Minnesota Twins News - MinnesotaSportsFan

Royce Lewis Injury Update Reveals Trouble on Opening Day for Twins

Ted Schwerzler — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 18:39:22 +0000

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn ImagesKim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

On Sunday afternoon at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, the Minnesota Twins baseball world stood still, yet again, when once-blossoming star third baseman Royce Lewis wrapped a grounder down the third base line and pulled up lame halfway to first base. Lewis exited the game under his own power but was flanked by manager Rocco Baldelli and trainer Nick Paparesta.

Here’s the video of Lewis’ injury. pic.twitter.com/jn0rhlRixs
— Ted (@tlschwerz) March 16, 2025

As we have seen in recent seasons, the Minnesota Twins go as Royce Lewis, Carlos Correa, and Byron Buxton go. Since those three joined the same roster, they have gone as their health has, which has led to a rocky three seasons with one very high peak and two devastatingly low valleys.

Royce Lewis to miss Opening Day for the Minnesota Twins

And now here we are again, just over a week out from the start of the MLB regular season, and it’s being reported that an MRI on the hamstring injury he suffered Sunday revealed it as a “moderate” strain, whatever that means. What we do know is that he’s likely to miss Opening Day.

“The Twins third baseman has a moderate sprain of his left hamstring, an MRI taken Monday morning confirmed, and the Twins have ruled him out for the March 27 season opener in St. Louis.”
Star Tribune

Despite this being Royce Lewis’ fourth big league season, he has played on Opening Day just a single time. His injury history is well documented, and the soon-to-be 26-year-old continues to be plagued by them. When healthy, he has shown an ability to be one of the best on the planet.

Optimism surrounding Lewis’ latest injury…?

After a pair of Opening Day hits last year, one of which left the yard, Lewis suffered a quad injury in game 1 of 162 that kept him out of the Minnesota Twins 2024 starting lineup until June 4. This time around, Lewis told the Star Tribune’s Phil Miller that this injury is “not even close” to as serious. In the end, time will tell whether or not that is true.

Last year Lewis tumbled down the stretch and ultimately finished with a .233/.295/.452 slash line. That said, he has hit 31 homers in his last 140 big league games and remains a legitimate star. The prospect luster may have worn off, and he certainly hasn’t distanced himself from the health concerns.

There’s a talent so much more significant than a prolific grand slam hitter. The Twins need him to be a middle-of-the-lineup constant. Lewis being off the roster opens a spot for Brooks Lee, but no one would love more than for him to miss the minimum.

More must-reads:

Minnesota Twins Set Starting Rotation, Announce Third Round of Roster Cuts

Ted Schwerzler — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 20:51:35 +0000

Dave Nelson-Imagn ImagesDave Nelson-Imagn Images

We are now just ten days from Twins Opening Day against the St. Louis Cardinals in Missouri. The Minnesota Twins are 9-11 through Grapefruit League action thus far. The big news Sunday was that star third baseman Royce Lewis suffering a hamstring strain running up the first baseline. Then, following the game the team made the third round of roster moves.

There are still plenty of players in big league camp. A few non-roster invitees remain, but Rocco Baldelli’s Opening Day roster is becoming more clear as the days go by. After the latest moves, the starting rotation has now been set.

Five more roster cuts made by Minnesota Twins

None of Sunday’s roster moves should come as a shock to fans. What the latest moves mean is that Rocco Baldelli has his starting rotation locked in. That group was always expected to be Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack, and Simeon Woods Richardson. Now it is official.

Twins announced the latest round of cuts:

David Festa
Kody Funderburk
Luke Keaschall
Zebby Matthews
Alex Speas

As expected, that means the rotation will be Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack, and Simeon Woods Richardson.

Down to 40 players in major-league camp.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) March 16, 2025

Both David Festa and Zebby Matthews remain the most likely immediate depth options for the starting rotation. The former struggled this spring and allowed 15 runs on 19 hits in just 11 1/3 innings. He struck out 11 and walked just three.

The latter has been called a breakout candidate this year, and his Grapefruit League results are more than encouraging. Matthews didn’t allow a run across 9 1/3 innings and posted a strong 12/1 K/BB.

Luke Keaschall and Alex Speas were never expected to make the roster. Keaschall, top 100 prospect, should spend time at Triple-A and could be a star. He flashed during the Spring Breakout game and had five hits, including a home run, across 12 games.

