The struggling Minnesota Twins have seven wins and 13 losses after this past Sunday’s game. Although it is early in the season, we are still concerned by how they found themselves here and whether they can recover.
Offense Can’t Hit
To begin with, the offense can’t hit. The team has a batting average of .194, which is 29th out of 30 teams. They rank No. 27 in on-base percentage, and when they do get on base, they are hitting less than .140 with runners in scoring position. They also humiliated themselves by going 0-for-24 with runners in scoring position in games against the Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers.
This team is second to last in MLB in total bases and hits. They also rank last in the American League with just five stolen bases. Furthermore, the Twins have a slugging percentage of just .329, which puts them in the bottom three in all of baseball.
Worst MLB team batting average with 2 strikes:
2023 –> Minnesota Twins, .150
2024 –> Minnesota Twins, .092 so far— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 15, 2024
Home Record
A key to the Twins winning the AL Central last season was their home record; they won 47 games at Target Field. So far this season, however, they are 2-8 at home. On top of that, they have scored only 20 runs in those home games. Their at-home team batting average ranks last in baseball, and they are also striking out at an alarming rate.
Pitching
Hitting isn’t the Twins’ only weakness. We must talk about Minnesota’s pitching. They have surrendered 28 home runs, placing them in the bottom five of baseball. They also have a team ERA of 4.29, and although they have received decent outings from their starters, the bullpen has blown three save opportunities already.
Louie Varland
Louie Varland entered spring training in a competition as a possible bullpen arm. He was named a starter when Anthony DeSclafani required season-ending elbow surgery. However, Varland has struggled to find the plate and has given up six home runs during four starts this season. He is currently sitting on a 9.18 ERA.
The Twins have optioned Louie Varland to Triple-A after a tough four-game start to his season (9.18 ERA).
They have selected the contract of Ronny Henríquez to take his spot on the roster. Daniel Duarte has been moved to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man.
— Betsy Helfand (@betsyhelfand) April 22, 2024
Injuries
Injuries to key starters have added to the issue. Carlos Correa has an oblique strain and isn’t ready to be re-evaluated. Max Kepler has missed 12 games due to a knee contusion. He begins a rehab assignment on Tuesday at Triple-A St Paul. Royce Lewis is recovering from a strained right quad. His return is desperately needed, but a timetable has not been determined. Justin Topa, who was going to be a setup arm, is expected to be out until at least May 1 with a kneecap injury.
Premature Speculation
At this point in the season, it’s premature to say the struggling Minnesota Twins won’t make the playoffs. Yes, the team has some major weaknesses, but there is plenty of time to turn things around. In the meantime, half of this roster needs to get on track—both offensively and in terms of pitching.
Outlook
At this point, the Twins are not a lost cause. It takes 40 to 50 games for a baseball team to reveal their true identity. That includes roster tuning and tweaking, as well as new players adjusting to teammates and the everyday life of being on a new MLB team.
This Twins team has only played 20 games, but they need to settle in over the next 30.
The Twins have a very talented team and can turn this around. They are still going to be a fun team to watch this season. They have a lot of power at the plate and a bullpen that can excel. However, a turnaround — the starting pitching, the offense, and getting players back from the IL — needs to happen sooner rather than later.
❌ Twins without dogs are Target Field: 1-7
🐶 Twins with dogs at Target Field: Unstoppable
It’s clear what needs to be done here…Bark At The Park every night. The #MNTwins would be 81-0 at home.
— Puckett's Pond (@PuckettsPond) April 23, 2024
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