Minnesota Twins News

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Royce Lewis • 3B • Twins

Royce Lewis is Beginning Rehab Assignment on Saturday

Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (knee) will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Saturday at Triple-A St. Paul. The Twins haven't said how long they plan to keep Lewis in the minor leagues. Lewis has been on the Injured List since last Saturday due to a sprained left knee. Barring any setbacks, Lewis should be ready to return when first eligible early next week. This season, Lewis is slashing .222/.378/.444 with two home runs and eight RBI across 12 games. The potential is there for the former-first round pick from 2017. The biggest problem has been keeping Lewis healthy and on the field. Fantasy managers should hold tight with Lewis and hope he'll get back on the field soon.

2 days ago

Mick Abel • SP • Twins

Mick Abel is a Breakout Pitcher Carrying Elite Upside

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mick Abel has strung together two dominant outings after two rough ones to start the season. The right-hander hasn't allowed a run in his last two turns through the rotation, allowing just eight hits and three walks while striking out 16 batters in 13 innings pitched. The former first-round draft pick flashed similar dominance this spring, posting a 2.05 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and an elite 28.0 percent K-BB% in 22 IP, so it hasn't come from totally out of nowhere. Because of the first two starts of the year that didn't go well, the 6-foot-5 hurler's ERA (3.98) and WHIP (1.57) don't look great on the surface, but don't let that fool you, the 24-year-old looks like he could be on his way to a breakout campaign and is still available in almost 80 percent of Yahoo! leagues. He'll get the scuffling Mets next Tuesday at home in his next start.

2 days ago

Byron Buxton • CF • Twins

Byron Buxton Sets the Tone for Twins With Two Homers on Tuesday

Outfielder and leadoff man Byron Buxton led the Minnesota Twins in their 6-0 shutout win over the visiting Boston Red Sox at Target Field. Buxton finished the game 4-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, four RBI, and a strikeout. Both of Buxton's homers were of the solo variety, with the first coming off starter Sonny Gray in the third inning. It was the 18th multi-homer game of the 32-year-old's career, and he now has three home runs in the last two days. It's safe to say that the two-time All-Star is heating up in the first month of the season, and he's now slashing .246/.306/.462 with a .767 OPS, three home runs, four RBI, and 15 runs scored in 16 games played. He has yet to steal a base, though, after swiping 24 bags in 126 games a year ago. With Buxton, he should be a nice fantasy contributor when healthy, but staying healthy has been tough for him to do in his 12-year career.

4 days ago

Mick Abel • SP • Twins

Mick Abel a Must-Add Following 10-Strikeout Performance?

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mick Abel was excellent against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, pitching seven strikeout innings with 10 strikeouts and earning his first win of the season in his team's 6-0 victory. Abel allowed just four hits and did not allow a walk. Across his first four appearances (20 1/3 innings) of 2026, the 24-year-old has pitched to a 3.98 ERA and 1.59 WHIP with 23 strikeouts. However, since allowing nine earned runs over his first 7 1/3 innings of the year, Abel has now thrown 13 straight scoreless frames. Abel's walk rate is still 10.8% even after his most recent start against the Red Sox, so control is an issue. Still, if he can limit free passes, Abel has good enough stuff to consistently generate strikeouts and work deep into games. He profiles as a priority waiver wire target ahead of his next scheduled start against the New York Mets next Tuesday.

5 days ago

Josh Bell • 1B • Twins

Josh Bell Producing Early in the Season, Should You Pick Him Up?

Minnesota Twins first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell has been a pleasant surprise for fantasy in the early going of 2026. The veteran is slashing .275/.397/.529 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and 14 runs scored, good for a .410 wOBA and 165 wRC+. The 6-foot-3 slugger is typically good for around 20 home runs per season, belting 22 in 2025, but is on pace for over 100 RBI and 100 runs scored, totals he hasn't come close to since his 2019 campaign with the Pirates. His strikeout rate is higher than we've ever seen it (27.0 percent), but he's also posting a career-high walk rate thus far (15.9 percent). There may be some regression, but as long as he's hitting in the middle of the Twins lineup, there should be plenty of opportunities to keep stacking the RBIs and scoring runs. The 33-year-old is available in over 60 percent of leagues, but that number should probably be higher. Also, for DFS players, the switch-hitter has produced a .470 wOBA and 207 wRC+ as a left-handed hitter compared to a .343 wOBA and 135 wRC+ from the right side, so make sure to fire him up against right-handed pitchers.

