Twins Clinch Division Title, Now What Should the Postseason Roster Look Like for Round 1?

[Seth Stohs]

Narrator: Derek Falvey, your team has just won its first American League Central title since 2020. What are you going to do next?

Falvey: Well, Narrator, we have eight regular-season games remaining. Then we have some difficult decisions as we put together our Wild Card Round roster. And then, if we win that series, and a few more series, and you ask me the same question at the end of October, then I might acknowledge that I will be traveling to some big theme park located in Florida or southern California. 

Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

On Friday night at Target Field, the Minnesota Twins clinched the AL Central division championship and a spot in the playoffs for the first time since the Covid-shortened 2020 season. Yes, there are eight more games to play, but c'mon, it's OK to start talking playoffs now, right? And to do so, let's first consider the roster. 

You should do this exercise with me as you read through this article. I think it will show how many difficult decisions that the front office, Rocco Baldelli and the staff create their roster. And, while some of the choices may not be difficult, it is also interesting to see how many players will likely at least be considered (or even kept around in case of injury, or to potentially be part of a following round. So, go grab a sheet of paper and a writing utensil. 

Now, Round 1, aka the Wild Card round, starts on Tuesday October 3rd. Our roster drops back down to 26 players instead of the 28 players that could be on the September rosters. 

The Wild Card round is a Best of Three series and all games will be played at Target Field. Sure, it is theoretically possible to pass all three AL West teams and jump to the #2 seed (and get a first-round bye), but it is very unlikely. In addition, that may not be decided until the very last day of the season, and we will want to have a roster established for the Wild Card scenario.

If the season ended following games played on Friday night, the Twins would be playing the Houston Astros. However, over the next nine days, lots can happen and the Twins could play the Astros, Blue Jays, Rangers, or Mariners. While it is feasible that the makeup of the roster, and probably specifically the bullpen, might change slightly based on opponent, we generally just want to put the best roster out there, the roster that can win at least one, and preferably two Wild Card games. 

Alright, at the top of your sheet of paper, you will want to write "Pitchers" on the top left of the page and "Hitters" on the top right of the page. If you want, you can make a little line to the right of both words. The first decision you must make is the composition of your 26-man roster for Round 1. Remember that the roster can be altered for a potential Round 2. (Side note: Wouldn't it be great if the Twins played in a Round 2? I would like that!)

So the question becomes, how many pitchers do the Twins need in a three-game series? Personally, I would prefer to have a 10-man pitching staff for this series (3 starters, 7 relievers), but I am also going to try to think about what the Twins might do, and I think that they may go with 11 pitchers, just in case. 

So, at the top-left of my page, I will have: Pitchers __11__, and on the top-right, I will have Hitters __15__. Your page might look a little different. 

Alright, now let's get to the specifics, starting with the pitching. 

The Pitchers (11) 
Pitching wins, right? So let's start there. Unlike previous playoff teams, the 2023 pitching staff has actually been a strength. On your paper, under the Pitchers column, write "Starting Pitchers (3)" and "Relief Pitchers (8)." You may have seven relievers, or you might has nine relievers. You should have three starting pitchers. 

Starting Pitchers (3): Pablo Lopez, Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda
Sonny Gray could legitimately finish second in AL Cy Young voting this season, and Pablo Lopez has been racking up strikeouts like Twins fans haven’t seen since Johan Santana. They are the easy choices for Game 1 and Game 2. 

The question, of course, is who would make the Game 3 start if it is necessary. Many believe that Joe Ryan has solidified himself as the third starter with how he has returned after his mid-season struggles. You won't get a big argument from me. I'm comfortable with Ryan too. But Kenta Maeda deserves more than a cursory look. The fact that Maeda was successful pitching out of the Dodgers bullpen in postseasons in the past should not play a factor in the decision.

