MVP: Byron Buxton’s DOMINANCE Turns Minnesota Twins Into 2026’s Most Surprising Contenders [TCGB64q0rkP]
Minnesota Twins’ playoff hopes ride on Byron Buxton’s breakout campaign—can he sustain his MVP-level performance through the second half? C.J. Baumgartner and “Land of 10,000 Aches” author Zeke Fuhrman spotlight Buxton being one of the hottest bats in the American League, sparking elite interest from teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Joe Ryan’s career-best season on the mound and surprise contributors like Kody Clemens and Taj Bradley have the Twins outperforming expectations, while Derek Shelton’s energetic clubhouse culture keeps Minnesota in the thick of the AL Central race. Midseason awards, bullpen shake-ups, and the critical need for Buxton’s health dominate the discussion. C.J. Baumgartner and “Land of 10,000 Aches” author Zeke Fuhrman compare the 2026 Twins to the 2003 Florida Marlins—could top prospect Walker Jenkins be the team’s Miguel Cabrera? With the offense firing under Keith Beauregard and a schedule loaded with AL Central rivals, the surprising Twins may be poised for an October run. Photo Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More 🎧 00:00 – Buxton Named Twins MVP Midseason awards discussion, Byron Buxton’s MVP-level season, trade rumors, and his importance to the team’s success. 10:01 – Derek Shelton’s Managerial Impact Segment reviewing Derek Shelton’s first half as Twins manager: letter grades for vibes, offense, bullpen management, and defense. 22:22 – 2026 Twins Team Comparisons Comparing the 2026 Twins to historic MLB and recent Minnesota Twins teams; playoff probability discussion. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Amazon This Back To School Season, spend less on your kids, with Amazon. With Amazon’s low Back To School Prices, just spend less on your kids. Because every dollar you don’t spend on them, is a dollar you haven’t spent on them. Nutrafol Find out why Nutrafol is the only hair growth supplement brand trusted by MLB. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you visit and enter promo code LOCKEDONMLB. Stance Check out the ICON collection from Stance—premium comfort, performance, and durability designed for whatever your day brings. Use promo Code LOCKEDON at checkout for 20% off your purchase. Learn more at Stance. The Official Sock Partner of Major League Baseball. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at KALSHI For a limited time, download the Kalshi app and use code LOCKEDON to get ten dollars when you trade ten. Kalshi. Trade on anything. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whistle to the final kick, Let There Be Goals on FanDuel. Visit to get started now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: lockedontwins.supercast.com #minnesotatwins #MLB #Twins