6 days ago

Kaelen Culpepper • 3B • Twins

Kaelen Culpepper Worth a Deep-League Stash?

Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper has yet to slow down since moving up to Triple-A St. Paul and is climbing the stash ranks in Week 3 of the fantasy baseball season. Through his first 14 games at the top level of the Twins system, the infielder has posted a solid .250/.318/.417 slash line with three home runs and a stolen base. He has posted four multi-hit games and only gone hitless three times over the opening weeks of the campaign. During the 2025 campaign, Culpepper split time between High-A and Double-A and carried an overall .289/.375/.469 line with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases across 113 total contests. Given that the Twins lack proven production in the middle of their infield as both Brooks Lee and Luke Keaschall have gotten off to slow starts, Culpepper's MLB debut could come much sooner than expected. His five-category potential makes him a priority stash option this week in all 12+ team formats.

6 days ago

Royce Lewis • 3B • Twins

Royce Lewis Headed for Injured List

Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (knee) is heading to the 10-day injured list with a left-knee sprain, according to Twins sideline reporter Audra Martin. Lewis just cannot stay away from the injury bug. The 26-year-old injured his knee on Thursday, was held out of Friday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays, and will now go on the IL on Saturday. The former first overall pick in 2017 can get hot with the best of them and has game-changing power from the third base position, but he's only played in over 100 games just once in his four MLB seasons (last year) due to various injuries. Given Lewis' lengthy injury history, fantasy managers should not be preparing for him to return anytime soon. In his first 12 games in 2026, he had gone 8-for-36 (.222) with two home runs, eight RBI, six runs, and two stolen bases in 45 plate appearances. Tristan Gray made the start at the hot corner in Minnesota on Friday and will now see his fantasy value in AL-only leagues get a nice boost with Lewis out for an undetermined amount of time.

Apr 11

Kaelen Culpepper • 3B • Twins

Kaelen Culpepper Gaining Value as Stash Candidate

Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper has enjoyed an impressive start to his time at the Triple-A level and is quickly climbing up the stash rankings. Through his first 11 contests at the top level of the Minnesota system, Culpepper has posted a .283/.365/.500 slash line with one double, three home runs, and a stolen base. Last summer, the former 21st overall selection split time between High-A and Double-A and is now quickly approaching the major leagues. At High-A, Culpepper posted a .293/.385/.479 line with nine long balls. At Double-A, he continued to produce, carrying a .285/.367/.460 line with 11 long balls over a 59-game stint. Currently, Minnesota's starting shortstop Brooks Lee carries a modest .194 AVG with a .436 OPS over his first 11 games, which could provide Culpepper an MLB role much sooner than expected. He is a solid stash option in deeper 12+ team formats.

Apr 10

Eric Orze • RP • Twins

Eric Orze Earns First Save on Thursday

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Eric Orze was tasked with closing the door versus the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. The Twins didn't have many options with Kody Funderburk, Justin Topa, and Cole Sands all pitching in three of the last four days. Twins' manager Derek Shelton decided to lean on Orze, and it worked out great for him on Thursday. Orze tossed a scoreless ninth inning with one strikeout to earn his first save of the season. The 28-year-old holds a strong 1.59 ERA across his first five appearances this season. The Twins have used five different pitchers to record a save this season. Orze will likely be in the mix again, but it's going to be tough for fantasy managers to trust him as a reliable source of saves.

Apr 9

Mick Abel • SP • Twins

Mick Abel Regains Spring Training Form in Dominant Outing

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mick Abel was able to bounce back in a big way against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. The right-hander tossed six shutout innings, allowing four hits, three walks, and struck out six batters in the no-decision. He exited the game with a one-run lead, but the Twins' bullpen quickly blew that. Despite losing his first potential win, this was the best outing of the season for the young right-hander. Abel will carry a 6.08 ERA with a 13:10 K/BB ratio into his next start versus the Boston Red Sox. He's worth a look in at least mixed leagues ahead of that start.

