2020 Minnesota Twins Predictions and Odds to Win the World Series

Someone definitely called in the bomb squad to Minnesota in 2019. The Twins set a single-season Major League record with 307 home runs last year, leading to 939 runs and 101 wins as the Twins blasted their way to their first division title since 2010.

Unfortunately, the Twins season ended unceremoniously as they were swept out of the Divisional Series. That was Minnesota’s eighth straight loss in a playoff series. And this year the focus won’t be on simply making it back to the postseason – it will be able competing for a championship.

Minnesota Twins 2020 Projected Lineup (updated expert MLB picks daily)

1. Max Kepler – OF

2. Jorge Polanco – SS

3. Nelson Cruz – DH

4. Josh Donaldson – 3B

5. Eddie Rosario – OF

6. Mitch Garver – C

7. Miguel Sano – 1B

8. Louis Arraez – 2B

9. Byron Buxton – CF

The Twins simply bludgeoned opponents to death last season. Eight of their nine everyday starters hit at least 22 home runs, and a stunning five Minnesota players hit 30 or more dongs last season. The Twins had 11 total players with at least 10 home runs, and they led the league in total bases. Minnesota was in the Top 3 in scoring, team batting, runs, hits, slugging percentage and OPS.

Minnesota brought back seven of their nine starters, losing first baseman C.J. Cron and second baseman Jon Schoop to Detroit. They did sign Josh Donaldson, fresh off a 37-homer season in Atlanta, to make up for the lost output, though, and young Luis Arraez will fill the other vacancy.

Besides Donaldson (34), the Twins have just one other regular that is on the wrong side of 30. Soon-to-be 40-year-old Nelson Cruz has finished in the Top 10 of the MVP voting four times in the last six years. He crushed another 41 home runs and drove in 108 runs last season (while hitting .311) and is the primary force in this lineup.

After Cruz, Eddie Rosario (.276/32/109) and Jorge Polanco (.295/22/79) can both make interesting cases as being the team’s second-best hitter. Also, Miguel Sano rung up his 34 home runs and 79 RBI despite playing just 105 games, while Mitch Garver hit 31 bombs and 67 RBI in just 93 games.

There simply isn’t an easy out in this lineup, which may be the best in baseball.

Minnesota Twins 2020 Projected Rotation And Closer

1. Jose Berrios (R)

2. Jake Odorizzi (R)

3. Kenta Maeda (R)

4. Homer Bailey (L)

5. Jhoulys Chacin (L)

Closer: Taylor Rogers (R)

Slowly but surely, the Twins have build up a respectable pitching staff. Of course, it’s a lot easier to pitch when A) you are in the A.L. Central and B) you’re pitching with a five-run lead.

Jose Berrios is a true ace. His stuff is filthy, and he has lowered his ERA every season he has been in the Majors. I expect him to build off last season’s campaign, and he will continue to be a guy that Minnesota expects to go deep into games every fifth day.

Jake Odorizzi is another guy that has big stuff that can be potentially dominating. Odorizzi doesn’t have the same ceiling as Berrios. But his main strength continues to be his durability. Odorizzi has made at least 28 starts in six straight seasons. His 4.49 ERA in 2018 was a career-worst, though, and it is not too much to expect double-digit wins and a 3.75 ERA out of him again this year.

Kenta Maeda and Homer Bailey are really the two biggest keys to this pitching staff – and maybe even the entire team. Maeda’s stuff doesn’t blow anyone away. But he was another rock solid hurler in Los Angeles before being traded to the Twins this offseason. How will he adjust to a new league?

Bailey was once a highly touted prospect and potential franchise savior in Cincinnati. That seems like forever ago, and he’s now on his fourth team in two years. The stuff has always been there for Bailey; he just could never put it together. He was solid in Oakland last year (6-3, 4.30 ERA), though, and if the 33-year-old continues to figure it out then he would be a difference maker for the Twins.

The Twins bullpen was better than average last year. They finished second in the Majors in fewest walks allowed while posting an excellent 3.3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. This team has a lot of experienced arms and I don’t think they will be bothered by the new reliever rules.

Minnesota Twins Odds To Win The World Series

The Twins actually offer excellent value for futures bettors right now. They are 18-to-1 to win the World Series and 8-to-1 to win the American League. Their greatest value may be in terms of winning the division. They are right around -140 or -150 right now to win the Central (around 7-to-10), and I think that they should be somewhere closer to -300 (or 1-to-3).

Minnesota Twins 2020 Predictions

I am basing all of my predictions on my belief in an 81-game season that starts in early July. I have absolutely no inside information about MLB’s plans for the 2020 season. However, for the sake of discussion, 81 games are what I have in mind while writing these previews.

The Twins are a definite sleeper to win the World Series this year. And I think that they are being a bit overlooked when it comes to winning the American League. No, the Twins haven’t been very good in the postseason over the past two decades. But I really think that the only missing piece of the puzzle for them is another top end starter.

Minnesota has an offense that can bang heads with any in baseball. In fact, that may be one of their weaknesses in the postseason. Home runs always dry up in the playoffs. The combination of better pitching and colder weather usually conspire against teams that are too reliant on the long ball when it gets to October. The Twins need to get a bit better at manufacturing runs if they want to be able to grind out series wins when it counts.

That said, the Twins have a major advantage over the Astros and Yankees this year. Because they play in the absolutely pathetic American League Central, Minnesota is virtually guaranteed a division title. The Yankees and Astros both have stiff competition in their respective divisions.

This is going to be an odd season in Major League Baseball. And the Twins could be in a position to take advantage. If the front office can make a maneuver to get the Twins another stud starting pitcher, there is very little standing between this group making the franchise’s first trip to the World Series in nearly 30 years.

Robert Ferringo is a professional sports bettor and handicapper for Doc’s Sports and is considered one of the top MLB betting experts in the country. He has posted three consecutive winning MLB seasons and closed the 2019 season on a +$10,000 baseball run for his followers. Robert has beaten the books for six of seven profitable seasons on the diamond and is looking forward to another winning season for his clients. If you would like some help winning more bets in MLB this season the good news is that you can try out Ferringo’s MLB picks for free when you set up your complimentary $60 account here.