Ronny Henriquez Deserves Some Attention

[Cody Pirkl]

The Twins’ hole in their bullpen hasn’t gotten any smaller since the trade deadline. As they enter the stretch run and try to solidify their roster, do they have a potential bullpen piece emerging in St. Paul?

Image courtesy of Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Ronny Henriquez has had his fair share of ups and downs in his Twins career. Acquired as part of the Mitch Garver deal, he’s gone from a starting pitching prospect to a relief prospect before injuries wiped him off the map. Henriquez may finally be righting the ship, and the Twins may be smart to see if they can hop aboard.

The Twins perhaps waited too long to transition Henriquez to a full-time reliever. His body has been a red flag for his future as a starting pitcher, as his listed 5’10 height is considered extremely generous. He was making starts well into the 2022 season despite suffering from crippling home run issues. The Twins clearly liked what they saw when he finally landed in the bullpen, as they called him up for three appearances at the end of the season as a reliever. 

Henriquez began this season on the shelf after experiencing some elbow problems this spring. He didn’t make his first appearance until May, and the results as a whole have been less than impressive. In just under 40 innings, Henriquez’s 5.50 ERA looked earned when looking at his 18.8% strikeout rate compared to his 14.8% walk rate. He’s likely been off the Twins' radar when it comes to being a call-up, but things may finally be clicking.

It’s an incredibly small sample, but a dominant one. Henriquez has a fastball that plays up in the mid-to-high 90s with an impressive changeup and usable slider. As a reliever, he should have all the tools he needs to contribute to an MLB bullpen. The walk issues he’s shown have never been seen before in his career, contributing to the theory that he may have just needed time to get his feel back after a worrisome injury and subsequent time off. It’s also the first season of his career where he’s been able to fully focus on the routine of being a reliever.

Henriquez is already on the 40-man roster at the age of 23. The Twins have also been rostering multiple bulk relievers for several weeks now. As a former prospect of at least some pedigree, it’s likely Henriquez doesn’t need to show a ton more in Triple-A to find his way into the MLB bullpen mix. Considering their willingness to call him up in 2022, they’ve likely been waiting around for any signs that something has clicked.

The Twins have plenty of options to cycle out in order to take a shot on Henriquez. First and foremost, they don’t need Josh Winder and Cole Sands in the same bullpen, as historically they’ve gone weeks without needing to use a bulk reliever, let alone two. Especially if Dallas Keuchel is no longer in the rotation, the need just isn’t there often enough.

Jordan Balazovic also has regressed in unfortunate fashion. After filling more of a bulk relief role in Triple-A, he was thrust into more of a traditional relief role upon his debut. It’s possible more seasoning in Triple-A would benefit him if the Twins insist on having multiple long relievers on their MLB roster.

Ronny Henriquez is clearly a pitcher the Twins saw something in at the end of 2022, and if he looks like he’s found his groove, it costs them little to see how it translates to the big league bullpen which is in need of someone to step up. Should Henriquez have to show he’s flipped the switch a bit longer? Should they call him up as soon as possible? Let us know below!

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[mikelink45]

No reason not to try him.  I am not that impressed with him, but Sands and Winder and Balazovic are not the answers to the BP needs.  I never expected much from Sands, but Winder has really disappointed me.  

 

Last 5 Games Josh Winder

Date	Tm		Opp	Result	App,Dec	DR	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	HBP	WP	IBB	PO	BK	BF	Pit	Str	StL	StS	GB	FB	LD	PU	Unk	GmSc	IR	IS	WPA	aLI	cWPA	acLi	RE24
2023-08-16	MIN		DET	L 7-8	9-GF	4	1.0	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	28	16	4	1	1	1	1	0	0		0	0	-0.015	0.09	-0.01%	0.07	-0.488
2023-08-11	MIN	@	PHI	L 2-13	2-4	2	2.0	4	3	3	2	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	12	43	26	8	3	2	2	5	0	0		2	0	-0.035	0.27	-0.02%	0.23	-1.955
2023-08-08	MIN	@	DET	L 0-6	7-GF(8)	5	2.0	4	3	3	1	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	11	42	27	3	4	2	1	3	1	0		0	0	-0.032	0.10	-0.02%	0.09	-1.975
2023-08-02	MIN	@	STL	L 3-7	5-7	3	3.0	1	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	36	24	8	6	3	1	2	0	0		0	0	0.011	0.07	0.01%	0.07	1.554
2023-07-29	MIN	@	KCR	L 7-10	7-GF(8)	2	1.2	3	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	40	26	3	3	5	2	1	0	0		1	1	-0.020	0.15	-0.01%	0.16	-0.546

[MinnInPa]

Twins just dont have any bullpen guys to trust...and none of these AAA pitches they trot up here have the stuff to be relievers..Winder, no, Headrick, No, Sands, No,  Balaz ??? , the guy id give a chance is Funderburk. current Pen is so scary ..every one of them cant be trusted.. even Duran is getting hit hard.. no lead is ever safe

[Linus]

This is perfect commentary on the state of the bullpen and it’s original construction. 