Apr 9

Taj Bradley • SP • Twins

Taj Bradley Dominant Again on Tuesday, Strikes Out 10 in Quality Start

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Taj Bradley earned his second win of the season on Tuesday, allowing just one earned run across 6 1/3 innings in his team's 4-2 win over the Detroit Tigers. Bradley allowed six hits but did not walk a batter and struck out 10. The 25-year-old former top prospect is off to a strong start to his 2026 campaign, as he's recorded a 1.08 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 22 strikeouts across his first three starts (16 2/3 innings). Bradley is averaging a career-best 97.7 mph on his fastball and has yet to allow a home run, a major development considering he owns an elevated 1.43 HR/9 across 402 career MLB innings. Raw arm talent has never been Bradley's issue, so the young right-hander could finally be putting it all together in his first full season with the Twins. He profiles as a prime waiver-wire target in most fantasy formats.

Apr 8

Justin Topa • RP • Twins

Justin Topa Shuts the Door for Twins, Earns First Save of the Season

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Justin Topa picked up his first save of the season in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Tigers. The right-hander came on with one out in the ninth and coaxed a pair of groundouts to end the game, but did walk a batter in between the two outs, so it wasn't exactly a clean save. Nevertheless, it should put him on the fantasy radar for managers desperate for saves. The 35-year-old was saddled with the loss his last time out after allowing three runs (two earned) in an extra-innings loss to Tampa Bay, but including Tuesday's effort, he hasn't allowed a run in five of his last six appearances and didn't allow a single hit in four of them. Still, with just five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings pitched this season and a career K/9 of 7.78, he doesn't profile as the prototypical closer and may not get many more save chances this season. The 6-foot-4 hurler recorded four holds, four saves, and blew four saves for Minnesota in 2025 in 60 innings of relief (54 appearances).

Apr 8

Cole Sands • RP • Twins

Cole Sands Pitches in Eighth Inning on Tuesday, Falling into Strict Closer Committee?

Minnesota Twins reliever Cole Sands recorded just one out in the 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. He entered in the eighth inning and allowed a lineout and two walks. Sands continues to search for a defined role in the backend of the Twins bullpen after securing his first save of the season in his first appearance. He has not received another save opportunity since. The 28-year-old has still been effective, posting a 2.25 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and .231 opponents average. Sands worked primarily as a setup man last year, recording 13 holds and three saves, but could shift roles as he continues to navigate his usage.

Apr 8

Walker Jenkins • CF • Twins

Will Walker Jenkins Debut in 2026?

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Walker Jenkins has a high probability of making his big league debut this year; the question really is whether or not it will be an early-season debut or later in the year. The Twins' top-ranked prospect hasn't done much yet this season to warrant consideration for a call-up, as he's only 4-for-20 (.200) in the early going with just one extra-base hit for Triple-A St. Paul. However, the former third-overall draft pick seemed to get acclimated to Triple-A pitching in the month of September last year, going 21-for-71 (.296) with eight extra base hits (two home runs) and three steals over his final 17 games. If he can get rolling in the near future, a debut could soon follow. With one of the better hit tools in the minors, along with decent pop and some speed, Jenkins has the makings of a solid fantasy producer, so managers in most redraft leagues should continue to monitor his progress, although he is not a must-stash at the moment.

Apr 7

Byron Buxton • CF • Twins

Byron Buxton Batting Leadoff on Monday

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton is serving as the designated hitter and is batting leadoff for Monday's series opener against the visiting Detroit Tigers and right-hander Casey Mize, according to MLB.com. Buxton is still the DH after returning on Sunday after missing Saturday's game due to a forearm contusion that he suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Friday. The 32-year-old two-time All-Star hit second in eight of the team's first nine games this year and will now be tried atop the batting order against a pitcher he's very familiar with. Buxton is hitting .350 with a 1.100 OPS, two home runs, and four RBI in 20 career at-bats versus Mize. His fantasy managers will hope it will get him going at the plate in the early portion of the 2026 season, as Buxton enters Monday's action with a .133/.182/.233 slash line with no homers, an RBI, two runs, one walk, and 10 strikeouts in his first eight games played.

