The Athletic’s offseason grade for Minnesota will still have Twins fans disgruntled

When offseason grades began circulating across Major League Baseball, the Minnesota Twins landed in dead last with a “D” from Jim Bowden at The Athletic. Bowden, historically critical of Twins management in the past, didn't hold back in his assessment of the club's winter dealings:

"The Twins have had a dismal offseason. Their only significant moves were signing first baseman Josh Bell, reliever Taylor Rogers and catcher Victor Caratini. Those pick-ups helped their roster depth but likely won’t improve their win-loss record. And now they’ll enter spring training without longtime baseball head Derek Falvey, after announcing on Friday that he and the team were mutually parting ways."

Jim Bowden, The Athletic

For many fan bases, a mark that low would spark defensive backlash or accusations of national bias. That was not the case in Minnesota. Instead, a sizable portion of the Twins fan base reacted with something closer to weary agreement. In fact, some fans argued that even a “D” felt a little too nice given how little changed for the club over the winter.

Why offseason grade felt too generous to many Twins fans

The response to the grade was shaped less by outrage and more by frustration rooted in inactivity. The Twins’ offseason featured few moves that could remotely be described as meaningful upgrades. This is curious for a team (and front office!) that knew it needed clarity and improvement going into the winter. That sentiment showed up quickly on X. One fan response, reacting to offseason evaluations, summed up the prevailing mood by suggesting the criticism had not gone far enough:

Further comments from fans on X included sentiments like:

“At least the ‘D’ acknowledges the inactivity — but really, it could’ve been worse.”

“Feels like the front office hit snooze this offseason.”

“If this is a ‘D,’ what would a real effort even look like?”

Rather than pushing back on the grade itself, many replies echoed the belief that the Twins’ offseason deserved criticism, not debate. Fans were not demanding reckless spending or splash signings at any cost. What many wanted was to see the front office try - a move, or at least a feeling, that clearly communicated the organization was trying to improve a ballclub that failed to meet expectations the previous season.  Instead, the offseason felt cautious, built around marginal additions rather than targeted upgrades to the roster. The result was an offseason that felt more like maintenance (in the most minimal sense of the word) than progress.

The online reaction makes it clear that this frustration isn’t happening in a vacuum, but rather, it reflects something Twins fans feel they have lived through before. Three themes consistently surfaced in the response. First, fans wanted evidence of direction. Even one clear upgrade would have shifted the tone of the conversation. Second, dissatisfaction has compounded over time. With the club coming off of a subpar 2025 season and the ongoing concerns about payroll and competitiveness, many fans understandably described this winter as another “Groundhog Day” offseason, showcasing lackluster pickups while division foes bolstered their rosters by bringing in new international talent or impactful free agents. Third, the fan reactions reflect more fatigue than anger. The tone online was largely analytical, with many comments reading less like rants and more like conclusions drawn after years of watching the same approach on repeat.

Broader dissatisfaction has also surfaced in reaction to organizational messaging. Fan response to ownership's earlier comments this winter on payroll and spending philosophy reinforced the belief that ambition is being capped before the season even begins. Tom Pohlad's comments regarding payroll lit up the newswire and were widely panned as off-base and completely tone-deaf considering the current sentiments of the fanbase. In fact, it was suggested he was annoyed to even be asked about payroll, instead asking for the season to be judged by results. Well, when you make little to no effort to improve the team, the results will indeed speak for themselves.

In past seasons, Twins fans have often countered national criticism by pointing to internal development or long-term planning. This time, that defense was noticeably muted. Even those inclined to give the front office the benefit of the doubt acknowledged that the offseason lacked urgency, suggesting that patience might once again be required. Just what we want to hear.

Twins fans not pushing back "D" grade from The Athletic

With spring training closing in, the Twins do have some time to change the narrative, but time is quickly running out. If the front office is taking the fan base seriously, they will do something that will show us that they do care about the on-field product. But until that happens, the reaction to The Athletic's grade highlights that Twins Territory is not rejecting the criticism, but is quietly agreeing with it. For many Twins fans, the problem isn't the letter grade itself - it is how sickeningly familiar it felt.