The Twins Didn’t Just Lose Games — They Lost Their Fanbase Another 70–92 season. Another fourth place finish. Another October spent watching other teams play meaningful baseball. For a franchise that keeps insisting it’s “competitive,” the results say otherwise — loudly.
Someone had to take the fall, and it wasn’t Derek Falvey. He survived — somehow — but Rocco Baldelli didn’t. After seven seasons, he’s out, and the Twins replaced him with former bench coach Derek Shelton, a move that feels more like rearranging furniture than fixing the foundation. Seven of twelve coaches were swept out with him. A purge looks dramatic on paper, but fans have seen this movie before: new voices, same script.
On the roster side, the big splash so far… Josh Bell. A 33-year-old first baseman with a bat that comes and goes and a glove that never really arrived. Seven million dollars for a placeholder. The rest of the offseason has been bargain bin depth pieces. It’s hard to sell “we’re trying” when the front office shops like a team terrified of its own payroll.
Then came the ownership news — the part that was supposed to restore confidence. Instead, it poured gasoline on the frustration. The Twins introduced new minority owners, but the Pohlad family kept control after months of signaling the team was headed for a sale. Fans were told one thing, then handed another. And the surprise twist? Tom Pohlad quietly taking over as control person from his brother Joe, who reportedly didn’t agree with the move at first. If the goal was stability, the execution felt anything but.
Fans were told the team was for sale. Then the story changed.”
So yes, a few questions have been answered. But they’re not the answers fans were hoping for. And the questions that matter most — payroll, direction, accountability, transparency — remain untouched. Will Derek Shelton actually manage, or will the front office script every inning? Will the new minority owners have any real influence? Will Tom Pohlad be visible, engaged, and honest with the fanbase? Will Falvey continue running both the baseball and business sides with no checks and balances?
Meanwhile, the fans have spoken with their wallets. Season ticket renewals are dropping. TV subscriptions are being canceled. Many fans feel misled — told the team was for sale, only to watch the Pohlad’s reverse course and bring in minority partners instead. A growing segment of the fanbase believes the only way forward is for the Pohlad’s to sell entirely. Until then, they’re choosing not to show up.
The Twins enter 2026 not just at a crossroads, but on the edge of losing an entire generation of goodwill. The front office can talk about “process” and “sustainability” all it wants, but fans are tired of buzzwords. They want honesty. They want investment. They want a team that acts like winning matters.