In fact, I think that a logical analyst could probably even make the case for Bailey Ober in that spot. In reality, you could call it a coin flip between Maeda and Ryan - I would pick Maeda - with the other joining the bullpen as a long relief option. Unfortunately, the third pitcher likely finds himself off of the Round 1 roster, yet he could also find himself starting a Game 1 in the second round, depending on the scheduling. 

Bullpen (8): Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, Louie Varland, Emilio Pagan, Chris Paddack, Brock Stewart, Joe Ryan
While he has begun to make games interesting of late, Jhoan Duran remains one of baseball’s best closers. Griffin Jax and Emilio Pagan have been there all year, and most of the time, they have been successful. Caleb Thielbar had a couple of extended stints on the IL, but he has come on strong at the end. Louie Varland has a chance to be a long-term starter in a strong rotation, but right now, he has the opportunity to come in and air it out for an inning or two. Certainly he can be the X-Factor out of the Twins bullpen! He’s been able to do that the last few weeks with the Twins. Joe Ryan gets the final spot. The team could choose to piggyback him with Maeda, or just have him ready if any of the starters need to be removed in the third or fourth inning for any reason. 

The interesting choices, if they go with an eight-man bullpen, remain. And, of course, lots can still happen before the end of next weekend. The Twins could go conservative. That would likely mean going with Josh Winder and Kody Funderburk. Both are still very early in their big-league careers, and both have had some successes that say they could have long big-league careers. Both would be reasonable choices. 

However, if it was me, I’d say go big or go home. To me, that means big arms. To me, that means taking Chris Paddack and Brock Stewart off of their rehab assignments, off of the 60-Day Injured List, and place them onto the Twins roster.

Stewart has made three rehab appearances with the Saints, has shown a fastball in the upper-90s, and looks ready. Paddack hasn’t pitched in a big-league game since April of 2022 and had his second Tommy John surgery. He has been rehabbing all last season and this season, hoping to be able to help the team at the end of the season in whatever role. He has made one rehab start at Fort Myers and another at Wichita. He has tossed three strong innings in St. Paul as well. Most impressive, he’s throwing 96-98 mph, just as hard or a little harder than before the surgery.

On one level, it doesn’t feel fair to the guys who have been on the active roster throughout the year. On the other side, Paddack has been working. He’s been doing his job. He has been on the team and doing what he has needed for himself and the team. If Paddack being on the roster gives the Twins a better chance for a win, then that should be the choice. Jorge Alcala hitting 97 and 98 mph in St. Paul on Friday night certainly gets his name into the conversation as well. 

Stick Around for Round 2, or for Emergency: Jorge Alcala, Dylan Floro, Kody Funderburk, Brent Headrick, Josh Winder, Dallas Keuchel, Bailey Ober. If there is a Round 2, I would think Ober should be included, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. 

The Hitters (15)
In this Round 1 prediction, we went with 11 pitchers, we can place 15 hitters on the Round 1 roster. Under the Hitters column on your sheet of paper, break it down into Catchers, Infielders, Outfielders, and Designated Hitters. I have 15 hitters on the roster, so I included three players currently on the Injured List but who all should be ready for this series. You may not want to do the same. 

Catchers (2): Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vazquez 
Pretty easy choice here. While the playing time breakdown has shifted some throughout the season, these two have been ready to go day in and day out. Kyle Farmer can remain the emergency catcher. 

Infielders (6): Alex Kirilloff, Donovan Solano, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Kyle Farmer.
Hopefully Carlos Correa will get back and play in a game before the end of the season. Hopefully Royce Lewis’s hamstring will be ready to go for Game 1. Platoons are good. Putting players in the best position to succeed is good. Jorge Polanco should play second base every game. Correa will play shortstop. If healthy, Royce Lewis will play third base. There will be a platoon of Alex Kirilloff and Donovan Solano at first base. Farmer can be a bench bat, and would also be the insurance for Correa at short and Lewis at third base. Willi Castro could also 

Outfielders (5): Matt Wallner, Michael A. Taylor, Max Kepler, Willi Castro, Andrew Stevenson.
Against a right-hander, I would expect to see a lineup with Matt Wallner in left, Willi Castro in center, and Max Kepler in right field. Against a lefty, it’s probably a little more uncertain. I would suggest Castro in left, Taylor in center and then Kepler in right field. Stevenson would primarily be used for pinch running and potentially late-inning defense. Taylor and Castro can be pinch runners on days they don’t start. 

