Episode Details

Minnesota Twins face a defensive crisis as Walker Jenkins call-up becomes urgent. Not for his bat, but his glove. With Byron Buxton sidelined and Luke Keaschall struggling in center field, the Twins scramble to patch glaring holes in their outfield defense. C.J. Baumgartner spotlights why Jenkins, a standout in Triple-A St. Paul, could be the answer to Minnesota’s woes up the middle, outshining other options like Emmanuel Rodriguez and exposing the shortcomings of the team’s offseason roster planning.

The episode breaks down the Twins’ tumble into the bottom tier of MLB defensive metrics, from outs above average to defensive runs saved, and how the lack of a true Buxton understudy has haunted their playoff push. Analysis covers past successes with Michael A. Taylor and Harrison Bader, the failed experiments of Austin Martin and Manuel Margot, and stark numbers highlighting Brooks Lee and Keaschall's defensive struggles. Can the Twins fix their defense in time to salvage their season?

Photo Credit: Jonah Hinebaugh

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00:00 — Walker Jenkins Defensive Value

Discussion on why the Twins need Walker Jenkins more for his glove in center field than his bat and assessment of current outfield options.

09:40 — Byron Buxton Understudy Issue

Analysis on how the lack of a true backup center fielder for Byron Buxton has hurt the Twins and historical context of past understudy solutions.

22:59 — Twins Defensive Metrics Breakdown

Deep dive into defensive metrics, team rankings, and position-by-position defensive analysis of why the Twins are among baseball’s worst defensive teams.

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