When the Minnesota Twins surprised the MLB world by deciding to not trade their star players away this offseason, it seemed as if Minnesota was going to go all in on attempting to win. The Twins' biggest addition up to this point is veteran first baseman Josh Bell. Aside from Bell, Minnesota has made a number of minor transactions, but nothing truly stands out. For the most part, the roster looks similar to the 2025 team -- and that squad finished fourth in the American League Central with a 70-92 overall record.

There is still time before spring training begins. Minnesota could realistically go and make a big move or two. However, the Twins have not been linked to any of the notable names remaining in free agency. Sure, the ball club may go make another depth addition, but the Twins probably are not going to make any more game-changing moves.

Will Leitch of MLB.com released his early power rankings for the 2026 season on Thursday, and it's clear he has taken notice of the Twins' offseason performance. Minnesota is currently ranked 25th in Letich's power rankings, sitting just ahead of the Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies. 

The American League Central is a winnable division. The White Sox, as seen above, are clearly far from competing. Tarik Skubal could be traded by the Detroit Tigers -- although that seems somewhat unlikely now. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Guardians can never be counted out despite their lack of offense, and the Kansas City Royals are taking steps toward becoming a contender. 

With all of that being said, none of the teams in the AL Central are clear favorites. The reality of the situation is that even if the Twins were to surprise those ball clubs and win the division, the chances of them making any kind of realistic push to the World Series are extremely slim. The Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners are all much better teams in the AL.

So, why did the Twins decide against trading their stars -- notably Joe Ryan and Byron Buxton? It isn't as if those players are part of the young core for the future. Ryan, 29, is only under team control through 2027 before he will become a free agent. Buxton, 32, is under team control through 2028. 

Moving Ryan and Buxton would have led to the Twins receiving quality trade returns. Both players are fresh off strong seasons. The ball club could have entered a rebuild, escaped mediocrity, and begun to prepare for the future. 

Instead, the Twins are set to run it back with a similar roster to the underachieving '25 team. Maybe they will silence the doubters and make a postseason push, but that seems quite unlikely at the moment.