How Should the Twins Treat First Base This Offseason?

[Cody Pirkl]

Injuries, unfortunately, are nothing new to the Twins. Depth became key in 2023, as the front office looked to insulate several positions with high-risk players. In 2024, first base should be added to that list.

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Production-wise, 2023 was a successful season for Alex Kirilloff. The former top prospect bounced back from years of wrist issues that kept him off the field. His overall offense was 20% above the league-average hitter. While the wrist finally held up, a shoulder issue emerged, first sending him to the IL midseason, and then knocking him out of the ALDS. Unfortunately at this point, the Twins need to be careful with how much they expect to get out of the former first-round pick.

2023 was surely a major step forward for Kirilloff’s health, appearing in 108 games, his most since 2018. While this can be considered a positive, the fact that his season ended in injury yet again is difficult to ignore. He’ll spend his offseason rehabbing a surgically repaired shoulder, and his readiness for day one of the 2024 season isn’t guaranteed.

We all love Kirilloff after having watched him ascend through the organization across so many years, but relying on him being durable and effective in 2024 is too much of a risk.

First base is one of the easiest positions to find help. Offense is the number one factor, with gold glove-caliber defense rarely being a priority. In addition to there often being many available options that are pure first basemen, it’s also a position that former outfielders and other position players will transition to relatively often.

Regardless of how the Twins see Kirilloff, first base will certainly be a spot to add to with Joey Gallo and Donovan Solano departing. The question becomes whether they add platoon/depth pieces, or if they pursue top-tier contributors.

They could look to add someone like Garrett Cooper or CJ Cron on cheap deals to platoon. The risk of course is the possibility that Kirilloff continues to miss time and these players find themselves in a much bigger role than intended. Perhaps someone like Edouard Julien is trusted at first base more in 2024, making this route more viable.

The Twins could also look to make an addition that immediately becomes a key offensive piece. If they were to sign someone like Rhys Hoskins to a deal, the Twins would be making a legitimate full-time addition to the lineup. Hoskins has a career .846 OPS and would add a hulking right-handed bat to a lineup that has needed more thump against left-handed pitchers for years. It may make Kirilloff’s path to everyday playing time a bit more narrow, but he was often platooned even when he was healthy and productive. The Twins can also utilize the DH spot to make it work.

The Twins have found themselves in a familiar situation. First base may not be quite at the level of center field, where they have to plan for the backup potentially becoming a full time player, but there are significant question marks for Alex Kirilloff headed into 2024. As a team looking to compete for a second consecutive division title, and a young core that could carry them into October as they develop, the Twins can’t afford to downplay the uncertainty at a position that’s so easy to insulate.

Should the Twins be wary of trusting Alex Kirilloff too much headed into 2024? Should they be looking to make a modest addition to first base, or a major splash to make sure the position is completely covered? Let us know below!

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[ToddlerHarmon]

I am a converted fan of the strategy last off-season: crowd the roster. If we know that we want a righty with big offensive numbers in this spot, put a few guys on the roster who have a chance. Start with Miranda, but do we bring back Solano, add Severino, sign a free agent? Or do we create a crowd at second by bringing up Lee and re-signing Polanco, and push Julien to first?

One great part of the crowded-roster strategy is it gives an easy fan's answer to posts like this: try everything. (Except Gallo lol)

[Karbo]

IMO look at either Julian who has experience though not much, or convert Polo, like they did with Carew so many years ago. I would also bring back Solano.

 

[Guest]

Move Julien to 1B next Spring and add some versatility to the roster.  At least he has a height advantage over Solano and Arraez albeit different skills at the plate....

 

 

[weitz41]

Severino, Miranda, Juilien, Kirilloff, Williams and Prato. Maybe Larnach and Polanco as well. That's a lot of possible in-house candidates for 1B for 2024. If Kirilloff is healthy he should be the starter. From what I've read a torn labrum is a 2-3 month recovery. I could see a 1-year deal for a platoon partner. But would lean to an in-house candidate.

[rv78]

Shouldn't Miranda and Kirilloff both be healthy by Day 1 2024? There you have your righty/lefty combo that Rocco must implore at every whim. I can't see where at least one of the two won't be ready. MIranda is due every chance to get his job back either at 3B, 1B or some DHing verses any other option out there. Stay with the youngsters and build this team from within. The pieces are there. We don't need anymore over-priced veterans that get out-produced by the young players like we witnessed in 2023. (Yes, I'm referring to Gallo)

[Blyleven2011]

Kiriloff is an outfielder too ...

So if they did sign a position player that can hit like  Hoskins  a right handed bat , kiriloff could platoon with Hoskins at first base and play outfield or dh when not platooning ...

I'm also sure there are internal options at first base in the minors , though the depth might not be  all that spectacular , they might give a kid a chance   ...

Solano opened the season of 2023 at first base while Kiriloff  had the first month rehabbing his wrist  ...

Please no Gallo,  I wouldn't even pay him the league minimum  ...