Designated Hitters (2): Edouard Julien, Byron Buxton.
Of course Julien can play second base, but in the playoffs, the switch-hitting Jorge Polanco should play there every day. So Julien should get the majority of the DH at-bats. If they face a left-hander, I have no problem with Buxton starting at DH given Julien's extreme struggles versus southpaws. In the same way that Kirilloff and Solano are a tag-team at first base, Julien and Buxton should be the tag-team at DH. In addition, I have no problem taking a chance with Buxton in a pinch-hitting role too. 

Stick Around for Round 2 or for an Emergency: Jair Camargo (catcher), Joey Gallo, Nick Gordon, Trevor Larnach, Jordan Luplow.  

So, what do you think about this potential Round 1, 26-man Twins roster? If you were in charge, how might your roster look different? Where are the question marks? Can this team with this roster give the Twins and their fans a playoff win for the first time in forever? 

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[CRF]

I don't have any other ideas what the playoff roster should, or will look like...other than what's already been suggested. My only take is...I'd prefer if Buxton wasn't on it. 

[ToddlerHarmon]

I can't really argue with this. We have to hope that rest gives us the best versions of Buxton, Correa, Duran, Jax, and pretty much all of the starters.

Would love to see Funderburk as a second lefty in the pen, and I am wary of Paddack being sharp after so long away. So if asked today, I probably make that swap.

The hitters look like the right choices and the right roles, though Taylor being everyday in center is worth considering. Buxton needs to be ready to contribute, because Luplow has been effective in the same role.

[MABB1959]

I am worried about Lewis for round 1.  I am pretty sure Correa will play but his injury is bad and will that hamper his play. Buxton may have a couple at bats, if he continues to strikeout how many chances should he get?   There isn’t a lot of hope he will be able to run MAYBE to first not sure they would have him steal. 

on the positive side the rest of the lineup may be super motivated to show they can do it without them. 
 

I can say the Twins have been cursed with #1 picks and high salaried players which ongoing injuries!!  

[Rod Carews Birthday]

This looks solid.  I might choose Funderburk over a rehabbing Paddack, but I’m hoping neither will need to pitch.  Buxton returning strikes fear in my heart.  IF they use him to DH against lefties on the short side and as a possible pinch hitter, I can be ok with that I guess.  However, my fear is that he is penciled into the lineup as DH everyday, essentially eliminating Julien from the equation and clogging up the lineup.  Remember, Buxton hasn’t hit well most of the season and even more so the last month or so he was with the team.  He really needs to show something solid on his rehab stint and not be scholarshipped onto the roster.  

[D.C Twins]

I'd rather have any of the other hitters on your roster not named Taylor or Stevenson DH instead of Buxton if Julian sits (obviously if they are not starting at their position that day)

I really think Ober needs to be one of the pitchers. I would sub him for Paddack in your group. Great to see Paddack progressing but the playoffs is not the time to 'see what you have' in a pitcher. 

Finally, I'd start Ryan in a game three but on a short leash with Maeda waiting in the wings. When Ryan is 'on' he is every bit as good as Gray and Lopez.... but will he be 'on.' I think we will know early and be ready to adjust accordingly. You could have Ryan waiting behind Maeda but Maeda has come out of the bullpen before and 'peak Ryan' is better than 'peak Maeda' in my opinion. 

[Brett]

That roster looks solid, although If Lewis can’t go, Castro will play more infield and then we need Luplow. 
I wish Buxton would grab a couple of hits this weekend in St Paul. Not sure he’s ready to see major league pitching yet.

