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Josh Bell Enters Free Agency After Twins Decline 2027 Team Option
The Minnesota Twins have declined a $10 million team option on first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell for the 2027 season, per Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Bell will now hit free agency and appears unlikely to be back in Minnesota next year. The 34-year-old had a solid season for the Twins in 2026, hitting .255/.319/.419 with 21 home runs, 96 RBI, 78 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 631 plate appearances. The veteran switch-hitter does not offer much defensive value at this point in his career, but he's a proven run producer and an adequate power source. If he lands in a spot where he can earn everyday playing time once again in 2027, Bell profiles as a four-category compiler who can provide value in deeper fantasy leagues.
Source: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
Source: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
Josh Bell a Reliable Run Producer to Target on the Waiver Wire
Across 655 plate appearances in 2026, Minnesota Twins first baseman Josh Bell is hitting .255/.317/.416 with 20 home runs, 92 RBI, 76 runs scored, and two stolen bases. The 34-year-old may not have one clear standout skill, but he remains a steady source of power and run production. Bell has kept his strikeout rate manageable at 19.9% while still posting solid barrel (9.5%) and hard-hit (42.0%) rates. The veteran switch-hitter also remains locked into everyday playing time in the heart of the Twins lineup, putting him in a good position to rack up runs and RBI. Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, Bell profiles as a balanced producer for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Josh Bell Remains a Steady Source of Power and Run Production
Across 521 plate appearances in 2026, Minnesota Twins first baseman Josh Bell is hitting .253/.317/.423 with 17 home runs, 80 RBI, 67 runs scored, and one stolen base. Bell doesn't stand out in any one category, which may be why he often flies under the radar of fantasy managers. However, the 33-year-old remains a very reliable hitter in his 11th MLB season. Bell's steady power production is supported by his credible 9.8% barrel rate and 41.5% hard-hit rate. His 20.3% strikeout rate on the year is slightly higher than his career norm, but remains manageable. Bell has also been durable and is locked into an everyday role in the heart of the Twins lineup, which should allow him to continue to be an above-average run producer throughout the remainder of the season. For fantasy managers in need of some power and run production, Bell is an appealing waiver wire target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kody Clemens' Power Belongs on 12-Team Rosters
Minnesota Twins infielder/outfielder Kody Clemens is batting .243/.299/.488 with 18 home runs, 49 RBI, and seven stolen bases across 338 at-bats. He needs one more homer to match the career-high 19 he set last season, and the underlying contact supports the power. Clemens owns a 92.7 mph average exit velocity, 47.1% hard-hit rate, and 12.2% barrel rate, so this is more than a brief hot streak. A .250 expected average suggests his current mark is reasonable, although a 23.0% strikeout rate can still lead to uneven stretches. Clemens has appeared at first base, second base, and all three outfield positions, with Yahoo eligibility at 1B/2B/OF. Yahoo managers have passed on him in 61% of leagues, while RotoBaller ranks him 59th in its Week 18 waiver rankings with an add recommendation for 12-team formats. Managers seeking power and lineup flexibility should roster him at that depth.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Josh Bell an Under-the-Radar Power Threat in Deeper Leagues
Minnesota Twins veteran first baseman Josh Bell has cooled off a bit since homering four times in a five-game stretch at the end of June and beginning of July, but he can still be a useful power bat for fantasy managers in deeper leagues. Overall, the 33-year-old left-handed slugger has hit .249/.307/.424 with a .731 OPS, 13 home runs, 60 RBI, 48 runs scored, and a stolen base in 97 games across 387 plate appearances in 2026 in his 11th year in the league and first with Minnesota. He hasn't homered since a two-homer game on the Fourth of July against the New York Yankees, but Bell is still batting .280 (14-for-50) with an .897 OPS, three home runs, four doubles, six RBI, and six runs scored in 13 games and 56 plate appearances so far in July. Bell doesn't strike out a ton (21.7%) and only 18.9% in his career, but he's also walking at a career-low 7.5% clip, which hasn't made him much of a fantasy asset for much else besides some moderate power and run production. The left-handed slugger is currently rostered in just 23% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Royce Lewis Returns From Hamstring Injury on Sunday
Minnesota Twins infielder Royce Lewis (hamstring) is starting at second base and is batting cleanup for the Twins in Sunday's series finale at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, per MLB.com. The Twins held the oft-injured Lewis out of Saturday's lineup due to soreness in his left hamstring, but it turned out to be a minor issue, and he's back in the lineup the following day. The 27-year-old former first overall pick in 2017 will take a weak .216/.292/.392 slash line into Sunday's contest in Chicago, but he has been better since returning from a minor-league demotion on June 6, going 33-for-128 (.258) with an .804 OPS, seven home runs, eight doubles, 16 RBI, 19 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 33 games for the Twins since rejoining the big-league roster. Strikeouts are always going to be part of Lewis' game, but he can provide decent power from the right side and is eligible at third and second base in fantasy leagues. Lewis is currently rostered in 33% of Yahoo leagues. In just five career at-bats against Cubs lefty starter Shota Imanaga, he has a homer and three RBI.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Kody Clemens Snaps Hitless Streak With Two-Homer Game on Saturday