[JD-TWINS]

2 hours ago, ToddlerHarmon said:

I am a converted fan of the strategy last off-season: crowd the roster. If we know that we want a righty with big offensive numbers in this spot, put a few guys on the roster who have a chance. Start with Miranda, but do we bring back Solano, add Severino, sign a free agent? Or do we create a crowd at second by bringing up Lee and re-signing Polanco, and push Julien to first?

One great part of the crowded-roster strategy is it gives an easy fan's answer to posts like this: try everything. (Except Gallo lol)

Already have a crowd at 2B with Lee at AAA. Castro - Gordon - Farmer - Julien - Polanco

Julien’s a possibility to help get back to Kirilloff by June.

IMO, Miranda is lower on my list for a comeback than Buxton. I re-sign Solano for $3.5M and expect him to be my RH hitting 1B for at least 3 plus months.

Farmer also can be used at 1B as needed……particularly if he’s groomed to be there more, while in Spring Training.

[mikelink45]

We have enough depth with the next wave of prospects that I would not waste trade capitol on 1B.  I just wish that Kiriloff was not our infield version of Buxton.  I want to see him have a full year. 

[Brandon]

Gallo / Luplow platoon!  
 

ok for real we should just resign Solano and try Miranda and Julien as well.  We get the high floor and low cost and Severino should compete for time too.  The Twins have budgetary issues with the TV contracts needing to be worked out so an expensive solution is not going to happen.  
 

The nice thing about this offseason is it doesn’t seem like we have too many pressing needs. Outside of getting another starting pitcher who is solid or resigning Gray is the main item,  a bullpen arm or two, what to do with the bench meaning do we resign Solano or keep Farmer and what about Taylor?  All bench stuff.  That’s about it.  The options for Kepler and Polanco are obvious pickups.  With the budget the question becomes do we trade one or both to cut costs. 

[bighat]

Honestly Kirilloff isn't going to be "the guy" and doesn't seem to fit on the roster. I know we were promised Kirilloff & Larnach were the new M&M Boys, but we have to get over it and move on. Kirilloff's injury seems to be permanent and Larnach can't hit a curveball. The end. I sure hope the front office has begun thinking ahead as well. 

Both of those guys have had careers better than 99% of pro ballplayers to this point. But like most of their counterparts they've passed along the way, they just aren't every day MLB players. 

Time to move on. 

[miller761]

We need to add a big bat for the 3 or 4 spot in our order. Look at lineups left in the playoffs. A big right handed bat who can play 1B would be ideal. Fill in the roster after that. You can never have enough depth...see 2023. MLB is 2 seasons with the regular season used to make the playoffs. Once you make the playoffs your roster can be adjusted. The really good teams have the big boppers but also quality at bottom of order.

[chpettit19]

The Twins have their talent floor pretty well set with young guys currently on the 40-man, and a solid group behind them in the system. The next step is to raise the ceiling. 1B is one of the places many teams look to do that. The Twins need to add postseason quality top 4 hitters to their lineup. If they can do that by finding someone who can play 1B that'd be great.

I've been a big Kirilloff fan since he was drafted. Has a natural feel for hitting, and can spray the ball all over with power. But you can't trust his body to stay healthy anymore. At least not trust it enough to have him be counted on as a core masher in your lineup. Him and Buxton are in the "if they are who we hope we're absolutely loaded, but we can't plan for them to be that" category now. Kirilloff being able to survive in the cOF as well at 1B makes things a lot nicer. His unfortunate circumstances open an obvious opportunity to raise your ceiling instead of continuing to just build a wider floor.

That being said, I don't expect them to do anything other than attempt to fill 1B internally. I don't know what their plan is for raising their offensive ceiling, but I hope they have one. They need to find some .850 OPS (preferably .900) guys, with reasonable K rates, for this lineup. Maybe Lewis is one of those guys, but he's 1 season away from joining Buxton and Kirilloff in the "can't plan for them" category. Maybe Julien if he can cut down the Ks? This team needs to add hitters that the other teams fear. They don't have any right now. They need 2-4 if they want to take the next step. 1B is a good place to look to add 1 of those guys.

[stringer bell]

I'm a believer in Kirilloff's ability. He has had a career's worth of injuries already and he hasn't reached his 26th birthday. I think AK's injury history dictates that the Twins have a doable backup plan for him. I think having Julien and Miranda as an Opening Day platoon is a decent plan, given that both players could move to other positions if Kirilloff recovers rapidly and hits the ground running. If Alex is slow to recover there are other people capable of playing second or third, so Julien and Miranda won't be missed there. 

This is another case where we are pretty much in the dark. It isn't clear when Kirilloff will be ready to go and it also is unknown if he'll recover fully. We will be able to infer from front office transactions how serious the threat is to Kirilloff's future. 

[gman]

First base is well covered among; Kirilloff, Miranda, Julian, and Polanco,

Others could include Farmer, Larnach, Wallner(would be the biggest target), and Severino.

The team doesn't need to use resources at first base but instead save those money for pitching or possibly an extra outfielder. Although, I think the outfield is covered already if a little shy on experience.