feet per second. Buxton's speed has allowed him to steal 24 bases, the most he has collected in a season since 2017. On the defensive side, Buxton has four outs above average this year, which ranks in the 89th percentile.
Byron Buxton refuses to be stopped. Two more steals tonight, his hand stomped on, and he still stayed in the game & scored. Pure grit.#MNTwins | #MLB pic.twitter.com/xA2ieAfH1M
— Talkin' Twins (@TalkinTwins) September 17, 2025
2. Luke Keaschall & Austin Martin
While most of the Twins' offense has been struggling recently, Keaschall and Martin have given Twins fans a reason to watch, as both players hold a six-game hitting streak heading into Friday's game against the Cleveland Guardians.
Keaschall, a second baseman, has produced at an elite level in his limited major league action this season. In 44 games, Keaschall has hit .311/.393/.449 (138 wRC+) with four homers, 28 RBIs, 23 runs and 13 stolen bases. If it weren't for his forearm fracture earlier in the year, it's plausible Keaschall would have been a Rookie of the Year candidate.
Martin, who plays outfield and second base, started the season with Triple-A St. Paul and suffered a right hamstring strain in April that kept him sidelined for nearly two months. Upon his return from the injured list, Martin posted an .829 OPS over 137 plate appearances with the Saints before being promoted to the major leagues on Aug. 1 following the trade deadline fire sale. Martin has taken full advantage of his big-league opportunity this year, slashing .296/.393/.392 (125 wRC+) with nine stolen bases in 147 plate appearances. As long as he is healthy, Martin likely will be on the Twins' 2026 roster.
3. Exciting matchups
To finish the season, the Twins host the Guardians for four games, then head on the road for a three-game set against the Texas Rangers and a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies, respectively.
Although they won't make the playoffs themselves, the Twins have the chance to play spoiler. After winning seven straight games, the Guardians are in postseason contention despite a -23 run differential, trailing the Boston Red Sox by 1 1/2 games for the final American League Wild Card spot and the Detroit Tigers by 3 1/2 games for first place in the American League Central. Cleveland is in must-win territory with 10 games left, so its four-game series against Minnesota will be crucial.
The Twins may also have the chance to play spoiler against the Rangers; Texas trails the Red Sox by four games in the Wild Card standings and the Astros by five games in the American League West standings. Making the postseason is unlikely for the Rangers at this point, but it's still possible. Winning the series against the Twins is likely a must if they want to sneak into the playoffs.
Minnesota's final series of the season in Philadelphia should be exciting as well. The Phillies have already clinched the National League East title and hold a five-game lead over the Dodgers for the National League's second seed, which comes with a first-round bye in the playoffs. Still, it'll be fun to watch the Twins play a team with World Series aspirations, and Twins fans will be able to watch old friends Jhoan Durán, Max Kepler and Harrison Bader compete against their former team.