Clemens continues strong stretch in Minnesota's win over Milwaukee.
Minnesota Twins first baseman Kody Clemens is quietly putting together the best stretch of his 2026 season.
The 30-year-old left-handed hitter went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, giving the Twins their first win in the three-game series after dropping the first two.
One of those doubles came to left field on an 0-2 count, and it clearly stuck with manager Derek Shelton after the game.
"Cody's had good at-bats both right and left recently," Shelton said. "I think the thing that's been the most impressive and he did it yesterday was he got to two strikes, he got to 0-2 and hit the line drive to left which was a really good swing."
That last part matters more than it might seem on the surface.
Clemens has mostly been used against right-handed pitching throughout his time in Minnesota, sitting against multiple left-handed starters this season while the Twins turn to Josh Bell or Victor Caratini when a southpaw is on the mound.
So for Shelton to go out of his way and praise the quality of his at-bats from both sides, it hints that Clemens might be working his way into a larger role.
Building Off a Breakout 2025
Clemens came to Minnesota via trade from the Philadelphia Phillies last April and wasted no time making an impression.
He hit 19 home runs with a .715 OPS across 112 games and set career highs in just about everything offensively.
He also bounced around the diamond defensively, logging time at first base, second base, and even some outfield reps.
By September, the son of Hall of Fame pitcher Roger Clemens looked like a legit everyday option.
His 2026 has been less consistent, but the recent numbers tell a different story than the early-season struggles.
Through Sunday, Clemens is slashing .236/.336/.425 with four home runs and 10 RBI, good for a 111 OPS+.
Baseball Savant has him at a 92.3 mph average exit velocity with a 14.7 percent barrel rate, which suggests the hard contact is real and not just a small sample .
What It Means for Minnesota
The Twins sit at 21-26 and five games back of the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central.
They have been up and down all season, and if they want to hang around in the division race, they need contributions from guys who were not initially penciled in as everyday starters.
Clemens does not have to carry this lineup.
But if he keeps battling in two-strike counts the way Shelton described on Sunday, and if the improvement against left-handed pitching is genuine, Minnesota suddenly has a first baseman they can run out there four or five times a week instead of three.
That matters more than people might think for a team still trying to figure out what it is.
