Bold opening: A single elbow note could redefine a season before it starts. And this is where the drama begins.
Hours into the Minnesota Twins’ first full-squad day of spring, the atmosphere shifted from energized to uneasy when Pablo López left his throwing session early due to right elbow soreness. He exited a live batting practice session after two pitches in his third inning, a turn of events that left the Twins medicating uncertainty rather than certainty. The team won’t know the full extent until López undergoes an MRI after the All-Star break in the process of diagnosing the issue.
With limited information on the elbow, Twins manager Derek Shelton kept expectations in check, choosing optimism over speculation. “It’s some soreness, and we want to be abundantly careful because it’s Feb. 16,” he said. He also emphasized focusing on the positives of the day and avoiding a speculative spiral, reminding everyone that drama in spring can distract from preparation.
López, who is ahead of schedule as he gears up to pitch for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, had completed two solid innings before heading back to the dugout to report soreness to pitching coach Pete Maki. He was performing well earlier, which makes the late-session setback all the more jarring.
Losing López for any meaningful stretch would be a heavy blow to the Twins’ hopes of turning around a lagging stretch. López went 5-4 with a 2.74 ERA in 14 appearances last season, but missed about three months with a Grade 2 strain of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder. He returned in September for three starts before another setback with right forearm tightness, though an MRI later showed no major damage and cleared him for offseason throwing.
If the Twins intend to surprise the league, as owner Tom Pohlad believes they will, their starting rotation will be central. López, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober are viewed as the backbone of a potential breakout campaign. Pohlad used his speech to set a tone of accountability and rebuild trust, stressing that leadership starts at the top and must be earned.
Reliever Liam Hendriks, impressed by Pohlad’s address, credited the owner with a rare blend of passion and substance. He noted that the message conveyed ownership’s willingness to acknowledge weaknesses and pursue accountability, a contrast to what he had seen from other clubs in the past.
Pohlad also signaled a shift toward culture-building, spending a month in camp to strengthen relationships and open lines of communication. “Talk is cheap,” he told reporters, adding that rebuilding trust is something he must do personally.
Shelton felt the message resonated with players, describing Pohlad’s remarks as passionate, heartfelt, and to the point. The consensus among several players was that the speech landed and struck a chord, underscoring a shared desire to reset expectations.
On the field, Pohlad expressed optimism about the team’s ceiling, brushing aside projections that pegged them closer to mediocrity. FanGraphs had the Twins at 80-82 and BetMGM’s over/under at 73.5 wins, but Pohlad dismissed the numbers as underestimating the talent in the room and the potential for a stronger-than-anticipated season.
In a candid moment about moves in the market, Pohlad acknowledged that the club had explored adding Framber Valdez in free agency. Partnering Valdez with López and Ryan could have formed a formidable 1-2-3 punch, a blueprint the team considered but could not realize due to timing and market realities.
Recent acquisitions, including relievers Hendriks and Andrew Chafin on minor-league deals and the trade for Anthony Banda, were framed by Pohlad as responses to timing rather than a lack of ambition. He stressed that the Twins are open to salary-positive trades if a quality decision aligns with the club’s long-term plans.
As López’s status loomed, the immediate takeaway remained clear: the Twins face a fragile balance between potential and the vulnerabilities that could derail it. Even with López healthy, the journey to contending remains a delicate one, hinging on depth and durability throughout spring and into the season.
Pohlad returned to a focused question from reporters about the road ahead, reiterating his confidence in the roster while acknowledging the realities of building a ballclub. “Why would I worry about that right now?” he said. “We’re focused on having a great season, and I think we’re going to have a good season. Period.”
What begins as optimism can quickly become a test of resilience. If López misses time or if other bumps appear, will the Twins’ strategy hold, or will they need to reconfigure their rotation and bullpen to stay on track? Share your thoughts on how you’d navigate a season shaped by Pilates-like balance between risk and reward, and what you’d do differently if you were in the front office or on the field.
