Changing positions might have been the turning point for Brooks Lee.
The Twins started the year with Lee at shortstop, and the results were rough. In 400 innings there, he put up -9 Defensive Runs Saved and -6 Outs Above Average. Even after moving on from that spot, his shortstop numbers still linger near the bottom of the league: Lee ranks second-to-last among all shortstops in DRS, with only Trea Turner of the Philadelphia Phillies worse at -13 DRS.
Since Minnesota shifted him to third base in late May after optioning Royce Lewis to Triple-A St. Paul, Lee has looked far more comfortable.
In 679 2/3 innings at the hot corner, he has posted +4 DRS and +1 OAA. He probably would have preferred to stay at shortstop, but the fit at third base gives him a much better path forward.
A strong defensive third baseman can be far more valuable - and, long term, worth more money - than a struggling shortstop.
The offensive numbers have followed a similar arc. Lee got off to a sluggish start, hitting just .194/.242/.194 through his first 11 games.
Since then, he has settled into a respectable .247/.300/.431 line with a 104 wRC+. The on-base percentage could still climb, but the power has carried the profile.
Across 126 games, Lee has totaled 20 home runs, 20 doubles and three triples.
He’s also done it without giving away many at-bats. Lee’s 16.4% strikeout rate stands out, and it makes him a useful bat in a specific kind of spot: if there’s a runner on third with fewer than two outs, he’s the one you want at the plate.
There are still some warning signs underneath the surface. Lee’s xwOBA sits at .272, which ranks in the 2nd percentile, and his expected slugging percentage is .335, good for the 12th percentile. His average exit velocity of 87.9 mph lands in the 30th percentile, so despite the 20 homers and the calendar turning toward the final month of the season, he isn’t exactly punishing the ball.
Even so, the season has been productive. Lee has already been worth 2.0 fWAR, and his 27.1% squared-up rate ranks in the 70th percentile.
The formula has been pretty clear: make contact, square it up, avoid strikeouts and play solid defense. After the early-season questions, the Twins have to feel good about what Lee has given them in 2026.
In Other News...
Twins Have 4 Triple A Options Who Could Change The Stretch Run
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The mix matters because these are not just fill-ins waiting for an emergency. Wallner has long been the most obvious power candidate, Gonzalez offers a younger bat with upside, Ross can cover multiple spots if the roster gets tight, and Raya gives the Twins another pitcher who could fit a specific need. How Minnesota chooses among them will say plenty about what the club values most in these final weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Finally Did Something Fans Havent Seen In A Long Time
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It was the kind of move Twins fans had been waiting to see for a long time, especially after last years trade-deadline selloff sent the organization in the opposite direction. The cost was real, with several minor league prospects headed out the door, but the message was clearer still: the Twins were willing to raise payroll and push in chips if it meant giving themselves a better shot at the postseason. [Read more 🡒]
Twins May Have Avoided A Costly Rotation Mistake
The Twins did their homework on Framber Valdez this winter, and the organization at least explored a late multi-year offer before the left-hander landed with the Tigers on a three-year deal. For Minnesota, it was the kind of rotation decision that can shape a season before it starts, especially with payroll flexibility already working against the front office.
Valdez has not exactly given Detroit the ace-level return it hoped for, posting a 4.35 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP through 26 starts while his strikeout and whiff rates have slipped. In that light, Minnesota may have been wise to move on, or at least cautious enough to avoid tying up resources in a pitcher whose recent performance has raised enough questions to make the Twins' pass look more defensible than regrettable. [Read more 🡒]