As the 2024 MLB regular season winds down, disappointment mounts in the Minnesota Twins clubhouse. The Twins were among the better teams in the league entering the All-Star break but struggled to find their footing in the second half.

It looks like it will cost them a trip to the postseason and maybe even manager Rocco Baldelli's job.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal thinks Baldelli is safe this offseason, but there are indications Minnesota needs more from their skipper in 2025. His laid-back approach hasn’t meshed well with a young crop of players and has frustrated veterans.

Shortstop Carlos Correa – whose multiple stints on the injured list factored into Minnesota's downfall – said he'd like to see more urgency from players in their pregame preparation.

“Some guys take it as poison, and some guys take it as fuel,” Correa said, per The Athletic. “The guys who take it as fuel are the ones that always come out on top and have a beautiful career and stay in the game for a long time. We have a lot of young guys, and a lot of people try to help them, but at the end of the day, everybody has to figure it out on their own.”

Correa didn’t take a particular shot at anyone, but he seems to insinuate that giving players too much leeway could lead to them not preparing as well. It falls on the players to execute and find a way, but Baldelli's managerial style isn’t leading to players trying their best to adjust, at least according to the Twins' best player.

Twins missing playoffs would be shocking

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The Twins weren't expected to be definite World Series contenders this year, but many tabbed them as the favorite in the AL Central. Minnesota dug itself into a hole with a slow start to the season but surged back into contention with a 12-game winning streak at the end of April.

The Twins were a half-game back of first place in the division on May 13. That was the last time they were within a game at the top of the division.

Still, the Twins looked poised for a playoff berth in August. They were 70-53 on Aug. 17 and occupied one of the three Wild Card slots in the American League. Minnesota is 12-23 since and needs help, on top of doing its job, to sneak into the playoffs.

Entering Thursday, the Twins trail divisional foes the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals by two games in the AL Wild Card standings. Detroit and Kansas City are tied for the second spot. Both teams would make the playoffs if the season ended today.

Luckily for the Twins, it doesn't. There's little chance Minnesota can salvage their season though with four games remaining. The Twins own the tiebreaker over the Tigers and Royals, which could come into play. Minnesota has to catch one or both to keep that scenario in play.

Regardless, it appears the Twins need a new approach to avoid a similar collapse next season. Whether that means a new voice as manager remains to be seen, but Rocco Baldelli can help his case in a big way by lighting a fire under his team for the season's final series.