MINNEAPOLIS — Twins infielder Kyle Farmer returned from the injured list on Wednesday, just four weeks after he was struck in the face by a 92-mph punch and required multiple facial and dental surgeries. He returns to their struggling side in a much bigger role than he did before the injury, taking over the role of primary third baseman after Jose Miranda was demoted to Triple-A St. Paul.
Farmer started at third base and fought off sixth base at Target Field Wednesday night, winning with a single in an extra-inning walk-off win over the Padres 3-1.
With Farmer’s return, the Twins had two easy opportunities to clear a spot in the roster. They decided against the cleaner, less complicated route of sending underused substitute Willi Castro, who made just 49 plate appearances and hit .190 in his first 36 games. Instead, they voted the ailing Miranda back to St. Paul, with far greater short- and long-term implications.
“Certainly not the easiest decision,” said manager Rocco Baldelli. “But right now Jose is at a point where he could use a good restart both offensively and defensively to find the best version of himself. We’ve already seen that this guy is really good. We know what he’s capable of. He has a track record. Just haven’t found it yet.”
Miranda couldn’t continue a good rookie year and struggled on the plate and in the field. His defense was erratic, combining limited range and arm strength with a lack of instinct. He batted .220/.275/.318 to place 167th out of 178 qualified batters in the OPS. His increasing swing on off-field pitches resulted in poor contact and as many double plays as extra base hits (seven).
“When you talk about the approach to the plate, it ultimately looks like certain swings and swing decisions,” Baldelli said. “It (improves) only as you go up and change your mindset, your approach and your goals. That will definitely be part of that step for him.”
Miranda was also ailing last year, making it harder to dismiss those fights as just a bad six weeks. His career 102 OPS+ is mediocre, including hitting .231/.298/.328 with five homers and a league-high 18 double plays in his last 80 games, a reserve-level performance from a bat-first player who does that must be a hitter to make up for his defensive limitations.
Farmer will provide some improvement on defense and it will be difficult not to break that low bar on offense as well, but there’s a reason the Twins initially targeted the 33-year-old for a part-time role. He’s a strong platoon player and has been hitting .283/.347/.519 against lefties since 2021, but a .249/.304/359 mark against righties during that time makes Farmer overwhelmed as an everyday player.
Castro is a switch hitter, but his career line of .233/.289/.372 against righties doesn’t fit well with Farmer’s group. Nick Gordon is a left-hander with more upside potential despite his slow start, but Baldelli indicated he would definitely be a contingency option at third base. This is not a positive situation for the twins. They counted on Miranda and now they’re in trouble. But it could be temporary.
Royce Lewis is scheduled to begin a rehab at Double-A Wichita Thursday, the biggest step so far in his long recovery from a second cruciate ligament tear. He’s expected to split time between third base and shortstop during the rehab stint, which can last a maximum of 20 days, meaning the 23-year-old former No. 1 pick is back in the plans early next month the Twins could board .
Lewis has only played 46 games since the end of 2019 and had two knee surgeries at the end of the season, so the Twins could decide to just trade him to Triple-A St. Paul after the 20-day rehab period ends, similarly like what they did briefly with Alex Kirilloff earlier this month. Given Lewis’ sacking that would ensue, that might even be the most likely scenario.
But if Lewis looks anything like the player the Twins saw between surgeries last season, he has a clear path to the third base job. Lewis hit .313/.405/.534 with five homers and 12 steals in 34 games for the St. Paul and then hit .300/.317/.550 with two homers in 12 games for the Twins. And the seasoned shortstop has the defensive skills to be a formidable third baseman.
Even if Miranda takes the Triple-A demotion in stride and gets back on track fairly quickly, there’s a very good chance Lewis is already third base deep ahead of him this season and beyond. And if Lewis’ move to third base encounters problems, the Twins’ top pick, Brooks Lee, could also overtake Miranda at third base before the end of this season.
Lee is currently playing shortstop at Double-A Wichita, but the No. 8 pick in last summer’s draft is batting .290/.350/.458 there as a 22-year-old and does best defensively at third base. Whether it’s Lewis or Lee or a combination of the two, the odds are suddenly slim that Miranda can re-establish himself as the Twins’ third baseman.
Sorting long-term infield options intelligently is crucial as the Twins seek to maximize their impressive talent arsenal by separating building blocks from trading chips. Carlos Correa is signed until at least 2028, they have options on Jorge Polanco until 2025 and Miranda, Lewis, Lee, Kirilloff, Edouard Julien and Austin Martin have already made or will soon make the majors.
It won’t be for everyone, and no matter where he lands on the field, Miranda will need to rein in his undisciplined plate approach and unleash more consistent power to secure his place as a centerpiece for the Twins. He’s too young and too talented to give up as a potential impact hitter, but the window for Miranda as the Twins’ third baseman may already be closing.
(Photo by Jose Miranda: David Richard / USA Today)