Walker Jenkins’ arrival in Minnesota changes the Twins’ outfield picture in a way that should help Luke Keaschall the most.
For much of the season, the Twins have had to use Keaschall in center field when Byron Buxton couldn’t go, with Ryan Kreidler also getting some starts there. But center has been a rough fit. In 210 2/3 innings at the position this year, Keaschall has posted -9 Defensive Runs Saved and -4 Outs Above Average.
The good news for Minnesota is that Keaschall won’t have to keep handling that job now that Jenkins is in the majors. The Twins selected Jenkins’ contract before Friday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox, and the strong defender is in the lineup for the third straight game Sunday while Buxton rests his hip. Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said Buxton is currently “day-to-day,” and Buxton has already been on the IL twice this season.
That shift should allow Keaschall to stay in right field, where the defensive numbers are still below average but not nearly as ugly as they are in center. Keaschall has logged -5 DRS and -1 OAA over 226 2/3 innings in right field this year, and corner outfield looks like the spot that fits him long term.
The bat is the reason he keeps playing anyway. Keaschall opened the year by hitting just .217/.267/.275 through April, but since May 1 he has turned it around with a .292/.394/.422 line and a 135 wRC+, along with seven home runs, 18 doubles, a triple and 26 RBI over 377 plate appearances.
If Buxton gets back on the field later this year, the Twins could suddenly have both Buxton and Jenkins covering the outfield, which would help cover for Keaschall’s defensive issues. Keaschall is also known as a hard-working player, so there’s at least a chance he can keep getting better out there.
Sunday’s Twins-White Sox game at Target Field is set for 1:10 p.m. CDT and will be shown on Twins.TV.
In Other News...
Twins Face A Tough Walker Jenkins Question As Playoff Push Slips
As the Twins tried to keep their playoff push alive, one of the bigger organizational calls in August came down to Walker Jenkins and whether his bat should have been brought up from Triple-A. Jenkins was performing exceptionally well there, and the temptation to accelerate his arrival was obvious for a club looking for any edge it could find. Instead, Minnesota chose to keep him in the minors, with development and consistent playing time taking priority over an immediate jump to the majors.
The debate now is less about Jenkins talent than about timing, because the Twins did make other moves to try to improve the roster while the standings tightened. Still, leaving a premium prospect in Triple-A while the postseason chase got harder naturally invites second-guessing, especially when the lineup could have used another spark. It is the kind of decision that can look prudent in the long term and frustrating in the moment, which is exactly where this one sits for Minnesota. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Suddenly Have A Late-Game Problem They Can't Afford
The Twins have spent much of this stretch playing from behind, and the late innings have started to feel like the part of the game where their offense simply stops carrying over. Minnesota has lost four straight and slipped to a season-low eight games below .500, a slide that has left the club staring at postseason odds of just 5.0 percent. It is one thing to have a bad week in the standings, but it is another when the teams most troubling trend is becoming easier to spot by the inning.
Since the fifth, the Twins have not done enough damage against bullpens, with their late-game production lagging well behind league norms in slugging and home runs. That is a rough place to be for a lineup already operating without Byron Buxton, whose hip injury has taken an obvious bite out of the offense and whose return remains up in the air. For a team trying to stay in the race, the problem is not just scoring less, but running out of answers exactly when games tend to turn. [Read more 🡒]
Former Twins Playoff Starter Is Suddenly Becoming A Royals Problem For Minnesota
Randy Dobnak has quietly worked his way back into the majors with Kansas City, and the former Twins pitcher is giving Minnesota a familiar kind of headache. Since being recalled on July 1, he has logged a 1.92 ERA over 51 2/3 innings, a sharp reminder of the ground-ball work that once made him a useful piece for the Twins in October and a tough at-bat for opponents when he was right.
Dobnaks path back has been a winding one, with stops in Detroit, Seattle and now Kansas City after leaving Minnesota in 2025. The Royals have played better since his return, but they still sit behind in the playoff race, which only adds to the sense that Dobnaks presence is making a difference in ways the Twins would rather not notice. [Read more 🡒]