With a 3-3 record and the season approximately 3.7% complete, it’s hardly time to start panicking about the Minnesota Twins’ streaky offense. Of course, seeing such an abundance of runners left on base is frustrating, especially in close losses. Still, we can’t draw many conclusions about the 2024 Twins after a week of gameplay.
But this is Minnesota, and we need something to gripe about. Like many sports fan bases around the country, people tend to dissect the first couple of series as if they’re football games in a 16-game season rather than a six-month-long marathon. So what’s got Twins fans grinding their gears in frustration? It would have to be an offense that has underwhelmed early on.
Take Thursday’s home opener as a prime example. The Cleveland Guardians beat the Twins 4-2 and left a small army of baserunners on base. The club went 0-12 in those instances and struck out eight times in those prime scoring opportunities (and 15 times overall).
Aside from Alex Kirilloff, Carlos Correa, and Byron Buxton, everyone on the roster has below-average offensive production. So, with that in mind, what are Minnesota’s best options atop their struggling lineup as they try to shake off their cold streak?
Stick with the current plan
As previously mentioned, the season is still so young that it would be silly to call these offensive woes to be emblematic of their season. While manager Rocco Baldelli tends to mix and match when it comes to lineup construction, it’s clear that second baseman Edouard Julien is the favorite to leadoff, especially when the opposing team starts a right-handed pitcher.
The exciting sophomore slugger excelled in that slot last season, hitting .250/.379/.423 (128 wRC+) whenever he got the call for the leadoff spot. Julien’s numbers against righties speak for themselves (.898 OPS, 151 wRC+). He also has the speed many leadoff guys hope to possess (56 steals in the minor leagues) and sees many pitches.
But we’ve seen Julien (and many other Twins) be patient to a fault this season. It’s nice to work a count to 2-2 or 3-2, but it only means so much if he watches strike three go right down broadway.
Assuming Julien can regain his form from last season, I anticipate he’ll still be the primary option against right-handed starters. As far as who gets the top spot in the lineup against southpaws, Baldelli has entrusted Buxton with those duties in limited opportunities this year. Buxton should get plenty of play there if he remains healthy and effective (*knocks on wood furiously*).
Mix it up with the current group
Even with the current slumping lineup, the Twins need to see their plan through a little more before making a drastic change. However, once they decide they need a proper change, a few candidates could see opportunities in the leadoff role, even if their overall skill set doesn’t match conventional thinking for a typical leadoff guy.
Let’s start with Kirilloff, Minnesota’s best hitter in their first handful of games. If he keeps hitting anywhere near the fantastic clip he’s produced already (1.122 OPS, 221 wRC+), it’ll be mighty tempting to see him secure as many at-bats as possible. The easiest way is to pencil him into the first spot in the lineup consistently. Eventually, that ludicrous production is going to come back down to Earth. Nevertheless, his start has been a breath of fresh air for the ballclub and a welcome development for the former top prospect.
Carlos Santana could be another potential option. However, he also is off to a slow start. If Santana can start hitting closer to his career line against lefty-pitchers (.818 OPS, 121 wRC+), he could be a solid option to set the table for big boppers like Buxton, Correa, and eventually Royce Lewis.
Turn to a young gun
I’ll only touch on this idea, as we probably won’t see this as an option until much later in the season. But what if the Twins entrust their top spot to one of their top prospects as they ride a heater? Maybe Austin Martin will start getting more consistent playing time with the Twins or go back down to Triple-A and have a real hot streak? What if Brooks Lee recovers from his back spasms and makes an immediate impact? There’s a small chance that these high-on-base bats can be just the spark the club is looking for.
Here’s hoping that this can be a bigger and more realistic option in the early summer. But it could be too late to find out if the club can’t find their footing by then.
