Aaron and John go position by position through the Twins' roster to break down their biggest offseason needs, talk about the hire of new pitching coach Brian Reith from the Rays organization, and predict how much the front office will actually be able to spend in free agency.

0:00 Intro: Gleeman & The Geek, presented by Black Stack Brewing

1:11 Twins offseason preview: where the roster is set and where it needs help

7:46 Twins officials expect to be active early before the Dec. 1 MLB lockout

10:44 New Twins pitching coach Brian Reith replaces Pete Maki

16:59 Jeff Hoffman's elbow cleanup procedure

23:59 The Twins starting rotation for 2027

32:47 Why not just sign a veteran fifth starter?

36:14 Win-now rotation vs. develop-the-kids lineup

40:50 Could the Twins trade a starter? Jeremy Zoll's hint

52:24 The bullpen is the Twins' biggest need again

52:52 Bullpen locks and bullpen maybes

57:12 Losing A.J. Minter and Taylor Rogers; Cole Sands and Anthony Banda non-tender risks

59:09 How much will the Twins invest in their bullpen?

1:14:04 The Twins catcher situation

1:22:20 First base: is Royce Lewis still the answer?

1:26:42 The Twins need an impact middle-of-the-order bat

1:28:18 Is designated hitter an option?

1:32:46 What about the rest of the infield?

1:35:24 The crowded outfield and the real cost of signing an impact corner outfielder

1:41:34 Ranking the Twins' biggest offseason needs

1:47:43 Coming up: Patreon free agent target shows and GM meetings in Las Vegas

Aaron and John talk about team MVP Kody Clemens and the rest of the Twins' season-ending award winners, Charley Walters' report about the Pohlads possibly talking sale again, reviewing our preseason over/under picks, and surprising arbitration projections.

0:00 Gleeman & The Geek: Twins Diamond Awards, 2027 payroll, and over/under results
2:51 Twins Diamond Awards with no ceremony and no TwinsFest during the lockout
4:24 Most Valuable Twin: Aaron's vote for Taj Bradley
9:10 Cody Clemens wins Twins team MVP
14:14 Twins Pitcher of the Year: Taj Bradley
14:41 Most Improved Twin: Brooks Lee
16:09 Twins Rookie of the Year: Connor Prielipp
17:49 Defensive Player of the Year: Byron Buxton over ... Ryan Kreidler?
20:25 Byron Buxton wins the Twins leadership award
20:53 Louie Varland wins Upper Midwest Player of the Year after the Twins traded him
22:21 Media Good Guy: Ryan Jeffers three-peats
26:36 Twins minor league awards: Walker Jenkins and Adrian Bohorquez
27:22 The case for Marek Houston as minor league player of the year
33:56 Twins 2027 payroll: what $100 million actually buys
38:29 Why matching the 2023 Twins payroll now means $175 million or more
40:33 No winter meetings: how the lockout reshapes the MLB offseason
41:39 2027 MLB free agent class: Tarik Skubal and a lot of Josh Bell types
44:32 Ryan Jeffers and the qualifying offer
46:37 Replacing Jeffers: a thin catcher market and the Victor Caratini problem
51:09 What happens with Alex Jackson
56:59 MLB Trade Rumors arbitration projections
58:52 Tender now, trade later? The Trevor Larnach decision
1:04:31 Charlie Walters reports a Twins sale to Varde Partners is heating up
1:12:30 What private equity ownership could mean for the Twins
1:18:47 Spring training over/under review: Aaron's prediction slump
1:21:46 Why 10 of 15 American League teams finished under their Vegas win totals
1:23:21 AL East over/unders: Tampa Bay Rays win 98 games
1:25:18 Baltimore Orioles disappoint despite Pete Alonso's 40 homers
1:26:48 Boston Red Sox: Aaron gets one right
1:28:03 Toronto Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s nine-homer season
1:30:00 New York Yankees win 93 games
1:31:28 AL West over/unders: all five teams go under, starting with the Angels
1:32:00 The Athletics' injury-wrecked season
1:33:15 Texas Rangers fall short
1:34:21 Houston Astros' front office decline
1:36:47 Seattle Mariners and Cal Raleigh's collapse
1:37:30 Aaron's George Costanza plan: pick the opposite
1:39:55 AL Central over/unders: Chicago White Sox make the playoffs
1:41:45 Twins over/under: Aaron takes the over and wins
1:44:38 Cleveland Guardians win the AL Central
1:45:42 Kansas City Royals sink to 69 wins
1:46:26 Detroit Tigers sell and fade
1:47:56 Final tally over/under tally.
1:50:37 Wrap-up and offseason schedule

Aaron and John talk about which of the Twins' key veterans will or won't be on next year's team, the end-of-season press conference with Tom Pohlad, Jeremy Zoll, and Derek Shelton, and what to expect this offseason before the lockout hits.

