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The Minnesota Twins answered a miserable weekend with the kind of response that demands something from their front office.
The Twins took down the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Tuesday night, securing their second consecutive victory and clinching a series vs. one of the National League’s strongest contenders. Josh Bell supplied the early power, Ryan Jeffers delivered two insurance runs, and Zebby Matthews limited the Braves to one run across 5 2/3 innings.
The win pushed Minnesota to 62-65. The Twins remain four games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central, but the more immediate opportunity sits in the Wild Card race. They trail the Texas Rangers by only one-half game for the final spot.
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That is close enough to require action.
If the Twins are serious about pursuing a postseason berth over their final 35 games, they should promote Walker Jenkins, the organization’s No. 1 prospect, from Triple-A St. Paul.
Walker Jenkins could strengthen the Twins’ playoff push
Jenkins would not arrive as Minnesota’s savior. No 21-year-old prospect should carry those expectations, especially during his first exposure to major-league pitching. The Twins also have considerable ground to make up after going 6-10 through their first 16 games in August.
Yet their position remains too promising to accept an avoidable weakness.
The Twins share their 62-65 record with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Cleveland Guardians, Baltimore Orioles, and Detroit Tigers are each within one game of the Rangers. The final Wild Card race is crowded, and Minnesota will need its strongest stretch of the season to separate itself.
The remaining schedule gives the Twins direct opportunities to do it. They still have six games against the White Sox, six against the Tigers, three against the Guardians, and a season-ending three-game series against the Rangers. Those matchups can reshape both the division and Wild Card standings.
They also increase the cost of waiting.
The highly touted outfielder has already done enough at Triple-A to earn serious consideration. Jenkins owns a .289/.388/.477 slash line through 273 plate appearances for St. Paul. Including four rehabilitation games, the outfielder has batted .307/.400/.510 with nine home runs.
Those numbers reveal more than a strong batting average. The 21-year-old has reached base consistently, controlled at-bats, and produced damage. That combination could immediately diversify a Twins lineup that cannot afford to concede plate appearances during a compressed playoff race.
The fifth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft is not another speculative addition from the lower minors. The center fielder stands as the Twins’ No. 1 prospect and the No. 15 prospect in baseball. His combination of contact ability, developing power, plate discipline, and athleticism has made him one of the organization’s most important long-term players.
The Twins should determine whether those skills can help in the short term, too.
The Twins have an opening for a Walker Jenkins call-up
Promoting Jenkins would not require the Twins to displace Byron Buxton in center field. The cleaner fit exists in a corner-outfield mix weakened by Austin Martin’s hamstring injury.
Alan Roden has recorded a .589 OPS in the majors. Luke Keaschall has offered considerably more at the plate, but his outfield defense has created another problem for Minnesota to manage. Jenkins could receive regular opportunities in left or right field while allowing Keaschall to spend more time in the infield.
That alignment would help the Twins in multiple areas. The outfielder would bring a higher offensive ceiling than some of their current options, improve their defensive flexibility, and keep Keaschall’s bat in the lineup without repeatedly exposing him at an uncomfortable position.
The promotion only makes sense if Jenkins plays. Calling up the 21-year-old to sit behind established veterans would interrupt his development without giving the Twins the potential benefit. He should receive meaningful plate appearances and an honest chance to improve the roster.
The argument against that move deserves consideration. The fifth overall pick is only 21 and has accumulated fewer than 300 Triple-A plate appearances this season. The gap between Triple-A pitching and the majors can punish even elite prospects, and the Twins should not ignore development simply because their postseason hopes remain alive.
They also cannot treat development as a reason to postpone every difficult promotion.
The top prospect has advanced to the highest level of the minors and performed well there. His approach gives him a more stable foundation than a prospect relying entirely on raw power or speed. Major-league pitchers will test the outfielder in new ways, but additional weeks in St. Paul cannot eliminate that transition.
There is no guarantee Jenkins changes the trajectory of the Twins’ season. He could struggle initially. Minnesota could play well and still miss October in an unusually congested American League field.
None of that makes standing still the better choice
Tuesday’s win showed why this season remains worth pursuing. The Twins recovered from being swept by the Philadelphia Phillies, beat a 74-win Braves team in consecutive games, and pulled within one result of a playoff position. They have meaningful games ahead and one of baseball’s most talented prospects producing a few miles away.
Promoting the young outfielder carries risk. Leaving him in St. Paul while the Twins’ postseason opportunity disappears carries even greater risk.
If Minnesota believes this season still matters, it is time to prove it. Call up Jenkins.
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