Luke Keaschall kicks off the Spring Breakout game with a single. pic.twitter.com/8elcnznqwY
— Ted (@tlschwerz) March 15, 2025

There are multiple avenues for Keaschall to make the Minnesota Twins roster at some point this season. He could be a factor at either second or third base. Speas will go to Triple-A and provide bullpen depth.

Kody Funderburk was in consideration for the second lefty out of the bullpen. He gave up four runs on six hits in 7 2/3 innings this spring. He also had an 8/6 K/BB. He’ll need to hone in the command but should be back at some point this season.

Rocco Baldelli’s camp now has 40 players in it. The Minnesota Twins must make 14 more cuts before taking the team back north. Most of the ambiguity remains in the bullpen, and final bench spots.

More must-reads:

Former Twins Slugger Turned Pitcher Granted Release From Rival

Ted Schwerzler — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 19:14:45 +0000

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesMark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins have boasted a roster of unforgettable players throughout their storied history, though not always for the reasons fans might hope. Among them are the cherished fan favorites who ignite the stands with excitement, and others whose tenure you’d rather erase from memory. Some flame out before Spring Training even wraps, while others stubbornly cling to the lineup, enduring the full season for better or worse.

Despite the 2023 MN Twins winning the AL Central and having their best postseason run in decades, it’s hard to remember that Joey Gallo was part of it. He signed a one-year deal for $11 million, and gave the Twins a putrid .177/.301/.440 line across 111 games to show for it.

Rocco Baldelli opted against putting Gallo on the postseason roster in 2023. He then went to Washington last year and had a career-worst 74 OPS+ in 76 games. This offseason he signed with the worst team in baseball. Now, even the Chicago White Sox have sent him packing.

Chicago White Sox release former Twins slugger Joey Gallo

Joey Gallo found his way back to the AL Central by way of the Chicago White Sox. That’s a bottom-of-the-barrel landing spot after they lost an MLB-record 121 games last season. Just under two weeks before Opening Day he was granted his release.

Couple updates:

Joey Gallo has been granted his unconditional release

Mason Adams diagnosed with flexor strain in right elbow … timetable TBD
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) March 16, 2025

Through nine Cactus League games, Gallo had just two hits in 21 plate appearances. What’s worse is that he also owned an 11/1 K/BB. For a guy who has always struck out a ton, the lack of ability to draw walks is a new problem.

It’s also entirely plausible that Gallo simply doesn’t know where the strike zone is anymore. His pitch challenge against San Diego Padres starter Dylan Cease was nothing short of hilarious earlier this spring.

Trying to explain why Joey Gallo challenged a strike down the middle pic.twitter.com/e5V46f70nP
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) March 14, 2025

At his best, Gallo was a on-base machine. Despite leading the league with 213 strikeouts in 2021, he also walked a league-leading 111 times. He has just a career .194 batting average, but has gotten on base at a .319 clip.

Now 31 years old and released by baseball’s worst team, it’s probably time for Gallo to consider a different form of employment. Coincidentally, he is doing just that.

Joey Gallo now focusing on the mound

It’s time to notate Gallo as a former outfielder. Across

Just to be clear, I will be pitching.

— Joey Gallo (@JoeyGallo24) March 16, 2025 ">890 career big league games he has played 592 of them in the outfield. He also has 206 at first base and another 92 at the hot corner. He has graded out positively from a defensive metrics standpoint, and his arm shined from the grass. One spot he has not played, quite literally ever, is pitcher.

That’s about to change.

Just to be clear, I will be pitching.
— Joey Gallo (@JoeyGallo24) March 16, 2025

It remains to be seen if Gallo will be given an immediate affiliated opportunity after switching to the mound. The Guardians have former outfielder Tyler Naquin trying to make it back as a pitcher. Anthony Gose, coincidentally another former Guardian, did make the transition from outfield to the mound.

It’s a natural progression for a player with a big arm to try their hand throwing the ball by batters. Gallo was drafted out of high school and began pro ball at 18. That means he last pitched at least 13 years ago. He’ll certainly be hoping that he has a better grasp of the zone from the mound than he has shown recently in the box.

The assumption should be that Gallo will look to make it as a reliever that can unleash his arm in short bursts. In 2022 and 2023 Gallo’s arm ranked in the 90th and 82nd percentile from the outfield per Baseball Savant.

