Twins Daily 2023 Awards: Most Valuable Player

[Ted Schwerzler]

A year after the Minnesota Twins found themselves watching a postseason berth slip out of their grasp, they have instead flipped the script and utilized depth to capture an AL Central Division title. With the regular season complete, there are a handful of players who most contributed to such a solid 2023.

 

The 2023 season was out of the norm for the Minnesota Twins in that they carried more depth than the organization had previously shown an inkling to, and pitching became a strength fans haven’t seen in quite some time. Making a move to acquire pitching prior to the season, the Twins parted with their 2022 MVP in Luis Arraez. Pablo Lopez ultimately became everything the organization had hoped would be, and the deal looked like a good one for both sides.

Rocco Baldelli again had to manage through more than a few key injuries, and he had plenty of youth step in along the way to help the club hold serve. Holding off the Cleveland Guardians was a bit hairy at times, but Minnesota ultimately won the division going away.

Although the MVP in both leagues is often seen as a hitter’s award, it became too obvious to ignore the strength of Minnesota’s pitching this season. With Lopez finishing second in the voting, Sonny Gray earned the Twins Daily selection for the 2023 Minnesota Twins Most Valuable Player.

Acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for former first round pick Chase Petty, Gray was a piece Derek Falvey thought that Rocco Baldelli’s starting rotation desperately needed. A proven veteran with a track record of strong performance, the hope was that Gray could lead a patchwork group.

In 2023, Gray did the leading and then some. Despite Lopez pitching on Opening Day for the Twins, it was Gray who spoke up during spring training and then continued to back it up all season. Talking about the short starts that became customary for Minnesota pitchers in 2022, Gray conveyed a desire to go deeper into games and have the starting pitchers impact more games. With a better overall group, it wasn’t a surprise at all that Baldelli found himself with a group that could save a bullpen.

Logging 184 innings across 32 starts, Gray blitzed by the 119 2/3 tally he posted last season. Remaining healthy for the duration of the season was certainly a big key, but the quality of performance was also substantial. Gray finished with a 2.79 ERA that was right in line with his 2.82 FIP. His 2023 ERA was the lowest total he has posted as a big leaguer since 2015, and the innings were higher than at any point since that same season.

Gray’s performance allowed him to make an All-Star appearance for the first time since the 2019 season, and he was more than a deserving participant as a pitcher for Minnesota. Joined by Lopez from the rotation, the pair enjoyed a nice week of celebration in Seattle at T-Mobile Park.

Over the course of his career, Gray has struck out 200 batters just one time (2019). His 183 strikeouts matched the same total from his 2014 season, and he sat down batters while keeping them from burning him with the big fly. Surrendering only eight home runs across nearly 200 innings of work is impressive, and the 0.4 HR/9 was not only a career best, but led the league as well.

Considering how dominant New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole performed this season, it was going to be difficult for Gray to find himself near the top of the American League Cy Young voting. Still, he will wind up with a deserving number of votes given the totality of his production. Not only did his 5.3 fWAR lead all Twins pitchers, but it was 3rd in all of Major League Baseball, and led the American League.

In the final year of a contract paying him $50.7 million over five years, Gray will be a free agent this offseason. It stands to reason that the Twins will unquestionably hand him a qualifying offer, estimated to be around $20 million for the 2024 season. Despite passing comments on retirement, this appears to be a prime opportunity for Gray to cash in on another multi-year deal, and how much he grabs from the open market has only gone up with each outing he has made for Minnesota.

It’s because of the performance Gray has shown this season that both he and Lopez become no-brainer decisions to start key games in the postseason. The Twins' strength has been on the mound all year, and their pitching racking up a major league record in strikeouts is a testament to that fact. While the lineup had plenty of key producers, especially down the stretch, finding consistency in the form of Gray has been unparalleled during 2023.

Join me in congratulating Sonny Gray on being named the Twins Daily Most Valuable Player for the 2023 season.

Final Balloting Points Tally

• Sonny Gray 87
• Pablo Lopez 72
• Max Kepler 56
• Royce Lewis 43
• Ryan Jeffers 33
• Edouard Julien 32

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[Karbo]

Yes he had a beast of a season. I hope they can find a way to keep him!

[Obie]

His age of 34 is an issue. Holding the right to submit a qualifying offer ($20 mil) gives a little bit of a leg up in negotiations. Three years, $45 million?

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Sonny Gray is a pitcher I would go to war with.  Hence the nickname, "Bulldog". I hope the Twins will sign him for three more years with some of the extra revenue the Twins will realize from winning the World Series in 2023. 

[chinmusic]

He might accept the qualifying offer if he only wants to play for one more year.

Prediction: If He gets a ring, that's exactly what he'll do.😉

[arby58]

Gray and Lopez both had excellent years, but it's rare for a pitcher to win league MVP, and I think the same reasoning should apply to a team MVP. Throwing out Ohtani, since he didn't win MVP solely on pitching, you have to go back to 2014 to find a pitcher winning league MVP - Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers. His was a beast of a year - 21-3 record, 1.77 ERA, 198 innings pitched, 238 strikeouts. Prior to that, you have to go back to Justin Verlander in 2011, when he went 24-5, 2.40 ERA, pitched 251 innings with 250 strikeouts. Prior to that, you go all the way back to 1992! So, 41 years, 82 MVPs and 3 were pitchers.

