FORT MYERS, Fla. — Jose Miranda began last season at Triple-A St. Paul, looking to prove himself after a shoulder injury held him back during his 2023 season. He was quickly called up to the majors and did just that, emerging as one of the Twins’ best hitters in the first half of the season.
But he was never the same after a lower back strain that cropped up right before the all-star break. After that, his power and production disappeared almost entirely.
“When I came back in the second half, my moves didn’t feel the same,” Miranda said. “Not putting that as an excuse. I didn’t feel any pain in the second half, but just didn’t feel the same (when) moving.”
Now, as Miranda prepares for the upcoming season, he has two main goals: stay healthy and be in the lineup every day. If he can accomplish the first, be believes the second will follow.
While the Twins signing Ty France altered his path to playing time, there should be plenty of at-bats for Miranda if he holds up his end of the bargain. The Twins plan to play him both at first and third base. And with a rotating designated hitter spot, he’ll have a chance to fill in there, as well.
“Jose is going to be in a position where he’s going to go out there, earn his at-bats, earn his opportunities, like many other guys on our roster,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “It’s a healthy thing for an organization to have motivated guys that are going out there and want to earn their spot and their opportunities and their at-bats.”
Miranda hit .325 with a .888 OPS and nine home runs in 76 games played in the first half of the season. During that time, he matched an MLB record by recording 12 hits in consecutive 12 at-bats. His on-base streak came to an end after 13 consecutive plate appearances, a Twins record and the longest in the majors since 2009.
After the all-star break, his offensive numbers cratered. He did not hit a home run after July 5, and in the final 45 games, had just 10 extra-base hits and six RBIs. Miranda, 26, described his power disappearing like that as “weird.”
“When I’m not producing the way I know I can produce, it makes me a little bit mad, frustrated, but at the same time, I’ve got to understand the game is really hard,” he said. “Hitting is hard, and we go through so many ups and downs. … I’m just working for this year and trying to be consistent the whole year.”
Miranda’s work with hitting coach Matt Borgschulte this spring has been a little bit mechanics-based — he’s trying to get more vertical in his load — and a little bit approach-focused, swinging at pitches in the zone and not getting himself out.
And if he can implement those tweaks as he hopes, the at-bats will follow.
“I’ve always been pleased with what we’ve gotten out of him as a player and how he’s handled everything that has come his way over the years,” Baldelli said. “He’s just going to keep earning those spots like a handful of guys.”
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