Most Twins fans agree that the main reason the team had a disappointing 2025 campaign is that the front office did not make any significant offseason moves following the late-season collapse in 2024. However, the players deserve some blame as well, as many of the Twins’ key position players and pitchers struggled this season.

Here are the 3 Twins players most responsible for the club’s disastrous 2025 season

SP Pablo López

López isn’t personally responsible for letting down the Twins this season, but his body is. Minnesota held a 32-27 win-loss record on June 3 before López suffered a teres major muscle strain in his right shoulder during a start against the Athletics in Sacramento, keeping him sidelined until early September. López earned the win against the Athletics, improving the Twins’ record to 33-27, but the team regressed significantly after losing their star pitcher, going 18-30 from June 4 through July, which led to the trade deadline fire sale that gutted nearly 40% of the team’s roster.

In 14 games this season, López posted a 2.74 ERA with a 23.4% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate over 75 2/3 innings. If the Twins had a healthy López all season, the team likely would have been competing for a wild-card spot this year. Instead, the Twins regressed to the point where the front office decided a fire sale was necessary, essentially removing all hope of making the postseason in 2025. Largely due to López’s absence, the Twins ended the season with a 4.55 ERA, which ranks 24th in MLB. Hopefully, next year the Twins will have a healthy López and Joe Ryan leading the rotation. Even if the offense isn’t great, having those two pitchers lead the Twins could easily make the team competitive.

SS Carlos Correa

Correa may no longer be with the Twins, but he is still a major reason for Minnesota’s poor results this season. Correa, who was dealt to the Houston Astros at this summer’s trade deadline, was the Twins’ highest-paid player before being traded to his former team. Yet, he provided Minnesota with just 1.1 fWAR and 0.1 bWAR this season before being traded.

Correa, 31, struggled offensively for the Twins this year, posting a 97 wRC+, and regressed defensively at shortstop as well. Due to Correa’s large contract, the Twins had less money to spend over the past two seasons, and the infielder’s struggles this year made that fact even worse for the team. The Twins are still paying some of Correa’s contract, but at least now the team has a bit more financial freedom and more roster space for younger players.

3B Royce Lewis

Lewis has had an interesting up-and-down season with lots of hot streaks mixed in with some cold stretches. However, at the end of the day, Lewis’ statistics were not good, and he needs to improve if he wants to positively impact the team. In 106 games this season, Lewis slashed .237/.283/.388 (85 wRC+) with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs. The Twins’ third baseman also dealt with injuries this year, but that doesn’t excuse his poor performance at the plate.

Other Twins, such as Brooks Lee and Trevor Larnach, struggled offensively this season, but given Lewis’ previous success in the majors, his poor season stings a bit more.

Lewis, the first overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, has a lot of pressure weighing on his shoulders heading into 2026, as the third baseman has the potential to be a middle-of-the-order bat on a playoff team, as he was in 2023.