[TopGunn#22]

Can't argue much about the hitters although I echo the feelings on Buxton.  Julien needs to be in the lineup at the top of the order against RH pitching at a minimum.

I'd also echo the opinions on Funderburk.  I like what I've seen, and because he's LH on a staff bereft of LH SP's with just Theilbar in the pen, I just think Funderburk needs to be there.  Probably in place of Paddock.

And while I'm not sold on Ryan being the #3 (I'd like to see another good start or two) I'd prefer him to Maeda.  I completely disagree that Maeda's post season success with the Dodgers out of the bullpen doesn't matter.  It most certainly DOES!  He's got experience in that role and he hasn't just been good, he's been GREAT!  I lean toward starting Ryan or Ober as the #3 and having Maeda ready to come in and pitch innings 4, 5 & 6 if need be.  

Lewis and Correa are key.  They really need to be ready to play, because if they aren't it's going to change our potential lineup in a big way.  It was wonderful to see them clinch last night and all the happy faces.  Thank You Twins for an interesting regular season!  Let's make some magic in the post season!!  

[Patzky]

I'd say Royce Lewis availability will dictate a lot of how the roster looks, even more than Correa's (pretty sure he'll be ready.) The supporting cast looks (Farmer, Castro, Stevenson, Solano) like it will be making or breaking this team again, which isn't a horrible thing considering their success so far. I expect one of the rookies (Wallner, Julien, Kirilloff, Jeffers) to shine and one of the vets (Vasquez, Kepler, Polanco, Correa, Buxton) to tank. Best guess, Kirilloff comes up big and Buxton doesn't.

But no Royce Lewis adds so much more pressure..

 

Also watch out for the trademark One Big Inning from potential game one starter Sonny Gray. If we can spot it and nip it in the bud (typically a borderline ball strike call is involved) we can mitigate. A disastrous game one that unexpectedly (avoidably) spirals out of control would be a deal breaker.. As Pablo showed last night those innings can show up at any time. And subbing in Stewart or Varland for a scuffling Duran needs to be a possibility..

[arby58]

If Maeda starts game three (and I'm slightly leaning in that direction as well), then I would leave Ryan off and add Funderburk. Only one lefty in the pen is a problem, and expecting Ryan to take on a relief role that he has not prepped for is a risky move in the play-offs. Varland has adjusted to it, but he's had time to do so, which isn't the case with Ryan. Given how things are 'progressing' (not), I'm pessimistic about Buxton being available in round one. In that case, I'd probably sub in Luplow for a right handed bat.

[Coach Wheels]

I would DH Polanco every day and give Julien 2nd base. I want Castro in CF every day.

No interest in giving Buxton a spot as a DH, he's been a .205 hitter and the team has played better without him.

I also believe Maeda needs real consideration as the 3rd statrter; it might matter who they play as to Ryan or Maeda.

[terrydactyls]

28 minutes ago, Coach Wheels said:

I would DH Polanco every day and give Julien 2nd base. I want Castro in CF every day.

No interest in giving Buxton a spot as a DH, he's been a .205 hitter and the team has played better without him.

I also believe Maeda needs real consideration as the 3rd statrter; it might matter who they play as to Ryan or Maeda.

I concur with Polanco at DH.  That will help keep him healthy and in the lineup.  This not Buxton's year so unless he goes on an end of year rampage with him bat, he's not on the roster.  Ryan versus Maeda is tough.  I'm leaning towards Ryan as the starter only because of Maeda's strong history as a playoff reliever.  As for Castro, I'm in Maine so I haven't had many opportunities to watch him playing defense.  However, Taylor is a great defender and does have about 50 RBIs as primarily the number 9 batter.

[jmlease1]

My instinct is to keep an additional lefty and hang on to Funderburk over Paddack, and slide Maeda into the relief role rather than Ryan (I don't know that Ryan's stuff plays up at all in relief, so he's then really just a "break glass in case of emergency" player, and if that happens we have bigger problems. Maeda's breaking stuff and no need to pace himself makes him deployable situationally). Paddack is looking good right now, but he's still just coming back from TJ and I think there might be more utility in having a second lefty than a righty who would be behind Duran, Jax, Stewart, Varland, Pagan, and likely Maeda in the pecking order.

