The Twins know where one of their biggest leaks is, and it isn’t hard to spot once you start looking beyond the box score. Minnesota had plenty of issues in 2026, from offensive stretches where the runs dried up to a pitching staff that never quite settled in. But the defense also left too much on the table, and the front office sees that as a problem that has to be fixed.
General manager Jeremy Zoll said the club has already made it a priority.
“It was a point of emphasis this year as we were trying to improve things on the fly, but it’s going to be a continued point of emphasis as we go forward,” Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll told the Star Tribune. “We’re leaving value on the table right now, as it stands, and we think that’s a way to further optimize things.”
The numbers back that up. Baseball Savant’s outs above average had Byron Buxton as Minnesota’s top defender at +3 OAA, which helped him earn a Diamond Award for his work in the field. At the other end of the spectrum, Luke Keashall finished at second base with -12 OAA, a figure that underscores just how much ground the Twins gave away defensively.
That matters even more for a team without a ton of offensive firepower. When the bats aren’t carrying you, the little things become the big things, and Minnesota’s defense wasn’t sharp enough to cover for the other flaws. The pitching staff needed help, and the gloves didn’t always provide it.
Twins manager Derek Shelton said the issue isn’t limited to the majors.
“That’s an area of growth for us, not only at the big leagues but organizationally,” He said. “It’s going to be an area that we are going to focus on. It has been part of conversations with specific people this offseason about improving.”
The lesson is plain enough. Teams like the Guardians, Brewers, and Rays have shown how much value clean defense can bring, especially in October. One mistake can turn into a mess fast, and Minnesota saw that firsthand in the series in San Diego in August.
For the Twins, 2027 needs to be about tightening up the fundamentals and making defense a real strength, not just an afterthought. And unlike some roster fixes, that’s a goal that can be pursued without giving up much.
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