Twins Trade Nick Gordon to Marlins for Left-Handed Reliever Steven Okert

[gman]

I think we have a right handed bat already or soon will have. Besides possibly Martin, we have Lee or Lewis who might wind up spending time in left. They will be in the lineup and we can't have 3 dh's at the same time, last I heard anyway. Only 1 gets third.

[Dman]

I think this was a necessary trade and am glad the Twins found a way to get something they needed as well as decent value in this deal.  With Thielbar getting older and struggling with injuries another left handed reliever sure is nice to have around.  I don't love last years numbers FIP\ERA for Okert but everything else checks out.  It would have been awesome if he had one more option year left, but he is a better fit for this years team than Gordon so that works for me.

I still think Gordon is gonna be a good hitter and I think playing closer to home might help him some as well.  I don't know if he will ever be 800 OPS bat, but I think he is a good fit for Miami as well.  This looks like another one of those win, win trades these teams like to put together.

Feels like there is at least one more move for the Twins.  They have enough money to get a free agent starter and it feels like given Paddack\Desclafani have injury concerns grabbing another arm might make sense.  Otherwise a right handed outfield bat should just about do it.  Things are coming together late as always.

[sweetmusicviola16]

This deal clears one more player out of the pathway for E Rod eventually coming up soon, since he's already on the 40 man. If he lights up Wichita, which I suspect he will, an August callup isn't so far fetched.

[JD-TWINS]

48 minutes ago, gman said:

I think we have a right handed bat already or soon will have. Besides possibly Martin, we have Lee or Lewis who might wind up spending time in left. They will be in the lineup and we can't have 3 dh's at the same time, last I heard anyway. Only 1 gets third.

Sure sounded like Lee’s shootouts be 3B in comments from ‘23. Then Lewis showed up really big and nobody thinks he should be disrupted……….don’t agree. If Lee’s the best 3B then Lewis should go to left or 1B (Kirilloff to LF then) …….not real sure this happens in ‘24??

They could split time at 3B in ‘24 & Lewis could DH some - LF some.

[DocBauer]

54 minutes ago, singlesoverwalks said:

Desclafani? Aren't there 5 starters ahead of him if no one gets injured (López, Ryan, Ober, Paddack, Varland)?

The plan appears to be Desclafini in the rotation and Varland stretched out as the 6th starter waiting first opportunity. For that reason, I didn't list him currently in the pen. I also didn't list Canterino at this time as he needs to probably throw a little bit, and the Twins have said they are going to use him as a rotation arm to begin with.

 

[oregontwin]

Looking over the roster it would appear the Twins have too many pitchers and too few options. I wonder if some of them may get packaged for something else they need.

[nicksaviking]

4 hours ago, PseudoSABR said:

Adam Duvall or MAT don't have a place on this team as a part time options? Isn't there TV money incoming?

Yeah, no thanks to Kyle Garlick or Jake Cave. 

30+% K rate? Heck no, run far, far away. 
 

That’s poison to this current roster makeup.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, KBJ1 said:

Bullpen options are fine, but we seem to be spitballing a bunch of options with no real standouts like Devin Williams. Funderburk seemed like a fine option already. This just seems redundant.

But then, so was Gordon. RH bat for LF please!!!

You want to bench Wallner?

[LastOnePicked]

I'm starting to wonder if we're going to get some bullpen starts this year. Like, a lot of them.

[tony&rodney]

Okert should help the Twins and a number of people have correctly noted that Gordon was facing a difficult row to gain a 26 person roster spot. It is worth noting that Okert almost certainly had even less of a chance of avoiding  being DFAed than Gordon. Miami is delighted to receive Nick. The Twins can certainly use Okert. This trade works for each team because both players are out of options and were redundant due to depth for their now former employer.

[Blyleven2011]

1 hour ago, gman said:

I think we have a right handed bat already or soon will have. Besides possibly Martin, we have Lee or Lewis who might wind up spending time in left. They will be in the lineup and we can't have 3 dh's at the same time, last I heard anyway. Only 1 gets third.

Yep , we have to believe in our prospects for lineup and defense , but if we don't have someone to replace sonny Gray,  we might have a problem in the rotation  , bullpen looks solid  and will be asked alot to put a end to any threat ...