Minnesota Twins infielder/outfielder Kody Clemens came into Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs on an 0-for-19 skid at the plate. He ended his recent slump in a big way, going 2-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs and two strikeouts to provide the only offense for the Twins in their 6-2 loss at Wrigley Field. Not only did his two-homer outing snap a long hitless stretch, but both of his dingers came off lefty Matthew Boyd, and he now has four homers off southpaws in 2026. The 30-year-old left-handed batter is now slashing .243/.302/.495 with a .797 OPS, 18 home runs, 48 RBI, 47 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his 309 at-bats on the year. Clemens needs just two homers to set a new career high after slugging 19 round-trippers with the Twins and Philadelphia Phillies in 2025. He may only be hitting .250 (12-for-48) in 12 games in July, but he also has a .929 OPS with five homers, two doubles, a triple, 13 RBI, and 10 runs scored in 53 plate appearances. Clemans has become a waiver-wire target for his power breakout in 2026, and he's rostered in less than half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Royce Lewis Out on Saturday With Sore Hamstring
Minnesota Twins corner infielder Royce Lewis (hamstring) is out of Saturday's starting lineup against the Chicago Cubs with soreness in his left hamstring, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Manager Derek Shelton said Lewis reported to the field on Saturday feeling better, but the Twins will be cautious and hold the oft-injured slugger out. Josh Bell will start at first base and bat third, while catcher Ryan Jeffers will serve as the designated hitter and bat second against Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd. We'll consider Lewis day-to-day for now, but given his lengthy injury history, this could easily turn into an injured-list situation before long. The 27-year-old former first overall pick in 2017 got off to a rough start to 2026 before being sent to the minors to work on his approach at the plate. Since returning on June 6, Lewis has been better, slashing .258/.319/.484 with an .804 OPS, seven home runs, eight doubles, 16 RBI, 19 runs, three steals, 12 walks, and 33 K's in 33 games played to raise his season line to .216/.292/.392 with a .685 OPS. Strikeouts and swing-and-miss are always going to be part of the package with Lewis, but the streaky hitter can definitely still be a power asset for fantasy managers lacking in the department. Check back on Sunday to see if Lewis is ready for the series finale.
Source: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
Source: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
Royce Lewis Re-Emerging as a Power/Speed Threat on the Waiver Wire
Across 256 plate appearances in 2026, Minnesota Twins infielder Royce Lewis is hitting .219/.297/.399 with 10 home runs, 29 RBI, 30 runs scored, and six stolen bases. The 27-year-old's overall line is held down by his brutal start to the year, as he hit .164 with three home runs across 119 plate appearances through the end of May. However, Lewis has been much better of late, hitting .266 with seven home runs across 137 plate appearances since the start of June. Lewis owns a 13% barrel rate on the season and has demonstrated significant power upside at earlier points in his career, hitting 31 home runs across 564 plate appearances from 2023 through 2024. Health remains a major concern for Lewis, as he's reached 400 plate appearances in a season just once in his career and has already missed time in 2026 due to a knee injury. Still, Lewis carries notable power/speed potential when healthy and could be worth targeting on the waiver wire in leagues where he remains available.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Josh Bell Still a Cheap Source of Power Off the Waiver Wire
Minnesota Twins first baseman Josh Bell, 33, doesn't have the high-end upside that most fantasy managers are looking for when targeting players off the waiver wire, but he can still help those in need of power as we head into the second half of the 2026 season later this week. The veteran switch-hitter is batting .248/.307/.429 with a .735 OPS, 13 home runs, 60 RBI, 48 runs scored, and a stolen base in 343 at-bats this year in his first season with the Twins. The former second-rounder by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011 out of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas was hot going into the break, too, going 13-for-47 (.277) with four home runs, five doubles, nine RBI, and seven runs scored in his last 12 games. Bell has been better average-wise (.264) as a righty against lefties, but most of his power comes from the left side (10 of his 13 homers). Most of his power production this year has also come away from Target Field, with nine of his long balls coming on the road. Bell isn't an elite power bat, but for those in deeper leagues scrounging for power, Bell is widely available (25% rostered in Yahoo leagues).
