Trevor Larnach joins Twins outfield bash with much-needed homer to keep pace

Could Trevor Larnach find himself without a guarantee of a starting spot in 2026? The Twins outfielder had 24 doubles and 17 home runs last season, but he made a big jump in strikeouts, totaling 122. That’s enough to raise some red flags, especially if other players are producing at a high level.

Larnach is currently expected to be in the starting line-upbut judging by the way other Twins outfielders are performing this spring, it’s a race he probably didn’t want to be a part of. Emmanuel Rodriguez has shown incredible power at the plate and it has been impossible to pick Alan Roden out in the first few games.

This doesn’t completely ruin Larnach’s likelihood to start the year, but it’s an interesting angle to look at if he struggles in spring training while others continue to bang.

On Friday against the Yankees, however, Larnach joined the home run party among Twins outfielders by erasing a solo home run in the first inning. He took Luis Gil – the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year – 400 feet on a screamer that registered an exit velocity of 107.4 mph.

Larnach isn’t fighting for his job yet, but this home run against a proven big league pitcher certainly helps keep him where he is.

Trevor Larnach rips a 109.4 MPH home run off Yankees starter Luis Gil

For his career, Laranch is 1-for-6 against Gil. He hasn’t done very well against him, so it made sense to want to jump on him early. After fouling a fastball on the first pitch, Gil tried to put Larnach to sleep with two changeups that missed the zone.

He went back to his fastball, which Larnach was clearly ready for. He got every bit of it.

This was Larnach’s first hit of spring training after going 0-for-5 with three walks in his first three games. He couldn’t have picked a better time to go deep as the players behind him are off to a devastating start. He’s now keeping up with these guys – all with one monster swing.

Again, Larnach’s spot in the lineup is to lose, but the Twins don’t owe him anything if he can’t produce. On a one-year, $4.475 million dealhe is certainly replaceable. However, if he keeps raking, he has nothing to worry about.