The Twins will have a familiar presence in the 2026 All-Star Game, even if one of their own won’t be on the field.
Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park hosts the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday, with first pitch set for 7:00 p.m. CDT and FOX carrying the broadcast. Byron Buxton was voted in as a starting outfielder, and Joe Ryan also picked up an All-Star nod, but Buxton will sit out because of a hip injury.
Beyond that, three former Twins are in the mix this year, and each one brings a different kind of reminder of how much talent has moved through Minnesota.
Jhoan Duran is now finishing games for the Phillies, and the move has worked out exactly the way Philadelphia hoped when it landed him from the Twins at last year’s trade deadline for right-hander Mick Abel and catching prospect Eduardo Tait. Duran, 28, debuted with Minnesota in 2022 and piled up a 2.47 ERA, 292 strikeouts and 74 saves over 223 games before the trade.
Since then, he’s kept rolling. He closed last season with a 2.18 ERA, 16 saves and 27 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings for Philadelphia, and this year he’s been even sharper: a 1.38 ERA, 24 saves and 50 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings across 34 appearances.
Even after missing more than two weeks with an oblique injury, he still ranks third among all MLB relievers in fWAR at 1.9.
Luis Arraez’s path has been just as busy. Minnesota sent him to the Marlins in the Pablo López trade during the 2022-23 offseason, Miami moved him to the Padres in May 2024, and this past offseason he landed with the Giants on a one-year deal as a second baseman.
Arraez is already a four-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and three-time batting champion, but he had to settle for a one-year contract worth $12 million. He’s making that deal look awfully light with the best fWAR season of his career at 3.7, along with a .330/.269/.460 (127 wRC+) line over 91 games.
He’s also been a surprise asset defensively, posting +10 Outs Above Average in 766 2/3 innings at second base this season after entering 2026 with -36 OAA there for his career. On a bad Giants team and on an expiring deal, he looks like one of the most obvious trade candidates before the deadline.
Then there’s Louis Varland, and this one has to sting for the Twins. The St.
Paul native was part of last year’s fire sale, and while Alan Roden and/or Kendry Rojas could still pay off down the road, Varland has become one of the best closers in baseball. He ranks second among MLB relievers in fWAR at 2.2, trailing only San Diego Padres right-hander Mason Miller.
In 39 2/3 innings, Varland has posted a 1.10 ERA with 25 saves and 67 strikeouts, and he won’t hit free agency until 2031.
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 🡒]