The Table Setter, Jan. 30, 2024: Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa... Carlos Baerga?!

[Cody Schoenmann]

Join the discussion on the Twins trading Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners, the package in return, Carlos Correa's feet, and other MLB-related notes in today's electrifying table setter.

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

This past weekend, I attended my first Twins Daily Winter Meltdown event, and it was the most fun I have had in a long time. It was great to finally meet the writers, readers, and members of Twins media, who create one of the most welcoming and talented communities in sports. Thank you to everyone for a great weekend; it was lovely to meet all of you. Now, let's get into the most significant move of the Twins offseason.

Twins Trade Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners for Four Players
Monday evening, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the Twins traded second baseman Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners for starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani, reliever Justin Topa, outfield prospect Gabriel Gonzalez, and pitching prospect Darren Bowen.

Although disheartening to many, the Twins trading Polanco doesn't come as a surprise. With the team trimming payroll, Edouard Julien looking like he could become an everyday second baseman (with Kyle Farmer providing adequate depth behind him), and second-ranked prospect Brooks Lee close to making his MLB debut, it is no surprise Polanco was the first trade piece to go this offseason. 

As the rotation is now constructed, DeSclafani looks to become the team's fifth starter, with Topa joining the bullpen and the two prospects joining the Twins' minor-league system. González is currently ranked as the 79th overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, and should immediately become the Twins' fourth- or fifth-ranked prospect. Bowen (a mid-level pitching prospect) will also likely enter the Twins top-30 prospect rankings.

We here at Twins Daily will do our best to provide an immense amount of coverage on the Polanco trade, so make sure to check the website over the next handful of days for articles breaking down the trade, its implications, the players involved, and what this means for the Twins going forward. If you missed it this morning, go back and see why John Bonnes is no fan of the move, at least in isolation.

Other Relevant Notes on the Polanco to Seattle Trade:

• MLB Network insider Jon Morosi noted the Twins had shown interest in starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen before acquiring DeSclafani. Could they still pursue the 32-year-old starting pitcher's services?
• Twins reporter Do Hyoung Park of MLB.com stated that president of baseball operations Derek Falvey suggested the Twins' attention now turns to the position player side, with a right-handed bat being the focus. Would Garrett Cooper or Tommy Pham make sense?
• Dan Hayes of The Athletic mentioned the Twins will look to allocate the $8 million they got from the Mariners to pay down DeSclafani's $12 million salary back into the roster. Could that money be used to re-sign Michael A. Taylor?

Update on Carlos Correa's Foot
As someone who doesn't have a foot, er, fascination, I never expected to think about nor discuss one specific person's feet as much as I do lately. Yet, Carlos Correa has brought me to this place. Last May, Correa was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. Then, in September, he suffered a complete tear in his foot, which somehow helped him manage his pain throughout the postseason. (This is a common breakthrough in plantar fasciitis, they say. I imagine it's not a fun one, though.) Correa's condition prompted me to research feet. I scoured the internet, reading peer-reviewed articles, watching massage videos, and listening to Quentin Tarantino interviews to learn everything I could about feet. Finally, after months, I can move on and shift my attention to other matters I am qualified to speak on, like Byron Buxton's knee and Royce Lewis's hamstring.

My release from needing to educate myself on feet came after Hayes published an article providing updates on Correa's recovery. Hayes noted in the piece that Correa's recovery "took longer than expected," but the 29-year-old shortstop is "finally feeling more spry." Correa has finally turned a corner and appears to have fully recovered from the foot-related ailment that significantly hindered his second season with the Twins.

News of Correa's convalescence opens the door for the former first-overall pick to regain his 2022 form, where he generated 4.4 Wins Above Replacement at FanGraphs (fWAR) during his inaugural season with the Twins. Correa looks to bounce back from the worst offensive career in his MLB career while maintaining his above-average defensive prowess at shortstop.

Miscellaneous MLB Notes

• The Los Angeles Angels signed former Twins outfielder Aaron Hicks to a one-year, $740,000 deal. He's still being paid the balance of his big extension with the Yankees, for two more seasons, so Anaheim only absorbs the league minimum in salary.
• Former Twins reliever Danny Coulombe and the Baltimore Orioles avoided arbitration, agreeing to a one-year, $2.3 million deal with a club option for 2025.
• Morosi reported the Toronto Blue Jays have "sincere interest" in J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner. Unconfirmed late-night reports (from Carlos Baerga's Instagram, which is mostly foot-free) suggest they might already have locked up Turner.

What are your thoughts on the Polanco trade? Did the Twins win or lose the deal? Are you excited about the package the Twins got in return? Does the acquisition of DeSclafani move Louie Varland to the bullpen? Will Correa have a bounce-back 2024 campaign? Any thoughts on Hicks, Coulombe, or the Blue Jays? Join the discussion and comment below.

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[Melissa]

Polanco was such an important part of this team for a good stretch, and I will always be a fan. But with our abundance of infielders and Jorge’s litany of injuries in recent years, I think it was time to see what a trade could bring. Adding an end-of-rotation starter and a solid setup reliever to the major league roster - plus an intriguing outfield bat-first prospect - seems like a good return.

[Melissa]

As for Correa’s feet — I’ve heard that plantar fasciitis can return without much warning, so let’s hope that Carlos can avoid relapsing over the next few seasons. His defense in the playoffs this past October was out of this world.

[Brandon]

Could we sign JD Martinez to play DH and platoon 1B with Killeroff?  If we have the financial flexibility it would definitely help to have a bat like his on a 1-year deal.

[mikelink45]

This is hard to judge - Hicks could have been an inexpensive CF back up or starter if needed,  I expected a little more from a Polanco trade - a number 5 starter is not a great return. ; Regardless of the prospect status, this team needs to be going for the WS now and that should be priority.  

[Guest]

I look forward to your next foot themed article!!!!!

[DocBauer]

"Correa's condition prompted me to research feet. I scoured the internet, reading peer-reviewed articles, watching massage videos, and listening to Quentin Tarantino interviews to learn everything I could about feet."

I about died when I read that. Awesome!