Article: Twins Claim RHP Chris Heston; Add Him To 25-Man Roster

[John Bonnes]

The Twins claimed right-handed starting pitcher Chris Heston from the Dodgers this afternoon, making room on the 40-man roster by releasing pitcher Nick Tepesch. Heston will be placed on the major league roster and join the team in Seattle. Update: The Twins announced they have placed Hector Santiago on the disabled list to make room for Heston on the 25-man roster. Heston is not really a prospect. He’s 29 years old and this will be his fourth organization since the end of last year. The good news is that he started 31 games in the big leagues with the Giants in 2015, sporting a 3.95 ERA and threw a no-hitter. The bad news is that AT&T ballpark is pretty forgiving and the Giants didn’t feel compelled to leave room in their rotation for him the following year. He spend 2016 in AAA for the Giants, where he was initially not particularly effective (4.25 ERA) and then succumbed to an oblique injury in July before returning in mid-August.

 

He started this year in Seattle, was designated for assignment and picked up by the Dodgers and now is with the Twins. He has spent most of the year in AAA, mostly starting, and has a 3.89 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 34.2 IP. I don’t see anything in his minor league game log that suggests he has turned any corner.

 

He was drafted by the Twins back in 2007, albeit in the 47^th round, and didn’t sign, but it is not uncommon that the Twins are a little extra interested in guys they have followed for a long time. There also isn’t anything in Heston’s AAA work this year that suggests he should be promoted to the majors, but with catcher Chris Gimenez already making his fourth appearance on the mound this year, this could be just another attempt to add a live (in the literal, not figurative sense of the word) arm.

 

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[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I read somewhere on here that Polanco is on leave, so does the new guy take Polanco's place and then reassess when Polanco returns?

[yarnivek1972]

I read somewhere on here that Polanco is on leave, so does the new guy take Polanco's place and then reassess when Polanco returns?

Vargas was added to replace Polanco. Heston, I assume is taking Rosario's spot.

[Seth Stohs]

Was Heston DFAd to make room for Jason Wheeler?

[jorgenswest]

Was Heston DFAd to make room for Jason Wheeler?

I wondered the same thing. No.

 

http://www.truebluela.com/2017/6/2/15734048/dodgers-obtain-jason-wheeler-twins-cash-considerations-rob-segedin

[David HK]

Yay!  Another near-30 re-tread!  Keep the carousel going, Falvine!  

 

This should solidify us as a bona fide contender!

 

[notoriousgod71]

Twins now have two pitchers that have thrown no hitters, plus Matt Belisle.

 

Winning.

[Seth Stohs]

Need a starter for Sunday. Heston became available. Not sure if people thought Darvish or Scherzer might be available...

[Rosterman]

Goodbye to Tepesch. Given walking papers!

 

[amjgt]

Goodbye to Tepesch. Given walking papers!

Thank goodness. I was getting super confused by Nick Tepesch and Nik Turley

[curt1965]

Disappointing. More retreads.

[D.C Twins]

There should be a Starting Pitcher Subway Sandwich promotion. Once we punch off 12 for this season, we should all get a free 12” sandwich.

Run with this TD!

[diehardtwinsfan]

Is he related to the actor?

[Pardon My Dinger]

Is he related to the actor?

The lesser known Charlatan Heston, yes.

[DaveW]

He literally can't be worse then some of the guys we have been tossing out so far. I approve.

 

Though we should have gotten Dyson as well.

 

Also RIP Tespech > Berrios Meme. You had a good 4 week run

[bighat]

 

Santiago to the 10 day DL so the new guy can come on the 25 man roster.  Expect Santiago to have a nice long "rehab" stint in AAA before he's back. 

 

A la Phil Hughes.  Where's old Phil these days, anyway?

[Danchat]

I had Heston on my fantasy baseball team back in 2015, and he had some really good games, so I'm a little bit biased here. But there's really not much upside here - unfortunately the Twins are desperate and this is what they're going to get with all these injuries. Hopefully Santiago will get healthy soon and return... and pitch better too.

