{"id":122643,"date":"2025-11-20T02:26:21","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T02:26:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643"},"modified":"2025-11-20T02:26:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T02:26:21","slug":"report-the-dream-starting-rotation-for-the-minnesota-twins-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643","title":{"rendered":"REPORT: The dream starting rotation for the Minnesota Twins in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"relative z-10\">\n<div class=\"article-intro mb-4 text-darkGrey font-group-large md:font-group-normal lg:font-group-large !mb-2.5 md:mb-5\"><strong>What would a dream starting rotation look like for the Twins in 2026?<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"mb-0 md:mb-9 relative md:mx-10 md:mb-9\">\n<figure>\n<div class=\"overflow-hidden bg-lightGrey\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_168,w_4433,h_2493\/c_fill,w_360,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7sj8gp45drt7qp1g.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_168,w_4433,h_2493\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7sj8gp45drt7qp1g.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_168,w_4433,h_2493\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7sj8gp45drt7qp1g.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 719px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_168,w_4433,h_2493\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7sj8gp45drt7qp1g.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_168,w_4433,h_2493\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7sj8gp45drt7qp1g.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_168,w_4433,h_2493\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7sj8gp45drt7qp1g.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 1079px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_168,w_4433,h_2493\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7sj8gp45drt7qp1g.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_168,w_4433,h_2493\/c_fill,w_2160,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7sj8gp45drt7qp1g.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_168,w_4433,h_2493\/c_fill,w_2160,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7sj8gp45drt7qp1g.jpg 3x\" media=\"(min-width: 1080px)\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"undefined w-full\" title=\"Arizona Diamondbacks v Minnesota Twins\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_168,w_4433,h_2493\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/2\/01ka7sj8gp45drt7qp1g.jpg\" alt=\"Arizona Diamondbacks v Minnesota Twins\" width=\"4433\" height=\"2493\" data-uw-rm-alt-original=\"Arizona Diamondbacks v Minnesota Twins\" data-uw-rm-alt=\"ALT\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 ml-1 pb-2 mt-4 md:m-3 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 ml-1 pb-2 mt-4 md:m-3 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Arizona Diamondbacks v Minnesota Twins | Stephen Maturen\/GettyImages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"flex flex-wrap justify-center lg:justify-normal\">\n<div class=\"flex lg:mr-4 lg:w-[calc(70%-3em)] max-w-full\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"viewablity-block\">\n<figure class=\"player-wrapper relative aspect-video mb-[18px] bg-grey rounded-md hidden player-wrapper-lg md:block\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"article-content [&amp;_p]:leading-[30px] [&amp;_p]:md:leading-[28px] [&amp;_li]:leading-[30px] [&amp;_li]:md:leading-[28px]\">\n<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">There are a lot of question marks regarding the Twins and the direction that the team chooses to go this offseason. On the one hand,\u00a0the team held an all-out fire sale\u00a0at the trade deadline, dealing its five best relievers as well as its shortstop in Carlos Correa. On the other hand, it&#8217;s plausible to look at what remains and see pieces of a roster that could be competitive in 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">One piece of the 2026 team that wasn&#8217;t touched at the 2025 trade deadline was the starting rotation, despite speculation that the team was in trade discussions regarding All-Star starter Joe Ryan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Now, as the offseason begins, there is leaguewide speculation that the\u00a0Twins could listen on and perhaps even deal one or both of Joe Ryan and Pablo L\u00f3pez.\u00a0Whether that will truly happen remains to be seen, but there&#8217;s certainly the possibility that the Twins&#8217; rotation looks a lot different on Opening Day than it does right now.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">What would a dream rotation look like for the Twins in 2026?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Just for quick clarification, I&#8217;m dreaming of a Twins team that competes in 2026. Some may be dreaming of a rebuild and a rotation full of young, unproven starters for the upcoming season. Not me. I&#8217;ll be operating here under the dangerous and perhaps unrealistic assumption that the Twins intend to be competitive in 2026, and that their offseason will be carried out in accordance with that goal. That would be the dream.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">1. Joe Ryan, preferably extended<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"overflow-hidden bg-lightGrey undefined\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_360,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7t6t7brx3svr2zbc.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7t6t7brx3svr2zbc.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7t6t7brx3svr2zbc.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 719px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7t6t7brx3svr2zbc.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7t6t7brx3svr2zbc.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7t6t7brx3svr2zbc.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 1079px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7t6t7brx3svr2zbc.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7t6t7brx3svr2zbc.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7t6t7brx3svr2zbc.jpg 3x\" media=\"(min-width: 1080px)\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full\" title=\"Joe Ryan\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/2\/01ka7t6t7brx3svr2zbc.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Ryan\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-uw-rm-alt-original=\"Joe Ryan\" data-uw-rm-alt=\"ALT\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny m-3\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny m-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Kansas City Royals v Minnesota Twins | Ellen Schmidt\/GettyImages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">If we&#8217;re dreaming, which we are, then\u00a0Joe Ryan\u00a0has to be a Twin in 2026. The 29-year-old is coming off the best season of his career, one that saw him throw a career-high 171 innings, total 194 strikeouts to 39 walks, and post a career-best 3.42 ERA. Ryan was selected to the American League All-Star team for the first time in his career and was the team&#8217;s most reliable starter for the entirety of the season. Two years away from reaching free agency, it would make sense to open extension discussions now, and getting Ryan locked into the long-term rotation would be a step in the right direction for the Twins to get back into contention. If the team is going to compete in 2026, it feels like Ryan needs to remain a member of the starting rotation.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">2. Pablo L\u00f3pez<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"overflow-hidden bg-lightGrey undefined\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_360,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7v2hxj4s3wn035fg.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7v2hxj4s3wn035fg.