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It’s easy to set a target on first base as a prime position at which the Twins might upgrade this winter. Royce Lewis was poor there down the stretch. It’s worth a reminder, though, that Kody Clemens spent a good chunk of the season there with much better results. The Twins can certainly explore their options in the first-base market, but if they choose not to invest heavily in a non-premium position, Clemens is a better fallback option than he gets credit for.
Clemens was more of a second baseman by the end of 2026, which, ironically, was perhaps his worst defensive fit among the positions he could play. His athleticism makes him a much better fit for a corner infield or outfield spot, and his lack of range showed up in his -3 Outs Above Average at second base. By season’s end, it was easy to forget that he was a good defensive first baseman.
Clemens’s Outs Above Average of 1 at first base was acceptable, and certainly better than the -1 posted by Royce Lewis. He did all he could at the beginning of the year, when he was receiving throws from an entire infield that had to be completely overhauled midseason. Lewis rated better as a receiver of throws, but he was getting...