0:00 Intro: Blackstack beer and the end of the Twins season

1:16 Twins finish 77-85: met expectations, but the third straight late-season collapse

3:43 Offseason preview: key dates, the Pohlad press conference, and who's staying or leaving

4:41 Thank you, listeners: Aaron Gleeman's year leaving The Athletic and going independent

7:03 John Bonnes on independent publishers and the G&TG community

13:17 MLB offseason schedule: free agency opens after the World Series

13:47 Qualifying offer deadlines and how a QO affects a free agent's market

15:46 Arbitration tender deadline: keep or cut for Royce Lewis, Bailey Ober, Trevor Larnach

17:11 MLB lockout on November 30: no winter meetings, no Rule 5 draft?

18:50 Flashback: the 2021 lockout day, Byron Buxton's extension and Dylan Bundy

19:59 If a lockout cancels 2027, what happens to Pablo Lopez's contract?

22:52 GM meetings in November could replace the winter meetings

24:47 Both Gleeman and The Geek heading to the GM meetings?

32:10 Twins end-of-season press conference with Tom Pohlad, Jeremy Zoll, Derek Shelton

33:06 Pohlad skips the spin: "Our roster wasn't built for a 162-game season"

34:37 Pohlad backs Zoll and Shelton, blames the ownership mess

35:40 Could the Twins have made moves last winter?

37:40 Pitching coach Pete Maki fired

39:31 Twins payroll: Pohlad won't commit to a number or even a range

41:06 The baseline: why the first $105 million is already spoken for

42:58 Why the Twins should level-set payroll expectations with fans

44:40 Pohlad's words sound good, now he has to back them up

47:02 A one-month window and a weak free agent class

49:01 Is Jeremy Zoll more aggressive than Derek Falvey?

51:27 The lockout doesn't stop moves: lessons from the 2021 November frenzy

55:34 Staying or leaving: rating the Twins players whose futures are in doubt

57:36 Byron Buxton is staying (stop asking)

58:33 Ryan Jeffers: free agency and the qualifying offer decision

1:03:20 Why a qualifying offer to Jeffers is a low-risk move

1:09:02 Josh Bell: good bat, but no fit at first base or DH?

1:12:18 AJ Minter: the best fit of the Twins' free agents

1:19:05 Taylor Rogers: end of the line for a Twins bullpen great

1:21:25 Trevor Larnach: the left-handed logjam and an $8 million arbitration raise

1:29:23 Bailey Ober: the velocity is gone and the strikeouts are falling

1:34:38 Joe Ryan: trade him now with one year left, or keep him?

1:39:53 Pablo Lopez returning from Tommy John surgery

1:40:23 Royce Lewis: two and a half years of struggles at the plate

1:43:56 John and Aaron disagree: is Royce Lewis staying or leaving?

1:49:55 Austin Martin and Matt Wallner

1:50:27 Wrap-up: Patreon mailbag next week

Aaron and John talk about what's left for the Twins to play for during the final weekend, young players like Luke Keaschall, Connor Prielipp, and Walker Jenkins providing bright spots, Royce Lewis and Ryan Jeffers struggling down the stretch, the rotation outlook for 2027, and the end of the Alex Jackson saga.
0:00 Intro: John checks off his last active MLB ballpark in Sacramento
2:03 Twins win first road series since July in San Francisco
2:03 Final series vs. Texas Rangers with the AL West title at stake
8:00 Final Twins games for Ryan Jeffers, Taylor Rogers, Josh Bell, Bailey Ober?
9:07 Will Kendry Rojas get a look before the season ends?
10:40 Walker Jenkins goes from 4-for-45 to above-average MLB hitter
14:15 Luke Keaschall reaches 10 home runs as his defense improves
20:50 Royce Lewis ends the season lost at the plate again
22:57 Ryan Jeffers slumps after nine straight starts at catcher
33:14 The Alex Jackson saga and Twins roster construction.
45:51 15 pitchers with a save: an AL record that reflects bullpen chaos
47:20 Hoffman passes Gomez as the Twins' top reliever
48:34 Septembers bullpen struggles and what it means for the offseason.
57:50 Connor Prielipp finishes his rookie season healthy with 140+ innings
1:03:42 Zebby Matthews: a 6.87 September ERA and a bullpen future?
1:06:05 Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, and the Twins' history of rotation-depth mirages
1:09:50 Derek Falvey joins the Mets front office
1:17:39 Daniel Adler parts ways with the Twins
1:23:55 Longtime scouting executive Deron Johnson let go
1:25:15 Is Tom Pohlad reshaping the organization or just saving money?
1:30:24 A Thad Levine interview and offseason plans for the show

Aaron and John talk about the Twins limping to the finish line just like last season, trying to find glimpses of a brighter future with Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez, the outlook for Byron Buxton after hip surgery, and players who stepped up vs. dropped out of the team's long-term plans.