[Blyleven2011]

30 minutes ago, oregontwin said:

Looking over the roster it would appear the Twins have too many pitchers and too few options. I wonder if some of them may get packaged for something else they need.

It's always a possibility to trade for more when you have a surplus  ...

[jkcarew]

I like it…2 lefties in the Bullpen (at least) for any series, plus a couple in AAA with MLB experience and options remaining.

Gordon is useful for many clubs. It’s just that ours has guys like Castro, Martin, Lee, etc who figure to be useful (at the least) as well…and can hit right handed.

Does anyone know the story behind Okert not playing in 2020? I assume he was simply in the minors that year…and no minor league games were played. Or was it injury?

[Whitey333]

Nice move I guess.  I'm sure it puts us over the top and guarantees a world series.

[sweetmusicviola16]

19 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

I like it…2 lefties in the Bullpen (at least) for any series, plus a couple in AAA with MLB experience and options remaining.

Gordon is useful for many clubs. It’s just that ours has guys like Castro, Martin, Lee, etc who figure to be useful (at the least) as well…and can hit right handed.

Does anyone know the story behind Okert not playing in 2020? I assume he was simply in the minors that year…and no minor league games were played. Or was it injury?

Couldn't ML guys opt out of the 2020 season? Or am I wrong?

[stringer bell]

1 minute ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

Couldn't ML guys opt out of the 2020 season? Or am I wrong?

Yes, you’re correct.

Okert didn’t reach the majors in 2019, so I’m guessing he didn’t opt out. 

[darin617]

5 hours ago, singlesoverwalks said:

So the Twins are now thin in center field. Assuming we don't have some legit reason to believe that Buxton is going to make 100 starts there this year, our best options are:

- Willi Castro, who is good as a switch-hitting utility player, but would definitely be over-exposed as a starter, especially against right-handed starters. Bad plan.

- Play Kepler in center, Wallner becomes the everyday right fielder, and call up Larnach to play left? This only works if Larnach figures it out this year, and even then, they're all lefty hitters. This is a less attractive  plan than Castro.

- Call up Austin Martin - an unproven right-handed bat who wasn't great in AAA last year, but can play center and second. I'd rank this as a better chance of working out than Larnach because Martin is a right-handed bat with more upside (at this point), but still not as good as Castro for a team trying to make the playoffs.

-Sign a right-handed-hitting free agent. Per the Fangraphs free agent tracker, right-handed center fielders who could be had for less than $10 million per year include Michael A. Taylor (2 years, $14 million), Adam Duvall (1 year, $8 million), Randall Grichuk (cheap), and Tim? Locastro (CHEAP). This is the best plan assuming we've only got a little bit of money to spend, especially if it's one of the first two guys.

- Sign Cody Bellinger. This would be a Correa-like stroke: an estimated 6 years, $144 million. Bellinger hits left-handed, but he's almost as good against lefties as righties for his career, and in 2023 he was better against lefties. This would be the Pohlads reinvesting the new TV money in the team and making the most of our window. Our world changes drastically. We start talking about trading Kirilloff for pitching. I'm hoping for this. Hope springs eternal.

 

 

No way Bellinger would sign for 6 years 144M. He would have been signed long ago if he was willing to take that.  I'm sure Boras is trying to get closer to 30M a year and still trying for 7-10 years.

[mnfireman]

8 minutes ago, darin617 said:

No way Bellinger would sign for 6 years 144M. He would have been signed long ago if he was willing to take that.  I'm sure Boras is trying to get closer to 30M a year and still trying for 7-10 years.

Bellinger may wind up "settling" for a deal like Correa signed in 2022; big $$, short years and lots of opt-outs (I am not saying that it will be with Minnesota, I'm just saying). He is older than Correa was at the time of that deal, but still won't be 29 until July.

[SteveLV]

Seems a solid, practical move.  We had an excess, and they had a need.

I wonder if this perhaps means one of our existing, controllable bullpen pieces  may be heading out in a package for a SP????

