4 Candidates to Represent the Minnesota Twins in the 2021 All-Star Game

[Matthew Taylor]

Voting for the 2021 MLB all-star game opened on Thursday morning. While the Minnesota Twins have hardly had many all-star-worthy moments up to this point, the Twins do have 4 solid candidates for an all-star berth.

MLB all-star voting this season will be handled the same as the past two seasons, where the starters will be voted in via a fan vote over two rounds. The first round of fan voting will decide the top-3 candidates at each position and the second round will consist of voting between the top-3 vote-getters at each position to determine the starters. The all-star reserves will then be selected via player ballots as well as selections by the Commissioner’s office. 

As always, every MLB team must have at least one representative in the MLB all-star game, which means that no matter what the Minnesota Twins will have someone represented in the mid-summer classic. Let’s look at the candidates.

Honorable Mention: Mitch Garver

Mitch Garver was looking like one of the best candidates on the Minnesota Twins to earn a trip to the all-star game prior to his injury and subsequent surgery on Tuesday night. Up to that point Garver had posted a .833 OPS, second best amongst American League catchers, and was playing his best baseball of the young season. While we don’t have an exact timetable for the Twins’ backstop, Rocco Baldelli indicated that it will be “at least a few weeks” for Garver to recover, which all but removes Garver from all-star contention. 

Candidate #1: José Berríos

Résumé:

ERA: 3.36 ERA (10th among AL SPs)

WHIP: 1.09 (11th)

K/9: 9.65 (11th)

fWAR: 1.3 (10th)

While Berríos hasn’t taken that next step forward and broken out for the Minnesota Twins in 2021 like many hoped he would, the Twins’ right-hander has again been putting together a strong and steady season very similar to those of the past 4 years. Berríos’ numbers this year show that he is teetering on the edge of being a top-10 pitcher in the American League, which is right on the cusp of all-star candidacy. Berríos has been elected to the all-star game two years previously, and in a year in which the Minnesota Twins will need to send someone to the game, Berríos could nab his 3rd all-star appearance this year.

Candidate #2: Taylor Rogers

Résumé:

ERA: 2.82 ERA (33rd among AL RPs)

WHIP: 1.16 (35th)

K/9: 12.49 (14th)

fWAR: 0.5 (13th)

In a 2021 season that has been miserable for the Minnesota Twins’ bullpen, Taylor Rogers has been the lone bright spot. After a down season in 2020, Rogers has been extremely effective this year, striking out more batters than ever before in his career. Rogers’ numbers lag behind other relievers in the American League, but in a scenario where the Minnesota Twins need to have one all-star, it’s easy to see a scenario where Rogers gets the nod above lesser known relievers.

Candidate #3: Nelson Cruz

Résumé:

OPS: .849 (7th among AL DHs)

HR: 10 (6th)

RBI: 25 (9th)

fWAR: 0.9 (6th)

Nelson Cruz is having another strong year at the plate with an OPS of .849 and is leading the Minnesota Twins in home runs and RBIs. Because of his strong name recognition, Cruz could earn himself a starting spot via the fan vote, but his most likely path to an all-star berth would be more of a “legacy” nod from the players or Commissioner's office as a reserve with the stiff competition this year at the DH spot.

Candidate #4: Byron Buxton

Résumé:

OPS: 1.180

HR: 9

RBI: 17 

fWAR: 2.6 

Through the first month of the 2021 season, Byron Buxton was playing like a lock to be an all-star starter, as he was pacing the field in just about every offensive metric along with his always-stellar defensive play, en route to capturing the American League Player of the Month award for April. Unfortunately for Buxton, a hamstring injury has kept him off the field since May 6. The question that all-star voters, players, and the Commissioner's office will have to wrestle with is how few games can someone play to still earn an all-star bid. Up to this point, Buxton has appeared in just 24 games with still no rehab assignment having been announced yet. If Buxton can get into games by the middle of June, he would have about 45 games under his belt by the time the all-star game is played. Is 50% of games played at an elite level enough to earn an all-star bid? We will find out.

Which Twin(s) do you think will earn an all-star bid for the Minnesota Twins this summer? Are there any other candidates who weren’t listed? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!

To vote your favorite players to the all-star game, click here!

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[wsnydes]

Buxton is the only legitimate option, in my view.  But he looks like he may not be healthy enough to play.  Berrios is probably next up.  It'll probably depend more on the composition of the rest of the roster that'll determine who gets selected from this squad.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Oh man, I hadn't even thought about this yet. Unless some guys get healthy quick, we might be one of those teams with a token all-star selection again, huh?

[farmerguychris]

If players such as Buxton and Berrios don't make the All Star Squad, will their FA prices drop making them any more likely to stay on with us?

 

[PopRiveter]

In reality, Berrios is the only guy that makes sense in my opinion...

...but it seems like a dishonest representation of the Twins if our All-Star rep isn't on the IL.

[jkcarew]

To my way of thinking, you have to ‘earn’ your way to the all star game...despite the fact that we know it’s been a popularity contest for quite some time. So, no to Buxton with his 98 PA...and not having even started a rehab assignment yet.

That leaves Berrios. But it would be a token appearance.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

It could even be someone who hasn’t been called up yet!  Okay, enough snark.

A couple weeks ago, I would have put Kirilloff and Pineda on this list, as well. Sometimes there is some horse-trading, depending on who the managers are. I’m not sure the Twins would want to send Kirilloff. Who knows.

[HokieRif]

Do we have anyone healthy enough to send?

[TheLeviathan]

The driver who taxis our guys from the Saints to the Twins.  He's handled a meteoric rise in volume like a champ.

[lukeduke1980]

34 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

The driver who taxis our guys from the Saints to the Twins.  He's handled a meteoric rise in volume like a champ.

Isn't it likely an Uber?

[h2oface]

Dobnak.

He represents the long term building block that our FO aparently deems as the future of the pitching staff and what we fans deserve. Fitting. Mediocre (on his best days, at least). Homegrown and not a waiver wire signing or a free agent on the cheap that no one else would sign. He is the perfect representative for the all star nod that rates all stars anyone that has a good couple of months to start a season. Dobnak really doesn't fit that hot start, but that story.... that uber driver back story that the home team seems to rather have than players that are stars. Fits so well with this horrible team. Our all star!

[adjacent]

59 minutes ago, lukeduke1980 said:

Isn't it likely an Uber?

Dobnak earning an extra buck.

[mikelink45]

No. None. Ok Berries. 

[Dave The Dastardly]

I'd vote for the most consistent player that's filled in everywhere (you can take that two different ways); The Turtle.

[ashbury]

19 hours ago, adjacent said:

Dobnak earning an extra buck.

IALTO.

[twinfan]

I voted for Buxton only but can see Berrios representing the team if Bux isn't healthy. Nobody else is even close except maybe Simmonds because "somebody" has to go.

[BD57]

Don't want Buck doing it . . . he'll get hurt.