Adrianza and Rucinski added to 25 man roster, DanSan DFA'd

[Danchat]

Twins roster move: Danny Santana DFA'd. Adrianza up. And RHP Drew Rucinski up too.

 

 

The Twins have finally made the move - Adrianza will replace Danny Santana as the utility bench player. With Kyle Gibson going down, Drew Rucinski has been added to the 40 man and was called up. Rucinski played a few innings with the Angels in 2014 and 2015 and was used out of the bullpen, but he was a starter for his last three seasons in AAA. He'll likely fill in as the long reliever until the Twins need to add a 5th starter.

 

It stinks to have guys like Tepesch and Rucinski on the MLB roster just a month into the season, but with injuries (May, Chargois, O'Rourke) and rookie ineffectiveness (Mejia, Berrios), this is what they're left with.

 

What are your thoughts?

[GP830]

RIP Danny Santana

[twinsnorth49]

My thoughts are what took so long with DanSan?

[notoriousgod71]

Rusinski is not Berrios and, quite frankly, that is all that matters.

[TheLeviathan]

Will wonders never cease.....

[mikelink45]

We have now called up two pitchers who are not part of the long term answer to our staff and I do not know why.  Is this FO falling in the old vet routine of TR?  I posted elsewhere that I am not yet impressed with the FO and moves like this are one reason.  Adrianza for Santana is fine, but the pitching moves leave me puzzled and wanting a different strategy.  Tepesch, Breslow, Belisle, Rucinski????????????  

[Otto von Ballpark]

From the other thread:

 

Thankfully, Drew Rucinski does have an option remaining, by virtue of spending all of 2016 in the minors and not on a 40-man roster. So he can be optioned in a week for a starter.

[drjim]

We have now called up two pitchers who are not part of the long term answer to our staff and I do not know why. Is this FO falling in the old vet routine of TR? I posted elsewhere that I am not yet impressed with the FO and moves like this are one reason. Adrianza for Santana is fine, but the pitching moves leave me puzzled and wanting a different strategy. Tepesch, Breslow, Belisle, Rucinski????????????

The old vet routine was not a unique TR phenomenon, it's a universal condition.

[bluechipper]

 

Rusinski is not Berrios and, quite frankly, that is all that matters.

Either Berrios or Mejia should be up when Gibson's spot comes up, so I'm not too worried about that yet.

[Gagne Fan]

DJ Baxendale deserved this promotion

His 2016 numbers out of the pen and not being called up alone deserved an opportunity

His 2017 peripherals are solid...no extra base hits and below 1 WHIP

Blows me away that they overlook the guys the organization drafted

Must not be very good at talent evaluation

[gunnarthor]

Rucinski seems ok for now.  Good luck to Danny Santana.

[70charger]

Very excited about Adrianza over Santana. Not excited at all about Rucinski but I will wait to break out the pitchforks until Gibson's next turn. If both Tepesch and Rucinski are still up then, then count me in on the pitchfork parade.

[DaveW]

The Twins have now successfully purged:

1. The worst SP in MLB

2. The worst position player in MLB

That's a start!

[Vanimal46]

Welcome aboard Adrianza! Not too excited about the pitcher getting the call. No more D San on the 25 man makes Van a happy person. 

[notoriousgod71]

 

The Twins have now successfully purged:

1. The worst SP in MLB

2. The worst position player in MLB

That's a start!

 

They are dangerously close to still having the worst SP and position player in MLB.

[Danchat]

 

DJ Baxendale deserved this promotion
His 2016 numbers out of the pen and not being called up alone deserved an opportunity
His 2017 peripherals are solid...no extra base hits and below 1 WHIP
Blows me away that they overlook the guys the organization drafted
Must not be very good at talent evaluation

I was hoping Alan Busenitz would get a cup of coffee, but I'd be OK with Baxendale as well. It seems like they only like to call up guys who have pitched over 150 innings in AAA (Tepesch - 186 innings, Rucinski - 277 innings) or have at least 60+ appearances in the bullpen. Guys like Busenitz and Baxendale will have to wait until they're 28 until they get their first crack at the majors at this rate.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Rucinski has a mildly interesting career path. Signed by Cleveland (Falvey connection?) as an undrafted free agent out of college in 2011. Not a bad pro debut but they released him the following spring, after which he went into indy ball for 2 summers. Then signed by the Angels and wound up in MLB less than a year later. Rode the AAA-MLB shuttle for about a year and a half, then got DFA'd during the Angels 2015 wild card chase and elected free agency following the season. Minor league deal with the Cubs, spent all last year in AAA, then minor league deal with the Twins this year.

