Shelton is already exceeding expectations.
Joe Mauer knows Derek Shelton pretty well.
The Hall of Fame catcher played his final season in 2018 with Shelton as bench coach, and the two got close during that year together.
Shelton, along with bullpen coach Nate Dammann, was actually the one who talked Mauer into strapping on the gear and catching one last pitch during his farewell game that September.
Twins fans still remember that moment.
So when Mauer speaks on Shelton, everyone knows it comes from somewhere.
In an exclusive interview with DJ Siddiqi of Casino.org, the former AL MVP gave a pretty big endorsement.
"I really like Derek Shelton, the manager. He's a great guy," Mauer said. "I've been in the same clubhouse with him, and he's just a good human being. He's also a good baseball mind. Definitely a great guy with creating a good culture for these guys to succeed. I'll keep my eye on him, and I'm hoping for the best. I feel pretty good with Derek there at the helm."
The Twins Are Playing Better Than Anyone Predicted
That praise means a little more when the team is actually winning some games.
Minnesota finished 70-92 in 2025 under Rocco Baldelli, who was fired after seven seasons at the helm, and the preseason odds had them at just 72.5 heading into 2026.
Then Pablo Lopez tore his UCL before the season even started. Nobody was giving this team a chance.
Through 55 games though, the Twins are 27-28 and hanging around in a tight AL Central race, sitting just a game behind Cleveland and Detroit.
Shelton deserves a lot of credit for keeping this young group afloat after a miserable 1-4 start to the season.
Minnesota rattled off six wins in seven games early on and the whole vibe around the team shifted.
Why Shelton's Approach Has Worked
Shelton managed the Pittsburgh Pirates for five-plus seasons before getting fired in May 2025, so the 55-year-old has seen the highs and lows of this job.
He also served as bench coach in Minnesota from 2018 through 2019 under both Paul Molitor and Baldelli, which means the organization is not new to him and he is not new to it.
His new approach has clearly gotten through to the roster.
Bailey Ober told The Athletic in March that nobody in the clubhouse cares about what the outside world thinks, and Royce Lewis pushed back hard on the narrative that Minnesota is just going through the motions this year.
When the players are talking like that early on, the manager is doing something right.
Mauer spent 15 years in a Twins uniform and won three batting titles.
He does not throw praise around just to be nice.
If he feels good about Shelton, that should tell people in Minnesota something.
There is still a long season ahead, but so far, Mauer looks like he might be onto something with this one.
