Spring Training is a time to ambitious, as Twins manager Rocco Baldelli says in episode 1 of "The Diamond." Therefore, the staff at Puckett's Pond is going to make predictions for the upcoming Twins season that have teeth. Fangs, even. Without wasting any more time, let's get bold.
1. Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis will play at least 128 games in the same starting lineup in 2024
The Triage Trio started together in the same lineup just 28 times in 2024. We can't tell you the Twins performed better with all three in there at the same time, because they didn't. But it's safe to assume the team would win a lot of games with all three present over the course of a full season.
It's also true that this prediction is especially bold considering that Buxton has played in at least 128 games just once in his career — 2017.
Hey, go big or go on the injured list.
2. Five Twins make the All-Star team
Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Byron Buxton, Bailey Ober and Griffin Jax.
Well, would you look at that?
Correa-Lewis-Buxton stay healthy and good things happen for the team and individual. It's doubtful any of them will be starters, considering the grudge enough fans hold against Correa regarding the Astros scandal, and with José Ramírez existing in the first place and blocking Lewis. But there's always injury replacements.
Speaking of which, that's how Buxton gets on. He has a great first half, but the AL needs him to replace Luís Robert because of an injury.
Irony, glorious irony.
It's hard to get five players from one club to the All-Star Game, with roster specifications the way they are. But there are more slots than ever. Five All-Stars wouldn't be a club record (that would be six in 1965, when there were 10 fewer teams than today), but the Twins haven't sent as many as five players to the mid-summer classic since 1988, when Jeff Reardon, Gary Gaetti, Tim Laudner, Frank Viola, Kirby Puckett represented at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium.
I know what you're thinking: Tim Laudner and NOT Kent Hrbek???
3. Rookie infielder Luke Keaschall will start Game 1 of the ALDS at second base
The Twins will rotate through Brooks Lee, Edouard Julien, Willi Castro, Payton Eeles and maybe even both Steve Lombardozzis at second, but for one reason or another none of them will be the starter once Keaschall takes over in mid-August.
Mostly recovered from Tommy John surgery by then, Keaschall will be able to handle things defensively and will be one of the team's hottest hitters over the final six weeks.
4. Matt Wallner will lead off for the Twins all season against right-handed pitching
Overall, Wallner will be second to Correa in on-base percentage on the roster — not counting Keaschall, who won't have enough plate appearances to qualify. Wallner won't be great against left-handed pitching, but he'll still be in the lineup much of the time against them because he will rediscover, to an extent, his ability to have competitive at-bats them.
With the potential to produce every day, he'll make the All-Star team in 2026.
5. Justin Ishbia will buy the Twins after all
Frustrated and confounded by White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf changing his mind multiple times about selling him the team, Ishbia will give up his dream of buying a club in Chicago and instead will begin construction on a castle on the shores of Lake Minnetonka so he can live in comfort near his new baseball team, the Twins.
The victory parade will go by the house.