Apr 6

Taj Bradley • SP • Twins

Taj Bradley Solid Through Two Starts, Worth a Waiver-Wire Add in Week 3?

Minnesota Twins right-handed pitcher Taj Bradley has been fantastic through two starts this season, throwing 10 1/3 scoreless innings in two starts while giving up eight hits, one earned run, and four walks, and striking out 12 for a 0.87 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Bradley has shown significant upside throughout his first couple of seasons at the big-league level with the Tampa Bay Rays before being dealt to the Twins this past offseason. The issue with Bradley has been the lack of consistency in stringing multiple outings together and providing any level of consistency over a long period of time. Heading into Week 3 of the fantasy season, Bradley is lined up for a two-start week against much stiffer competition, Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers and Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Because he has a two-start week, he works his way into the fantasy radar for Week 3. Fantasy managers should understand that with Bradley, there is some risk involved, but the upside you could get with strikeouts should be worth it during a two-start week.

Apr 6

Kaelen Culpepper • 3B • Twins

Kaelen Culpepper Enjoying Hot Start at Triple-A, Emerging as Sneaky Stash Option?

Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper launched two home runs across St. Paul's doubleheader on Sunday and is emerging as a top hitter stash candidate. Over his first eight games at the Triple-A level, Culpepper has posted a .294/.368/.559 slash line with three round-trippers, six runs, eight RBI, and a 7:3 K:BB. Last summer, the former 21st overall selection for the 2024 MLB Draft quickly progressed through the Minnesota system and is now just one stop away from the majors. In 2025, he spent time at both High-A and Double-A and carried an overall .289/.375/.469 line with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases, over a 113-game stint. If Culpepper can continue this trajectory, he could make a strong case to debut in the majors in the first half. For now, he is a viable stash candidate in deeper formats.

Apr 6

Byron Buxton • CF • Twins

Byron Buxton Back in Sunday's Lineup

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (forearm) is back in Sunday's lineup against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Nick Martinez, according to MLB.com. Buxton will serve as the designated hitter and will bat second for the Twins. The 32-year-old oft-injured veteran was removed from Friday's game against Tampa after being hit in the forearm by a pitch, and he was held from the lineup on Saturday as a precaution. Buxton thankfully avoided any structural damage in his arm and will return to action for the series finale. He will most likely return to outfield duties early next week. Fantasy managers may want to keep Buxton on their benches on Sunday, though, given his slow start at the plate in 2026. He's hitting just .154/.207/.269 with an RBI, one walk, and nine strikeouts in a small sample size of seven games. The good news is Buxton has a good history against Martinez, as he's hit .400 against him with two home runs and three RBI in 10 career at-bats.

Apr 5

Byron Buxton • CF • Twins

Byron Buxton Absent from Saturday's Lineup

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (forearm) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. This doesn't come as a shock after Buxton exited early during Friday's game after getting hit by a pitch on the forearm. The X-rays came back negative, but the Twins are going to play it safe with Buxton. Twins' manager Derek Shelton believes that Buxton will be back in the starting lineup within the next few days. On Saturday, James Outman will patrol center field and bat ninth versus left-hander Steven Matz. Fantasy managers will need to check back on Sunday for another update on Buxton.

Apr 4

Byron Buxton • CF • Twins

Byron Buxton is Day-to-Day with Forearm Contusion

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (forearm) was forced to make an early exit from Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Buxton was pulled out of the game after taking a fastball to the right forearm in the seventh inning. Luckily, the X-rays were negative, so Buxton is considered day-to-day with a forearm contusion. Before exiting the game, Buxton went 0-for-3 at the plate. James Outman replaced him on Friday and is considered the favorite to replace Buxton if he misses more time.

Apr 3

Minnesota Twins News

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