Minnesota Twins’ New Manager Derek Shelton: It’s Not a Rebuild
Don’t call it a rebuild, says Derek Shelton, the new manager of the Minnesota Twins. Despite trading away 10 of their best and most veteran players at the deadline last July, Shelton is optimistic about the team’s future. In a recent interview, Shelton emphasized that the team is focused on developing young players, rather than undergoing a complete rebuild.
Shelton, who previously managed the Pittsburgh Pirates for four-plus seasons, is no stranger to rebuilding teams. However, he believes that the Twins’ situation is different. With a solid rotation led by Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober, the team is dedicated to building around a young core of position players, including infielders Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, and Luke Keaschall, and outfielders Matt Wallner and Austin Martin. According to Shelton, “I’m excited about this young core, and I’m excited about how they’re going to compete.”
Coaching Changes and Staff Updates
The Twins’ coaching staff is also undergoing changes, with the fates of assistant bench coach Hank Conger and pitching coach Pete Maki still uncertain. Team president Derek Falvey confirmed that there will be changes to the staff, but the details are still being worked out. Conger, who interviewed for the managerial job, and Maki are waiting to learn their fate as Shelton starts to build his staff.
In addition to the coaching changes, the team is also waiting for two minority ownership partners to officially come on board. Once this happens, Falvey expects to have more clarity on the team’s financial position heading into free agency. However, he noted that he doesn’t have a timeline for when this will happen, saying “I don’t have a timeline right now; some of that is owed to the process of finalizing a deal, so to speak, behind the scenes.”
Health Updates and Spring Training
The Twins also provided updates on the health of two of their right-handed starters, Pablo Lopez and David Festa. Lopez, who missed three months with a shoulder injury before injuring his forearm, is on track to be ready for spring training. Festa, who ended the season on the 60-day injured list, is also expected to be ready for spring training after being seen by a specialist in Dallas. According to Falvey, Lopez is “in full offseason mode at this point,” and Festa is “tracking the way we expected this offseason” and “should track well towards spring training.”
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