More must-reads:

Minnesota Twins Superstar Suffers Spring Training Injury

Ted Schwerzler — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 18:27:02 +0000

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn ImagesKim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins are just ten days from Opening Day. They currently hold a 9-10-3 record in Grapefruit League play down in Fort Myers. While they have been dealt some injuries on the pitching side, and with some for their top hitting prospects, it’s been a mostly healthy Spring Training.

But that seems to have changed in a big way on Sunday afternoon, against the Boston Red Sox, when Royce Lewis — who has never played more than 82 games in a single season — exited the game during the second inning with what has been diagnosed as a hamstring strain.

Royce Lewis exits with hamstring injury for Minnesota Twins

It happened after Royce rapped a ball down the third base line, off of Boston starter Garrett Crochet. As he began to hit full speed down the first base line, he pulled up lame, grabbing his left leg halfway to first base.

Here’s the video of Lewis’ injury. pic.twitter.com/jn0rhlRixs
— Ted (@tlschwerz) March 16, 2025

On Opening Day 2024, after Lewis hit a home run in his first at bat of the season, he was pulled from the game after rounding second base and suffering a non-contact leg injury much like what happened in the video above. This time around, it now appears as if he may not even make it to Opening Day.

Lewis will have an MRI on Monday and that will determine the severity of the injury as well as the plan moving forward.

Before Royce even made it to first base there were groans and expletives let out from the crowd. Rocco Baldelli emerged from the dugout with head trainer Nick Paparesta. Lewis was hunched over at first base for a time, and ultimately left the field under his own power. Minnesota officially announced the injury as a hamstring strain.

Lewis busted it out of the box and grabbed at his left hamstring halfway down the line. He’s coming out of the game. pic.twitter.com/nH5YTDtew8
— Ted (@tlschwerz) March 16, 2025

Through three professional seasons Lewis has played just 152 total games. He has hit 16 and 15 home runs in the past two seasons respectively, but his inability to remain on the field has been a serious bugaboo.

Last season Lewis experienced struggle for his first time as a professional. He slashed just .233/.295/.452 and endured a late-season slump that helped to crater the Twins postseason chances.

Injury history is long for Minnesota Twins Royce Lewis

Of course this injury is just the latest in a litany of them for the former first overall pick. He has torn his right ACL twice as well as multiple soft tissue injuries including his oblique, adductor, and quadricep.

It’s been a series of setbacks for Lewis over the course of his career. He remains an incredibly upbeat and jovial personality that pushes to be out on the field. Unfortunately his body consistently is getting in the way. The exact thing that allows him to compete at such a high level is also the same thing that keeps him off the field.

Minnesota has had to hold their breathe with regards to the roster makeup in recent seasons. Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton are often also a constant concern, and that leaves Baldelli wondering which players he can count on to lead the lineup.

Royce Lewis’ injury changes MN Twins roster

The injury to Royce Lewis puts his chances of making the Opening Day roster in serious doubt. Even if the hamstring strain is mild, he will be down for a matter of days and time is running out. There is just 10 days left until Minnesota opens in St. Louis against the Cardinals.

Brooks Lee is a player that the Twins wanted to see go out and win the starting second base job. Willi Castro made that a difficult proposition though, and he was likely to get most of his at bats there. If Lewis isn’t on the roster then Baldelli will turn to that tandem when writing out second and third base spots.

It’s unfortunate that Lewis is again on the shelf. He has become far too familiar with Paparesta and the training room. Lewis was having a strong spring and owns a .346/.469/.423 slash line with a pair of doubles in 12 Grapefruit League games.

More must-reads:

Death, Taxes and MN Twins Bullpen Injuries Down in Fort Myers

Eric Strack — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 17:41:57 +0000

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins are down in Fort Myers preparing for the 2025 MLB season, which mostly means they’re just trying to get through spring training with as few injuries as possible, a goal that they’ve been somewhat successful at achieving, at least compared to past seasons.

But of course, the Twins haven’t fully escaped the injury bug down in Florida, especially when you look at the middle reliever talent they were hoping to lean on, before games reach backend bullpen staples, Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax.

Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Over the past 24 hours, Minnesota Twins injury updates have revealed injuries to RHP Brock Stewart, RHP Michael Tonkin and RHP Matt Canterino. While all three injuries have different severity, the overall health of the bullpen is becoming a bigger concern, as spring goes on.