 

[stringer bell]

They have added a lot of depth in the bullpen. St. Paul should also have a full bullpen. I suppose some of the minor league deals they have signed might have opt-outs. BTW, with the addition of Okert, I think Headrick is in the Saints' rotation and Funderburk probably doesn't make the Opening Day roster.

[DocBauer]

6 hours ago, singlesoverwalks said:

So the Twins are now thin in center field. Assuming we don't have some legit reason to believe that Buxton is going to make 100 starts there this year, our best options are:

- Willi Castro, who is good as a switch-hitting utility player, but would definitely be over-exposed as a starter, especially against right-handed starters. Bad plan.

- Play Kepler in center, Wallner becomes the everyday right fielder, and call up Larnach to play left? This only works if Larnach figures it out this year, and even then, they're all lefty hitters. This is a less attractive  plan than Castro.

- Call up Austin Martin - an unproven right-handed bat who wasn't great in AAA last year, but can play center and second. I'd rank this as a better chance of working out than Larnach because Martin is a right-handed bat with more upside (at this point), but still not as good as Castro for a team trying to make the playoffs.

-Sign a right-handed-hitting free agent. Per the Fangraphs free agent tracker, right-handed center fielders who could be had for less than $10 million per year include Michael A. Taylor (2 years, $14 million), Adam Duvall (1 year, $8 million), Randall Grichuk (cheap), and Tim? Locastro (CHEAP). This is the best plan assuming we've only got a little bit of money to spend, especially if it's one of the first two guys.

- Sign Cody Bellinger. This would be a Correa-like stroke: an estimated 6 years, $144 million. Bellinger hits left-handed, but he's almost as good against lefties as righties for his career, and in 2023 he was better against lefties. This would be the Pohlads reinvesting the new TV money in the team and making the most of our window. Our world changes drastically. We start talking about trading Kirilloff for pitching. I'm hoping for this. Hope springs eternal.

 

 

Behind Buxton I don't know if we are as thin as it first appears. 

You've got Castro to fill in. Then you've got Martin to come up...assuming he isn't on the opening roster, and Kepler can slide over to finish a game here and there. After that you've got Helman and Keirsey at AAA who you'd have to add to the 40 man, but while unproven, Helman is a RH Castro super utility type, and if Keirsey can translate to AAA the way he came on at AA, he's a fine CF with speed and a little pop.

At this point in the market, I don't think any of the OF just sitting there are going to get more than a 1yr and $5-8M max. Taylor is a natural CF who can give great defense in the corners, run, and pop a few XBH. Duvall and Pham and even Grichuk aren't just throw away players. They all had positive WAR in 2023. 

Taylor's the only one I want playing CF on anything but a temp fill in basis. But the other 3 provide a RH bat with some power to give Wallner/Kepler a day off against LHP, and maybe PH. 

I'd probably grab Taylor. But the other 3 vets provide value still for the corners.

[DocBauer]

20 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

They have added a lot of depth in the bullpen. St. Paul should also have a full bullpen. I suppose some of the minor league deals they have signed might have opt-outs. BTW, with the addition of Okert, I think Headrick is in the Saints' rotation and Funderburk probably doesn't make the Opening Day roster.

You might be right about Funderburk. But we know these things tend to work themselves out in the long run. Personally, with an 8 man pen, I'm not so sure having 3 LH arms in the pen isn't a really good thing to have, even with the 3 man faced or end an inning rule.  Might provide even more flexibility. 

I think Funderburk has proven himself in milb, and looked ready in his SSS last year with the Twins. But things get even tighter if and when Staumont is ready to go.  But again, these things tend to work out.

I also think Hendricks is in the Saints rotation for now. He can, hopefully, be part of the Twins rotation depth, plus be brought up for the pen at any time. There's some AAAA guys the Twins picked up for the Saints rotation I know nothing about. Nut that's typical. Honestly, they might just be reserve depth pieces.

But the Saints pen could be pretty flush with options to bring up, both on and off the 40 man, depending on a couple guys still pending as to whether or not they pass through waivers. Reference an earlier post I made from Jensen, Bowman, Duarte, Enriquez, Winder, Sands, etc.

 

[old nurse]

4 hours ago, PDX Twin said:

10K per inning is remarkable!

