The Minnesota Twins don’t need a makeover coming out of the All-Star break. They’re still in the race, and the offense has done enough to keep that door open. What they can’t afford is to keep drifting through games with a bullpen that hasn’t been sharp enough.
Minnesota reached the break at 48-49, three games behind in the AL Central and still in position to chase a playoff spot. That’s close enough to demand urgency, but not so far back that the season has slipped away.
The lineup has held up better than expected. Byron Buxton has been one of the best center fielders in the league, Ryan Jeffers has been excellent when available and Trevor Larnach has added another useful left-handed bat. The offense isn’t flawless, but it has done its part more often than not.
The bigger issue has been what happens after the starter exits.
Minnesota has already made one move to help. Before the break, the Twins brought in right-hander Tommy Nance from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Nance has put together a solid season, posting a 3.97 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 13 walks in 33 appearances. He gives the club an experienced arm it can trust.
Still, that kind of addition only gets the conversation started.
The numbers behind Minnesota’s pitching problems are hard to ignore. The Twins went into the break with a 4.62 team ERA, which ranked 24th in MLB, according to MLB.com.
They had also given up 485 runs, 827 hits, 115 home runs and carried a 1.37 WHIP. One reliever won’t erase that kind of damage.
That’s why the bullpen has to be the focus right away. Minnesota can’t keep hoping the relief corps will sort itself out on its own. The Twins need a more defined pecking order, and they need to be quicker about moving struggling arms out of key spots.
This isn’t about asking every reliever to be lights-out. It’s about building a group that can hold leads and keep tight games from slipping away late. At 48-49, Minnesota doesn’t have room to keep giving away winnable games because the bullpen remains unstable.
In Other News...
Twins Are Bringing Back A Look Longtime Fans Will Absolutely Love
The Twins are dusting off a look that should hit the nostalgia sweet spot for a lot of longtime fans, bringing back their original home uniforms from the 1960s and early 1970s for the 2026 Field of Dreams game against the Phillies. The throwback set is built around white jerseys with blue pinstripes, the old cursive Twins wordmark and a clean, era-appropriate finish that skips the name plates on the back.
There are also the little touches that make the whole package feel authentic, from the navy cap with the interlocking TC logo to the Minnie and Paul patch on the sleeve. It is the kind of uniform choice that does more than sell a game-night look, especially for a franchise whose history is tied to those classic images, and it is worth remembering these are the same uniforms last worn in the final game of Joe Mauers Hall of Fame career. [Read more 🡒]
Byron Buxtons All-Star Moment Just Raised A Bigger Twins Question
Byron Buxtons All-Star nod still mattered in the bigger picture for the Twins, even with the center fielder unable to take part in the game itself. Being voted in as an American League starter was a reminder of how much respect he has around the league, and it also fit the way Minnesota has talked about him for years: as a franchise player whose value goes well beyond the box score.
The timing now turns the focus back to what comes next for Minnesota. The Twins are expecting Buxton back from the 10-day injured list during their upcoming road trip after the All-Star break, and his status has already become part of a larger conversation about where he fits in the organizations future. After a stretch of trade speculation, the club has made clear how much it values his loyalty, and the next few days should bring another checkpoint in that relationship. [Read more 🡒]
Byron Buxton Just Addressed The Twins Trade Rumors Himself
Byron Buxton spent All-Star Game week doing what star players usually do in that setting, but one of the biggest questions around him had nothing to do with the exhibition itself. The Twins center fielder has been the subject of trade speculation, and the chatter naturally picked up because Philadelphia is looking for right-handed hitting help in the outfield as the deadline approaches.
Buxton, though, made it clear where he stands on the matter, and that matters more than any rumor mill buzz. For Minnesota, it is another reminder that the conversation around its most dynamic player may be louder outside the clubhouse than inside it, while the Phillies may have to turn their attention to other options if they want to upgrade that part of the roster. [Read more 🡒]