Tag: Pablo Lopez

2026 AL Central Division Prediction

The first three month of 2025 the Detroit Tigers got off to a 53-32 start but then in the back half of the season they played 34-43 baseball. From April 1 through September 27 they were in first place for all but two days, then they lost their final game of the season and finished in second place one game out of first behind the Cleveland Guardians. That isn’t going to happen again and the Tigers are going to be the American Leagues Central Division Champions with 91 wins.

The Kansas City Royals are going to get their starting pitching rolling again in 2026 and will give the Tigers a run for their money but in the end the Tigers with ace pitchers Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez will prevail and the Royals will finish second with a 86-76 record.

Continue reading 2026 AL Central Division Prediction

Twins lose Pablo Lopez for the 2026 season

Pablo Lopez in bullpen on Feb 16, 2026 just prior to throwing live BP

It was my second trip out to the Lee Health Sports Complex this year on Monday, February 16th and when I arrived I was shocked by the amount of cars in the parking lot, more than I have ever seen out there except for a Twins Spring Training game. At first didn’t realize what was going on until I saw the Bloodmobile and a number of Lee County safety vehicles and realized it was the annual Lee Health Sports Complex hosting the Minnesota Twins Open House and Health Fair.

I had been out to the complex about a week earlier, just before Spring Training opened and their were a number of players around but this day was special, it was the first day of Spring Training for the position players. Once I got through the throng of people the Open House attracted I started taking some pictures of PFP and then headed over to the bullpen down the third base line to see who was throwing a bullpen and was happy to see Pablo Lopez and Cole Sands hard at work. I watched them both throw for awhile and then went over to the backfields to see what was going on there. I left about Noon or so and headed for home.

Later in the day I was surprised to hear that Lopez had been throwing live BP and walked off he mound in the middle of “an inning” with a bit of a sore elbow. The Twins reported it more as a precautionary move but also stated that Lopez would be having an MRI. Once “MRI” was mentioned, I was concerned.

The next day the word was out, Lopez has been diagnosed with a significant tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. He is getting a second opinion but that is just a formality and it looks like Pablo Lopez will not be pitching for the Twins in 2026. This will be his second TJ surgery.

That is such horrific news for the Minnesota Twins to lose their Ace on the first day of Spring Training, particularly coming off the tumultuous past year the team and the fans have encountered. Lopez is the leader of the Twins staff and starting pitching was the teams strength.

Unlike most Twins fans, I do not think this is a bad team. Granted, they are probably not a playoff team but they are not as bad as they played after the trade deadline fire sale decimated the team and the team morale in the second half of 2025. I was thinking of it more as a team that could play .500 ball and be competitive. This injury could not have happened at a more inopportune time.

But, that is baseball and injuries happen, the Twins starting pitching depth will be tested. There is no one there that can replace Pablo Lopez but someone needs to step up and we will have to wait and see who that is and if he can help carry the load and help this team win. It’s at times like this you have to remember that baseball is a team game and the loss of one player doesn’t mean the end of the season before it has even started, it just makes the challenge a bit more difficult. Don’t give up on this team yet.

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Rocco Baldelli Fired: A Turning Point in Minnesota Twins History

Manager Rocco Baldelli

The Minnesota Twins have reached a crossroads. After closing out the 2025 season with a disappointing 70-92 record, the team made the difficult decision to part ways with manager Rocco Baldelli. This move comes just weeks after Baldelli became the third winningest manager in franchise history, trailing only legends Tom Kelly and Ron Gardenhire.

Baldelli’s Legacy: Highs, Lows, and the Bomba Squad

Baldelli’s tenure began with a bang. In 2019, he led the Twins to an electrifying 101-win season, capturing the AL Central crown and setting a Major League record with 307 home runs. That “Bomba Squad” team brought new energy to Target Field and earned Baldelli the American League Manager of the Year award.

The Twins followed up with another division title in the COVID-shortened 2020 season and again in 2023. However, the momentum faded. Minnesota missed the playoffs four times in the last five years, and only the Nationals, White Sox, and Rockies finished with fewer wins in 2025. Baldelli’s overall record stands at 527-505 (.511 win percentage), a mark that cements his place in Twins history but also reflects the team’s recent struggles.

