What’s new with the Minnesota Twins? That’s what this page is all about.
The Team Spirit Extra Innings website begins where the Team Spirit books end.
That’s because baseball never stands still … And I can never squeeze everything I want into 48 pages!
Take a look at some of the Twins collectibles I have in my home.
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Updates
2023 Season
Season Preview: Were it not for pitching problems in 2022, the Twins could have easily won the AL Central. In 2023, newcomer Pablo Lopez joins Kenta Maeda, Sonny Gray, and Tyler Mahle to give Minnesota a quality starting rotation. The trade for Lopez cost the team batting champion Luis Arreaz, but the offense is good enough to survive that loss thanks to the powerful foursome of Carlos Correia, Max Kepler, Joey Gallo, and Byron Buxton. New catcher Christian Vasquez could also be a difference-maker at bat and behind the plate.
2022 Season
Season Recap: Minnesota fans were saving up for playoff tickets in May and June, but the second half of the season did no go well for the Twins. Injuries prevented Byron Buxton from having the year everyone was hoping for, and Carlos Correa’s powerful bat was not enough to keep the club in the playoff race. Among the few bright spots for the Twins were good years from outfielder Nick Gordon and pitchers Joe Ryan and Jhoan Duran. The big news in Minnesota, however, was Luis Arreaz, who won the batting championship with a .316 average.
July 24, 2022: Two of the team’s greatest players, Tony Oliva and Jim Kaat, entered the Hall of Fame together. Kaat retired with 283 victories and won 16 Gold Gloves for his fielding. Oliva won three batting championships and was an All-Star 8 times.
Season Preview: The arrival of superstar shortstop Carlos Correa has Minnesota fans excited about 2022. Correa and outfielder Byron Buxton give the Twins an awesome one-two punch, especially if Buxton can stay off the injured list. Sonny Gray and Gary Sanchez are two important newcomers to the club, but just as important are several prospects—including infielder Jose Miranda—who figure to get a long look this season. Can the Twins take the AL Central? Much could depend on slugger Miguel Sano, one of the most exciting (and streakiest) players in baseball.
2021 Season
Season Recap: The Twins began the year as co-favorites to win the AL Central, only to watch the White Sox run away with the division in the first half. Minnesota needed big years from their veteran players and got them from Byron Buxton, Jorge Polanco, Nelson Cruz, and Jose Berrios. However, others did not come through as hoped and the team traded away Cruz, Berrios, and others for young talent over the summer. One of the bright spots was the play of infielder Luis Arraez, who took a big step toward stardom.
May 29, 2021: Josh Donaldson scored the two millionth run in big-league history in a game against the Royals.
Season Preview: The Twins have the most entertaining batting order in baseball. They send a home run hitter to the plate in almost every inning, including Nelson Cruz, Miguel Sano, Max Kepler, and Josh Donaldson. If their veteran pitchers stay off the injured list, the Twins could lock up another Central Division title.
2020 Season
Season Recap: The Twins won the AL Central with a 36–24 record, and had four of the league’s best home run hitters: Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, and Nelson Cruz. Kenta Maeda, Randy Dobnak, and Jose Berrios led a fine pitching staff. But Minnesota’s bad luck in the playoffs continued when they lost to the Astros 2 games to 0.
Season Preview: The Twins surprised the experts by winning 101 games in 2019. They won’t win that many in a 60-game season, but 40 victories is not out of the question. Minnesota has depth and talent from one end of its roster to the other. Power hitters Miguel Sano, Nelson Cruz, Eddie Rosario, and Max Kepler lead the offense, while the pitching has improved with some new young arms.
2019 Season
Season Recap: No one in history hit more home runs than the Twin in 2019. They sent 307 balls into orbit and won 97 games to capture the AL East. Eight different players hit 20 or more homers, led by Nelson Cruz with 41, Max Kepler with 36, and Miguel Sano with 34 in just 105 games. All-Star shortstop Jorge Polanco was Minnesota’s best all-around player, with 40 doubles, 22 homers, and 107 runs scored. The Twins’ pitching staff featured five starters with double-digit wins, and closer Taylor Rogers saved 30 games. Unfortunately, Minnesota’s losing streak in the playoffs continued as they were swept in three games by the Yankees in the Division Series.
June 15, 2019: The Twins retired Joe Mauer’s number 7.
May 23, 2019: The Twins hit 8 home runs in a game for the second time in the 2019 season.
Season Preview: The retirement of Joe Mauer means the Twins will have new leaders on the field and in the clubhouse. Who will they be? The fans hope that three key players—Miguel Sano, Max Kepler, and Byron Buxton—all take a step toward stardom in 2019 and turn the Twins into contenders again. With exciting pitchers like Jose Berrios and Fernando Romero on the roster, Minnesota could make a run at first place in the AL Central.
