Perhaps the worst part about the Minnesota Twins’ 2026 season is how it’s ended, and we’re not even talking about them missing the playoffs.
As recently as Aug. 8, the Twins sat 58-59 and only two games back in the AL Central. They’ve since gone 19-26 and, although they’ll avoid 90 losses, will nonetheless look back on this year as a massive disappointment.
Changes should be coming, though manager Derek Shelton is likely safe. The Twins haven’t announced whether Jeremy Zoll, who took over the lead baseball operations role just before spring training started, will receive the job on a permanent basis.
For lists like these, we always try to keep things realistic while also factoring in the greater context. Should the Twins trade Byron Buxton? Sure. Do we believe he should waive his no-trade clause to join a contender? Absolutely, and we’ve advocated for that several times in recent months.
Will the Twins and Buxton work out a trade? We’re skeptical enough that we’re omitting him, even as an honorable mention. But as for some of his teammates?
RHP Joe Ryan
Had you told us back in January that Ryan would finish the regular season in Minnesota, we’d have anticipated one of two outcomes: the Twins running away with the AL Central, or the two-time All-Star suffering a major injury.
Neither proved to be true, and Ryan finished the season with a sub-4.00 ERA for the fourth time in five years. He profiles as a solid middle-of-the-rotation arm for most contenders, and we’re intrigued by him potentially replacing Sonny Gray in Boston if the latter retires.
DH Josh Bell
Not only is the 34-year-old Bell still going strong, but his 91 RBI are his most since 2019. He’s more than met the expectations that came with his one-year, $7 million deal.
At this point in his career, you know what you’re getting from Bell. He’s an everyday DH capable of offering 20 homers and a slightly above-average OPS. However, Kody Clemens still has two years of team control left, which might pave the way for him to replace Bell in the everyday lineup.
1B/3B Royce Lewis
Honestly, we’re unsure what the 27-year-old Lewis’ overall future looks like, and whether he even fits into the Twins’ plans. His power hasn’t developed the way many expected, and he moved from third to first while offering a below-league-average OPS.
We won’t invoke the “dead weight” term largely because Lewis’ contract won’t prevent a trade, both in terms of salary and because he lacks a no-trade clause. But does he profile as a backup or platoon corner infielder? Because we haven’t seen enough to trust him as an everyday starter at either third or first.
You know, we recently suggested that Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker could use a fresh start. Might Minnesota find a way to send Lewis and a prospect to St. Louis for the reigning Home Run Derby champion?
Meh, probably not.
Ryan Jeffers, C
Jeffers is only weeks away from hitting free agency, and we expect the contenders to come calling. The Yankees, Red Sox and Mets are among those who’d strongly benefit from adding the 29-year-old backstop, assuming he’s open to changing teams.
We’ve seen Minnesota be more aggressive in free agency than one might think, so it’s not impossible they’d keep Jeffers. But we don’t see a realistic scenario where he’s wearing a Twins uniform whenever the 2027 season kicks off.
Add us as a preferred source on Google