5 Thoughts: What's wrong with the Twins?

How does a good team play like this and post a 7-13 record in its first 20 games? Good question.

This column presents 5 thoughts on the Twins after 20 games. At the bottom I’ve included updates as of this writing on the team’s ongoing COVID concerns.

1 - What’s gone wrong for the Twins?

People like to ask me, as if I have all the answers, what has happened to the Minnesota Twins? Well, I do hate to break it to you but I do not have all the answers. One thing to remember in situations like this is that the simplest solution just might be the right one. So, I’ll just offer the simplest explanation.

They’re not scoring very many runs and their fielding has let them down in crucial moments. Why are those two things happening for a supposedly very good and inarguably talented team? Well, without making excuses for the offense as a group – that still doesn’t make sense to me – we should point out some important pieces missing.

Two regulars – Andrelton Simmons and Max Kepler – got COVID and have missed time.

Five other regulars – Miguel Sanó, Jorge Polanco, Mitch Garver, Ryan Jeffers a…