Ryan Jeffers Second Half Decline Might Make Twins Think Twice About Qualifying Offer

The Twins needed their veteran to step up in the thick of a playoff race, and he did the exact opposite.

Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (27) prepares for the first pitch against the Yankees. Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The American League has been a bit of a dumpster fire this season, which is why many teams hovering around the .500 line at the trade deadline were in the running for the final wild card spot, one of which was the Minnesota Twins.

That said, the Twins decided to bet big at the trade deadline, becoming buyers to boost their pitching staff, which was the weakest area of the roster at the time. But since then, they have been in steady decline and will finish the year, once again, with a losing record and miss a postseason berth.

Now, it is a team game, and the injury to Byron Buxton was an incredibly difficult pill to swallow, and when the Twins needed help from their veterans to make up for his offensive production, they turned to Ryan Jeffers, who was having a breakout season.

Ryan Jeffers OPS by month this season for the #MNTwins

March/April: .927
May: .989
June: N/A
July: .893
August: .740
September: .540

Do the Twins still extend him the QO given his late season performance? pic.twitter.com/lv2DR5NaNp

— SleeperTwins (@SleeperMLBTwins) September 22, 2026

Looking at their catcher's numbers for the year, it was definitely one of his best, as his entire slash line is well above his career average, so it might seem like a no-brainer to make a qualifying offer to him as he embarks on his first year of free agency.

However, when the team needed him when it mattered the most, he was very disappointing, and that is putting it nicely.

Jeffers Hitting Splits Throughout the Year

Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (27) prepares to face Yankees pitcher David Bednar.Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 29-year-old definitely showed signs of brilliance this year at the plate with a lot of power in the bat, but the final months have not been kind to Jeffers, and while the qualifying offer hasn't been set yet, it was over $22 million during last year's free agency. That might be too much.

• March/April: .304/.401/.506; .927 OPS,
• May: .279/.385/.605; 989 OPS
• July: .289/.360/.533; .893 OPS
• August: .238/.347/.393; .740 OPS
• September: .145/.213/.327; .540 OPS

From the first half to the second, Jeffers' OPS is over 200 points lower, with the most notable issue being the lack of slugging in his bat. However, there is one aspect of Minnesota's roster right now that could keep him within the organization.

There are quite a few talented rookies among Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, and Emmanuel Rodriguez, as the trio could all get their names thrown into the Rookie of the Year hat in 2027. However, none of them suit up behind the dish.

.The Twins would like to assume that Jeffers' final two months were more of an anomaly and not the norm. Keeping him as their catcher isn't the worst idea, but they just might need to negotiate a more cost-friendly deal to lock him down.