The Minnesota Twins enter 2026 in a division that has gotten a bit tougher. With the Cleveland Guardians continuing to build around their rotation and the Detroit Tigers coming off an ALDS appearance, Minnesota’s margin for error is smaller than it has been the last several years. For the Twins to stay competitive in the American League Central, their path revolves around the health and consistency of their three cornerstone players: Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis and Pablo López.

Buxton showed again in 2025 how impactful he is when healthy. The former No. 2 overall pick posted a .264 batting average with 35 home runs, 83 RBIs and 24 stolen bases in 488 at-bats. His .878 OPS and 136 OPS+ were among the best of his career, and his elite defense continues to separate him from most outfielders in baseball.

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The issue has always been availability. Buxton is entering his age-32 season with over nine years of service time, and he has played more than 100 games just three times in his pro career.

Lewis is also an integral piece to Minnesota’s chances, but maybe even more injury-prone than Buxton. The former No. 1 pick again battled injuries in what was a poor 2025 season. He tallied just 13 home runs, 52 RBIs, 12 stolen bases and a .237 average in 376 at-bats. His career .762 OPS shows his offensive ability when fully healthy, but that has rarely been the case. The Twins have lacked lineup consistency the last two years, and Lewis staying on the field for a full season would go a long way.

On the mound, López has long been Minnesota’s stabilizer. The right-hander recorded a 2.74 ERA across 75.2 innings in 2025, striking out 73 batters and posting a 1.11 WHIP. But like his two star teammates, injuries limited his time on the field, as he made just 14 starts.

López owns 965 career innings with 994 strikeouts, and his 2026 role becomes even more important with the Guardians and Tigers both boasting strong young arms.

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If Buxton stays on the field, Lewis regains his 2023 form and López maintains his front-line production, the Twins have a real shot to stay in the AL Central race. But without all three healthy, the Twins could continue falling behind two franchises trending upward in Cleveland and Detroit, which may result in another big sale at the deadline like they had this past season.