Michael Tonkin, Brock Stewart injury updates

33-year-old Brock Stewart, who left his Friday Grapefruit league appearance vs the Boston Red Sox with a leg injury, has been diagnosed with a mild left hamstring strain. The good news is that he is expected to start throwing later this week.

Michael Tonkin, 35, came back to the Twins midseason 2024, pitching 13 impressive innings (2.13 ERA and 12.1 SO/9), but will not open the season on the 26-man roster, as he works his way back from a shoulder strain he suffered last week.

RHP Michael Tonkin (shoulder strain) will open the season on the IL, will remain in Fort Myers a few weeks to build up to pitch again.

RHP Brock Stewart has a mild left hamstring strain, but tested well today and should resume throwing later this week.
— Phil Miller (@MillerStrib) March 16, 2025

The update on Stewart is good news, though we have heard this type of story before, specifically with Stewart, whose season-ending injury in 2024 started out as something that was supposed to be minor. With this organization, take all early injury updates, diagnosis and timelines with a large grain of salt.

The Twins would really love to have Stewart on the Opening Day roster. His career in Minnesota has been marred by injury, including missing most of last season. But when he’s available, Brock Stewart has been nothing short of dominant. In 43 innings as a Twin, the Illinois State University alum has a 2.28 ERA, 2.78 FIP, 191 ERA+ and 12.3 SO/9.

Tonkin played the first seasons of his MLB career with the Minnesota Twins (2013-2017), before spending 2018 in Japan. He returned to the Big Leagues in 2019, where he’s played for three other teams, the Braves, Yankees and Mets. Both guys project as major pieces of Minnesota’s bullpen this season.

Oft-injured Minnesota Twins reliever Matt Canterino going through it again

A spring training Minnesota Twins injury update would not be complete without mentioning Matt Canterino, their 27-year-old pitching prospect who’s brought a lot more hype during the course of his career than he has minor league production.

That’s saying something, being he has a 1.91 ERA, 0.859 WHIP and 13.8 SO/9 in 85 minor league innings between 2019 and 2022. Unfortunately, injuries have kept Canterino from the mound in each of the past two seasons. And now, he’ll miss a third-straight season, following surgery on his right shoulder.

RHP Matt Canterino underwent shoulder surgery in Dallas this week to “tighten” ligaments, Twins announce. He’ll miss the entire season for the third straight year.
— Phil Miller (@MillerStrib) March 16, 2025

There are less than ten days before the 2025 Minnesota Twins regular season begins on March 26 in St. Louis vs the Cardinals. Manager Rocco Baldelli and the rest of the organization will be holding their breath every day between now and then, as their bullpen cannot afford anymore injuries between now and then.

More must-reads:

Twins Quietly Sign Homegrown Indy League Prospect

Ted Schwerzler — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 23:17:34 +0000

Brad Rempel-Imagn ImagesBrad Rempel-Imagn Images

Baseball is about building depth through the farm system, and the Minnesota Twins have continued to do just that. Derek Falvey was hired to generate a pitching pipeline similar to the one he developed during his time with the Cleveland Guardians.

Given the success of arms like Bailey Ober and Zebby Matthews, it’s hard to argue that he hasn’t done so thus far. As players come and go, franchises must continue to turn rocks over looking for diamonds in the rough.

Independent league baseball isn’t glorious at all, but it’s where Minnesota found a postseason starter in Randy Dobnak. He posted a 2.07 ERA across 135 minor league innings in 2019 before making a postseason start at Yankees Stadium. He parlayed that opportunity into a $9.25 million contract and should have opportunity to continue his career.

Mitchell Mueller signs with Minnesota Twins

If Mitchell Mueller had the same career arc as Dobnak did, both he and the Twins would be ecstatic. The St. Louis Park native pitched at Parkland College (IL), Winona State, and Utah Valley State. On March 7th he signed with the Twins from the Lake County DockHounds of the American Association.

Mitch Mueller RHP

Looking for affiliate opportunity.
This summer in Northwoods and American Association…
51 K’s.
4 BB’s
.783 WHIP
0 hr
30.1 IP in relief

Track man data from American Association
31% Whiff on fastball
17 IVB 14 HVB
2391 Spin Rate max 2564
Dm for more info pic.twitter.com/bO0a6XCHQp
— Mitchell Mueller (@mitch_mueller19) October 21, 2024

Now 23 years old, Mueller was 22 last season with the DockHounds. In 22 innings for Lake County he owned a 3.68 ERA. He worked exclusively as a reliever and had a ridiculous 32/4 K/BB while giving up just 14 hits.