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7v2hxj4s3wn035fg.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 719px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7v2hxj4s3wn035fg.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7v2hxj4s3wn035fg.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7v2hxj4s3wn035fg.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 1079px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7v2hxj4s3wn035fg.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7v2hxj4s3wn035fg.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7v2hxj4s3wn035fg.jpg 3x\" media=\"(min-width: 1080px)\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full\" title=\"Pablo Lopez\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/2\/01ka7v2hxj4s3wn035fg.jpg\" alt=\"Pablo Lopez\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-uw-rm-alt-original=\"Pablo Lopez\" data-uw-rm-alt=\"ALT\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny m-3\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny m-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>New York Yankees v Minnesota Twins | Stephen Maturen\/GettyImages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Since he was acquired by the Twins prior to the 2023 season, Pablo L\u00f3pez has been one of the most important members of the team both on and off the field. On the field, L\u00f3pez was an All-Star in 2023, took a slight step back in 2024 but was still very solid, and then unfortunately battled injuries for the majority of 2025. L\u00f3pez started just 14 games this season, but did so to the tune of a 2.74 ERA in 75.2 innings with 73 strikeouts. Off the field, L\u00f3pez is well-known as an incredible teammate and clubhouse presence, and has been the\u00a0Twins&#8217; nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award\u00a0in each of the past two seasons. Losing him would be a tremendous hit to both team morale and the overall on-field product. It&#8217;s imperative that the Twins keep L\u00f3pez around and pencil him into the 2026 rotation.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">3. Bailey Ober with his velo back<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"overflow-hidden bg-lightGrey undefined\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_14,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_360,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7vh76smeek6hn6zh.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_14,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7vh76smeek6hn6zh.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_14,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7vh76smeek6hn6zh.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 719px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_14,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7vh76smeek6hn6zh.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_14,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7vh76smeek6hn6zh.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_14,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7vh76smeek6hn6zh.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 1079px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_14,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7vh76smeek6hn6zh.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_14,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7vh76smeek6hn6zh.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_14,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka7vh76smeek6hn6zh.jpg 3x\" media=\"(min-width: 1080px)\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full\" title=\"Bailey Ober\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_14,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/2\/01ka7vh76smeek6hn6zh.jpg\" alt=\"Bailey Ober\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-uw-rm-alt-original=\"Bailey Ober\" data-uw-rm-alt=\"ALT\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny m-3\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny m-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Minnesota Twins v Kansas City Royals | Ed Zurga\/GettyImages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Reminder, we are dreaming here. It feels incredibly unlikely that the Twins would sell low on Ober coming off of a very disappointing season, especially considering how good he was from 2021 to 2024. That means that, whether fans like it or not, he&#8217;s likely penciled into the 2026 rotation with the Twins banking on him bouncing back. That&#8217;s not a bad bet by any means, as Ober was one of the league&#8217;s more consistent mid-rotation arms for multiple years prior to this past season. In 2025, however, Ober saw a large dip in velocity, and a dip in results followed. Whereas in 2024 Ober averaged 91.7 MPH on his fastball, he averaged just 90.3 in 2025 and oftentimes saw his fastball sitting in the 88-89 MPH range. Ober missed about a month in the middle of the season with a hip injury, and\u00a0alluded to hip and knee ailments leading to inconsistencies\u00a0with his mechanics. Ideally, Ober can spend the offseason getting healthy and refining his mechanics in order to recapture the pitcher that he was from 2021 to 2024 and become an impactful member of the rotation once again.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">4. Dustin May on a one-year deal<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"overflow-hidden bg-lightGrey undefined\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_71,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_360,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka8037cem2fkczq4mp.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_71,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka8037cem2fkczq4mp.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_71,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka8037cem2fkczq4mp.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 719px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_71,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka8037cem2fkczq4mp.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_71,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka8037cem2fkczq4mp.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_71,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka8037cem2fkczq4mp.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 1079px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_71,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka8037cem2fkczq4mp.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_71,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka8037cem2fkczq4mp.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_71,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka8037cem2fkczq4mp.jpg 3x\" media=\"(min-width: 1080px)\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full\" title=\"Dustin May\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_71,w_1024,h_576\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/2\/01ka8037cem2fkczq4mp.jpg\" alt=\"Dustin May\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-uw-rm-alt-original=\"Dustin May\" data-uw-rm-alt=\"ALT\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny m-3\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny m-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Pittsburgh Pirates v Boston Red Sox | Richard T Gagnon\/GettyImages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"inline-text-14\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">If the Twins are going to make a free agent addition to the rotation, it&#8217;s probably not going to be an expensive one, especially if they decide against trading Joe Ryan and Pablo L\u00f3pez. Dustin May would be a perfect fit. He&#8217;s coming off of his first healthy season in a long time, and while it was great to see him healthy again, the results weren&#8217;t as expected. The 28-year-old posted a 4.96 ERA in 132.1 innings with the Dodgers and Red Sox, and now enters free agency with some uncertainty around whether or not he can recapture the version of himself that was present earlier in his career. A one-year &#8220;prove it&#8221; type of deal makes all the sense in the world for May, who is still young enough to get a long-term deal if he were to have a good 2026 season.