The Minnesota Twins are trying to get their season back on track, something that isn’t easy when you start out 4-11 like they did. Since, they’ve looked like a slinky falling down the stairs, expanding with three or four wins, before retracting back with a few losses.

If they cannot rebound, the finger will be pointed at Rocco Baldelli.

Is he the one that put a sudden brake lock on the player budget two years ago? No. Is he the one who developed their pitching strategy or analytic-heavy approach in general? No.

Should the Minnesota Twins fail to right their 2025 ship, it’ll probably be Baldelli who gets the ceremonious axe. And if that happens… who would they target as the new manager? Well, we aren’t far enough down that road for any names to start surfacing.

Torii Hunter available to manage if Minnesota Twins need a guy…?

Enter MN Twins legend Torii Hunter, who’s living in Los Angeles, and has stayed active in baseball circles since retiring after the 2015 season, which he actually spent with the Twins. Currently, Hunter is a special assistant with the Angels. LA’s manager Ron Washington believes Torii would be a great manager himself someday.

Well on Thursday, Hunter went on his old pal AJ Pierzynski’s “Foul Territory” Podcast and told the baseball world that, while he is busy with a lot of business stuff right now, his heart is in baseball and he would be open to managing a team in the future…

“I try to stay around Ron Washington as much I can, and get a report from players, get to know them. And you know, the last couple years man I’ve definitely built a rapport with some of the players and also learned a lot from Ron Washington and all the other coaches in there, as well.

But yeah man, when I’m there man… my stress level is down, I’m where I supposed to be. I enjoy it, my wife said I come back happier, and it’s just it’s a great place to be, for me. And yes, I can see myself managing one day… if I’m allowed to.”

After his one encore season in Minnesota, to end his Major League Baseball career, Torii Hunter wound up playing 12 seasons in a Twins uniform. That, out of 19 total big league seasons, where he spent five years as an Angel and two as a Detroit Tiger.

Hunter was so damn good when he played…

As a Twin, Hunter hit .268 with a .783 OPS. Minnesota let him walk in free agency, and that proved to be a mistake. When Torii left after the 2007 season, the then 32-year-old was coming off of the second All-Star game appearance of his career. His first came in 2002.

• Torii Hunter career stats (1997-2015): .277 BA | .793 OPS | 110 OPS+ | 50.6 WAR
  • MN Twins Hall of Fame
  • 9 Gold Gloves (CF)
  • 5 All Star Games
  • 2 Silver Sluggers (CF)

By 2009 with the Angels, he became an All-Star again, then he made it the next year too. In fact, Torii Hunter wasn’t done with All-Star Games, even after he left the Angels, well into his 30s. In 2013, a 37 year old Hunter hit .304 with a .800 OPS and made his fifth and final ASG.

Hunter played in the big leagues so long because he could hit. No matter how good your glove is, 18 years in the big leagues requires you to be a good hitter. But let’s be real… Torii built his incredible baseball reputation on defense and proved to be one of the greatest defensive center fielders in MLB history, when it was all said and done.

But would the second best center fielder in Minnesota Twins franchise history make a good manager? Who the hell knows.

But if Ron Washington is in on Hunter, then so am I. So, should the Minnesota Twins fire Rocco Baldelli after this season, or anytime in the near future, I’d love to see Torii Hunter brought in for an interview.