The 2012 Minnesota Twins season featured several bright spots despite a challenging record, most notably the return to health and productivity of cornerstones Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Mauer remained a fixture in the lineup and nearly captured another batting title with a .319 average, while free agent acquisitions Josh Willingham and Ryan Doumit provided significant power to the offense, combining for 53 home runs. Fans also witnessed the emergence of young talent like Scott Diamond, who stabilized the starting rotation, and the dominant relief duo of Jared Burton and Glen Perkins, who solidified the back end of the bullpen at Target Field.