Uff Da – My Minnesota Twins Predictions Were Not Great!

When it comes to Minnesota professional sports teams, it can be painful to be optimistic. After all, a look at the numbers clearly shows a lack of trophies for almost every professional team in town.

Before this Twins season I felt optimistic. The rotation looked strong with Lopez, Ober and Ryan buoyed by Simeon Woods-Richardson, Chris Paddack and the rest. The lineup looked strong, the bench looked fairly deep... oh, man even now I'm trying to talk myself into this being a good team.

Before we issue our mea culpa here at the season's halfway point, let's take a look at my predictions from before the season:

WIN TOTAL 

Sure, the Royals, Guardians and Tigers will all be competitive and the White Sox won't lose 150 games again this year. However, unlike last year, the Twins have true quality depth at nearly every spot in the field this year. With the starting staff and bullpen looking like the real deal, the sky is the limit for this year's Twins.

As it turns out, the quality depth has not risen to the surface as of yet. Players like Jose Miranda, Edouard Julien, David Festa and DeShawn Kiersey, Jr may well develop into good MLB players, but they haven't yet taken that step forward. Compound that with the rash of injuries to players like Pablo Lopez and the recently-returned Matt Wallner, and this is a team that struggles to string together wins.

MATT WALLNER 

Forest Lake's Matt Wallner will take over for longtime Twins outfielder Max Kepler in right field this season. In spring training Wallner was deployed as the leadoff hitter for Minnesota and manager Rocco Baldelli's confidence was rewarded with a spring-high six home runs and 14 runs batted in.

 

Yes, Wallner will strike out a ton but that isn't unusual in today's game. With a full season, Wallner is a true threat for 40 home runs... and I'd personally take the over on that number.

After a decent April, Wallner missed most of May with a leg injury. He has struggled since returning on May 31st with a .190 batting average and a .629 OPS in June.

OBER AND RYAN 

Ober took a major step forward in 2024 when he made a career high 31 starts and struck out 191 batters in 178 innings. The Twins' workhorse, Ober is still a well-kept secret throughout the league but won't be for long.

Ryan was having a great season for the Twins before a shoulder injury shelved him after 23 starts. Ryan is in his prime at 28 years old and has the raw stuff to be among the best pitchers in the game.

 

Well.. one outta two ain't bad. Ober has been an absolute disaster so far this season for the Twins with a 4-6 record and a 5.08 earned run average. In June, Ober is 0-5 with a 9.00 ERA and 14 home runs allowed in 30 innings pitched.

Ryan on the other hand has lived up to my lofty prediction and appears destined for an All Star spot. Ryan is 8-3 with a 2.86 ERA so far this season.

KEASCHALL 

Luke Keaschall has a career .419 OBP in the minors and has charted 147 hits in 490 at-bats. Regarded as 'one of the best pure hitters in the minor leagues,' Keaschall may fill a hole that has existed really since the departure of Brian Dozier several years ago. Where this leaves Brooks Lee will be an intriguing storyline, but Keaschall appears to be ready to take over when he finally gets the call.

 

Well it was only a few games, but Keaschall sure looked the part before breaking his arm by getting hit by a pitch. Interestingly, it is Royce Lewis who may see his role changed when Keaschall comes back, as Brooks Lee has broken out this season as a formidable hitter on team remarkably thin on them.