The Minnesota Twins have a lot of work to do this offseason, but their first order of business is finding a manager. After Rocco Baldelli served as manager for the last seven seasons, Derek Falvey is looking for his third skipper after inheriting Paul Molitor in 2017. Baldelli took the fall after another losing season, and Falvey could be next in line and needs to find someone who can better develop Minnesota’s young players.
Hiring a new manager isn’t going to magically make fans forget about the 2025 season or how the Pohlads have extinguished any spark that the 2023 team created by winning its first playoff game in nearly two decades. But finding the right manager would be a step in the right direction, and that could be Nick Punto.
Punto was part of a cast of characters who helped the Twins have their longest run of sustained success in the history of the franchise. But understandably, he took a backseat to Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Torii Hunter.
While Mauer, Morneau, Hunter, and Johan Santana got all the attention, Punto did the dirty work, rarely leaving the Metrodome with a clean jersey. He played all over the infield and became the player’s version of a right-hand man to Ron Gardenhire. To some, Gardenhire’s loyalty to Punto was borderline insanity. But to former Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, he was obnoxious to the point where he coined the term “piranhas” into Twins lore.
For those old enough to remember, the thought of Punto taking over the team would elicit a giant eye roll. But the Twins could use some of the qualities he had as a player.
Baldelli’s tenure began with a bang, leading the “Bomba Squad” to a division title and Minnesota’s last legitimate shot at a World Series. He also led the Twins to division titles in 2020 and 2023. Still, epic collapses in 2022 and 2024 defined his tenure. By the time last season ended, it didn’t feel like anyone on the roster had any fight left. September felt like an early version of Spring Training, with players getting their work in to prepare for a long offseason.
The ownership situation could be to blame for that. However, Baldelli’s laid-back leadership style may have allowed players to cut corners. Watch any Twins game this season, and you probably saw a player fail to take an extra base, hit a cutoff man, or make the simple play that produces a winning culture. That was a problem before the fire sale at the deadline and became a blazing inferno in the final weeks of Baldelli’s tenure.
This is a sign that Falvey’s next manager should shift away from that philosophy, but you wouldn’t know it from the current list of candidates.
Derek Shelton served as a bench coach under Baldelli during the 2019 season, and the Twins are reportedly considering him. Still, it’s fair to wonder if tapping back into that managerial tree would produce different results.
James Rowson was also the hitting coach on that 2019 team and could help a lineup that hasn’t produced at the plate. However, Rowson also lacks significant managerial experience, making it difficult to determine his readiness for the job.
According to MLB.com’s Matthew Leach, the Twins have considered the Boston Red Sox bench coach Ramon Vazquez, Kansas City Royals bench coach Vance Wilson, former Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais, and even Hunter for the vacancy. Punto only has one year of experience. Still, it came under Mike Shildt with the San Diego Padres, who have made the playoffs in three of the past four seasons.
We don’t know how good Punto would be at player development. It’s also a mystery how he would handle being a manager of a major league team. But if he can bring the same resilience he brought to the field during his playing career, it could rub off on a team that desperately needs a pulse.
A player like Royce Lewis could be the heart of the team in the way he was during the 2023 season. But injuries and unfortunate circumstances have him feeling worn down as he heads into his age-27 season.
Others, such as Pablo López and Joe Ryan, could carry the mantle, but the chance that the Twins could trade them leaves another hole. If there’s anything that can establish a culture, it would be at the managerial level, and that’s why it’s increasingly important as more candidates come off the board.
Whether that is enough to fix the mess Falvey has created is to be seen. But the Twins have to start somewhere, and an unconventional hire like Punto could be a strong first step.