It’s certainly a long shot that Mueller makes it to the big leagues one day, but the Minnesota Twins have had recent success scouring the indy ball circuit. On the hitting side of the ball, St. Paul Saints infielder Payton Eeles is a quick example to look at.

Minnesota signed Eeles out of indy ball for $500 last year and he went from Single-A to Triple-A in just one year. Eeles slashed .307/.435/.497 across 111 minor league games. He’s going to begin the year on the injured list after having offseason knee surgery, but he is now a legitimate candidate to have a big league debut.

Mueller pitching for the Twins at Target Field sure would be fun to see. Both Matt Wallner and Louie Varland currently occupy spots on the Minnesota roster while hailing from the state, and there is certainly more room for those types of stories to take place. Although Mueller went to high school in Wisconsin, he came back for college at Winona State University in Minnesota.

More must-reads:

Minnesota Twins Provide Updates on Injured Pitchers

Ted Schwerzler — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 22:24:45 +0000

Eric Canha-Imagn ImagesEric Canha-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins are now less than two weeks away from Opening Day when they head to St. Louis. Through Grapefruit League action thus far, they have remained relatively healthy. They own a 7-9 record through a pretty normal spring training as of now. Last season saw a myriad of injuries pop up just as Rocco Baldelli’s team was leaving Fort Myers, so let’s hope they leave a little more healthy this time around.

Thankfully, as we speak, Minnesota hasn’t seen any issues with their star trio of Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, and Royce Lewis. A couple of pitchers have experienced setbacks, but it appears none of them should be long term.

Minnesota knocked off the Pittsburgh Pirates in a big way on Thursday at Lee Health Sports Complex. The 15-3 drubbing featured 14 runs combined between the fifth and sixth innings. We received some injury updates yesterday, as well.

MN Twins Pitchers Escape Serious Issues

The starting rotation appears set to go for game 1. The Minnesota Twins will trot out Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack, and Simeon Woods Richardson. They also have nice depth at Triple-A, and which means the. St. Paul Saints should have a good year, too. The depth took a hit when Zebby Matthews exited his last start with hip discomfort, however.

Fortunately he is no worse for wear, and returned to the mound on Wednesday night against the Boston Red Sox. Minnesota’s breakout candidate threw three scoreless innings. He didn’t allow a hit, struck out five, and walked just one. Matthews has now thrown 9 1/3 scoreless innings this spring.

“He probably had the sharpest outing that we’ve seen all spring. He looked fantastic. He threw some pitches I didn’t even know what they were. I think he threw a 94-mph cutter, which I didn’t even know he did.”
Rocco Baldelli on Zebby Matthews

Some highlights from tonight's #MNTwins exhibition game at the Red Sox park in Fort Myers. Video courtesy: Chris Tilley/Twins. Starter Zebby Matthews continues to look really good. pic.twitter.com/swvQP9GfQk
— KSTPSports (@KSTPSports) March 13, 2025

Beyond just getting Matthews back on the mound, Minnesota received good news on Justin Topa. The reliever, projected as a middle-inning option, experienced shoulder soreness in his last appearance. He took some time to let it calm down and has returned to bullpen work. It appears the soreness isn’t something that should hold him back.

“It was more precautionary than anything. I was joking, fortunately or unfortunately, I know what elbow injuries feel like. I’ve never had any shoulder stuff. I was like, OK, maybe a ‘it’s not loose’ type situation. I threw a couple more, and it was still there. At that point, it was like, all right, I’m feeling it pretty much every pitch. Let’s get out of here and take a look at it. Thankfully, it was a pretty quick down time.”
Justin Topa to the Star Tribune

Last season, Topa began the year on the injured list due to a knee issue. He worked his way back to throw just 2 ⅓ innings, and was a complete non-factor for the Twins bullpen. The Minnesota Twins are hoping the guy that threw 69 innings with a 2.61 ERA for Seattle in 2023 returns this season.

If Topa can remain healthy he’ll be a key cog in the MN Twins bullpen. There isn’t much question regarding the leverage arms, but he can help bolster the middle relief group. Baldelli’s group is projected to be one of the best in baseball, and if that is going to happen, they will need to have their key contributors healthy.

Given both arms exited before they were expected to, the updates couldn’t be more positive. Topa is scheduled to return to game action on Friday.

