The Twins Still Have Three Strong All-Star Candidates Despite Their June Swoon

The Minnesota Twins are playing their worst baseball in June in the last 30 years. The Twins typically average between 12 and 15 wins in June. However, they’re on pace to finish June with fewer than 10 wins for the first time since 1995, when they went 7-19.

The team hasn’t won a series this month since the start of June, winning three out of four against the Athletics. Since then, they’ve compiled a 3-12 record over their last 15 games. They still have seven games left this week, and a winning record will bring them to at least 10 in the month. However, the Milwaukee Brewers swept them over the weekend, diminishing postseason hope within the fanbase.

So, where should Twins fans look to find hope?

Three Twins players could be All-Stars at this year’s Midsummer Classic in Atlanta: Byron Buxton, Jhoan Duran, and Joe Ryan.

Buxton is at the forefront of the discussion. Fans, writers, and some of Buxton’s teammates were flabbergasted to see he was 13th in fan votes to start the All-Star game after the first round of vote totals had been released. It’s even more baffling when he ranks in so many top 10 categories in the American League, including third in OPS (.929), tied fifth in home runs (17), ninth in RBI (47), and third in slugging percentage (.577).

Since returning from the 7-day concussion IL, Buxton has only had two days out of the lineup for rest. He’s continuing his most durable season of health, leading the Twins with seven home runs (including two in Sunday’s 9-8 loss), 20 RBI, a .318/.418/.606 slash line, and five stolen bases in his 19 games since his return. Even with the losses piling up for the Twins, Buxton is doing his part to help them turn things around.

“I have to give Buck a lot of credit for what he’s been doing, cuz he’s in the leadoff spot, he sets the tone for us,” said Twins first baseman Ty France. “And even in the last few games coming out. I think it’s been two, three games in a row starting the game with a homer. I got to give him a lot of credit for what he does for offense and how he’s been igniting things for us.”

“I mean, he’s on fire,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said about Buxton. “I mean, he’s just playing tremendously on both sides of the ball.”

Ryan and Duran have also had incredible seasons, even though they are not in the spotlight as much as Buxton. Ryan ranks in the top 10 of several American League starting pitching categories, including 7th in strikeouts (96), 3rd in opponents average (.191), and 2nd in WHIP (0.91). His 3.06 ERA is the 11th best in the league, just outside the top 10 in ERA.

Any starter in the top 10 in any of these categories is worthy of All-Star consideration. Ryan will be up against stiff competition to get one of those roster spots for starters, given how well Max Fried, Hunter Brown, Kris Bubic, and reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal are playing. However, if he continues to leverage his strengths and stops allowing three walks a start like he did on Friday, there’s no doubt he could join Buxton in Atlanta in three weeks.

“He (Ryan) demands a lot of himself when it comes to attacking hitters, and I’m sure he recognizes your point (on how walking three batters more frequently is unusual for him) as much as anybody,” said Baldelli. “I think Joe will correct that, and he’ll be fine with that. The stuff is still very good. He’s throwing the ball very well. Even with the walks today, he still had a solid outing.”

Duran had a 210 and 179 ERA+ in 2022 and 2023, respectively, but has never made the All-Star team. That may change this year. Duran is only in two top-10 categories among AL relievers. He’s sixth in ERA at 1.57, and is tied with Louie Varland and two others for the second most games thrown this season (36).

Despite that, Duran has been consistently electric whenever you pull up his Statcast page; they've covered almost every stat category in red. Duran still ranks in the top 100th percentile with his fastball velocity, expected ERA in the top 99th percentile, and offspeed value in the top 99th.

Even if he’s not dazzling in traditional top 10 categories, Duran has pitched his way into All-Star consideration. The All-Star Game is no longer a competition for home-field advantage in the World Series, but a fun exhibition of the game's best players playing against each other. Therefore, one of the best flamethrowers in Duran, who also has the game’s best splinker, should be there for the fun of it all.

It’s still a couple of weeks before All-Star rosters are announced. However, Buxton, Ryan, and Duran all make compelling cases to represent the Twins in Georgia this July. However, before fans get too hung up on who represents the Twinkies in the All-Star Game, they’ll be more fixated on who steps up to help end a dismal June on a high note.