[Guest]

Is Ronny's slider "usable" or "impressive"?

And I expect a lot more from Sands.  He has skills.

[HrbieFan]

Any breakdown on his stats after his bad start? 

[DJL44]

I disagree that they moved him to the bullpen too late. I'd develop every pitcher I thought had a chance at MLB as a starter for as long as possible just to get them more innings. It is a sure sign that the organization doesn't think much of you if you're relieving in A-ball.

[Peter]

Yes!!! Bring him up to twins!!

[saviking]

If you want to find out how he plays in the bigs, you better get him up here fast and give him some mop-up innings because he's clogging up a spot on the 40-man roster we will need soon. Not that I give him much of a chance ..

[Brandon]

Henriguez needs more than 4 appearances to show he is ready.  He could be a September call up if he keeps it up.  He still needs to show consistency to get the call up.

[Major League Ready]

He has been brutal until these last 4 appearances.  A promotion to the ML club after 8 good innings seems very premature.

[Otaknam]

46 minutes ago, Peter said:

Yes!!! Bring him up to twins!!

Given the current situation in the BP, it doesn’t hurt to give Henriquez a shot. Even mainstay Jax gets lit up too often. Hopefully someone can step up, maybe Ronny.

[KBJ1]

Longshot, but no one else has stepped up and now Jax has imploded.

 

[PatPfund]

I'm with @MinnInPa. Funderburk has been dominant for as many months as Henriquez has games, he's striking out three batters for every one he walks, his AAA WHIP is 1.109 and his K/9 is 13.5. Clear one of the drones off the 40-man and give the guy a shot to acclimate to MLB.

And at least keep an eye on Henriquez, because as the OP correctly points out, the back part of our 'pen is filled with interchangeable bulk arms who have done nothing to stand out as helpful under pressure. (Winder is really disappointing; at one time he looked like a rotation pitcher, but since his injuries last year he looks totally waivable. Sands is only as good as his offspeed pitch(es); if he can't throw them for strikes, his fastball is batting practice speed.)

[FlyingFinn]

28 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

He has been brutal until these last 4 appearances.  A promotion to the ML club after 8 good innings seems very premature.

Agreed. He has been brutal quite often and has always survived with the excuse that he is "young." Bring up someone who actually pitches well for more than 8 innings, Funderburk, and DFA Henriquez. His ERA has been 4.71, 5.66, and 5.44 the last three years, with a ever-rising WHIP that is 1.67 this year. Can't believe anyone wants to call him up now because he pitched 8 good innings.

[JD-TWINS]

Thought Jax would right himself & then his worst outing pops up. Bummer!

Henriquez - Ortega - Funderburk are all worth looks………not sure if Ortega has regressed? Seems he had like a 3-1 good to bad outing ratio with Twins?……,we’ve proven over & over nobody is perfect.

Funderburk is intriguing due to his look/delivery and being a leftie.

 

[LA Vikes Fan]

With Jax imploding and Winder just not working out, it makes sense to try the best we have at AAA in the majors now before September. The roster spot can be created by sending down Winder and/or putting Jax on the IL (I think he needs a 15 day break). Moran can't throw strikes in AAA either so he's out. With those two spots, I would try Henriquez and either bring back Ortega or try Funderburk if we're trying AAA relievers.

I have a different idea. Let's raid the AAA starting rotation for relief help in the short term. I'd bring up Varland to the Twins bullpen as a 1-2 inning short man and consider SWR for a long man role.   We need a reliable short man and Varland has the stuff to fill that need. I'm less sure about SWR but I think they are the two most likely to actually provide the Twins bullpen with some help now.  Both can go back to starting next year, Varland as the #5 or #6 Twins starter and SWR back at AAA.  

[pierre75275]

The should bring somebody up. I don't understand the point of having Cole Sands on the roster if you aren't going to pitch him. 

[ashbury]

Unless Henriquez can maintain the very low .238 BABIP that he's put up in those 8.1 innings, and few pitchers can, his gaudy ERA won't hold up when he hits the majors.  The majors will hit back.

[gman]

I'd hold off on bringing up Henriquez until the end of the month to see if he maintains he 3 game stretch of good pitching. Unless someone can pinpoint exactly what he changed that made a significant difference. His control has certainly improved, but why is the question. Even his first game of August was very bad.

On the other hand other than Theilbar and Pagan(ulp) no one else seems too reliable in the pen right now. Floro has been ok, but seems like an explosion waiting to happen.

So maybe giving Henriquez a shot earlier than September comes with cross the fingers, close the eyes and throw salt over the shoulder.

I might bring up Varland to pitch out of the pen or preferably start a few games instead of Keuchel.

[In My La Z boy]

20 minutes ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

With Jax imploding and Winder just not working out, it makes sense to try the best we have at AAA in the majors now before September. The roster spot can be created by sending down Winder and/or putting Jax on the IL (I think he needs a 15 day break). Moran can't throw strikes in AAA either so he's out. With those two spots, I would try Henriquez and either bring back Ortega or try Funderburk if we're trying AAA relievers.

