For the entire month of August, fans of the Minnesota Twins wanted to see Walker Jenkins in the major leagues. But the results have been disappointing in his first 12 games, as Jenkins is just 4-for-34 at the plate with a home run off Detroit Tigers utilityman Zach McKinstry. Those at-bats sting even more as Byron Buxton heads toward the operating table and the Twins’ playoff hopes circle the drain, but it also presents an opportunity over the month of September.
Jenkins’s initial stint in the majors hasn’t gone as well as fans have hoped but a strong final stretch could change everything. A 21-year-old who still has a bright future ahead of him, Jenkins could go into the offseason on a high note and perhaps show he’s ready for a major league role whenever the 2027 season begins.
Walker Jenkins is in a tough spot after late-season call-up to the Twins
For what it’s worth, Twins fans had a strong case to bring Jenkins to the majors. In 69 games with Triple-A St. Paul, Jenkins was hitting .308/.407/.532 with 12 homers, 28 RBI and 17 stolen bases on 21 attempts. But the kicker was that he seemed to be getting better, hitting .411/.488/.795 with eight homers, 13 RBI and seven stolen bases in 18 games during the month of August.
At the same time, the Twins were in the middle of a race for the American League’s final playoff spot. Their offense was spinning its wheels and while Luke Keaschall was an exception, his defense washed away any offensive value he produced at the plate. Trevor Larnach, Austin Martin and Alan Roden also were in a funk and it felt like the time was right to give Jenkins the call.
Still, the Twins hesitated. Many believed that it was to keep Jenkins’s eligibility to play minor league baseball in the event of a lengthy lockout that would bleed into next season. Dan Hayes of The Athletic also speculated that Minnesota’s front office was wanting to see more power from Jenkins at the plate before calling him up. In the end, it was Buxton’s latest trip to the injured list that brought Jenkins up and it may have given Jenkins some adversity.
The traditional stats have been rough and would look even worse if the Tigers didn’t put McKinstry on the mound during an Aug. 31 blowout. But the analytics at Baseball Savant don’t do him any favors outside of strong chase and walk rates, showing a player that is adjusting to life in the major leagues.
Expected Batting Average | .174 |
Expected Slugging Percentage | .273 |
Average Exit Velocity | 86.0 mph |
Barrel Rate | 4.3% |
Hard-Hit Rate | 34.8% |
Squared-Up Rate | 19.4% |
Chase Rate | 24.4% |
Whiff Rate | 31.9% |
Strikeout Rate | 23.7% |
Walk Rate | 13.2% |
Walker Jenkins has a massive opportunity in September
Jenkins turned in another rough performance on Wednesday, going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in a 7-2 loss to the Tigers. He’s also 1-for-22 with 10 strikeouts in his last 27 plate appearances, perhaps signaling a player who is struggling to adjust in his first weeks in the majors. But with playoff dreams fleeting, it’s OK to let Jenkins work things out and that’s where the final month of September comes into play.
It’s unlikely that Buxton returns this season, meaning Jenkins will be unchallenged in center field. Getting everyday playing time was another concern the Twins had in calling up Jenkins, but getting constant major league at-bats could give him an idea of what he needs to work on going into what will likely be his first full season with the Twins in 2027.
If Jenkins heats up at the end of the year, it could help him enter the offseason on a strong note. Assuming Buxton fully recovers from surgery, it could also help him land a corner outfield spot on Opening Day or even take over in center field if Buxton is limited to designated hitter duty.
Jenkins’s start isn’t what Twins fans had in mind as he was crushing Triple-A pitching last month. But how he finishes could set the tone for what he could be next season.
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