Twins Voted as 'Least-Improved' Team in the American League

The Twins' offseason has been incredibly uninspiring, leaving very little for the dwindling group of diehards to be excited about. So, it should come as no real surprise that the Twins were tied atop the voting from baseball executives as the 'least-improved' team in the American League.

The Athletic's Jayson Stark recently compiled the thoughts of anonymous baseball executives on a variety of topics heading into the 2026 season. Among those opinions was that Minnesota and Cleveland are the least-improved teams in the American League, each earning 26 votes. The next nearest team was Tampa Bay, who garnered 14 points, followed by the Angels (11) and Astros (9).

That tracks with an assessment earlier this offseason from The Athletic's Jim Bowden, who gave Minnesota a 'D' grade for its offseason. It is worth noting, perhaps, that that grade came before the Twins added a couple veteran relievers who could help shore up the biggest hole on the team's major league roster.

One exec told Stark that the Twins are "in a tough spot," noting the directive from new controlling owner Tom Pohlad to be competitive despite having little rescources to actually pull that off.

Before adding Liam Hendriks, Anthony Banda, and Taylor Rogers as notable reliever options in recent weeks, the biggest signing the team made this offseason was first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell, a 33-year-old switch-hitter who brings some power to the Twins' lineup. Victor Caratini was an upgrade over Christian Vazquez at backup catcher. However, those two signings being perhaps the most notable on-field moves of the offseason isn't all that inspiring.

Off the field is where the Twins underwent drastic change. Following the conclusion of the 2025 season, Minnesota fired Rocco Baldelli after seven seasons as the team's manager, replacing him with former Twins bench coach Derek Shelton. Then in mid-December, the organization announced a change in which Pohlad brother was in charge of the operation, moving Joe out and having Tom take over. That change eventually led to the rather surprising "mutual" departure of Derek Falvey as the president of baseball operations in late-January. With Falvey gone, general manager Jeremy Zoll assumed control of the on-field product for the Twins.

While the new controlling owner has attempted to say all the right things, Twins fans — and apparently baseball executives as well — remain rightly skeptical of the organization heading into the 2026 season.

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