0:00 Intro
0:45 Why the game recaps have stopped: the Twins are playing out the string
2:21 Worst team in the American League down the stretch for a third straight year
3:50 15-27 since August 1: as bad as after the 2025 fire sale, and this time they were trying
6:38 John's counterpoint: at least there are rookies worth watching
9:02 "Something is fundamentally wrong": player development, injuries and defense
11:47 Derek Shelton, Jeremy Zoll, Tom Pohlad: new names, same organization
14:13 Are there basic philosophies that lead to the Twins fading every August and September?
16:48 The 72.5-win over/under, and the fear that a youth movement becomes an excuse not to spend
18:20 Ryan Jeffers as team MVP, and the veterans who won't be back in 2027
27:08 Byron Buxton hip surgery: what we know about the timeline for spring training
30:58 The play in Sacramento that ended Buxton's season
35:18 Buxton's contract: two years left, $15 million, full no-trade clause
37:43 Planning the 2027 Twins outfield: Buxton, Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Luke Keaschall, Alan Roden
40:19 The Twins need a bat at first base or DH, and they're losing Jeffers
42:17 Walker Jenkins breaks out: three hits and a game-tying homer off Ben Joyce's 101 mph fastball
44:21 Should the Twins be worried about Walker Jenkins?
51:11 Hrbek, Buxton, Koskie, Kepler: Twins who started just as badly
52:50 Emmanuel Rodriguez homers in his debut, then slumps. Life with rookies
55:15 Rodriguez and prospect "freezer burn": seven years on the radar and still only 23
59:36 How Walker Jenkins handled the media during his slump
1:03:46 Was 2026 a wasted season? Thumbs down on the post-hype prospects
1:05:18 Cleaning out the fridge: an empty fridge and a garbage can full of expired corn salad
1:07:25 Luke Keaschall is a leadoff hitter to build around, if they can find him a position
1:08:51 Brooks Lee's step forward: 25 homers and better defense at third base
1:10:14 Kaelen Culpepper holds his own; Matt Wallner washes out; Royce Lewis's brutal finish
1:14:19 Twins pitching: Taj Bradley and Connor Prielipp step up, Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan step back
1:15:09 Culpepper's hamstring injury, his defense at shortstop, and Marek Houston on the way
1:20:13 Why Culpepper staying under 130 at-bats helps the Twins' farm system rankings
1:22:23 Ben Ross auditions to be the backup shortstop: Ross vs. Ryan Kreidler
1:28:48 Kendry Rojas could return for a final outing or two
1:30:31 The last Twins games for Jeffers, Ober, Trevor Larnach, Lewis and Taylor Rogers?
1:32:59 The case for adding $50 million in payroll around a young, cheap core
1:37:54 Twins draft lottery watch: a top-seven pick is within reach
1:41:17 Wrap-up: John previews his trip to San Francisco and Oracle Park

Aaron and John talk about the Twins collapsing in the second half for the third straight season, why the worse they play the bigger the upcoming offseason becomes, the top reasons behind their struggles, and Matt Wallner knowing he's done in Minnesota.

0:00 Welcome: Twins on life support after Chicago and Detroit
3:13 Which of the three end-of-year collapses hurt the most?
4:17 Rock-bottom fan expectations vs. the 78-win projection
15:11 Wasted season or treading water? Who actually stepped forward
16:33 Did the Twins find a core on which to build?
20:02 Still waiting on Byron Buxton's hip surgery decision
25:03 Playoff ticket presale email lands during a collapse
25:47 The 2009 $100 bet: 4.5 games back with 16 to play
30:19 Is the fan base any more optimistic than a year ago?
31:51 Tom Pohlad's grace period is over: why this offseason matters
48:39 Joe Ryan's return start and the Connor Prielipp piggyback
50:14 Austin Martin activated, Gabriel Gonzalez optioned
53:51 Ryan Jeffers' nine straight starts and the Victor Caratini contract
56:41 Walker Jenkins: great plate discipline, whiffing on fastballs
1:00:35 Matt Wallner tells the Star Tribune he's done in Minnesota
1:07:59 Five reasons the season went south (Aaron's article)
1:08:28 Reason one: post-hype prospects who didn't step up
1:23:46 The core has moved on: Keaschall, Culpepper, Jenkins, Jeffers
1:26:37 Reason two: the offseason. Five signings, $16M, 1.7 WAR
1:32:33 Reason three: the bullpen. This was the plan
1:38:37 Reason four: the defense by the numbers
1:42:50 Reason five: injuries. Yeah, but
1:49:49 Why the lineup isn't the problem but still might need to be a focus
1:54:48 Wrap: Sweep Cleveland or bust