Prospect injuries continue for Minnesota Twins

Earlier this spring the Minnesota Twins announced a couple of injuries for their top prospects. Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Jenkins are both behind schedule due to ankle issues. And this week it was revealed they aren’t alone when it comes to minor league talent remaining off the field.

Saturday the Twins will head up to Dunedin for a Spring Breakout game against the Toronto Blue Jays. 2024 first round pick Kaelen Culpepper was originally on the roster, but won’t play due a hamstring issue. The Star Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale reports that the injury isn’t expected to impact the start of his minor league season, though.

Culpepper played in 26 games during his pro debut season. He finished the year at High-A Cedar Rapids. Across 122 plate appearances the former Kansas State Wildcats shortstop slashed .242/.330/.394 with three home runs.

Joining Culpepper on the sidelines is prospect Payton Eeles. The former indy ball signee went from Low-A Fort Myers all the way to Triple-A St. Paul last season. He owned a .307/.435/.497 line across his first 111 pro ball games, and he looks like a legitimate big league depth piece.

Prospect highlight: Payton Eeles (MIN)

Age: 25
Pos: 2B
Levels: A+/AAA
Stats: .306/.435/.497 w/12 HR & 14 SB – 0.99 BB/K
Strengths: Quick, bat control, discipline and pull-power
Weaknesses: Arm, track record

He was signed for $500 out of Indy Ball in May 2024. pic.twitter.com/xLwp6zqFzI
— LouisAnalysis (@LouisAnalysis) January 16, 2025

Eeles has offseason knee surgery to address a cartilage issue and he will open the season on the injured list for St. Paul. If he can recover quickly and get back on the diamond, Eeles a player that should push for an opportunity on the 40-man roster.

More must-reads:

Minnesota Twins Sale Has Officially Hit a Snag

Ted Schwerzler — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 03:21:53 +0000

Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Arguably the best news from the Minnesota Twins organization this offseason? The franchise finally went up for sale. It has been clear to most fans for some time that the Pohlad family is more interested in making money than winning baseball games. It has all been about maximizing profits.

The more vocal that some members of the family were in regards to money, the closer the team got to the open market. It finally happened this offseason, and it appears that they had all of their eggs in the Justin Ishbia basket. Now that he’s no longer in the equation, the sale process has slowed down.

Credit: David Berding-Imagn Images

You can choose to believe that other rich suitors want in, but realistically, nothing backs that up right now. Some recent chatter even hinted that Minnesota might pull the team off the market completely. Although Star Tribune columnist Lavelle E. Neal III still believes they will be sold, it sounds like it won’t be soon.

Timeline for Minnesota Twins sale lengthens

It was originally suggested that the Minnesota Twins sought a resolution for their sale by Opening Day. Unfortunately, that was when they believed Justin Ishbia was certain to buy them. At that time, there was a suggestion that it could be a quick 60-day plan. Now, LaVelle E. Neal III writes that it won’t be nearly close to that.

“The Pohlad family is in its sixth month of exploring a sale of its No. 1 asset: The Minnesota Twins. And I expect it will take as long as another six months before a new owner assumes control of the team. That’s the sense I’m getting here at spring training after speaking with several people with at least some knowledge — including some with direct knowledge — of the sale process.“
LaVelle E. Neal III – Star Tribune

Someone clearly plugged in enough to know what’s happening suggesting another 6 months feels pretty damning. Recently, valuations for the Minnesota Twins have fallen to around $1.4 billion by Forbes. And still, the Pohlad family has been reportedly seeking something closer to $1.8 billion. There’s a pretty sizable gap between those numbers however, and without their primary suitor involved, the owners are likely no longer in the driver’s seat.

As Neal suggests, economically speaking, the league is in a good spot. That could lead the Pohlads to scoring an offer near what they want, and only time will tell.

Ishbia Interest in Twins

It’s still fair to wonder if Justin Ishbia played up his interest in the Twins just to gain an edge with the Chicago White Sox. But, Neal doesn’t believe that to be the case.

“No one I asked felt Ishbia showed interest in the Twins just to get Chicago’s attention. His due diligence — he sought out numerous local investors — seemed sincere. It has been difficult to identify other suitors because they are required to sign a nondisclosure agreement before the parties proceed.”
LaVelle E. Neal III – Star Tribune

Regardless of what his intentions were, the reality is as we now see it. Justin Ishbia is purchasing a greater stake in the Chicago White Sox, and the Pohlad family is left twisting in the wind. The Minnesota Twins have bled fans of joy in recent years, and this is just another dagger in the back.

