After early stumble, Twins never found footing

MINNEAPOLIS — After a surprising 2015 campaign that saw the Twins contend for their first postseason berth since 2010, they took a major step backward this season, losing more than 100 games for the second time since the franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961.

The Twins believed they could compete in 2016, but after an 0-9 start, they never got back into contention. It cost longtime general manager Terry Ryan his job, as he was dismissed in July. A lack of quality pitching was the main culprit, as Minnesota finished with the worst ERA in the American League.

• Young Twins will get fresh start in 2017

It was a disappointing season for the Twins, who had high expectations coming into the year, but they will now lean on a new front-office regime to turn the franchise around.

“To go from where we were last year to the complete turnaround we’ve had this year is mind-boggling,” Twins second baseman Brian Dozier said. “But at the same time, we haven’t done a lot of things right. So this offseason, I don’t want to say it’s the biggest one ever for this organization, but you can make the case that it is.”

Record: 59-103, fifth in AL Central

Defining moment: The Twins never could recover from their 0-9 start, and they finished April with a 7-17 record. Minnesota was never in contention the rest of the way, but the club did play better in July (15-11) before struggling again over the final two months.

What went right: Despite not being named an All-Star, Dozier emerged into a star, breaking the AL record for homers by a second baseman. He became just the second Twins player to hit more than 40 homers, joining Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew.

After missing half of last season because of a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, right-hander Ervin Santana pitched a full …

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