The Houston Astros have hired Conner Watson as their director of hitting, according to The Athletic's Chandler Rome. Watson spent the last two seasons as the Cleveland Guardians' assistant director of hitting development.
Now that the Guardians lost a key coach to the Astros, the Twins could have an easier path to an American League Central title. The Guardians had one of the worst offenses in baseball this year, ranking 26th in OPS but 17th in RBI with runners in scoring position, which isn't great, but it's respectable given how bad Cleveland's offense was overall.
Because of amazing pitching and timely hitting, the Guardians reached the ALCS, losing in six games to the Tampa Bay Rays. While the Guardians' offense was bad, one has to wonder if Watson is part of the reason the team got hits when it mattered. The fact that the Astros hired Watson to help improve their struggling offense proves that many view him as a smart baseball mind, and the Twins should be happy he is out of the division.
Could the Twins win the AL Central in 2027?
The Twins definitely won't be the favorites to win the AL Central next season (if there is one), but it's not far-fetched to suggest they could end the season on top of the division. Minnesota remained in the postseason race for most of the season, and the front office added to the big-league roster at the trade deadline with the belief the team could make a playoff run. Obviously, that didn't work out, but the club at least seems in a much better spot heading into 2027 than it did last offseason.
With plenty of young talent finally reaching the majors and Tom Pohlad making it clear he wants to increase payroll this offseason, Minnesota has a decent chance at returning to the playoffs in 2027.
It seems like any team could win the Central in 2027. The Guardians won it this year, but their poor offensive numbers suggest they could regress next year. However, it seems like everyone always doubts Cleveland, and the team always manages to sneak into the postseason.
The Detroit Tigers entered the season as the favorite to win the division. They missed the playoffs entirely but posted a strong +71 run differential, scoring 709 runs and allowing 638.
The Chicago White Sox held the division lead for much of the season before the Guardians came back to win the division. Chicago still made the playoffs as the third AL Wild Card team and defeated the Astros in the Wild Card round before blowing a 2-0 lead in the ALDS to the Guardians.
The Kansas City Royals probably have the lowest odds of winning the Central next year. Still, with star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and other promising young players, including Jac Caglianone, the team could surprise everyone in 2027, as the White Sox did this year.
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