Kelly: Josh Bell just went yard against the Rangers on the final day of the season, Dean Kremer pitched seven sharp innings, and yet here we are with a 77-85 record. How do you rank a team that ends the year winning its last game but missing the playoffs entirely? Stick with us.
Gary: It’s a weird place to be, Kelly. You have the silver linings, you have the young core of Walker Jenkins and Brooks Lee looking like franchise pillars, but the math didn’t work out for October baseball this time around.
Kelly: Welcome to today’s Beatline Podcast Network power rankings episode. I’m Kelly, joined by Gary, and we’re breaking down exactly where the Minnesota Twins stand in the American League Central right now.
Gary: That’s right. Today we’re looking at their divisional standing, digging into the strengths and question marks of this roster, and then giving you a realistic outlook for 2027 based on what we’ve seen from these young players.
Kelly: We’re also checking back on those predictions from last week about Connor Prielipp and the playoff push. Let’s get straight into it. First up: Where do the Twins actually rank in the AL Central?
Gary: So, the record is 77-85. That’s a modest seven-win improvement from last year, which is good progress, but they finished third in the AL Central. In a division that was tight all year, finishing third with a losing record puts them in the middle of the pack—not terrible, but not competitive.
Kelly: Third place feels... safe? Or maybe just stagnant. They weren’t battling Cleveland or Detroit for the top spot down the stretch, were they?
Gary: Not really. By the final weekend, they were playing spoiler roles. They beat the Rangers 6-4 on Sunday to eliminate Texas from contention, but they’d lost the previous two games in that series, including a 10-2 loss where Jacob deGrom allowed eight earned runs. It’s a mixed bag of results.
Kelly: So they ended strong, but the road there was bumpy. When you look at the standings, does 77 wins feel like a floor or a ceiling for this group?
Gary: I think it’s a floor if you count the development curve. The front office believes the future is bright because of the lineup built around young players. But 77 wins doesn’t get you home field advantage or even a wild card spot usually. It’s a .476 win percentage. That’s a lottery ticket team.
Kelly: Right. And in the AL Central, you can’t afford to be a lottery ticket. You need consistency. Did the bullpen help stabilize things late in the season?
Gary: The bullpen was part of the issue, honestly. You had Jeff Hoffman, Taylor Rogers, A.J. Minter—guys who have been there before—but the young arms like Garrett Acton and Travis Adams didn’t quite gel into a cohesive unit until the very end. It cost them some close games earlier in the year.
Kelly: So they’re third in the division, riding a wave of optimism but sitting on a losing record. Let’s pivot to Segment 2: What are the actual strengths here, and where are the cracks?
Gary: The strength is clearly the infield and outfield youth. Brooks Lee at third base, Kaelen Culpepper and Tristan Gray at shortstop, and Walker Jenkins in center field. These guys are building the foundation. Also, Josh Bell stepping up as a DH with that clutch home run against Texas showed he can drive in runs when it matters.
Kelly: Bell was huge in those final games. But Gary, you mentioned the cracks. Where do you see them most acutely?
Gary: Catchers. Victor Caratini and Ryan Jeffers. We talked about this in the mailbag last week. It’s a platoon situation that hasn’t fully clicked. One might be having an off-year, the other is finding his rhythm, but neither has established themselves as the undisputed #1 guy yet. It’s a weakness in a position that defines pitching success.
Kelly: And the rotation? You’ve got Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Dean Kremer, Zebby Matthews... plus Connor Prielipp waiting in the wings.
Gary: The rotation is deep but unproven at the top. Kremer gave us seven one-run innings in the finale, which is great, but we need to see if he can handle a bigger workload. And Prielipp? We predicted he’d win a rotation spot in 2027. If he’s not in the top four by spring training, that prediction looks shaky.
Kelly: Okay, so youth is the strength, catching is the worry, and the rotation is a 'wait and see.' That sets up our final segment perfectly: the outlook. If you had to give a win projection for next year, what are you saying?
Gary: I’m sticking with my prediction from last week: the Twins make the playoffs in 2027. Why? Because health returns and young players develop. Brooks Lee and Walker Jenkins are going to take leaps. The ABS system favors pitchers who can locate, and this staff has plenty of ground-ball guys.
Kelly: Eighty-eight wins? Ninety? I feel like 85 wins is the target. If they improve by seven again, they’re right in that wild card hunt.
Gary: I think 90 is more realistic if the catchers click. If Caratini or Jeffers gets hot, the pitching staff plays better. Plus, the defense in the outfield with Buxton, Larnach, and Jenkins should be elite. That saves runs. Runs saved equal wins.
Kelly: But let’s talk about the bullpens again. If Acton and Morris don’t lock in, can the starters carry the load every single night?
Gary: No. That’s the risk. If the bullpen stumbles like it did in ’26, 90 wins becomes 85 again. The key is depth. They have Yoendrys Gomez, Eric Orze, Andrew Morris. They have bodies. It’s about usage patterns and keeping guys healthy.
Kelly: So, playoff bound in 2027, but only if the catching improves and the bullpen finds its identity. Sounds like a lot of work for the offseason.
Gary: Exactly. It’s a team in transition, but the pieces are there. The seven-win improvement shows direction. Now they just need to convert that potential into production.
Kelly: Before we go, I want to ask you directly. If today’s breakdown helped you understand where the Twins stand and why 2027 could be special, please consider supporting the show. Your contribution keeps this network free and daily. Just tap the link in the episode description to chip in. Thank you.
Gary: We appreciate every listener who helps keep the baseball coverage coming. Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts.
Kelly: We’ll see you next time with more power rankings and analysis. Go Twins!