2018 Season
Season Recap: The Twins could not repeat their fine performance of 2017 and it cost manager Paul Molitor his job. Several key players took steps backwards and no regular came close to batting .300. Veteran Joe Mauer was good in the clutch, but often came to bat with the bases empty. The team’s best hitter in 2018, Eduardo Escobar, was traded to Arizona. One of the few bright spots for Minnesota was the pitching of Jose Berrios, who is an emerging star. The Twins finished second in the AL Central, but won six fewer games than they lost.
April 12, 2018: Joe Mauer collected his 2,000th career hit in a game against the White Sox.
Season Preview: After making it to the playoffs in 2018, the Twins have set their sights on challenging for the pennant. They added a half-dozen solid veterans over the winter to go with their young everyday lineup, which includes Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton, Brian Dozier, Max Kepler, and Eddie Rosario. Joe Mauer and Logan Morrison will provide experience and leadership.
2017 Season
Season Recap: The Twin were the most surprising team in baseball. While many experts predicted they might lose 100 games, the team won 85 and earned a spot in the Wild Card Game. Joe Mauer led the team with a .305 average, while Brian Dozier was tops with 34 home runs and 93 RBIs. Veteran Ervin Santana won 16 games but could not beat the Yankees in their one-game Wild Card match-up.
September 12, 2017: The Twins hit home runs in each of the first seven innings of their game against the Padres. No team had ever done that before.
July 10, 2017: Miguel Sano reached the finals of the Home Run Derby, falling to Aaron Judge, 11–10. A day later, Sano played in his first All-Star Game.
2016 Season
November 1, 2016: Minnesota fans watched their club lose 103 games—more than anyone else in baseball. Among the few bright spots were great years by Brian Dozier, with 42 homers, and an All-Star season from super-sub Eduardo Nunez. The Twins traded Nunez at the end of July for pitching prospect Adelberto Mejia.
2015 Season
October 6, 2015: The Twins fought for a Wild Card spot until the final week of the season, but finished three wins short. Eight players reached double-figures in home runs, led by Brian Dozier with 28. At 39, Torii Hunter gave the team great leadership.
April 5, 2015: The Twins don’t have any hitting stars, but Joe Mauer and his teammates get the job done year in and year out. Can the team’s pitching match the hitting? Ervin Santana is the newest addition to a so-so starting staff. If not, Minnesota fans can still look forward to young stars Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton playing their way into the starting lineup this season.
2014 Season
November 1, 2014: After making the playoffs 6 times between 2002 and 2010, the Twins suffered four losing seasons in a row, including 2014. Manager Ron Gardenhire was fired after the season, but Minnesota fans pointed their fingers at other problems on the team—including a poor performance from team leader Joe Mauer. Bright spots for the Twin included a fine season from pitcher Phil Hughes and the development of young slugger Oswaldo Arcia.
September 23, 2014: Phil Hughes set a new record for the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in a season. He fanned 186 batters and walked only 16 for a 11.63:1 mark.
March 31, 2014: The pitching looks pretty good for the Twins in 2014, but the hitting has a way to go. Joe Mauer can’t win games by himself—at least not every game. Some good prospects are on the way, but in the meantime Minnesota fans will have to settle for watching Yosmil Pinto and Oswaldo Arcia grow into solid everyday players.
2013 Season
October 1, 2013: A 10-game losing streak in May doomed the Twins to a disappointing season. The offense was only so-so, while the pitching was something less than so-so. Joe Mauer turned in his seventh .300 season in 10 years, while Glen Perkins became one if the AL’s top closers, with 36 saves.
March 30, 2013: The Twins have good hitting as usual, but there are many question marks on its pitching staff in 2013. New pitchers Vance Worley, Mike Pelfrey, and Kevin Correia may make the difference between a fun season and an ugly one.
2012 Season
October 3, 2012: The Twins had good hitting and good pitching at times in 2012, but almost never at the same time. That led to a last-place finish in the AL Central. Newcomer Josh Willingham had the best year of his career, with 35 home runs and 110 RBIs. Joe Mauer led the AL with a .416 on-base percentage. And Ben Revere stole 40 bases. The good news is that the team has enough talent to turn things around in 2013.
April, 2012: The Twins always find hitters that other clubs have overlooked. In 2012, newcomers Josh Willingham, Ryan Doumit, and Jamey Carroll will join Joe Mauer and (a hopefully healthy) Justin Morneau in the lineup. All of these guys can swing the stick.
More Go-To Guys
More Fun Facts
League Leaders
Twins In The World Series
YEAR | OPPONENT | RESULT |
---|---|---|
1965 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Lost 4–3 |
1987 | St. Louis Cardinals | Won 4–3 |
1991 | Atlanta Braves | Won 4–3 |
Senators In The World Series
YEAR | OPPONENT | RESULT |
---|---|---|
1924 | New York Giants | Won 4–3 |
1925 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Lost 4–3 |
1933 | New York Giants | Lost 4–1 |