The Decision: Falvey’s Call and Fan Frustration

Twins President Derek Falvey explained the move:

“This game is ultimately measured by results, and over the past two seasons we did not reach the goals we set. After discussions with ownership, we determined that this is the right moment for a change in voice and direction.”

The timing raised eyebrows. Earlier this year, Falvey extended Baldelli’s contract through 2026, even after the team’s September collapse in 2024. Many fans are left wondering about accountability at the top, especially as Falvey remains in charge.

What’s Next? Searching for the Right Leader

The search for a new manager is underway, and the direction the Twins choose could shape the franchise for years to come. There’s a growing call among long-time fans for an experienced, old-school manager—someone who can lead without constant front office interference. While analytics are a valuable tool, baseball is still a game played by people, and the human element can’t be ignored.

Early reports suggest the Twins want a manager who can develop young talent. With an average age of 27.5, the team is younger than most in the league. Names like Don Mattingly, Joe Maddon, Mark DeRosa, David Ross, Joe Girardi, Skip Schumaker, as well as former Twin Doug Mientkiewicz are circulating among fans as potential candidates. Former Twins like Torii Hunter and Justin Morneau are also being mentioned although they have no managing experience. The big question: Will the front office allow a strong-willed manager to truly lead?

The Road Ahead: 2026 and Beyond

After two seasons of dashed hopes, fan interest and ticket sales are likely to drop. The franchise faces several pressing questions:

  • Who will be the new manager?
  • How much will ownership invest in payroll?
  • Will new minority owners influence team decisions?
  • Will the Twins continue their fire sale?
  • Is a team sale still on the table?

On the field, there’s reason for cautious optimism. If the Twins hold onto Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober, they’ll have a solid starting rotation, with more young arms ready to step up. The bullpen, however, is in dire need of a rebuild—something that could be addressed with smart, affordable free agent signings and by giving young pitchers big-league experience in relief roles.

Trades may be necessary to bring in younger position players, and while a true power hitter would be a welcome addition, big spending seems highly unlikely.

Final Thoughts

The current Twins roster isn’t far from being a .500 team. With the right additions—especially in the bullpen—and a manager who can inspire and develop young talent, Minnesota could be back in contention sooner than many expect.

What do you think about the Twins’ decision and the future of the team? Share your thoughts and memories in the comments below!

4 responses to “Rocco Baldelli Fired: A Turning Point in Minnesota Twins History”

  1. Robert Schulz

    Twins need a whole new set of hitting and pitching coaches. Can’t continue with poor situational approaches at the plate and too many strikeouts.

    Same for pitching. The starters need to go more than 4 + innings. Relief pitching is a mess right now. Need some high velocity arms.

    Reply
    1. Richard Monet

      What I don’t understand is there was a great hitting coach that was fired last year. Popkins sure worked some miracles with the Blue Jays!

      Reply
      1. John

        Somebody’s head had to roll after the Twins hitting late in 2024 and it wasn’t going to be Rocco so Popkins drew the short straw. To be fair Popkin’s had more to work with in Torronto than he had in Minnesota.

        Reply
  2. Les Smith

    Maybe whoever it is in the Pohlad family that’s running the team, fires Falvey and resigns Baldeli.
    Other than the owners, nobody’s job is safe and Falvey probably couldnt find the field with a map and directions.

    Reply

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The 2025 Minnesota Twins: A Team Caught in Limbo, and a Fan Base Losing Patience

A loyal fan’s lonely vigil at Target Field—watching a team still searching for its soul.

The title and the image here are AI generated. I wrote a piece about my thoughts on the Twins and then I gave an out line to AI to write a similar article and I am publishing both of them here and I am very curious what your thoughts are on the two articles, which would you prefer to read and why. So if you have a few minutes to spare please leave me a comment or two. The first article is the one I wrote, the second is the AI version.

Article 1

After 83 games the Minnesota Twins find themselves with a 40-43 record and in third place in the American League Central division trailing the league leading Detroit Tigers by 11.5 games and the second place Cleveland Guardians by one game and just one game ahead of the fourth place Kansas City Royals. There are four teams in the AL East and four teams in the AL West that have more wins than Minnesota does. Yet, the Twins and all the local Twins scribes seem to think the Twins are still in the running for a play-off spot.

