Monday Morning Minnesota: The “Tristan Gray Appreciation Post” Edition

TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 12: Tristan Gray #4 of the Minnesota Twins hits a three-run home run in the second inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 12, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The “American League-leading” Minnesota Twins are 9-7 after two straight series wins over the Tigers and the Blue Jays. It’s been certainly impressive to see the team fight back after three straight series losses, and doing so without needing the heroics of Byron Buxton or Luke Keaschall. Instead, infielder Tristan Gray has been a solid contributor. After hitting his first career grand slam against the Rays last week, he had another nice game yesterday against the Blue Jays, with a three-run homer. However, it can’t be all sunshine and daisies, as Royce Lewis has now hit the 10-day IL with a left knee sprain. The Red Sox and the Reds are coming to Target Field this week, and the Twins will hope to continue the good vibes at home.

The Past Week on Twinkie Town:

• Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
• We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
• Game threads and recaps are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we experience the season together.
• Zach Koenig checks on the Twins’ record against lefties over the past decade.

Elsewhere in Twins Territory:

• Bobby Nightengale at the Star Tribune checks in on old friend Louis Varland and how he’s fit in with his new team in Toronto.
• Tom Schreier at Zone Coverage looks at whether Brooks Lee is finally ready to be a difference-maker for the Twins.
• Cody Schoenmann at Twins Daily looks to see what is driving Austin Martin’s success this season.

In the World of Baseball:

• As mentioned earlier, the Twins are leading the AL with a 9-7 record, tied with the Cleveland Guardians. The A’s, Orioles, Rangers, Rays, and Yankees are all right behind at 8-7, reminding us not to get THAT excited. The gap between first and last is just three games.
• The National League has a bit of a bigger gap between teams, with the Dodgers (who else?) atop the league at 11-4 and the Braves, Padres right behind at 10-6. Probably the most surprising news is seeing the Pirates at 9-6.
• Will Leitch at MLB.com provides his new power rankings. You might need to scroll down a bit before you see the Twins though.