Another disappointing season offers a familiar lesson: the surest pleasure at Target Field is the game itself.
Since their 1961 arrival in the state, most seasons the Twins have fielded a mediocre baseball team. During that time, the team has won 9,404 games and lost 10,131, a .481 winning percentage.
2026 was a continuation of that tradition. The team’s winning percentage was .475, ranking 10th of 15 American League teams and 19th of the 30 MLB teams. Their 77-85 record left them eight games out of the playoffs; the fifth time the team has missed the playoffs in the last six years.
It’s no surprise the team ranked 25th of the 30 major league teams in fan attendance.
Let’s examine some overall team statistics from Fangraphs. Using the “wins above a replacement player” metric, the Twin’s pitching contributed a WAR of +12.0 over the course of the season, ranking them 21st among the 30 MLB teams. In batting, the team produced a season long WAR performance of +18.6, ranking them 19th in the MLB.
It’s in fielding where the Twins really cratered in 2029. The Fielding Bible ranked them -38 in defensive runs saved, 28th among the 30 major league teams. In comparison, the number one fielding team, the Chicago Cubs, had +116 defensive runs saved and the number two team – the similarly small market Tampa Bay Rays – had +86 defensive runs saved. Far away from the Twins.
One can point to the problems of the best players –starter Pablo Lopez out for the season, only 93 games played by outfielder Byron Buxton, and second half ineffectiveness by All-Star starter Joe Ryan – but the impact those shortcomings can be overstated. According to journalist Savant Aaron Gleeman, the Twins ranked 22nd among teams in days lost to injuries and 21st in projected WAR lost to injuries.
What about the team’s future? Two young players did particularly well this season. One is starter Taj Bradley, who posed 31 starts, a 3.73 Earned Run Average, a WAR of 2.8 and 27.4 percent of his batters struck out. He can prove to be a cornerstone of next year’s rotation.
A leading offensive contributor was Luke Keaschall, posting a .283 average, an on base percentage of .372 and a .406 slugging percentage. In the field, however, he is the Twins’ worst defender by far, registering -20 defensive runs saved while playing 76 games at second base, 54 in right field and 26 in center field. The only Twin close to that bad performance was (probably departing) outfielder Trevor Larnach at -8 defensive runs saved. Fangraphs defined Keaschall’s best defensive position as “hitter.”
Most of the rest of the established lineup produced small WAR results and probably will continue to do so. Catcher Ryan Jeffers (2.8 WAR) and designated hitter Josh Bell (0.7 WAR) are unlikely to return.
There is some additional promising news, though. The bullpen improved with trade deadline acquisitions, registering a 3.13 ERA in 95 innings, an improvement from a bad first half. Several young players – outfielders Emmanuel Rodriguez, Walker Jenkins and shortstop Kaelen Culpepper – showed some promise in their September appearances and may be able to boost the lineup’s productivity next year.
But more ownership spending is an essential ingredient in the team’s improvement. The Twins ranked 22nd in team payroll, well below the $180 million MLB average. Without additional quality players brought in by $ signings, it’s difficult to see the team’s future as very bright.
In the meantime, Fans can enjoy that nice Target Field and the wonderful game of baseball. Any given day, the Twins could win a game. Don’t pine for the World Series or even the playoffs. These are the Twins, get real, consider the team’s history. But baseball remains a grand sport to watch. Don’t worry about the Twins, because the sport itself is quite loveable.
Steven Schier is the Emeritus Congdon Professor of Political Science at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota.
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