Let’s get real folks, the 2025 Twins team has about as much of a chance of playing in post season as the Chicago White Sox and the Colorado Rockies do. The trade deadline is coming up and it will be interesting to see if Twins President Derek Falvey makes any moves. When he first started working for the Twins he stated that regardless of a teams standing at the deadline, moves should be made to improve the team and you do this by either being a buyer or a seller but you have nothing to gain by standing pat.

The 2025 Twins team does find itself in a unique situation in the fact that the Pohlad family that owns the team announced in October 2024 that the team is for sale putting the team between a rock and hard spot. Ownership doesn’t want to spend money on a team they want to sell not do they want to burden future buyers with long term deals.

Twins attendance this season is down almost 6% from last season and 2024 attendance was a low-water mark for the Twins at Target Field with the exception of 2020 when COVID kept fans from attending MLB games and 2021 when attendance was limited by MLB and ratcheted up slowly as the year progressed. July is almost here and that means the NFL teams including the Minnesota Vikings are getting ready to report to camps and start getting ready for their 2025 season. Once the Vikings start, interest in the Twins wanes, particularly when the team is playing poorly.

The 2025 Twins are a strange bunch. They started the season with four straight losses and it took them 26 games before they notched their tenth win of the season. Then in early May they go on a 13 game winning streak and go 18-8 in the month of May. June rolls around and with 2 games left in the month to play, they are 9-17.

As I said earlier, it is a strange team and you don’t know from day-to-day what you will see when you watch them play. So far in 2025 they have been out-scored 367 to 356. They had top notch pitching in May and just the opposite in June. The team has found itself seven games over .500 and eight games under .500. It has 21 come from behind wins and 18 blown leads. They have allowed 10 or more runs on seven occasions and scored 10 or more runs the same number of times.

The 2025 Twins payroll is about $149 million which put them about the middle of the MLB pack according to Spotrac. That said, only two teams with higher payroll, the Atlanta Braves with a payroll of just under $220 million and the Baltimore Orioles at $185.5 million have fewer wins than Minnesota.

The team has only four players making $10 million or more, Carlos Correa at $36 million, Pablo Lopez at $21.5 million, Byron Buxton at $15 million and Christian Vazquez at $10 million. These four players make over 55% of the Twins 26 man payroll (plus the five players on the IL). With the top four players $82.5 million, that leaves the remaining 27 players to share about $67,578,459. Spotrac shows 13 players making under $1million. With Correa and Vazquez playing sub par baseball, Lopez on the IL for most of the rest of the year things do not look like this team is playoff bound.

Manager Rocco Baldelli‘s current contract with the Minnesota Twins is a 3-year, $30 million deal signed in December 2022, according to Baseball Prospectus. The contract covers the 2023-2025 seasons. Some time this season, the Twins brain trust picked up their 2026 club option for Baldelli, according to Yahoo Sports. 

There is something seriously wrong with this team and I certainly don’t know what that is, but, I feel confident in saying that Rocco Baldelli is not the right manager for this team at the present time. It makes no difference if it is Rocco’s fault or not, the bottom line is this team is not winning and history has shown us that when this happens you need to get a new spoon to stir the pot. Every team gets injuries and they fight on but how can you explain an entire team short of Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan playing so poorly? I have followed the Twins through thick or thin since 1961 and I will probably continue being a Twins fan until I pass on, but it sure would be more fun watching a team and an organization that wants to win versus just fielding a team that is plays .500 or less baseball. Believe me when I tell you that the 2025 Twins are not a fun baseball team to watch. I will continue to watch the Twins but whenever they play bad baseball (all too often these days) I am glad that the TV remote is close at hand.

Continue reading The 2025 Minnesota Twins: A Team Caught in Limbo, and a Fan Base Losing Patience

The Minnesota Twins and Two Longstanding Streaks That Ended in 2023 – And Two More That May End in 2024

The year 2023 was a landmark year for breaking long-standing streaks in the world of American sports. Two of the most talked-about streaks that ended were the Minnesota Twins’ 18-game MLB playoffs losing streak and the Detroit Lions’ 32-year drought without an NFL postseason victory. As we look forward to the 2024 baseball season and beyond, fans are wondering which long-standing records may yet tumble.