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' dwindling playoff chances with three weeks left, Byron Buxton admitting he'll eventually need hip surgery, Joe Ryan nearing a return, first impressions of Walker Jenkins, and takeaways from the Angels selling for $4 billion.

0:00 Intro
0:48 Twenty-two games left and a 3-3 homestand that wasn't enough
2:02 Playoff odds at nine percent, and the 14-8 finish they'd need
4:30 Resilient, or unable to handle success
6:38 Trying to avoid a third straight second-half collapse under an all-new regime
9:45 Now or never, starting with the White Sox in Chicago
11:47 The early-season bullpen and infield defense that cost them
13:00 Opponents' bad defense has handed the Twins 20-plus runs
14:33 The bad bullpen was the plan, and the plan worked
20:34 Byron Buxton says he needs hip surgery
23:48 When playing through pain stops helping the team
27:08 The 2023 knee surgery that bought Buxton three good years
32:17 First impressions of Walker Jenkins after a week
35:23 Why Culpepper hit right away and Jenkins hasn't
40:26 Why Jenkins is batting ninth, and where he belongs later
42:51 Watching a pennant race and the future at the same time
46:54 The last times the Twins got to do both at once
51:32 Garrett Acton up, Ben Ross up, Kyler Fedko released
55:43 Shelton explains why Emmanuel Rodriguez stayed at Triple-A
1:02:42 Joe Ryan's rehab start, and whether he skips the second one
1:08:51 What the final three weeks do to Joe Ryan's trade value
1:11:03 Connor Prielipp's workload, and stuff that hasn't faded
1:14:45 Andrew Morris opens a game, and his future in the bullpen
1:20:25 Matt Canterino pitches for the first time since 2022
1:26:00 The Angels sell for $4 billion after twenty years of failure
1:26:45 What the Padres sale should teach Tom Pohlad
1:31:40 Are the Twins suddenly worth $2.3 billion?
1:38:35 Back Monday on Patreon

Aaron and John talk about the Twins calling up top prospect Walker Jenkins, why Byron Buxton's hip injury was the biggest factor, what to expect from the 21-year-old consensus top-10 prospect, and the team's shrinking playoff window after a brutal road trip.

0:00 Walker Jenkins is coming up! It's an Emergency!
2:17 Twins playoff odds fall from 40% to 10% after a 1-5 West Coast trip
5:33 Byron Buxton and Miguel Sanó in 2015 — which debut does Jenkins resemble?
8:49 Kaelen Culpepper set the bar for what a great three weeks looks like
10:17 Resiliency, or an inability to build on anything?
12:37 White Sox and Tigers at home: now or never in the AL Central
14:11 The call-up is about Byron Buxton's hip, not Jenkins' bat
15:57 The Triple-A prospect wave that injuries wiped out
22:44 Ticket sales, attendance and a packed press box for the debut
25:30 Luke Keaschall in center field has been rough
29:14 Jenkins' defense and the young Max Kepler defensive scouting report
34:18 Debunking the 40-man roster and lockout excuse for keeping Jenkins down
35:48 365 days at Triple-A: Jenkins has more experience than you think
38:39 The best Twins prospect since Buxton, and how few holes are in his game
50:46 Why Walker Jenkins' swing looks like Joe Mauer's
1:00:42 Target Field is a tough park for left-handed power
1:05:27 What's a good baseline for Jenkins?
1:06:59 Buxton, Mauer, Rivas, Guzmán, Ortiz: the five Twins to play at 21 years old
1:15:24 When does playing hurt stops being selfless?
1:19:00 The roster math: Buxton, Alex Jackson or Alan Roden — pick two
1:25:39 Joe Ryan is nearing a rehab assignment
1:27:14 Emmanuel Rodriguez is healthy, hot, and out of options
1:32:34 Vahn Lackey promoted to High-A after passing the lemon test
1:39:43 Aaron on the Dane Moore show — and the Jonathan Kuminga timing