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-15\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">5. Choose your character: young starter edition<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"overflow-hidden bg-lightGrey undefined\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_161,w_683,h_384\/c_fill,w_360,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka80cpzb4r994zmdz8.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_161,w_683,h_384\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka80cpzb4r994zmdz8.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_161,w_683,h_384\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka80cpzb4r994zmdz8.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 719px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_161,w_683,h_384\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka80cpzb4r994zmdz8.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_161,w_683,h_384\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka80cpzb4r994zmdz8.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_161,w_683,h_384\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka80cpzb4r994zmdz8.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 1079px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_161,w_683,h_384\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka80cpzb4r994zmdz8.jpg 1x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_161,w_683,h_384\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka80cpzb4r994zmdz8.jpg 2x, https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_161,w_683,h_384\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images%2FGettyImages%2Fmmsport%2F2%2F01ka80cpzb4r994zmdz8.jpg 3x\" media=\"(min-width: 1080px)\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full\" title=\"Zebby Matthews\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_161,w_683,h_384\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/2\/01ka80cpzb4r994zmdz8.jpg\" alt=\"Zebby Matthews\" width=\"683\" height=\"384\" data-uw-rm-alt-original=\"Zebby Matthews\" data-uw-rm-alt=\"ALT\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny m-3\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-darkGrey font-group-tiny m-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>New York Yankees v Minnesota Twins | Brace Hemmelgarn\/GettyImages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">If the Twins were to hold onto Joe Ryan, Pablo L\u00f3pez, and Bailey Ober, while also signing Dustin May, that would leave one rotation spot open. In the land of dreams, we are leaving that rotation spot open for one of the Twins&#8217; young and promising starting pitchers. The leading candidates to grab the last spot would likely be Zebby Matthews and Simeon Woods Richardson as things stand now, but others would include Taj Bradley, Mick Abel, David Festa, Andrew Morris, and Connor Prielipp. We&#8217;ve seen the Twins enter the season with an abundance of starting pitching depth in past years, such as in 2023 when they opted to have a relatively proven Bailey Ober begin the season in Triple-A. Starting the year with just one rotation spot open for the plethora of young starters would allow for great competition in Spring Training and in Triple-A to start the season, and would also give the Twins depth in case of an injury to one of their primary starters. It would also allow for the potential conversion of one or more of these young starters to the bullpen, which is currently perhaps the biggest area of need on the team after the trade deadline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What would a dream starting rotation look like for the Twins in 2026? Arizona Diamondbacks v Minnesota Twins | Stephen Maturen\/GettyImages &nbsp; There are a lot of&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":122645,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>REPORT: The dream starting rotation for the Minnesota Twins in 2026 - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"REPORT: The dream starting rotation for the Minnesota Twins in 2026 - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What would a dream starting rotation look like for the Twins in 2026? Arizona Diamondbacks v Minnesota Twins | Stephen Maturen\/GettyImages &nbsp; There are a lot of...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-20T02:26:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-88-1024x683.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MsThao\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MsThao\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643\",\"name\":\"REPORT: The dream starting rotation for the Minnesota Twins in 2026 - NEWS USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-88.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-20T02:26:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-20T02:26:21+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-88.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-88.png\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":1000},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"REPORT: The dream starting rotation for the Minnesota Twins in 2026\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"NEWS USA\",\"description\":\"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731\",\"name\":\"MsThao\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MsThao\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=3\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"REPORT: The dream starting rotation for the Minnesota Twins in 2026 - NEWS USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"REPORT: The dream starting rotation for the Minnesota Twins in 2026 - NEWS USA","og_description":"What would a dream starting rotation look like for the Twins in 2026? Arizona Diamondbacks v Minnesota Twins | Stephen Maturen\/GettyImages &nbsp; There are a lot of...","og_url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643","og_site_name":"NEWS USA","article_published_time":"2025-11-20T02:26:21+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":683,"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-88-1024x683.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"MsThao","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MsThao","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643","name":"REPORT: The dream starting rotation for the Minnesota Twins in 2026 - NEWS USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-88.png","datePublished":"2025-11-20T02:26:21+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-20T02:26:21+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-88.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-88.png","width":1500,"height":1000},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=122643#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"REPORT: The dream starting rotation for the Minnesota Twins in 2026"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/","name":"NEWS USA","description":"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731","name":"MsThao","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MsThao"},"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=3"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=122643"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122643\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":122935,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122643\/revisions\/122935"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/122645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=122643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=122643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=122643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}