The fact that both Gray and Lopez got top votes suggests to me they were more of a 'tandem' MVP - and really it could have gone to the starting pitching as a whole. Granted, no Twin had a huge offensive year (or defensive for that matter - probably no Gold Glovers for this season), but Max Kepler was productive and huge in the second half of the year. He would have been my first place vote. 

[HoskenPowell]

3 minutes ago, arby58 said:

Gray and Lopez both had excellent years, but it's rare for a pitcher to win league MVP, and I think the same reasoning should apply to a team MVP. Throwing out Ohtani, since he didn't win MVP solely on pitching, you have to go back to 2014 to find a pitcher winning league MVP - Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers. His was a beast of a year - 21-3 record, 1.77 ERA, 198 innings pitched, 238 strikeouts. Prior to that, you have to go back to Justin Verlander in 2011, when he went 24-5, 2.40 ERA, pitched 251 innings with 250 strikeouts. Prior to that, you go all the way back to 1992! So, 41 years, 82 MVPs and 3 were starting pitchers.

The fact that both Gray and Lopez got top votes suggests to me they were more of a 'tandem' MVP - and really it could have gone to the starting pitching as a whole. Granted, no Twin had a huge offensive year (or defensive for that matter - probably no Gold Glovers for this season), but Max Kepler was productive and huge in the second half of the year. He would have been my first place vote. 

I'd hope Taylor gets a look for gold glove in CF.  He's a hell of a CF'r!!!!   Cannot be said for Buxton because you can't be anything if you are not on the field.

[DJL44]

32 minutes ago, Obie said:

His age of 34 is an issue. Holding the right to submit a qualifying offer ($20 mil) gives a little bit of a leg up in negotiations. Three years, $45 million?

It's not 2003 anymore.

[tony&rodney]

MVP is usually pretty divided unless one player puts up incredible numbers. Gray, Lopez, and the starting pitchers were the driving force for this Twins team. Kepler had a wonderful half season and there were noteworthy contributions from young players too: Julien, Wallner, Lewis, and Kirilloff in that order.

I was never a huge fan of Correa until he became a Twin and saw his play on a daily basis. He led the team in at bats, hits, doubles, and was second in most other categories. His leadership and play at shortstop makes him the guy the Twins look to for words and action. Despite the subpar campaign this year for C4 with pedestrian numbers, I'm picking Carlos Correa as the most valuable Twin.

[arby58]

50 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

MVP is usually pretty divided unless one player puts up incredible numbers. Gray, Lopez, and the starting pitchers were the driving force for this Twins team. Kepler had a wonderful half season and there were noteworthy contributions from young players too: Julien, Wallner, Lewis, and Kirilloff in that order.

I was never a huge fan of Correa until he became a Twin and saw his play on a daily basis. He led the team in at bats, hits, doubles, and was second in most other categories. His leadership and play at shortstop makes him the guy the Twins look to for words and action. Despite the subpar campaign this year for C4 with pedestrian numbers, I'm picking Carlos Correa as the most valuable Twin.

Kepler was second in at bats, 1st in runs scored, home runs, RBIs and total bases. His WAR was more than double Correa's. I'm glad we have a very good shortstop, but Kepler had better offensive production.

[mikelink45]

Lewis is my choice- he came in with a hot bat, a great attitude and energized a team that was just playing 500 ball no matter how good Gray and Lopez were pitching.  He was the difference maker and I look forward to a long productive career.  This is my MVP even though all the others are worthy contenders for the honor. 

[tony&rodney]

3 hours ago, arby58 said:

Kepler was second in at bats, 1st in runs scored, home runs, RBIs and total bases. His WAR was more than double Correa's. I'm glad we have a very good shortstop, but Kepler had better offensive production.

I have no quibble with anyone picking Max Kepler. I mentioned him by name for his strong second half. All season long, including during his dark first half, I have been in Kepler's corner. I like almost everything about the way Max plays baseball and he seems to be enjoying himself and smiling for the first time in a long while.

My choice for 2023 Twins MVP is Correa though.

[arby58]

4 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Lewis is my choice- he came in with a hot bat, a great attitude and energized a team that was just playing 500 ball no matter how good Gray and Lopez were pitching.  He was the difference maker and I look forward to a long productive career.  This is my MVP even though all the others are worthy contenders for the honor. 

58 games and 217 at bats isn't enough to get you team MVP. Yes, he was great when he played, but you need to play more than approximately one-third of the season.

[NotAboutWinning]

Will Sonny's post-season performance influence Cy Young voting?

[Blyleven2011]

It was a great rotation  all year ,,, 

They kept us in alot of games  ,,,

Alot of consistency  and Sonny had that , to bad the Twins lineup didn't support  him with runs ...

I'd have to go with Lewis as mvp , I know he only played a 1/3rd of the season  but what he brought to the club besides his bat and glove is his winng attitude that sparked the team ...

Projections of Lewis if stayed healthy,  he would definitely have had a  mvp  season  in the league ....

I think Lewis is a keeper ,  congratulations Sonny Gray  ...

[mikelink45]

4 hours ago, arby58 said:

58 games and 217 at bats isn't enough to get you team MVP. Yes, he was great when he played, but you need to play more than approximately one-third of the season.

Not for me when he makes that much of a difference.

[arby58]

4 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Not for me when he makes that much of a difference.

Also known as recency bias.

[mikelink45]

10 hours ago, arby58 said:

Also known as recency bias.

That's fine. The whole season is recency

[nclahammer]

My vote for team MVP is the ever-versatile Willie Castro.  He saved their bacon at multiple positions, multiple-times this season, and performed well.