When it comes to the Twins and the MLB in particular, expectations have already reached a fever pitch ahead of the new season getting underway. The Texas Rangers head into the season as the reigning champions after their fairytale campaign last year culminated with a first World Series in franchise history. The Lone Star State side headed into the postseason as rank outsiders after securing a mere fifth seeding in the American League. However, victories against the Tampa Bay Rays, the top seed Baltimore Orioles and the heavyweight Houston Astros secured a trip to the championship series for the first time since they lost back-to-back World Series in 2010 and 2011.

Continue reading The Minnesota Twins and Two Longstanding Streaks That Ended in 2023 – And Two More That May End in 2024

What does AI predict for the Twins in 2024

Just for fun I asked AI Microsoft Copilot powered by GPT-4 to tell me how the Minnesota Twins will do in 2024. Here is what it had to say:

The Minnesota Twins are gearing up for the 2024 MLB season, and there are several intriguing story-lines to watch. Let’s dive into some predictions:

  1. Royce Lewis Makes All-Star Team, Earns MVP Consideration:
  2. Joe Ryan Bounces Back with an All-Star Season:
  3. Twins Projected to Win AL Central Again:

In summary, keep an eye on Royce Lewis, Joe Ryan, and the Twins as they aim to defend their division title and make a deeper playoff run in 2024! ??

Continue reading What does AI predict for the Twins in 2024

Twins need a win today

Pablo Lopez

After snapping their 18 game postseason losing streak in the recent ALWC series against the Toronto Blue Jays and going on the sweep the Blue Jays two games to none the Twins find themselves in the Bayou City playing the defending champions.

Game 1 against Justin Verlander did not go well even though they had him on the ropes early in the game. They fell behind 5-0 but came back with four of their own in the seventh but that was as close as they would get before losing to the Astros 6-4.

Game 2 is a game the Twins need to win, no it is not an elimination game, but it is a game in which they have their ace pitcher Pablo Lopez pitching and they need to win a game on the road in Houston. This would be the ideal game to do so and go home for two games tied at 1-1. More importantly, this is a game that the Twins need to show what they are made of, they need to take a step forward and show that they don’t let a loss to the defending champs let the air out of their balloon. The Astros are not unbeatable, the Twins need to show that they have the gumption to come back from being down one game to none and make the flight back home a happy one. I fully expect the Twins to do so.

Game of the other three Division Series have not exactly gone as planned either, with the Orioles, Braves, and Dodgers all losing at home. An unusual start to the ALDS and NLDS.

Twins 18 game postseason losing streak dead and buried

The Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays at Target Field in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series by a score of 3-1. Pablo López was the starter and winner, allowing one run on five hits in 5.2 innings pitched, with two walks and three strikeouts. Louie Varland (0.1 IP), Caleb Thielbar (1 IP) and Griffin Jax (1 IP) each earned a hold as Jhoan Duran earned the save with a scoreless ninth inning. The offense recorded five hits and walked six times. Royce Lewis was the hitting star going 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI. The paid attendance was 38,450, the second sellout of the season and largest since the Home Opener on April 7 vs. Houston – 38,465.

The Twins win was their first playoff victory since a 2-0 win at old Yankee Stadium in Game 1 of the ALDS on October 5, 2004 – a span of 6,397 days. The win snapped the longest playoff losing streak in baseball history. In that span, the Twins had lost 13 games to the Yankees, three to the A’s and two to the Astros. The Twins win was their first postseason win in Minnesota since a 2-1 victory over the Angels at the Metrodome in Game 1 of the 2002 ALCS on October 8.

