Twins Fantasy Fix (6/25): Deeper Options for the Dog Days

[Mike Rose]

The dog days of summer are around the corner, which is often when depth is tested, both for MLB teams and fantasy squads.

Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome back to Twins Fantasy Fix! With the Twins nearing the halfway point of the season, it’s a good time to take a closer look at their depth. MLB seasons are marathons, not sprints, and successful teams routinely need to go to the well to find guys who can help them win. Fantasy squads are no different. Whether due to injuries or players struggling, fantasy rosters go through ups and downs, and savvy managers know how to find diamonds in the rough throughout the year. Here are a few Twins who might fit this bill. 

Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner: Anyone who spends any time on Twins Twitter knows that fans are clamoring for one or both of Max Kepler and Joey Gallo to get traded or designated for assignment. From a fantasy perspective, any move like that figures to open up a role for either of these two players, or possibly both of them. Larnach is likely first up as he’s seen more time at the MLB level this year, but they could each have a fantasy impact if they see regular playing time due to their power potential.

Jose Miranda: Miranda started the year as Minnesota’s primary third baseman, but he struggled and eventually got demoted to Triple-A. Royce Lewis doesn’t figure to relinquish the hot corner, though Miranda could re-emerge, potentially as someone who sees time at third, first and DH. He’s batting .299 this month for the Saints with an .821 OPS, and he obviously had success for the Twins last year, so the offensive skills are there. Fantasy managers should take note if Miranda gets that second chance in the majors this year.

Griffin Jax: It looks like Jax’s early-season struggles are behind him. The righty hasn’t allowed a run in his last 14 appearances, with a 0.44 WHIP and 13 strikeouts across 13 2/3 innings during that time. Jhoan Duran is the best Minnesota reliever for fantasy purposes, but he doesn’t always see save chances, with Rocco Baldelli unafraid to use him in the seventh or eighth inning depending on matchups. That could lead to more saves for Jax in the second half of the season if he keeps pitching well and proves to be trustworthy, just like he did last year. Brock Stewart is also in this mix, though if I had to guess, I’d say Jax sees more opportunities in the ninth inning, with Stewart used in high-leverage spots earlier in games. In deeper leagues, Jax has value if he maintains his current form and manages to record a few saves here and there.

Let’s now look at some key injury updates, plus which Twins have their stock rising and falling from a fantasy perspective due to results from the past week as well as a prospect to keep an eye on. I’ll also take a look at the week ahead and highlight some matchups to target and avoid.

Twins Injury Updates

Byron Buxton
Expected return: TBD
Here we go again? Buxton left Saturday’s game with back spasms and was not included in Sunday’s lineup. It may be a minor concern, but with Buxton’s injury history, nothing should be taken for granted. He was just heating up at the plate, too, so the timing here is quite unfortunate. A number of players figure to rotate through at DH for however long Buxton is sidelined. UPDATE: Buxton appeared as a pinch hitter Sunday, so it looks like it is a minor concern. He figures to be in the lineup early this week.

Jose De Leon
Expected return: TBD
De Leon left Saturday’s game due to elbow discomfort he felt while tossing warmup pitches. He’s scheduled to undergo an MRI. De Leon was pitching decently for the Twins, though he’s not really on the fantasy radar at this point.

Jorge Lopez
Expected return: TBD
Lopez is sidelined as he deals with mental health concerns. He could regain a prominent role if he returns later in the year, though it looks like Jax and Stewart have elevated themselves as key setup options in front of Duran.

Jorge Polanco
Expected return: July or later
Polanco remains on the injured list with a hamstring strain and does not have a clear timetable for a return. He’s been taking swings and doing some work in the gym, but until a rehab assignment is announced, it’s safe to assume that the infielder will be out for a little while.

Stock Rising: Kenta Maeda
ESPN ownership: 5%
I could have gone with Jax here as well, but Maeda deserves a little love. The righty returned from the injured list Friday and tossed five scoreless innings against Detroit with eight strikeouts. It’s hard to get too excited in fantasy given his struggles earlier this year in his first MLB action since 2021 due to Tommy John surgery. However, Maeda has upside in the right spots, such as matchups against the Tigers or Kansas City. And if the veteran starts to string together multiple good outings, he may be worth a longer look given his track record, including the 2.70 ERA he posted in his first season with the Twins back in 2020.

Stock Falling: Joey Gallo
ESPN ownership: 5%
Gallo went deep on Saturday, but it’s still been a struggle for him lately. That was the first home run for the slugger since May 20, and in the time since then, he’s batting just .133 with an astronomical 48.6% strikeout rate. Gallo will always have a low batting average with plenty of strikeouts, but his recent form has been particularly egregious. If he’s not leaving the yard, he’s an offensive liability for the Twins and fantasy managers.

Prospect Spotlight
Chris Williams  (Current team: Triple-A St. Paul)
Williams has been mashing for the Saints this season with 15 home runs and a .996 OPS across 48 games. He’s a bit old for a prospect at 26, but he could simply be a late bloomer. Christian Vazquez isn’t a long-term option at catcher for the Twins, and it’s possible that Williams enters into the mix along with Ryan Jeffers in 2024. Williams may also get a look at some point this season if anything happens to Vazquez or Jeffers, though it would likely be in a reserve role.

Upcoming Week Matchup Notes
3 Games at Atlanta (Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, AJ Smith-Shawver)
3 Games at Orioles (Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish, Cole Irvin)
The Twins are in for a tricky week with road matchups against two teams playing better than .600 baseball. Atlanta is third in runs scored and seventh in team ERA, while Baltimore is 10th and 17th, respectively.

Two-Start Starting Pitchers 
Sonny Gray lines up for starts Monday and Sunday. He’s been good this year but has had some ups and down lately, and both of these matchups look challenging. You’re likely still starting him in standard leagues, but I would look elsewhere in daily formats both days.

Twins Fantasy Hitters to Watch
Strider leads the majors in strikeouts while the rookie Elder has a 2.40 ERA, so I’m not expecting much from Minnesota bats these two days. It lightens up some from there with the inexperienced Smith-Shawver and Kremer, who has a 4.50 ERA. 

The best matchup looks like Irvin, who has a 7.71 ERA in limited action this year, though he did post a 3.98 ERA in 30 starts for Oakland last year. The Twins haven’t seen a ton of him, though Carlos Correa has gone 3-for-10 in his career with a home run. Vazquez is 6-for-10 all time against the righty.

It’s hard to get too excited about Twins hitters in general given their inconsistency. However, Max Kepler is batting .375 over his last five games entering Sunday with three home runs, so he could be worth a dart throw in daily leagues. And if Buxton can return soon he could be ready to take off, as he also had three home runs in his last five games, including two in a game against the Red Sox on Thursday.

Who are your deeper Minnesota fantasy options? Let me know in the COMMENTS, plus post your thoughts on the matchups this week.

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