Twins fire manager Rocco Baldelli a day after 92-loss season ends

Fourteen days after Rocco Baldelli became the third-winningest manager in Twins history, the team announced Monday he will not return for another season.

Baldelli, 44, was fired a day after the Twins finished the 2025 season with a 70-92 record, missing the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years.

It was the first time the Twins lost more than 90 games since 2016, prompting owner Joe Pohlad and team President Derek Falvey to make their first managerial change since they replaced Paul Molitor with Baldelli nearly eight years ago.

The Twins are one of six MLB teams currently searching for a manager. The rest of the coaching staff will be determined by the new manager in collaboration with Falvey and General Manager Jeremy Zoll.

“This game is ultimately measured by results, and over the past two seasons we did not reach the goals we set,” Falvey said in a statement. “I take personal responsibility for that. After discussions with ownership, we determined that this is the right moment for a change in voice and direction.”

Baldelli, who was believed to be under contract for one more season, finished his seven-season tenure with a 527-505 record (.511 win percentage). The only Twins managers with more victories are Tom Kelly (1,140-1,244) and Ron Gardenhire (1,068-1,039).

The Twins claimed three American League Central titles under Baldelli (2019, ’20 and ’23) and he won the 2019 AL Manager of the Year award. When they swept the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2023 wild-card series, the Twins ended an 18-game playoff losing streak and advanced in the postseason for the first time in 21 years.

If the 2023 postseason run marked the high point of the past seven seasons — the 2019 Bomba Squad won 101 regular-season games, the second-most wins during a season in club history — the past two years have represented the lowest of lows.

The Pohlad family mandated about a $30 million payroll cut before the 2024 season. Then the team cratered by the end of the year, including an epic six-week meltdown where they finished with a 12-27 record over their final 39 games. Despite playoff odds hovering around 95% in September, they missed the six-team AL playoff field by four games.

Falvey backed Baldelli after the collapse after some “Fire Rocco” chants sprang out at Target Field.

“This decision is not a reflection of Rocco’s effort or leadership,” Falvey said. “It reflects where we are as an organization and the belief that a different voice is needed to help us move forward.”

The Twins, following their collapse, vowed to make changes last offseason. They fired their hitting coaches. They revamped their spring training schedule with mandatory on-field batting practice and more team-wide workouts.

Despite a 13-game winning streak in May, the 2025 Twins entered freefall mode for the final four months of the season. Their record fell below .500 by mid-June, and the front office waved the white flag on the season after the All-Star break, shipping away 10 major leaguers at the trade deadline.

Morale among the fanbase continued to drop. Attendance dipped to 1.77 million for the Twins’ home schedule this year, the fewest tickets sold in a season in Target Field history and their lowest total since they played at the Metrodome in 2000.

The Pohlad family announced in August it was no longer exploring a sale of the team, adding two minority investment groups to help pay down the club’s debt that sits around $500 million.

The big change to the organization, at this stage, will be bringing in a new field manager.

Many Twins players braced for the possibility at the end of the season, knowing a 92-loss season typically leads to the axe falling on someone.

Falvey and Zoll are scheduled to speak at a news conference Tuesday morning.

“After ongoing internal discussions, we believe this is the right time for a change in leadership of our major league team,” Pohlad said in a statement.

“These decisions are never easy, particularly given the respect we have for Rocco. He led with professionalism and care for both his players and our organization, and we are grateful for the way Rocco represented the Twins.”