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Kody Clemens Still a Waiver Target for Power Going into Second Half
Minnesota Twins infielder/outfielder Kody Clemens heads into this week's All-Star break only four home runs shy of a new career high in that category. The 30-year-old veteran has a .243/.303/.482 slash line with a .785 OPS, 16 home runs, 46 RBI, 45 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 301 at-bats at the halfway mark in what has turned out to be a career year in his first full season in Minnesota (fifth in the majors). The former third-round pick by the Detroit Tigers in the 2018 MLB draft out of the University of Texas at Austin homered in three straight games to begin the month of July and had a span of five home runs and 12 RBI in eight games from June 26 through July 4. Clemens went hitless in 17 plate appearances with an RBI, a run scored, a walk, and seven strikeouts across four games going into the All-Star break, but that shouldn't take away from the fact that he's a sneaky waiver-wire addition for power-hungry fantasy managers going into the second half of the season. Clemens is rostered in just under half of Yahoo leagues, so he's widely available. Making him more attractive is the fact that he's eligible at first base, second base, and the outfield in those same formats.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Josh Bell Worth a Look as Power Source Off the Waiver Wire
Minnesota Twins first baseman Josh Bell has now gone deep four times in his last five games, which will inevitably draw attention to him on the waiver wire in fantasy baseball leagues from managers seeking a power surge. In Minnesota's 11-4 win over the New York Yankees in the Bronx on the Fourth of July on Saturday, Bell went 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, a double, three RBI, and a strikeout to boost his season average to .247 and his OPS to .738. The 33-year-old veteran left-handed slugger now has 13 round-trippers on the year while adding 59 RBI, 45 runs scored, and a .247/.304/.434 slash line in 316 at-bats in his 11th year in the majors and first with the Twins. Bell is striking out over 20% of the time this year, but fantasy managers seeking a power boost can't ignore his hot streak of late. And in his last 18 games since June 14, he's gone 21-for-66 (.318) with six homers, five doubles, a triple, 19 RBI, and 13 runs scored across 73 plate appearances. Bell is widely available, as he's rostered in just 18% of Yahoo leagues right now.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Kody Clemens a Legitimate Power Pickup in 12-Team Leagues?
Minnesota Twins infielder/outfielder Kody Clemens has earned regular at-bats with a strong power stretch. He is batting .242/.308/.476 with 13 home runs, 34 RBI, 35 runs, and six stolen bases over 252 at-bats. Nine of those homers have come in his last 30 games, when he has hit .248 with 21 RBI and 19 runs. Minnesota has used him at first base, second base, and all three outfield spots while recently batting him third against right-handed pitching. The underlying numbers back up the power. Clemens has a 92.7 mph average exit velocity, 46.9% hard-hit rate, and 12.8% barrel rate, while his .342 xwOBA slightly tops his .339 wOBA. His .242 average is less appealing, and he can still sit against some left-handers. Yahoo fantasy managers have Clemens in only 23% of leagues, making him a solid 12-team addition for power, a little speed, and eligibility at first base, second base, and the outfield.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Royce Lewis a Power Bat to Target Off the Waiver Wire?
Minnesota Twins corner infielder Royce Lewis' fantasy stock hit a low point this year when he was sent to Triple-A St. Paul to work on his approach at the plate. Before being demoted to the minors, Lewis was slashing .163/.261/.279 with a .539 OPS, three home runs, three doubles, 13 RBI, 11 runs, three steals, 12 walks, and 37 strikeouts in 31 games and 119 plate appearances. Since returning to the Twins on June 6, Lewis has slashed .273/.329/.500 with an .829 OPS, four home runs, three doubles, eight RBI, eight runs scored, two steals, six walks, and 16 strikeouts in 17 games and 73 plate appearances. The 27-year-old former first overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft caught fire initially upon his promotion back to the bigs, but he has slowed down a bit of late, going 6-for-29 (.207) with a homer, double, RBI, two runs, one steal, two walks, and nine K's in his last seven games. Overall, Lewis is hitting just over the Mendoza Line with seven homers, 21 RBI, 19 runs, five steals, and a career-high 27.6% strikeout rate in 48 games for the Twins. There is still pop in his bat, but fantasy managers seeking power are going to have to live with the swing and miss. Lewis is rostered in 40% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Josh Bell a Priority Waiver Add for Power After Strong Month
Minnesota Twins veteran first baseman Josh Bell is hitting a mediocre .245/.304/.392 on the season with a .695 OPS, nine home runs, 49 RBI, 40 runs scored, and a stolen base across 79 games played and 313 plate appearances in 2026 in his first year with the club. His 22.7% strikeout rate is also his highest mark since the 2020 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, the 33-year-old switch-hitting slugger has become a waiver-wire target for his power stroke in deeper leagues during his strong month of May. In 22 games during the month, Bell has gone 24-for-77 (.312) with four home runs, five doubles, 17 RBI, and 13 runs scored across 84 plate appearances. He recently was on a seven-game hitting streak that saw him go 12-for-26 (.462) with two homers, two doubles, eight RBI, and eight runs scored. Bell can be streaky as a hitter and still has too much swing and miss in his game, but for the time being, he could help carry your squad in deeper fantasy leagues. He's currently rostered in only 17% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