I have a different idea. Let's raid the AAA starting rotation for relief help in the short term. I'd bring up Varland to the Twins bullpen as a 1-2 inning short man and consider SWR for a long man role.   We need a reliable short man and Varland has the stuff to fill that need. I'm less sure about SWR but I think they are the two most likely to actually provide the Twins bullpen with some help now.  Both can go back to starting next year, Varland as the #5 or #6 Twins starter and SWR back at AAA.  

Agree entirely with this.

Thinking playoffs, I would move both Keuchel and Maeda to the pen immediately so we can see if they will be helpful there. If Ryan can come back and be Ryan again, we have 3 high quality starters for a playoff appearance. We should be looking immediately at other high-leverage potential pen people. Jax needs some time off and Duran looking shaky lately. Let's hope Falvey has something up his sleeve making no bullpen deals last off season or at trade deadline. This division is ours, now if we could just find 3 arms to close out games.

[Kenny Powers]

The good:

*  He's pitching better of late (albeit only one month/four appearances)

*  He's young (just turned 23)

*  He's been on the prospect lists/radar for the last five years - so there must be some talent there

*  He got his first taste of MLB last year and gave us 11.2 good innings.

 

The bad:

*  He's been hurt

*  So far this year he's been pretty brutal (except the last four appearances)

*  Last year when he pitched for Twins, his average fastball velocity was only 93.2 mph (when healthy).

 

He's on the roster and certainly can be part of the back end mix.  I'm not sure I see super star in his future.  But he is still young so he has time to prove it at AAA.  Let him dominate there and then I'll pay more attention.

[USAFChief]

2 hours ago, Linus said:

This is perfect commentary on the state of the bullpen and it’s original construction. 

Concur

 

[GNess]

The inconsistency of the current Twins bullpen is exactly why they should have added another BP arm at the deadline. The cost wouldn't be great for a pretty good RP. This was a recognized issue at the time. Now. the Twins are stuck with internal options which are at best shaky.

[mikelink45]

4 hours ago, HrbieFan said:

Any breakdown on his stats after his bad start? 

2023	23		2 Teams	2 Lgs	AAA-A	MIN	4	2	.667	5.44	5.66	26	0	5	0	0	0	41.1	40	26	25	3	29	0	37	3	1	3	194	1.669	8.7	0.7	6.3	8.1	1.28
2023	23	-4.1	St. Paul	IL	AAA	MIN	4	2	.667	5.50	5.73	24	0	5	0	0	0	37.2	36	24	23	3	26	0	33	3	1	1	176	1.646	8.6	0.7	6.2	7.9	1.27
2023	23	0.7	Fort Myers	FLOR	A	MIN	0	0		4.91	4.91	2	0	0	0	0	0	3.2	4	2	2	0	3	0	4	0	0	2	18	1.909	9.8	0.0	7.4	9.8	1.33

[DocBauer]

I have some future hope for Winder, Sands, and Balazovic all 3. But they have to be injury free, and they have to continue to improve and make the mental, physical, and sequencing adjustments necessary for being in the pen.

I've seen enough from Ortega and Headrick to think both might have a future in the pen as well. Moran wash out, be good, or be great. It's up to him and his control.

And I've been intrigued by Henriquez as a pen option since acquired. He's got the potential to be dominant for an inning or two, and with his mix, possibly against both sides. But he also has to be healthy, and show better control. But a good handful of appearances and 8 total IP and he might be a savior? I guess, maybe, but I'd say prove it to me for another week or two before.

Meanwhile, Funderburk keeps looking good every day and he's just sitting in AAA. I don't get it.

[DJL44]

3 hours ago, GNess said:

The inconsistency of the current Twins bullpen is exactly why they should have added another BP arm at the deadline. The cost wouldn't be great for a pretty good RP. This was a recognized issue at the time. Now. the Twins are stuck with internal options which are at best shaky.

I would trade any of Henriquez, Sands, Balazovic, Moran, Ortega, Winder for an average veteran reliever. There are only so many roster spots a team can afford to dedicate to "they might be a good reliever someday".

[Linus]

19 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

I would trade any of Henriquez, Sands, Balazovic, Moran, Ortega, Winder for an average veteran reliever. There are only so many roster spots a team can afford to dedicate to "they might be a good reliever someday".

This. One of the many fatal flaws in building a bullpen by throwing a bunch arms at the wall and seeing if any stick. 

[terrydactyls]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

I would trade any of Henriquez, Sands, Balazovic, Moran, Ortega, Winder for an average veteran reliever. There are only so many roster spots a team can afford to dedicate to "they might be a good reliever someday".

If those five you mention are as bad as people are saying, who (in their right mind) is going to give up an "average veteran reliever" for one of them?

[DJL44]

10 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

If those five you mention are as bad as people are saying, who (in their right mind) is going to give up an "average veteran reliever" for one of them?

A non-contender should be willing to shed some salary to pick up a guy who might be good next season. I don't know why Brent Suter is still on the Rockies roster, for example.