Good pitching, stellar defense and two home runs by designated hitter Royce Lewis in his first two AB’s led the Twins to victory in front of a sellout home crowd that yelled and screamed and waived their Homer Hankies at every opportunity. Lewis who hasn’t played in 2 weeks due to a hamstring issue wasn’t even sure if he would be on the playoff roster since he is not 100%. Never-the-less he carried the Twins offense on his shoulders in this game. We may have to coin this the Royce Lewis game. You can’t write about the game without mentioning a stellar play by Carlos Correa throwing out a Blue Jays runner at the plate and two magnificent plays by Michael A. Taylor in center field, one a diving catch and the other a leaping grab at the fence.

If your a baseball fan that likes to sit back and enjoy the game, this would have been a tough game for you as the crowd was standing more than they were sitting. Playoff baseball at its best, unless you are a Blue Jays fan. The Twins are seeking the first postseason sweep in Twins/Senators franchise history.

Finally it is time for games that count

It has been a number of years since I have been this excited about the beginning of a new baseball season. I can’t wait for it to begin and it starts tomorrow. There are a number of rules changes that I think will make baseball more fun to watch. There are so many changes in the game this year from bigger bases, shift limits, the pitch timer, limits on throws to first base, and more. The extra-inning rule with the so called “Ghost Runner” was made permanent and I really don’t like that rule at all but you have to take the bad with the good.

One of the other changes that MLB made that I think is fantastic is the schedule change, the number of games still stays at 162 but every team will face every other team at least six times during the regular season so fans will get to see the best players in the game in their home ballpark for a minimum of three games, unless of course they are injured.

Then there are our home town Minnesota Twins who I think are set to earn back the AL Central Division title in 2023 that has eluded them since 2020 and that was only in a 60-game season. The Twins were swamped with injuries last season and finished 78-84 and in 2021 they finished with a 73-89 record. Can they win 15 more games in 2023 than they won lost year? I think they can.

Continue reading Finally it is time for games that count

Twins fun facts from Twins 3/24 & 3/25 ST notes

SPRING FLING: Today the Twins will play the 28th and 29th of 32 scheduled Grapefruit League games as the Twins and Braves will play a pair of split squad at Hammond Stadium and CoolToday Park in North Port. After today, one more game will be played at Hammond Stadium and two more games will be played on the road. The Twins will complete the exhibition season with a 1:05 pm (ET) game in Bradenton against the Pirates on Tuesday, March 28. After the game, they will fly to Kansas City, hold an optional team workout on March 29 then begin a three-game, four-day series at Kauffman Stadium from March 30-April 2. Rocco Baldelli announced to the media how the starting five will open the season: for the Kansas City series – RHP Pablo López on Thursday, March 30 , RHP Sonny Gray on Saturday, April 1, RHP Joe Ryan on Sunday, April 2. For the Miami series – RHP Tyler Mahle
on Monday, April 3, RHP Kenta Maeda on Tuesday, April 4.

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: Below is a look at Baseball America’s top ten Twins prospects entering the 2023 season: 1 Royce Lewis, 2 Brooks Lee, 3 Emmanuel Rodriguez, 4 Edouard Julien, 5 Connor Prielipp, 6, Matt Wallner, 7 Marco Raya, 8 Louie Varland, 9 David Festa, 10 Simeon Woods Richardson.

Below is a look at MLB’s top ten Twins prospects entering the 2023 season: 1. Brooks Lee, 2 Royce Lewis, 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, 4. Connor Prelipp, 5 Matt Wallner, 6 Simeon Woods Richardson, 7 Marco Raya, 8 Misael Urbina, 9 Matt Canterino, 10 Louie Varland.

PROSPECT SHOWCASE IN TAMPA: The Twins beat the Yankees yesterday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field by a score of 6-4. Pablo López was the starter in his final tuneup of the spring, allowing two runs on two hits in 3 innings pitched. Kenta Maeda made his final official spring appearance in relief, allowing two runs on three hits in 5 innings pitched, with five strikeouts. Twins prospects Edouard Julien and Emmanuel Rodriguez both went 2-for-4 with a home run, as Rodriguez’s three-run jimmy jack gave the Twins a ninth inning lead and eventual victory.

Tomorrow’s pitchers: Minnesota: Sonny Gray (R), Cole Sands (R), Jorge Alcala (R), Jhoan Duran (R)
Boston: Chris Sale (L), Kaleb Ort (R), Richard Bleier (L), John Schreiber (R)