Minnesota finished 77-85 after going 4-2 in its last six games, with pitchers Dean Kremer and Taj Bradley finishing strong and infielder Luke Keaschall posting a hot final week. The Twins face offseason questions about pending free agents Josh Bell and Ryan Jeffers.

Buxton had labral repair surgery on September 18 after Minnesota shut him down September 11, roughly a month after his last game. He is expected to be ready for a return window between mid-March and mid-May of next season.

Bailey Ober allowed six runs over five innings in his roughest outing of the year as Minnesota dropped to 76-85 with one game left.

Hoffman, who split 2026 between Toronto and Minnesota as a bullpen piece with a career-high 22 holds, was placed on the 15-day IL, ending his season. Kaelen Culpepper was activated to fill his roster spot.

Culpepper, the 2024 first-round shortstop, returned from a mild hamstring strain to close the season on the field; manager Derek Shelton said the club wanted to "see if the last two games are available" to him.

Buxton played his last game Aug. 25, was shut down Sept. 11, and had hip surgery (labral repair, decompression, cam resection) Sept. 18 — nearly four weeks after his last game. A typical 6-8 month recovery puts his 2027 return window anywhere from a week before Opening Day to late May.

Ober trails only Joe Ryan, José Berríos and Kyle Gibson in starter fWAR among Twins pitchers since Target Field opened in 2010. He's making $5.2 million in 2026 and enters his final arbitration year.

Jenkins, who split the year between Triple-A St. Paul and a big-league look, overcame a shoulder injury to post a .976 OPS with 14 homers and 17 steals in 73 games, closing with a .976-OPS final stretch.

Quick, the organization's No. 5 prospect and the 36th overall pick in 2025, jumped three levels (Fort Myers, Cedar Rapids, Wichita) in his debut professional season.

Assistant GM/EVP Daniel Adler parted ways with the Twins after nearly 10 years, following the earlier departures of president of baseball operations Derek Falvey and longtime scouting director Deron Johnson. GM Jeremy Zoll now leads baseball operations.

Walker Jenkins' go-ahead single in the seventh lifted Minnesota past San Francisco 4-2. Jenkins entered the game riding a hot stretch of 12 hits and three home runs over his previous seven games, evaluation time now that the Twins are eliminated from wild-card contention.

This year's top draft pick, Vahn Lackey, hit .316 with 14 walks over his first 10 games at High-A Fort Myers, an early bright spot as Minnesota's farm system wrapped up its season.

With Minnesota eliminated from postseason contention at 73-84, the September call-ups of top prospects Emmanuel Rodriguez, Walker Jenkins and Kaelen Culpepper are the story that matters for 2027 planning. Jenkins hit a solo home run (his 4th) in the 7th inning Sept. 22 vs. San Francisco; Luke Keaschall added an RBI triple and Brooks Lee an RBI single.

labral repair + decompression + cam resection; hopeful ready by start of regular season if not day 1 of spring training; possible lockout-delayed 2027 start could help his timeline

Larnach placed on IL 9/18 (left wrist sprain), season over; Roden recalled from AAA St Paul; Larnach .269/.352/.436 career-high OPS; murky 2027 OF fit

Culpepper (#3 org prospect) left game vs NYY in 6th on DP attempt, 10-day IL next day; .275/.333/.404 3HR 11RBI in 31 games; Shelton hopeful for final 2 games, season could be over; Ross recalled, first MLB start at SS, first hit/RBI/run

back-to-back 3-hit games incl HR each, 2nd a game-tying 9th-inn 2-run HR off Ben Joyce 101mph; .210/.300/.387 early MLB line; Prielipp 7 shutout IP/8K, 2.11 ERA over 21.1 Sept innings; Keaschall 9-for-24, franchise-record 22nd HBP of season

Saints lost finale 9/20; Rozek 5IP/7H/3ER/0BB/4K, career-high 124.2 IP (topping 2024's 122) and 104 K in 6th pro season; Schobel hit final HR of season; Wichita/Cedar Rapids/Fort Myers seasons also concluded