The Minnesota Twins have put themselves in the Silver Slugger conversation, but the path to a trophy looks steep.
Kody Clemens is one of only two American League finalists at second base, joining Chase Meidroth of the Chicago White Sox. Minnesota also landed among the finalists for the American League Team Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award, with the Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays and White Sox rounding out that group.
FanSided’s Adam Weinrib and Robert Murray will reveal the winners on The Baseball Insiders podcast on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
Even with those finalist nods, the Twins and Clemens are going in as underdogs.
Minnesota’s offense had a respectable year, but the Astros, Rays and White Sox all finished ahead of the Twins in OPS, home runs and batting average. The Twins did score more runs than Tampa Bay and Houston, though Chicago still topped Minnesota in that category as well.
Clemens has a stronger individual case than most players would in this spot, but Meidroth’s season was more complete. Meidroth hit .276/.350/.415 with a 118 wRC+, along with 16 home runs, 31 doubles and 63 RBI. Clemens finished at .239/.298/.460 with a 108 wRC+, plus 27 home runs, 22 doubles, seven triples and 81 RBI.
Clemens clearly brings the power edge, and his RBI total stands out. But Meidroth’s on-base ability and overall offensive profile give him the cleaner résumé. That low on-base percentage is the kind of thing that tends to sink a Silver Slugger case, even when the raw power numbers pop.
There’s still plenty for Clemens to hang his hat on. He posted 2.5 fWAR and earned finalist status despite spending time all over the diamond. Along with second base, he also played first base and all three outfield spots this season.
His split of playing time at second base may have worked against him, too. Clemens logged 72 of his 145 games there in 2026, while Meidroth played second base in 150 of his 154 games. Meidroth also saw action at shortstop and third base.
However the voting breaks, Minnesota’s offense has already earned some recognition. The Twins finished 77-85, so this wasn’t their best season by any stretch, but Clemens and the rest of the lineup still gave the club a few bright spots worth celebrating.
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