Otherwise, I agree with this roster for the wild card. Personally I would consider going with 16 position players, but I think there's little chance the Twins will, so I'm just going to hope beyond hope they stick at 15-11 and don't do something silly like carry 12 pitchers and have at least 2 of them never play.

This is predicated on Royce & Correa & Buxton being able to play, of course, but I think that's likely. Correa could probably play right now if they really needed him; his absence is about trying to get him as right as possible. Buxton is an interesting question, but for a short series I think he's likely to be able to go, even if it might not be in the field. As a right-hand bat I still would rather bet on his talent than the other options. Royce is the biggest concern...hamstring injuries are what they are and you just won't know until you know if he can go. I hope he can't; he's an energizer and a heck of a player. I think he makes it.

If one of the "injured three" can't go, Luplow seems like a good option to add as a RH bat.

[KBJ1]

Unless Buxton can run & play in the field, he is a scratch. Stevenson for his speed & defense.

Maeda #3, solid veteran who knows how to pitch.  Ryan throws too many pitches and gives up too many HR.  Off the roster until round two.

Funderburk because you have to have more than one lefty, period.

It comes down to Lewis & Correa - they should sit for the next 10 days

Stewart is a must as well as Jax has struggled of late and needs rest.

Paddock is a tough one, but could be valuable in relief, but so could Varland.

Ober, Ryan, Kuechel, Floro are the odd men out for round one. Winder, Sands, Headrick? NO, NO & NO!

Gordon, Gallo, Alcala - no chance.

[saviking]

I just can't see Paddock pitching in the wild card series. Maybe later rounds if we have an injury and he's had more time to throw. 

I would love to see the Twins pitch two starters in game three (if necessary) 4 innings each. It could be a combination of any two out of Ryan, Ober and Maeda. 

Stewart and Varland are a must. Gallo is a must NOT. 

As much as I would hate to see Lewis not play the wild card round hamstrings are tricky. If he's not 100% I'd rather rest him for a potential round 2.

I really have mixed emotions about Buxton making the team. I seriously doubt he can play centerfield and with his knees I think Stephenson is a much better pinch runner. The one big advantage Buxton has is he's a right handed batter that could alternate with Julien at DH.

 

[Trov]

I agree that Funderburk should be on the roster to add that 2nd lefty.  There will be times where we really could use a lefty and if you have overused Thielbar or already used him we will not have one.  I would go Ryan game 3, if needed.  His home road splits are very in favor of pitching home, where Maeda does better on road.  

[Seth Stohs]

1 hour ago, Coach Wheels said:

I would DH Polanco every day and give Julien 2nd base. 

What?? Why?? 

[Seth Stohs]

Good comments so far. Keep the discussion going. 

If Buxton is able to play, he will always be on any roster I would get to put together. I don't care what his stat line looks like. He's the best, most talented player on the roster, and I'll take my chances with him anytime. That said, I think I noted that he'd play within a platoon. He hasn't played a lot, so he doesn't need to play like a starter, but he needs to be part of the rotation. It's another part of the Go Big or Go Home thing... too much upside. 

I'm still baffled by the idea of playing Julien at 2B ahead of Polanco. Julien has come a long way, and that last play last night was really, really impressive, but Polanco is very good defensively at 2B. Julien is adequate. 

Like I said, I think it's a coin flip between Ryan or Maeda. The fact that Maeda was great out of the bullpen 4+ years ago means nothing to me because he's a different pitcher now than he was then, but if that's the tie-breaker, that's fine. 

Unless there are setbacks, have to believe Correa will play, and Lewis's diagnosis is certainly positive. 

I have no problem with Funderburk as a second lefty. I'm not certain the value of the second lefty now that there is the three-batter requirement though. 