To say that the Pohlad family has been good stewards of their franchise would be laughable. The ownership transition cannot come soon enough, but it must go to a party that has a sincere level of investment. It might be even more painful for fans to see the team handed over to another group unwilling to spend. Right now, the current owners aren’t seeing enough dollars being offered, and perspective buyers aren’t making sense in providing them.

The Twins will be playing meaningful baseball games in just two weeks. With this news, they don’t appear any closer to finding a better situation from the top down.

More must-reads:

Unfortunately for Brooks Lee, the Twins 2B Competition is Fixed

Ted Schwerzler — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 15:01:20 +0000

Jonathan Dyer-Imagn ImagesJonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins have been down in Fort Myers preparing for the 2025 regular season for about a month now. In fact, we are well beyond the midpoint of Grapefruit League action, and only two weeks out from Opening Day in St. Louis on March 27.

It was a relatively quiet offseason for the MN Twins, who waited until the final hour before they made any moves at all. For the most part, manager Rocco Baldelli will be working with the same talent as he did in 2024, especially in the infield.

Minnesota Twins infield looking very set for Opening Day (health permitting)

The only 2025 projected starter in the Twins infield who was not on the roster in 2024 is newly signed first baseman — 30-year-old former All-Star, Ty France — who’s expected to get most of the reps, replacing last season’s gold glove winner, Carlos Santana.

Of course, we all know this is Carlos Correa’s infield, until proven otherwise. The 10-year veteran will be locked in at shortstop all season, as long as he is healthy. Then, in a bit of a surprise move, Rocco handed Royce Lewis third base at the start of camp, in order to preserve his mental health.

Credit: Chris Tilley-Imagn Images

In case you haven’t been keeping track, that leaves second base as the only infield position up for grabs at Minnesota Twins Spring Training. But, a recent report out of The Athletic calls into question how much of a competition is really being had at 2nd base.

Theoretically, the Minnesota Twins have multiple legitimate options to partner next to Correa up the middle. They could go with 2024 Do-It-All-Star Willi Castro OR left-handed hitting machine Edouard Julien, who was out of order last summer OR newly acquired minor league veteran Mickey Gasper OR former top prospect Brooks Lee.

Willi Castro penciled in as Minnesota Twins second baseman

In a pinch, any of the above players could play a competent big league second base. Well, unless Julien can’t hit again. If that happens, his baseball career is in trouble. But in reality, it probably doesn’t matter how Julien, or any of the other second base options play down in Fort Myers.

Because unless there’s an injury in the infield, there really is no competition at second base, according to Dan Hayes (The Athletic). Even if the Minnesota Twins are trying to sell 2B as an open competition, Hayes reported Tuesday that Rocco’s plan is to have Willi Castro take the bulk of reps there, health permitting.

“In an ideal world, the Twins would be injury-free as they embark for St. Louis two weeks from now. Were they to be in such a position, the Twins likely would give the bulk of their plate appearances at second base to Castro, the team’s reigning most valuable player.”
Dan Hayes – The Athletic

Of course, Castro is Rocco’s swiss army knife, who can play any position on the field. So any injury the Twins suffer, will likely require Willi to move positions, thus opening up second base for one of the other guys.

Willi Castro was an All-Star for the Minnesota Twins in 2024. He also looked like a potential trade candidate this offseason given the arbitration salary increase. That didn’t happen and he’s now looking like the Opening Day second baseman.

When injuries hit, shuffling is imminent at 2B

Baldelli told The Athletic that, as of this moment, he doesn’t see a player that will get 600 plate appearances at second base, because there will be a lot of shuffling at that position throughout the season, but those will mostly be due to injury, according to the Twins. When healthy, it’s Willi Castro’s job to lose.

Where does that leave Brooks Lee? Probably down at Triple-A St. Paul. If the Twins are focused on playing time for Willi Castro, then Lee won’t get starting reps on a healthy team. At 24 years old, he’s a kid who needs to be playing, even if that means getting reps at a lower level.

Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

If that isn’t going to be with the Twins, then he needs to get those reps with the Saints. Brooks was quoted in Hayes’ story, and you can tell he knows his fate, barring an injury he does not want to see happen to one of his teammates.

