The Twins may have tipped their hand on Luke Keaschall, and that could push Josh Bell toward the exit.
Keaschall’s second season in the majors was anything but smooth. He dealt with a shaky defensive shuffle and a rough opening stretch. Still, Minnesota appears convinced the 23-year-old belongs in the long-term picture, with The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reporting that the club views him as a possible leadoff hitter and a regular outfielder down the line.
“Keaschall is a building block, someone they’re eying to take over as the club’s leadoff hitter in 2027,” Hayes wrote. “Whether it’s his determination, his no-frills attitude or his joy in being a dirt devil, the Twins discovered Keaschall is the kind of player worth building around. …The Twins think Keaschall, who switched to the outfield mid-season, will improve with repetitions.”
That kind of vote of confidence matters, but it also creates a roster squeeze. Minnesota already has more outfield candidates than everyday jobs, and once Keaschall is part of the regular mix, somebody has to lose playing time. That someone could be Bell.
Bell was a strong value play on his one-year, $7 million deal before the 2026 season. He delivered 96 RBI, the most by a Twins hitter since Brian Dozier had 93 in 2017, and he put together a solid line at the plate: .255/.319/.419 in 154 games.
There’s also no question he brought leadership to the clubhouse. On that alone, Minnesota could make a case for bringing him back.
But the fit is the issue. Bell is essentially a designated hitter now, and that was clear last season when 129 of his 149 starts came at DH.
He hasn’t been a full-time first baseman since he played 124 games for the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres in 2022, and that doesn’t look likely to change as he heads into his age-34 season.
If the Twins had a clean opening at DH, Bell’s return would be easy to justify. They don’t. They have too many other pieces to sort through, especially in the outfield.
Trevor Larnach, Byron Buxton and Austin Martin handled most of the outfield work last year. Larnach was nearly moved at the August trade deadline, while Martin is out of minor league options heading into next season. Even if Minnesota moves on from both corner outfielders, the competition still looks crowded.
Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez sit near the top of that pile, and both have a case to break camp with the team. Rodriguez is likely to make the roster because he is out of minor league options next season and impressed after his late-season call-up.
Jenkins had a rough start in the majors, but he closed the year on a tear, hitting .385 with three homers and five RBI over his final 10 games. His work at St.
Paul also stands out: .291/.386/.497 with 14 homers, 36 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 25 attempts over 92 career games.
Alan Roden is in the mix too. He’ll still have minor league options next year, but he could carve out a bench role.
So if Keaschall is staying in the outfield, the math gets tight fast: five players for three spots, with a DH job still needing to be filled.
That’s why Bell looks like the odd man out. Keeping him would mean locking the Twins into a full-time DH and squeezing out a younger bat with more upside. It would also cut into Derek Shelton’s flexibility when he’s trying to put the best lineup on the field.
Letting Bell walk could also help Minnesota in another way. With Byron Buxton expected to make a full recovery from hip surgery, the Twins could use DH at-bats to keep him fresher and get him closer to, or beyond, the 100-game mark that seems to be the new baseline as he enters his late 30s.
And for Keaschall, everyday at-bats matter more than Bell’s return. At 23, Minnesota has every reason to keep feeding him reps, whether that comes in the field or at DH. Bell turned 34 in August, and even after a productive season, his place on the roster may be less important than the Twins’ plan to build around their younger core and position themselves for 2027.
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