Just some of my thoughts in response to the tremendous comments so far. I'm just glad we can now talk postseason and roster construction and such. 

 

[Jeff K]

3 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

I'd rather have any of the other hitters on your roster not named Taylor or Stevenson DH instead of Buxton if Julian sits (obviously if they are not starting at their position that day)

I really think Ober needs to be one of the pitchers. I would sub him for Paddack in your group. Great to see Paddack progressing but the playoffs is not the time to 'see what you have' in a pitcher. 

Finally, I'd start Ryan in a game three but on a short leash with Maeda waiting in the wings. When Ryan is 'on' he is every bit as good as Gray and Lopez.... but will he be 'on.' I think we will know early and be ready to adjust accordingly. You could have Ryan waiting behind Maeda but Maeda has come out of the bullpen before and 'peak Ryan' is better than 'peak Maeda' in my opinion. 

I'm with you here.  I also think that Maeda having pitched in relief in the playoffs is a benefit.  So Ryan starts and Maeda is long relief.  I would also substitute Ober for Paddack.  Paddack hasn't had the equivalent of spring training.  Too risky a move.  Also, I've personally lost faith with Griffin Jax and would substitute Funderburk.  And I just don't feel like Buxton is the right choice.  He is such a marvelous player, but this just hasn't been his year with injuries...again.

[yeahyabetcha]

Injuries aside, really the only decisions to make are:

Who gets the third start.

Who is last bench player, assuming Solano, Farmer, Castro, Vasquez are shoe in’s.

And the backend of the bullpen, behind Duran, Thielbar, Pagan, Jax and Varland. 
 

I vote for Maeda, Stevenson, Stewart, Funderburk and Floro. But reserve the right to change my mind 😊

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Ryan should start the 3rd game, if one is necessary. Maeda can lose a game very quickly for some reason. Funderburk should be in the pen instead of Paddock. Playoff baseball is not the time to see if Paddock will be successful in a pressure filled playoff game. Save Paddock's re-entry to the big leagues for spring, 2024. 

[jmlease1]

2 hours ago, Coach Wheels said:

I would DH Polanco every day and give Julien 2nd base. I want Castro in CF every day.

I don't get this. Polanco is a better defender than Julien and it's not like anyone is taking the bat away from Julien by DHing him. This is a short series, win or go home, so wear & tear is not an issue any longer.

I love Castro, he's been great for the Twins, but Michael A. Taylor is a gold glove caliber CF. Beyond that, part of what makes Castro great for this team is the ability to drop him in anywhere at any time and not worry about defensive alignments or needing to make a second move when you pinch hit/pinch run.

Fair argument that the second lefty might not matter as much, Seth, with the 3-batter min rule, but it does allow you to be more pro-active in attacking the other team's lineup. One reliever move matters less than forcing a lineup change, and I'd rather be the team pushing the pace that way than reacting. But at the end of the day it really matter how much the team likes Funderburk and trusts him to perform. He's been excellent so far, but it's a tiny sample

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Do we think there is any chance that Paddack and/or Stewart get recalled BEFORE the end of the season?  There is a lot that could be learned by facing actual major league hitters (as much as can be possible in the last week of the season against bottom feeders).  That would go a long way (esp. for Paddack) toward proving that they could be reliable out of the pen in the playoff rounds.

[KnoblauchWasFramed]

So, am I the only one who noticed that Buxton was on the Twins bench last night and not rehabbing in the Saints game???  Seriously... WTF was that?  Are you kidding me?

Seeing him on the bench last night tells me one of two things... either that was the most disgusting lack of commitment and drive I've ever seen out of someone who is supposed to be the face of this team.  While it also shows what a joke Rocco is when it comes to demanding anything along the lines of success and a winning attitude from his players.  It was more important for those two to share a moment throwing beer and champagne in the locker room than it was getting 4-5 at bats in at the Saints game and getting back in game shape for the playoffs.