Lee is following a rookie season in which he hit well early before cooling off, batting .221/.265/.320. He’s more eager to prove he belongs than he is focused on winning a job.

“We just get better every day,” [Brooks] Lee said. “At the end of the day, we’re teammates. So I really wouldn’t view it too much as competition. If we all get better at what we’re doing, then it’s great to be a better team, and that’s what matters.”
The Athletic

It’s hard to put a ton of weight on Spring Training statistics, but Lee needed to do everything he could to put the .221/.265/.320 slash line from 2024 behind him. He’s responded with a .267 batting average and .757 OPS so far down in Florida. Barring an unforeseen injury, it won’t matter how well he hits though (see below).

Tale of the Minnesota Twins second base situation

Of the four players who have supposedly been vying for time at second base with the Minnesota Twins this spring, Mickey Gasper has played the best, by far, followed by Brooks Lee, then Eddie Julien. The crowned starter at 2B, Willi Castro, is batting .174 with a .557 OPS. Anyone who says Spring Training performance matters is a liar.

Name	Games (at 2B)	Average	OPS
Willi Castro	9 (3)	.174 (4-23)	.557
Brooks Lee	10 (4)	.267 (8-30)	.757
Edouard Julien	9 (5)	.240 (6-25)	.705
Mickey Gasper	9 (5)	.375 (9-24)	.971

Last season, Castro played six different positions for the Twins. He got 40 games at second base, which trailed his time in the outfield and at shortstop, much of which was due to Correa’s injury issues in the second half.

The Minnesota Twins may plan to play Castro more, come the regular season, but they have maintained his positional flexibility this spring, where he has played just three of his nine appearances at second base. If he is going to open the year as the regular second basemen, it would make sense for the Twins to stack some starts for him over the next couple weeks.

It’s a very real possibility that Gasper winds up being the backup second baseman for the Twins to start the season. It makes more sense to have him sit and fill in, when necessary, while Brooks Lee gets reps across the river. Gasper got a taste of the big leagues for the first time last season with the Boston Red Sox. The 29-year-old has an impressive career .317/.422/.498 slash line at Triple-A.

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Minnesota Twins Make Another Round of Spring Cuts

Ted Schwerzler — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 21:48:41 +0000

Jonathan Dyer-Imagn ImagesJonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins have played a handful of games during Grapefruit League action and are just two weeks from Opening Day. They have already made their first round of cuts, and sent out three more players after travelling to Dunedin on Tuesday.

Rocco Baldelli has plenty of the position players already locked in to their positions. And, unless there is injury, the rotation is probably already set as well. With time in Fort Myers dwindling, playing time for regulars becomes more and more important.

Three players sent to minor league camp by Minnesota Twins.

Andrew Morris started today for the Minnesota Twins against the Toronto Blue Jays. He turned in three strong innings, and made another good impression as he attempts to make his big league debut this season. Morris can continue to stretch out so he starts strong in the St. Paul rotation.

Pitchers Ryan Jensen and Andrew Morris, who struck out three over three scoreless today, were re-assigned to #MNTwins minor-league camp. Catcher Diego Cartaya was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul.
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) March 11, 2025

Among the three players cut by the Twins today, Morris is the highest-level prospect. He’s among the group that includes David Festa, Zebby Matthews, and Cory Lewis when it comes to consideration for a major league promotion.

Over the offseason, Morris was an addition to the 40-man roster. He pitched in three games this spring, and has allowed just two hits across seven innings. He also struck out five and walked two while not allowing a run.

Veteran Ryan Jensen pitched 56 2/3 innings with St. Paul last season. The former first round pick owned a 4.76 ERA, and struck out 81. Unfortunately he also walked a whopping 50 batters, and control has remained a bugaboo for him. He will stay in St. Paul as Triple-A depth.

The final player sent packing was catcher Diego Cartaya. The former top Dodgers prospect was acquired this offseason and is on the 40-man roster. He remains depth for Minnesota behind Jair Camargo, and the pair should split time catching with the Saints.

Cartaya has fallen apart in recent seasons. After an .892 OPS as a 20-year old in 2022, he posted a .656 OPS at Double-A in 2023. Last season he slashed .221/.323/.363 split between Double and Triple-A. He was just 1-for-7 this spring, but will continue to be developed as the minor league season opens.

The latest cutdown has the Twins sitting with 45 players in camp. They’ll need to make 19 more in the coming days.

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