 

Was pretty exclusively a starter in the minors from 2013-2016, hopefully the Twins don't have any designs about returning him to that role!

[yarnivek1972]

On the plus side for Rucinski, he has struck out 13 in 10 1/3 IP, against just 2 BB.  On the downside, he's given up 11 hits, including 2 HR.  His K rate this year whiffs of sample size outlier, because his K per 9 in his last two seasons at AAA is just under 7.  He will give up his share of HR though.  37 allowed in 270 IP at AAA.  Granted, that's the mostly rarefied air of the PCL, but as I said, he'll give up his share.  

[yarnivek1972]

 

DJ Baxendale deserved this promotion
His 2016 numbers out of the pen and not being called up alone deserved an opportunity
His 2017 peripherals are solid...no extra base hits and below 1 WHIP
Blows me away that they overlook the guys the organization drafted
Must not be very good at talent evaluation

 

 

Are you sure Baxendale is even healthy?  He's not on the DL, but he's pitched two innings in the last two weeks and none in the last week.  Despite Rochester playing a double header in that span.

[Doomtints]

The Adrianza/Santana swap may be the least surprising Twins move in history.

[Thrylos]

 

We have now called up two pitchers who are not part of the long term answer to our staff and I do not know why.  Is this FO falling in the old vet routine of TR? 

 

Unlike the TR 2.0 years, the Twins are competing this season, so the major league team should not be expected to be used for player development

 

Had TR been around (god forbid) DanSan and Kyle Gibson would still be with the Twins.   This FO has shown that they are not afraid to pull the trigger.

 

Surprised by Rucinski, maybe they know something (or maybe he has an opt out clause.)   I'd rather have seen Melotakis, but Tonkin's spot is not for very long...

 

But one think that one got to give credit to this front office is that they are standing by their off-season acquisitions:  Gimenez, Breslow, Tepesch, and now Adrianza and Rucinski are with the Twins.  This might make this place more attractive to some low level free agents in the future.

 

Someone mentioned O'Rourke in the same sentence with prospects:  He is as old as Tepesch and Rucinski.  He is not a spring chicken

[yarnivek1972]

 

 

Someone mentioned O'Rourke in the same sentence with prospects:  He is as old as Tepesch and Rucinski.  He is not a spring chicken

I mentioned O'Rourke in the same sentence as different options for the bullpen than what is here that are injured.  I'm aware how old he is, thank you.  No where did I call him (or Buddy Boshers, who I mentioned as well) a "prospect".  I'm not even sure I would consider 26 year old Trevor Hildenberger a prospect.  They are simply guys who, if all were healthy, IMO would be better than some of the bullpen arms the Twins have now.

 

And I'm still on the fence with Hildenberger.

[Gagne Fan]

Baxendale pitched last Saturday

[Gagne Fan]

Berrios went 8 shutout innings on Sunday

Rucinski blew the shutout in the 9th

 

Red Wings were off Monday, rained out Tuesday, 2 7 inning games Wednesday, rained out Thursday

[stringer bell]

There you have it. Danny Santana has finally been DFAed and JO Berrios stays in the minors. Rucinski has 14 innings of MLB experience with the Angels in 2014 and 2015. Adrianza is supposed to be an excellent gloveman, particularly at short. We shall see.

[Guest]

Looks like Granite and Haley are active for Rochester.

[jud6312]

I thought I"d be happier when this moment finally came.

 

But is the Tepesch, Adrianza, Rucinski trio any better than DanSan, Gibson and Boshers?

 

Adrianza, just based on his defensive potential alone, is likely an upgrade over Santana, but I view the pitchers as a wash if not a step backward ... who thought it possible?

[PseudoSABR]

Can people keep their Danny Santana pitchforks in the closet from now on? That'd be great.

[Halsey Hall]

Rucinski didn't look good this spring.

[goulik]

I expected a relief arm until Gibsons next turn at which point a reliever will go down and hopefully Berrios up. I don't mind they went with Rucinski on a 5 day rental even if it turns out they send someone else down or out the door. I don't want to yank around prospects on five days trips.