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The Minnesota Twins are moving on from manager Rocco Baldelli, who spent the last seven seasons leading the club.
Baldelli won three American League Central titles with Minnesota, but after back-to-back disappointing years, the team is heading in a new direction.
“This is a difficult day because of what Rocco represents to so many people here,” Twins president Derek Falvey said in a statement. “He led with honesty, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to our players and staff. He gave himself fully to this role and I have tremendous respect and gratitude for the way he carried himself and the way he showed up every single day.”
Minnesota was expected to contend again for the division crown, but finished 70-92. At the trade deadline, the Twins became major sellers, parting with players such as Carlos Correa, Harrison Bader, Willi Castro and Ty France.
The bullpen also took a major hit, with closer Jhoan Duran — dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies — headlining five relievers who were moved.
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In total, Minnesota traded 10 players and cut $26 million in payroll. They went 19-35 after the deadline, their worst finish since 2016, and ended with MLB’s fourth-worst record.
Baldelli, 44, began his tenure strong, winning the 2019 AL Manager of the Year award as a rookie skipper. He also guided the Twins to a postseason win in 2023, snapping the club’s 18-game playoff losing streak and securing their first playoff series victory since 2002.
He finished with a 527-505 record over seven seasons.
The Twins also face challenges off the field. Attendance dropped to its lowest non-pandemic level since 2000, with just over 1.7 million tickets sold at Target Field.
Fans have expressed frustration with ownership. The Pohlad family began cutting costs after the promising 2023 season and put the franchise up for sale last year. In August, they reversed course, opting to retain majority control while bringing in new investors to help pay down debt.
“Over the past seven years, Rocco has been much more than our manager. He has been a trusted partner and teammate to me in leading this organization,” Falvey said. “Together we shared a deep care for the Twins, for our players and staff, and for doing everything in our power to put this club in the best position to succeed.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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