The stuff is so nasty he catcher leads the league in passed balls, he has to strike out that many

[Dman]

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

They have added a lot of depth in the bullpen. St. Paul should also have a full bullpen. I suppose some of the minor league deals they have signed might have opt-outs. BTW, with the addition of Okert, I think Headrick is in the Saints' rotation and Funderburk probably doesn't make the Opening Day roster.

Yeah it will depend on Staumont but since he has an option left they could start him in AAA as well.  It will be interesting to see what kind of shape he is in at spring training.  I think there is still competition for that roster spot.  All things being equal I would agree that Funderburk starts at AAA before Staumont.

[DocBauer]

13 minutes ago, Dman said:

Yeah it will depend on Staumont but since he has an option left they could start him in AAA as well.  It will be interesting to see what kind of shape he is in at spring training.  I think there is still competition for that roster spot.  All things being equal I would agree that Funderburk starts at AAA before Staumont.

Question.

If Staumont isn't quite ready, but is close, would he have to use that option? Coming out of ST, couldn't he be put instead on the normal IL and then get a rehab assignment? 

I don't recall the exact parameters, but I want to say he could continue to work at Ft Myers and then get 10-14 days to work in the minors to get ramped up? His option would remain intact at that point, yes?

[stringer bell]

25 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

Question.

If Staumont isn't quite ready, but is close, would he have to use that option? Coming out of ST, couldn't he be put instead on the normal IL and then get a rehab assignment? 

I don't recall the exact parameters, but I want to say he could continue to work at Ft Myers and then get 10-14 days to work in the minors to get ramped up? His option would remain intact at that point, yes?

Yes. 

[Dman]

30 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

Question.

If Staumont isn't quite ready, but is close, would he have to use that option? Coming out of ST, couldn't he be put instead on the normal IL and then get a rehab assignment? 

I don't recall the exact parameters, but I want to say he could continue to work at Ft Myers and then get 10-14 days to work in the minors to get ramped up? His option would remain intact at that point, yes?

True if injured he wouldn't have to use it.  And after checking further I see Alcala has 3 options left so he could be sent down.  Jax, Duran and Topa have options left as well but they are high leverage arms.  So my thinking is wrong after checking.  I am assuming only 8 pen arms Duran, Stewart, Jax, Topa, Thielbar, Okurt seem pretty immovable to me unless injured.  So that is six spots taken then Alcala, Staumont and Fundreburk fight it out over the next two spots and they all have options left so they could be rotated.  Unless I am missing someone that is how I see it. 

Unless of course the Twins get another rotation arm and use Desclafani in long relief.  I just don't see them carrying 14 pitchers with all the platooning they do but I could be wrong there too.  At any rate forget what I said earlier, lol.

[singlesoverwalks]

2 hours ago, darin617 said:

No way Bellinger would sign for 6 years 144M. He would have been signed long ago if he was willing to take that.  I'm sure Boras is trying to get closer to 30M a year and still trying for 7-10 years.

I have a theory - and this is just a theory, just a guy on the Internet with a theory - that there's less money out there to pay free agents this year because of the regional sports network bankruptcy reducing some teams' revenue and introducing more long-term risk. But teams still acted like there was the same amount of money at the start of the off-season, giving out all those record contracts, so guys who are still unsigned are really going to get squeezed now.

[DJL44]

30 minutes ago, Dman said:

True if injured he wouldn't have to use it.  And after checking further I see Alcala has 3 options left so he could be sent down.  Jax, Duran and Topa have options left as well but they are high leverage arms.  So my thinking is wrong after checking.  I am assuming only 8 pen arms Duran, Stewart, Jax, Topa, Thielbar, Okurt seem pretty immovable to me unless injured.  So that is six spots taken then Alcala, Staumont and Fundreburk fight it out over the next two spots and they all have options left so they could be rotated.  Unless I am missing someone that is how I see it. 

You're missing Jay Jackson.

[DJL44]

4 minutes ago, singlesoverwalks said:

guys who are still unsigned are really going to get squeezed now.

I think the Cubs will get Chapman or Bellinger. Maybe both. The Giants and Angels are also still shopping.