Designated hitter Josh Bell had a strong start to his first year with Minnesota, slashing .317/.431/.634 (190 wRC+) with three home runs and 10 RBI in 51 plate appearances through April 9. His season then began to unravel, as the DH hit just .174/.213/.207 (14 wRC+) with no homers and 14 RBI in 127 plate appearances from April 10 to May 16. At the time of Bell's rough patch, it seemed possible he could start losing playing time. However, he quickly turned his season around, hitting .281/.329/.521 (133 wRC+) with eight home runs, 18 extra-base hits and 32 RBI in 158 plate appearances since May 18.
452-FOOT HOMER 😳
— MLB (@MLB) July 2, 2026
Josh Bell obliterated this ball! pic.twitter.com/Rx84p9fWPN
Bell's hot streak has been a major reason the Twins' offense has been surging. Minnesota has scored 210 runs, the most in the American League, since Bell's hot streak began on May 18. Minnesota also leads the AL in runs on the season with 429, while the New York Yankees rank second with 417. The Twins also rank ninth among all 30 MLB teams in wRC+ (104) and slugging percentage (.412).
Bell signed a one-year, $7 million deal with Minnesota in the offseason. It appeared he would be the team's primary first baseman this year, but Kody Clemens quickly claimed that role, and now Royce Lewis serves as the starting first baseman while Clemens has mainly been playing second base recently. Bell is better off being a full-time DH, anyway, as he has posted negative Outs Above Average in each of the past five seasons.
Josh Bell's hot streak helps Twins no matter what trade deadline direction they take
Bell's offensive surge is good for the Twins no matter what they do at the trade deadline. On one hand, it increases the team's odds of adding rather than subtracting, since his strong performance at the plate has helped the Twins win more games. On the other hand, if Minnesota needs to sell at the deadline, Bell will be a more valuable trade piece than if he hadn't turned his season around.
The Twins (42-46) are just 2 1/2 games back of the third AL Wild Card spot and 4 1/2 games back of the Chicago White Sox for first place in the AL Central. So, while they're not in a playoff spot, they're within striking distance. If the team falls out of contention within the next month, then Bell will most likely be dealt. If not, then the Twins may keep Bell and add bullpen reinforcements in an attempt to reach the postseason for the first time since 2023.
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