Or... I'm wrong and it appears that the decision about Buxton being on the playoff roster has already been made, and it's a no-go.  Why else would he not be in the Saints game last night unless rehabbing further was no longer a concern?  I'd also say that this would eliminate him for the entire post season because, if they wanted him for round two, he should still be getting in every single AB he can between now and then.  If they were going to put him back in the Twins roster for the last few games, why was the move not made yesterday afternoon when Correa and Lewis got moved to the 10 day IL?  

So either some local reporters should be demanding an answer as to why Buxton wasn't playing at CHS last night (spoiler alert - they won't) or they should get an answer on if Buxton is now officially done for the year.  Inquiring minds want to know!  

[IndianaTwin]

1 hour ago, KnoblauchWasFramed said:

So, am I the only one who noticed that Buxton was on the Twins bench last night and not rehabbing in the Saints game???  Seriously... WTF was that?  Are you kidding me?

Seeing him on the bench last night tells me one of two things... either that was the most disgusting lack of commitment and drive I've ever seen out of someone who is supposed to be the face of this team.  While it also shows what a joke Rocco is when it comes to demanding anything along the lines of success and a winning attitude from his players.  It was more important for those two to share a moment throwing beer and champagne in the locker room than it was getting 4-5 at bats in at the Saints game and getting back in game shape for the playoffs.

Or... I'm wrong and it appears that the decision about Buxton being on the playoff roster has already been made, and it's a no-go.  Why else would he not be in the Saints game last night unless rehabbing further was no longer a concern?  I'd also say that this would eliminate him for the entire post season because, if they wanted him for round two, he should still be getting in every single AB he can between now and then.  If they were going to put him back in the Twins roster for the last few games, why was the move not made yesterday afternoon when Correa and Lewis got moved to the 10 day IL?  

So either some local reporters should be demanding an answer as to why Buxton wasn't playing at CHS last night (spoiler alert - they won't) or they should get an answer on if Buxton is now officially done for the year.  Inquiring minds want to know!  

I look at it this way -- Saints have a game Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A rehabbing player, particularly when you have been out a long time, is not going to play every day. So if he's going to play three games out of four, I play game 1, make game 2 the off day and then play games 3 and 4. 

Voila -- it just so happens that game 2 lines up with Friday night, when the team that he's been a major part of, has a chance to clinch. I was actually glad to hear that he was part of the celebrating. It tells me he has significant commitment to the team and that the team is committed to him in the long term, very much seeing him as  part of their plans. 

And that doesn't even take into account that the training facilities are going to be better at Target than at CHS Field. I'm quite confident that he was able to do every part of his non-game rehab at Target Field, probably more effectively than he would have been able to do with the Saints. 

 

Edit to add: Don't freak out if he's seen with the Twins at their 1:10 p.m. start today. The Saints play tonight. 

[DocBauer]

I think the nucleus of the roster is easy to set. It's the last few spots that are questionable. And I think you have it just about nailed, Seth.

Few comments:

1] Maeda vs Ryan as the #3 starter. Might depend on who we're facing. I think I'd keep both. But if Maeda is the choice, I could see keeping Ryan off the roster and be ready to start game #1 of round two. That allows Funderburk to be kept in the pen WITH Paddack, who I agree might be a secret weapon. And again, depending on who we face, a 2nd LH option might not be all that important. In that case, Ryan and Maeda are both on the roster. And if Ryan starts, I think I keep Maeda in the pen as a stabilizing, experienced arm who's done it before. 

2] Maybe I'm just being too conservative, but I'm having a hard time seeing Paddack look so strong after being gone for so long, and still believing he's up the playoffs this quickly. Now, if he gets a few appearances at the ML level and looks good...I'm starting to lean in keeping him.

3] I'm not convinced on Buxton over Luplow, despite a huge talent gap. Buxton, even in a bad, injury marred season has had moments. But is 10 days of limited time on a bad wheel enough to show he's ready to make a mark as a PH/DH? Or is it smarter/safer to keep Luplow, who has done surprisingly well in his short Twins stay. This one is very tricky and debatable for me.

