While the current coronavirus pandemic has caused the start of 2020 MLB regular season to be pushed back until further notice, once play does get underway, the Minnesota Twins will be off and running in their pursuit of baseball’s ultimate award, the World Series title. The Twins are among the league’s top title contenders following a highly successful 2019 campaign. Now, let’s find out what lies ahead for the team with the fourth best odds to win it all in 2020. Let’s check the MLB Odds and World Series Odds for the Minnesota Twins 2020 Season.
Minnesota Twins Analysis Before 2020 Season Start
Minnesota Twins 2020 MLB Season Odds
Minnesota Twins Offensive Analysis
Minnesota won an impressive 101 games last season while setting a new major league record for home runs in a single season. The Twins finished the 2019 campaign ranked a stellar second in runs per game (5.80) and an identical second in team batting average (.270) and OPS (.832) while setting a new major league mark with a jaw-dropping 307 home runs. Making their offense even more potent is the addition of veteran third baseman Josh Donaldson who bashed 37 home runs a year ago for Atlanta.
Minnesota also has a boatload of other gifted hitters starting with ageless veteran DH Nelson Cruz who hit .311 a year ago with 41 homers and 108 RBI. Veteran center-fielder Max Kepler hit 36 homers and rove in 90 runs despite hitting just .252. Left fielder Eddie Rosario hit 32 homers with 109 RBI while shortstop Jorge Polanco added 22 homers and 79 RBI while hitting a solid .295. Last, nut not least, veteran third baseman Miguel Sano bashed 34 homers while driving in 79 runs. Clearly, Minnesota has the bats to compete with anyone.
Minnesota Twins Defensive Analysis
Defensively, Minnesota finished the 2019 campaign ranked ninth in team ERA (4.18), sixth in strikeouts per game (8.23), 12th in WHIP (1.30) and 11th in quality starts (67). Minnesota also acquired veteran right-handed starting pitcher Kent MMaeda (10-8, 4.04 ERA) from the Dodgers to help shore up a starting rotation that will be without veteran right-hander Michael Pineda (11-5, 4.01 ERA) for the first month of the season after he was suspended in September for using a dietary supplement that contained a masking agent for performance-enhancing drugs.
Jose Berrios (14-8, 3.68 ERA) is the staff ace and Opening Day starter while fellow veteran right-hander Jake Odorizzi looks to duplicate or improve on his solid 15-7 mark with a 3.51 ERA from a year ago. Right-hander Homer Bailey and Randy Dobnak round out what should be Minnesota’s starting rotation. The Twins also have a capable bullpen of relief pitchers before they hand the ball to closer Taylor Rogers (30 saves, 2.61 ERA).
Minnesota Twins Off Season Movements
Acquired RHP Kenta Maeda and C Jair Camargo and cash considerations from Los Angeles Dodgers for RHP Brusdar Graterol and OF Luke Raley. Signed 3B Josh Donaldson to a four-year contract. Agreed to terms with 3B Miguel Sano on a three-year contract. Agreed to terms with OF Eddie Rosario; LHP Taylor Rogers; RHP Trevor May and RHP Tyler Duffey on one-year contracts.
Minnesota Twins Prediction
The losses of veteran hurlers Kyle Gibson and Martin Perez will hurt as both innings-eating pitchers move on. While the addition of Kent Maeda will soften that blow, the Twins will need all of their pitchers, both starters and relievers, to throw the ball well in 2020 if they want to take down the likes of New York and likely Houston among other contenders. Still, the Twins look like they’re going to score a bunch of runs for the second straight season and that alone means they’ll beat a bunch of AL rivals with mediocre pitching. In the end, I see no reason why the Twins won’t at least challenge for the AL Pennant, even if history isn’t on their side.
