Despite flirtations with winning the Central Division and a mathematical likelihood of being a Wild Card entry in the playoffs, these are frustrating days for the Twins and their fans.
The series sweep by the Royals last weekend in Kansas City prompted manager Rocco Baldelli to reportedly light into his players. The boss questioned the effort of his guys after a series that saw the Twins score two runs in three games.
Baldelli was also lit up over the weekend by critical fans who didn’t like his handling of starting pitcher Bailey Ober Saturday night against the Royals, a club that has now taken over second place in the division standings behind the Guardians. After seven innings and one-hit pitching, Ober was not sent out to the mound for the eighth inning even though his pitch count was at 83.
Baldelli, hired by the Twins after the 2018 season and a patron of analytics, has long been unpopular with many fans who find fault with his pitching and lineup decisions. The sniping at Baldelli by the fans has intensified with the club sliding in the standings after going 2-5 on its most recent road trip and losing to the lowly Angels at home last night.
The Twins, with a 77-68 record, are 6-15 in their last 21 games. They would have a Wild Card entry in the American League playoffs if the season ended today, but other teams potentially could overtake them before the regular season ends in late September.
Certainly a spot in the postseason and emerging as the winner in their opening series would ease the frustrations of the 2024 season. And who knows? Perhaps boost Baldelli’s job security? He was, BTW, AL Manager of the Year in 2019 when Minnesota won the division title with a 101-61 record.
Fans started feeling angst last offseason when ownership decided to reduce payroll from a franchise record of reportedly $156 million or more in 2023. The cut was made at least in part because of uncertainty regarding local TV revenues in 2024. That was a downer for a fan base that became passionate after the Twins won the division title and took down the Blue Jays in the opening postseason series.
Part of the offseason story, too, was the free agent departure of starting ace Sonny Gray to the Cardinals. The Twins and their fans have felt his absence, particularly with the shoulder injury that has sidelined key starter Joe Ryan for the remainder of the season.
When it comes to injuries, the Twins have reason to lament. Shortstop Carlos Correa, the highest paid man on the team, hasn’t played since July 12. He’s become too familiar with the disabling pain of plantar fasciitis after having the condition with his left foot last year and right foot this season. He is counted on to not only produce on the field but also with his leadership off it.
Center fielder Byron Buxton, the team’s second highest paid position player, has spent much of his career on the IL. He’s been out a couple times in 2024, including most recently not having played for the Twins since August 12.
The team medical report, of course, goes deeper with the absence of starting right fielder Max Kepler and bullpen arms because of injuries.
Third baseman Royce Lewis, often sidelined the last three years, has been able to play of late but is in a massive slump. A .300 hitter his first two major league seasons, he has hit .167 in his last 15 games. The season average is at .243 as the right-handed hitting Lewis struggles to hit breaking balls away from him. Adding to the drama of this season is the recent reported reluctance of Lewis to fill in at second base, a new position for him.
The Twins September swoon might look at least a little different if they had successfully added pitching or hitting help before the July 30 trade deadline. Minnesota’s only move was to add journeyman pitcher Trevor Richards from the Blue Jays who has since been outrighted to Triple A St. Paul. Not adding mid-season help to a team fighting for a pennant had to be a disappointment to Twins players.
On the frustration list for fans, too, is that part of the season Twins games weren’t televised on local cable. That’s changed now but Comcast/Xfinity customers are paying more to see the games and it’s uncertain what the franchise’s TV situation will be for 2025.
That uncertainty will likely impact payroll for next season. Staff ace Pablo Lopez is due a big raise of about $13 million and a lengthy list of important personnel including Ryan, Ober, Lewis, Willi Castro, Ryan Jeffers, Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran are all arbitration eligible. The educated guess is the Twins will plan to roll with a budget similar to this season, in the $125 to $130 million range. To reach that total the Twins will need to part with higher paid personnel, probably including Kepler.
Know this: the Twins have enough talent to reduce a lot of frustration in this town. Lopez and Ober could make the Twins starting pitching formidable in a short playoff series. A lineup that welcomes back Correa and Buxton, along with a hot hitting Lewis, the power bats of multiple batters, and versatile position players like Castro and Brooks Lee, along with bullpen arms like Duran and Jax, could make a stir in the closing weeks of September and into the playoffs.
The Twins showed their potential earlier in the season after recovering from a 7-13 start to play some of the best baseball in the majors from late April to mid-August. Credit the work of front office leaders Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, and others in the organization, for the productive things they have done right including the acquisition of players like Lopez, Ryan, Castro and Santana from other clubs, and farm system development with the likes of Lee, Lewis, Ober, Jose Miranda and Matt Wallner.
It will be interesting to see if Baldelli still has command of the locker room as the club works its way through a schedule that ends at home September 29 against the AL East Division contending Orioles. Will how the club finishes 2024 impact his return for next season?
Probably not because management and ownership try to foster an organization of stability. The Twins don’t operate with a quick trigger. Baldelli’s teams have won three division titles.
Baldelli was hired by Falvey and Levine. Best guess is they still consider Rocco their guy.
Well, you praise the front office, but I wonder about all the pitchers that they have acquired that are soon hurt. Mahle, Paddack, Topa, the other pitcher from the Polanco trade that is not pitching (DeSclafani). There are others I have forgotten. I say clean house. Duran will never re-sign, not after Baldelli told him he was wrong to tell the media he was calling the pitches to throw.