Minnesota Twins: The Twins are quietly championship contenders
The Dodgers and Yankees have been deemed big off-season winners but the Minnesota Twins have quietly had a solid off-season.
The Minnesota Twins took a big step forward in 2019 as they jumped from 78 wins in 2018 to 101 wins and an AL Central division title in 2020. The New York Yankees may be the team to beat in the American League after the addition of Gerrit Cole, but the Twins have a very good chance to take home the AL pennant in 2020 after several big-time additions in the off-season.
While they didn’t add Mookie Betts or Gerrit Cole, the Twins did add Josh Donaldson which begins the first reason why the Twins are quietly a championship contender and that is their lineup.
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An underrated Lineup
In 2019, the Twins had five position players belt more than 30 home runs and eight players hit at least 20 home runs. Catcher Mitch Garver and outfielder Max Kepler were two players who took a big step forward in 2019.
Miguel Sanó reverted back to his mashing ways and Nelson Cruz continued to deny father time as he blasted 41 home runs at the age of 39. Thanks to the addition of Josh Donaldson, the Twins will be just fine if they suffer some regression in 2020.
The Twins signed Donaldson to a four year, $92 million dollar deal this winter and beat out the Braves and Nationals who were viewed as the favorites to sign Josh. Last season, Donaldson hit 37 home runs and he continued to provide underrated defense which is becoming the theme of the Twins’ roster who are just an underrated team in general.
If the lineup can come close to what they did last season, the best lineup in baseball may reside in Minnesota. In addition to a loaded lineup, there is the underrated pitching staff of the Minnesota Twins.