Edited June 8, 2017 by Danchat

[Vanimal46]

Gotta keep throwing darts at the board... Good luck to Tepesch.

[Brandon Warne]

I'm sure people are upset about this, but meh. It's a dart throw on a guy who doesn't throw hard, but has pretty good offspeed stuff. Was really good as recently as two years ago. Whatever. I don't hate it. 

[Brandon]

Its a short term fix till someone is healthy, ready to be promoted or till we decide if we should trade fir someone.

[David HK]

I'm all for this move, I tell ya.

 

Oh, wait...

 

[The Wise One]

 

Disappointing. More retreads.

What did you think was going to be available?  A pitcher with a bright future, 98 mph fastball, a wicked slider on the waiver wire that made the mistake of farting in the elevator ?

[HitInAPinch]

 

Yay!  Another near-30 re-tread!  Keep the carousel going, Falvine!  

 

This should solidify us as a bona fide contender!

 

I was thinking more along this line:

 

Teresa Brewer - (Put Another Nickel In) Music, Music, Music (1950)

 

https://youtu.be/-gUNZAmFfKA?t=2

Edited June 8, 2017 by HitInAPinch

[HitInAPinch]

 

He literally can't be worse then some of the guys we have been tossing out so far. I approve.

Though we should have gotten Dyson as well.

Also RIP Tespech > Berrios Meme. You had a good 4 week run

Hector Santiago played catch Wednesday, and said he felt fine.

“Not great, not as good as I want it to be, but OK,” the lefthander said. “I could go out and pitch right now.”

 

As some point, I'd like to see the Twins use another pitcher when your projected starter makes comments like this one...  

[The Wise One]

Santana

Santiago

Hughes

Gibson

One of May, Mejia, Berrios, or Duffey

Not an ideal 9 man group. Take one out to patch a hole in the bullpen

May goes down you have Mejia, Hughes  goes down, Berrios is more than ready.   Santiago goes down and ? starts.The rotation needs to have a backup plan for every starter   Management failed

 

 

 

[flags]

i have no problem with a move like this. the current bullpen is terrible all around, so if chris heston comes in and pitches 3 mediocre innings before being DFA'd, whats the difference? if he catches lightning in a bottle and pitches well for two weeks before he's DFA'd, that will be an improvement over what we've got right now

 

 

[IndyTwinsFan]

I can't shake the thought that this type of move was made because Falvine appears to waiting for some combination of potentially quality starters (e.g. Gonsalves, Jorge, Romero, Thorpe, Stewart, the 1-1 pick, and ???) and their presumably best bullpen arms (Burdi, Chargois, Jay,Curtiss, etc.) to be healthy and ready to stick with the big club for good.   I would imagine that would probably be 2019, or possibly even 2020.   They could then join a young core of Sano, Buxton, Kepler, Berrios, and Polanco on what could then become a respectable, contending team.   That wouldn't even count the possible addition of some potential quality young non-pitchers that could or should be ready to arrive by about that time frame.

 

If there is even some semblance of truth in this viewpoint, I guess I can live with it.

[mikelink45]

He may be a short term filler but why? Give Gonsalves a look. Do something interesting.

[ashbury]

What happens if Heston pitches well in Santiago's absence? If he's kept on the 25-man, who goes down when Santiago returns? He can't be optioned, so do we DFA him after a good game or even two? I can't imagine Heston being a long term answer, but even a AAAA guy can surprise you in the short term, and the optics of then discarding him would be bad. This roster is still a nightmare.

[EddieMatthews]

All the talk about trading Santana on another board makes me question whether the Twins will ever get a quality starting five.  Or three for that matter.  Or two?

 

The pitching staff looks like 2016 or most other years since we had Johan.  The revolving door needs a little oil because it will be in use for a few more years.  

 

Same goes for the relief corps.  A blown save that results in a loss is better that a blown save that results in a 15 inning disaster that burns out the entire staff.