Minnesota Twins Showcases Perfect Start against MLB's Elite, Thrilling Clash!

Derek Shelton, new manager of the Minnesota Twins, tells GM Jeremy Zoll why he's upbeat about the 2026 season. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File) Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved Derek Shelton must wonder whether he’s leaping from the frying pan into the fire.

The 15th manager in Minnesota’s history spent part of last summer in Pittsburgh, where the Pirates posted a 12-26 record before the team let him go. Pittsburgh, which finished at the bottom of the National League Central, has taken off-season steps to improve but the jury is still out about Minnesota, which finished 2025 with the fourth-worst record in the game. Salary Dump Compounding the felony, the Twins unloaded 11 players before the 2025 trade deadline, fueling a final finish of 70-92, next-to-last in the five-team American League Central and 18 games from the top.

The primary new faces in the Twin Cities this spring are first baseman Josh Bell and catcher Alex Jackson, journeymen not guaranteed to have starting jobs in Shelton’s lineup. But if anyone has charisma that can charm a moribund franchise back to life, the bearded pilot is the guy. He was so well-liked during two previous years as Twins bench coach, in 2018 and 2019, that the Pirates gave him six seasons as their manager (2020-25).

“The organization means a ton to me even though I only spent a couple of years there,” he said after his hiring last Oct 30. “I don’t take this for granted. There are only 30 of these positions and they are extremely special.