The Minnesota Twins are barreling toward their first 90-loss season under the current front office regime, and it’s fair to ask if a managerial change is on the horizon this winter. For an organization that has spent the better part of the past decade selling a vision of long-term competitiveness, the results on the field tell a different story.

A Five-Year Slide
This will be the fourth time in five years the Twins have missed the playoffs, posting a 383-408 record (.484) since 2021. The lone bright spot came in 2023, when Minnesota won the AL Central, knocked off the Toronto Blue Jays in the Wild Card round, and snapped a decades-long postseason drought without a series win.

That feels like a lifetime ago now. In 2024, the club collapsed down the stretch and pinned the blame on the hitting coaches. In 2025, they collapsed out of the gate. Rocco Baldelli had his 2026 option picked up this summer, but with how this season has unraveled, it’s becoming harder to justify sticking with the status quo.

Who Holds the Power?
Despite the failures, don’t expect sweeping change at the very top. The Pohlads briefly explored selling the team before pulling it off the market, and they aren’t going to fire themselves. Derek Falvey, meanwhile, was just promoted to team president, with Jeremy Zoll elevated to GM. If ownership isn’t willing to cut ties with the front office, that leaves Baldelli as the logical choice for a pink slip.

That’s not to say Baldelli is solely to blame. He’s dealt with shifting rosters, a midseason fire sale, and more than a few questionable roster constructions. Still, managers are often the easiest domino to push when an organization wants to signal change.

The National Buzz
ESPN’s Buster Olney noted that despite Baldelli’s option being picked up, the timing may no longer matter:

“A lot has changed with the Twins since that decision was made: The team unloaded veterans and salary at the trade deadline, angering fans.”

“Baldelli is concluding his seventh year with the team and could face the same reality that every manager does: If an organization wants to signal change — and the Twins might want to do that after a messy 2025 season — one of the cheapest ways to do that is to fire the manager. Sometime in the next few weeks, Minnesota’s ownership will make that choice.”

Olney even floated a couple of familiar names as possible replacements: Derek Shelton, who was let go by Pittsburgh earlier this year, and James Rowson, currently with the Yankees. Both have ties to Minnesota, which could help with continuity but also risk doubling down on the same “groupthink” that has defined this front office era.

Beyond Shuffling Deck Chairs
The bigger question is whether firing Baldelli would actually solve anything. At times, it feels like the Twins are simply rearranging deck chairs while the ship continues to take on water. The front office has been reluctant to overhaul a roster that still leans too heavily on a failed core. Internal promotions have replaced outside perspectives, creating a bubble of sameness that hasn’t translated to success.

Minnesota can’t just tinker around the edges again this offseason. If this is the front office that’s going to guide the franchise forward, they need to show fans an actual plan. That means rethinking how the roster is built, clarifying their vision for the future, and, yes, deciding if a new voice in the clubhouse is part of that plan.

The Clock Is Ticking
Baldelli has now managed the Twins for seven seasons, and while there were early highs, the recent lows have been tough to ignore. If the Pohlads and Falvey want to send a message, changing managers may be the quickest way. But unless the larger issues are addressed, it risks being little more than another cosmetic move.

The Twins can’t keep running the same playbook and expecting different results. A course correction is overdue, and it has to start somewhere.

Should the Twins move on from Baldelli? Leave a comment and start the discussion.