Twins make changes at Spring Training after 2024 collapse
Twins make changes at Spring Training after 2024 collapse
The Minnesota Twins have made some changes to the first week of Spring Training in Fort Myers, Fla., after last year's late-season collapse to miss the American League Playoffs for the third time in four years.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Twins are in their first week of Spring Training, and there’s already a different vibe in Fort Myers, Fla., from years past.
Losing will do that to an organization. Rocco Baldelli has flipped the script in 2025, after the Twins went 12-27 over their last 39 games last year and missed the American League Playoffs for the third time in four years. Baldelli typically lets players get their work in on their own time, but not this year.
He’s channeling former World Series champion Tom Kelly. Every player goes through fundamental drills outside from hitting to fielding and running. Pitchers are doing their scheduled bullpens.
"I wanted to return to more of taking it back to our roots. I think that that helps guys focus on what they really need to do," Baldelli said. "It’s easy when you know what your actual goal is, and we’ve set it pretty clear."
‘That’s exactly what we need’
What Carlos Correa said::
Twins’ players say they love the changes. Carlos Correa says it’s much easier to prepare to play a season when you’re on a regimented schedule.
"When you tell guys just get ready for the game, they will always choose the easiest path to get ready for the game and that’s not necessarily what’s going to get you ready to play 162 games and go through a whole season," Correa said. "Now with this structure we have of everybody has to be outside, go out there for BP or taking ground balls with the team, we’ve got to run every day. I love that type of work because it pushes everybody. That’s exactly what we need on this team."
The Twins need their stars to be healthy in 2025. Last year, Correa, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis were all on the field together just 22 games.
World Series is the mission
Why you should care:
Derek Falvey sat down with Jim Rich ahead of the Twins’ first full-squad workout, and said the goal is the same as it is every year.
"Compete and give ourselves a chance to win a World Series, that’s got to be the mission from Day 1," Falvey said.
That’s what made 2024 so disappointing. After ending an 18-game playoff drought and winning a series for the first time in two decades, expectations were high last year. Then they started 6-12. They need to stay healthy, hit better and get more from their pitching to be talking playoffs in October.