Twins Season Comes to an End
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After losing three-two in game four of the American League Divisional Series, the Minnesota Twins 2023 season has ended. As the season did not end with a World Series win, the organization has a lot to be proud of, as well as big plans for the future of the organization.
Before the 2023 season, MLB predicted the Twins would finish third in the American League Central Division with an 86-76 record. Although the Twins finished the regular season with an 87-75 record, one off of MLB's prediction, they managed to finish first in the division. The American League Central was arguably the worst division in baseball, as the Twins were the only team above .500 at the end of the year. MLB predicted the White Sox and Cleveland Guardians to finish first and second in the division, but both teams finished below expectations; the White Sox finished 61-101, and the Guardians finished 76-86.
Tony Gutierrez/AP (Getty Images)
As for the Twins, the pitching was the backbone of the team. After acquiring Pablo Lopez from Miami, the Twins had one of the best rotations in the American League; both Lopez and Sonny Gray were voted to the 2023 MLB All-Star games. As for the rest of the pitching staff, the Twins were ranked sixth in team ERA (3.87), first in strikeouts (1560), fourth in WHIP (1.20), and sixth in hits given up against (1294). The dominance of the pitching staff all year was one of the main reasons the Twins made it to the playoffs and beat the Blue Jays in the American League Wild Card Series.
Offensively, the Twins were nothing spectacular, but injuries could be to blame. Throughout the 2023 season, some of the Twins' top offensive players were dealing with injuries. Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis missed many games throughout the 2023 season. Lewis showed he can be a significant addition to the offense when healthy, and Buxton has shown to be one of the best all-around players in baseball when healthy. While Carlos Correa did play in 135 games, he still went on the injuries list for some of the season. He played through plantar fasciitis in his left foot, which is one of the reasons he had a below-average year, especially for a player of his caliber. Offensively as a team, the Twins were third in home runs (233) and fourth in walks (594), which is a great sign, but they also lead the MLB in strikeouts as a team (1654).
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Going into the 2024 season, the Twins must try to keep their pitching staff together; this means they sign back 2023 all-star Sonny Gray. Offensively, staying healthy is the main goal for the organization, especially their star players: Buxton, Correa, and Lewis. The organization should also be looking to sign some big bats in the off-season. It would be great if the organization tried to spend some money on another big name, such as Bellinger or Chapman, but that seems unlikely. It will be interesting to see how the team returns after a great 2023 season.
