This story was excerpted from Matthew Leach’s Twins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
For a position group that actually had a decent amount of turnover, the basic idea in the Twins’ outfield hasn’t changed much since last year. Byron Buxton is the main man in center, and a number of solid left-handed hitters man the corners.
There’s a bit less depth after Alex Kirilloff retired due to injuries and Max Kepler left in free agency. And there’s a new righty backup in center field, with Harrison Bader taking over for Manuel Margot. But fundamentally, the approach is the same.
Austin Martin remains available as a super sub all over the field, potentially even including center, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. hopes to parlay a couple of strong Triple-A seasons into something more than a cup of coffee this year. But ultimately, it’s Buxton, Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner in the corners, and Bader spelling all three.
On the 40-man roster: Bader, Buxton, Keirsey, Larnach, Martin, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Wallner
New arrivals: Bader
Departures: Kirilloff, Kepler, Margot, Michael Helman
The big question:
He is understandably tired of hearing this, but the primary question is Buxton’s health. The good news is that as of the beginning of camp, Buxton feels great. He had his first normal, rehab-free offseason in years, which he hopes is a springboard to a big season.
A healthy Buxton is one of the best players in the game, and so it’s a matter of keeping him available. Sometimes that will mean giving him rest days. Sometimes it will mean moving him to designated hitter. On those days, Bader will take over in center.
One small wrinkle is that Bader, who hasn’t played a corner since 2018, will spend some time in left against left-handed pitching. That’s not exactly the lefty-masher platoon player some fans might have hoped for, but it provides quality defense in a spacious left field and a speed dynamic the Twins don’t always have beyond Buxton.