Twins Can't Confuse Staying Alive With Being Contenders

Minnesota has stayed near the wild-card race after last year’s teardown, but bullpen instability and a negative run differential make an aggressive deadline push difficult to defend.

Minnesota Twins pitcher Jack Anderson throws a pitch during the twelfth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Twins have been far better than expected, but that does not mean they are contenders.

Minnesota remained within reach of an American League wild-card spot after tearing apart its roster at the 2025 trade deadline. The Twins traded 10 Major League players in one week, including Carlos Correa, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland and Brock Stewart. Sitting at 51-53 and only 2.5 games outside a postseason position shows how well the organization recovered from that reset.

Thursday’s 3-1, 12-inning victory over the Cleveland Guardians showed why this team remains difficult to dismiss. Taj Bradley allowed one run over seven innings, Alan Roden tied the game with a pinch-hit single in the eighth and Trevor Larnach and Luke Keaschall delivered consecutive two-out RBI singles in the 12th.

It also showed why Minnesota should not overreact to the standings.

The Twins failed to score with the automatic runner in the 10th and 11th innings before finally breaking through. Their victory required a scoreless 11th from Taylor Rogers and the first career save from rookie Jack Anderson in only his fifth Major League appearance. 

Taylor Rogers pitches in the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Anderson became the 12th Twins pitcher to record a save this year, extending a franchise record. That number reflects resourcefulness, but it also reveals how little stability Minnesota has found at the back of its bullpen.

Andrew Morris offered another example earlier in the campaign. He opened the year as a Triple-A starter, worked three innings during his first Major League appearance and later shifted into one-inning, high-leverage assignments. Minnesota has repeatedly asked pitchers to move between being openers, coming in during blowouts, and pitching in high-leverage moments.

That uncertainty can take a toll on the players. A reliever preparing to supply multiple innings follows a different routine than one expecting to enter with the game on the line. Constantly changing those responsibilities can make recovery, availability and mental preparation harder to manage. Manager Derek Shelton acknowledged in June that the Twins were still waiting for several relievers to pitch well consistently.

“At some point, we’re going to have to have one guy, two guys, three guys step up and pitch well consecutively,” Shelton said in June.

The Twins' skipper is still looking for that consistency; the uncertainty in the bullpen reflects a larger problem with the roster. Minnesota remains close enough to the postseason picture to create hope, but its minus-30 run differential and 49-55 expected record suggest it has performed below the level of a serious contender

Overall, Minnesota has done well to make its year competitive after last summer’s fire sale. The Guardians win was another example of its resilience. But it was not proof that one aggressive deadline can turn an uneven roster into a championship threat.

The Twins should protect the progress they have made instead of gambling it on a postseason dream.