4] Not sure I want Castro to start any game, depending on matchups, of course. I love Taylor's defense in CF, though Castro has looked pretty solid there. And if Castro doesn't start, more than once anyway, he's the primary PR and can play anywhere if and when they start swapping and matching. He's a weapon, and a versatile piece of the puzzle. He'll play every game. Just not sure I don't want him as a chess piece to use where and when I want.

[pierre75275]

1 hour ago, KnoblauchWasFramed said:

So, am I the only one who noticed that Buxton was on the Twins bench last night and not rehabbing in the Saints game???  Seriously... WTF was that?  Are you kidding me?

Seeing him on the bench last night tells me one of two things... either that was the most disgusting lack of commitment and drive I've ever seen out of someone who is supposed to be the face of this team.  While it also shows what a joke Rocco is when it comes to demanding anything along the lines of success and a winning attitude from his players.  It was more important for those two to share a moment throwing beer and champagne in the locker room than it was getting 4-5 at bats in at the Saints game and getting back in game shape for the playoffs.

Or... I'm wrong and it appears that the decision about Buxton being on the playoff roster has already been made, and it's a no-go.  Why else would he not be in the Saints game last night unless rehabbing further was no longer a concern?  I'd also say that this would eliminate him for the entire post season because, if they wanted him for round two, he should still be getting in every single AB he can between now and then.  If they were going to put him back in the Twins roster for the last few games, why was the move not made yesterday afternoon when Correa and Lewis got moved to the 10 day IL?  

So either some local reporters should be demanding an answer as to why Buxton wasn't playing at CHS last night (spoiler alert - they won't) or they should get an answer on if Buxton is now officially done for the year.  Inquiring minds want to know!  

Paddock was also. I think it was simply the Twins wanted Buxton there just in case they clinched. But I see Gordon played for the saints last night. And I didn't see Stewart or Gallo in the celebration 

[pierre75275]

I would rather Ryan start game 3 with Kenta and Ober in the bullpen at the expense of Paddock.

I doubt Buxton plays in the 3 game series, I would go with Larnoch over both him and Gallo

I am hoping that the Twins get the second seed. They are only 3.5 games back and I really hope that the lineups the rest of the game don't resemble spring training game lineups or get away day lineups 

[Dave Borton]

Quote

 Tuesday October 3rd. Our roster drops back down to 26 players instead of the 28 players 

Thx, I had forgotten this.

Buxton? He has not contributed to this team in 2023. Farmer.

[IndianaTwin]

1. Isn't it awesome that we have choices? And by choices, I mean generally good choices, not "who's still standing" choices.

2. I'm in the Maeda for Game 3 camp, but it's really, really close. I respect Maeda's past experience in the bullpen, but it was four years ago. I think the same thing that made him come up big in playoff relief will make him come up big as a Game 3 starter. 

3. You can't play for the next round, but you can't ignore it either. Ryan is my Game 4 (ALDS Game 1) starter, so I don't want him on the Wild Card roster. So my only swap with you on the pitching side, Seth, is to have Ober in the pen rather than Ryan.

4. I'm with Paddack for the bullpen. All indicators are that he's been outstanding in his rehab. He hasn't pitched in a game for a long time, but it was "only" the beginning of last year. A factor in this is also that the Manfred Man rules go away in the playoffs, so I don't mind having both Ober and Paddack in the being able to go three or even four innings. And as RC's Birthday (which is the final day of the regular season, and if that's not a good omen, I don't know what is) notes, the "MLB Game experience" factor can be addressed with a couple innings against Oakland and a couple innings against Colorado.

5. The position player list depends on health, obviously, but I'm with you on including Buxton if he's remotely close. As you note in the comments, Seth, he's the most talented player on the roster. They are still showing Kirk Gibson highlight's for a reason. Even the threat of him pinch hitting has value.

6. The only other minor quibble is that I'd add a line down the middle of the page to divide the two columns.