Jose Miranda is facing one of the toughest seasons of his young career, and it’s heartbreaking to watch. As the Minnesota Twins’ manager, Rocco Baldelli, took the difficult step of demoting him to Triple-A, things took an unexpected turn for the worse when Miranda found himself injured in an unfortunate incident—while simply carrying a case of water bottles. Yes, you read that right; he sprained his left hand just trying to carry a few drinks.
In an awkward moment that could make anyone chuckle, Miranda nearly dropped the bottles, and in an effort to stabilize his grip, he ended up injuring his hand. While it may not sound significant, injuries like these often come at the worst possible times, and this one does especially. Just the day before, he found himself in hot water for making a costly mistake on the base paths during a game against the Detroit Tigers. Now, not only is he nursing an injury and a demotion, but he’s also been placed on the seven-day injured list, leaving fans to wonder how long it will take for him to recover.
If we can search for a silver lining in this frustrating scenario, it’s that Miranda now has some time away from the pressures of major league play to reevaluate and recharge. Before his reassignment, his performance was lackluster at best, with a sobering .167 batting average over 12 games. Six hits don’t exactly scream “star player,” and it’s clear he was struggling to find his footing as we moved further into the 2025 season.
Sadly, Miranda isn’t alone in his struggles. The Twins are collectively grappling with a rough start to the season; after losing to the Tigers, they found themselves sitting at a disappointing 7-12 record. Fans may have had high hopes heading into the season, imagining that talents like Miranda and star shortstop Carlos Correa would take center stage alongside Byron Buxton. Instead, both players are currently batting below .170, leaving their teammates to bear the burden of trying to keep the season afloat.
The pressure is on Baldelli, too, as he faces scrutiny following last year’s disappointing end when the team barely missed the playoffs. The heat is undeniably cranked up now that they’re trailing with a sub-.500 record almost 20 games into 2025. If the Twins want to change their trajectory, they need their key players—including Miranda—to step up and reclaim their previous form.
For now, all we can do is cross our fingers and hope that Miranda’s time away from the field helps him heal—not just physically, but mentally, too. He’s been through a rough patch, and like any athlete, he undoubtedly feels the weight of expectations resting heavily on his shoulders. Let’s hope the time he spends recovering allows him to return stronger and ready to contribute in the way fans know he can.
Image Source: Jose Miranda @ Instagram
