Is It Time for the Minnesota Twins to Reassess the Amount of Platooning They Do?

[USAFChief]

1 hour ago, chpettit19 said:

It's perfect that you left out the part where he says they talk about it. Sums up your thought process well on this one. Presented with insider info from front office personnel that the front office talks to the manager daily? Doesn't matter. Provided with direct Falvey quotes that he talks to Rocco about the decisions/strategies? Ignore that part. Provided with information that Falvey gives presentations about meeting daily with Rocco to discuss lineups and in game strategy? Why would that change anything?

Rocco and the front office are a team. Here's another Falvey quote for you: "Rocco is my manager. I believe in his process, I believe in him, I believe in the partnership I have with him." Rocco isn't doing things Falvey doesn't think is smart. He's not sitting in meetings with his boss everyday for years explaining his decisions and having Falvey say "well that's dumb, I definitely don't agree with that and wish my manager would do things a different way." He's not having Falvey defend and back him when so many are calling for his head because Falvey thinks a team should be managed a different way. Of course Rocco makes the final call, but Falvey agrees with the calls he makes and how he manages, and they work as a team.

What part of "(Baldelli) makes those calls" is difficult for you to understand?

 

Look, Falvey provides the players. I get it.

 

Baldelli manages them. 

 

I wouldn't cry if Falvey was replaced, but in general I think he's done OK, given limited resources. 

 

Bakdelli is a disaster. 

 

 

[Jocko87]

10 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

I have one wish... I want them to stop doing this. Just like they stopped yanking starting pitching after two times through the order. 

I think you've answered your own questions in this one simple statement.  Why did they stop yanking starting pitching after two times through?

Quite simply, they believed the talent had developed to the point they could handle it.

This entire discussion really comes down to this-they don't believe the young hitters are good enough to regularly not be platooned.  Thats it.

Blame them for not developing hitters beyond AAAA, blame the hitters for not showing them what they want to see, it all comes back to this simple fact.

If Rocco believed Wallner was ready to succeed against MLB left handed pitching, he would have been in there.  Wallner currently has the best chance of taking Keplers spot as the sacrificial lefty, but he was also completely lost for a good part of last year. Kepler (and most lefties) was never great against lefties, but he wasn't going to pee down his leg.

I think it's really that simple.

[chpettit19]

4 hours ago, USAFChief said:

What part of "(Baldelli) makes those calls" is difficult for you to understand?

 

Look, Falvey provides the players. I get it.

 

Baldelli manages them. 

 

I wouldn't cry if Falvey was replaced, but in general I think he's done OK, given limited resources. 

 

Bakdelli is a disaster. 

 

 

Baldelli manages how Falvey wants him to. The platooning is a Falvey thing. Fire Baldelli, I don't care. But you won't see a manager brought in who does things drastically differently because the FO and the manager are not separate departments anymore. 

Falvey wants his team run a certain way. The way Rocco runs it. Cutting out Rocco doesn't fix the problem. They meet everyday to talk strategy. Everyday. Not here and there. Every single day. Rocco may be a disaster, but he's exactly what Falvey wants. He's told us that. Literally. 

[Fezig]

You have starters and you have backups. The starters should be playing 140+ games. It's not that difficult to slip a backup into the lineup a couple of times a week if they can play multiple positions. 

[tony&rodney]

Two things can be true.

The cacophony surrounding Baldelli would make more sense if the same heat was applied to Falvey. They come (and will go) as a pair. I'm sure they have times when they disagree on this and that point but Rocco knows he is not the boss and they are on the same page for better or worse.

The players are restricted, in part, because they have not proven themselves to where they are fixtures in the lineup. We have seen this time and time again, especially with the less experienced guys. Opportunity calls for a little bit of performance.

The question I have is whether all of Keaschall, Eeles, Rodriguez, and whomever else is new will go through the same pattern. Would the Twins have stuck with Jackson Merrill? It will be interesting to see how Wallner and Larnach are used this year.

[Riverbrian]

 

7 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

I think you've answered your own questions in this one simple statement.  Why did they stop yanking starting pitching after two times through?

Quite simply, they believed the talent had developed to the point they could handle it.

This entire discussion really comes down to this-they don't believe the young hitters are good enough to regularly not be platooned.  Thats it.

Blame them for not developing hitters beyond AAAA, blame the hitters for not showing them what they want to see, it all comes back to this simple fact.

If Rocco believed Wallner was ready to succeed against MLB left handed pitching, he would have been in there.  Wallner currently has the best chance of taking Keplers spot as the sacrificial lefty, but he was also completely lost for a good part of last year. Kepler (and most lefties) was never great against lefties, but he wasn't going to pee down his leg.

I think it's really that simple.

I agree with you... It just might be that simple. They don't think Wallner, Larnach, Julien and Kirilloff are good enough. Actions speak louder than words. Their actions tell everyone that they don't think they are good enough. If they thought Wallner was good enough... Wallner would be one of the 5 players who have to face both hands. He would join Correa, Buxton, Lewis and Castro in that we think they are good enough group of 5.  

I've typed a thousand words in opposition but If they don't believe they are good enough and they clearly don't. I can simplify my response to that.

Brent Rooker can't happen then. They can't miss on Rooker. 

They can't stick and stay with Margot as they keep sending him to the plate to keep the not good enough Larnach away and watch him wrap up his 0 for 30 pinch hitting into September. 

Julien can't make the opening day roster while Miranda doesn't.

In other words: They better be right because the cost is fatal. This feeling of not good enough that they have, Is taking up half the available major league inventory and it is spilling over onto everything because half of that inventory is the bucket they have to reach into when the 5 players they think ARE good enough get hurt.

The simple concept of rostering a Margot who isn't good enough because Wallner isn't good enough is taking up two roster spots with not good enough.  

Blame them for not developing beyond AAAA? I don't want to blame them at all. The job is hard... I'm not asking for anyone's head... But yeah I will. 

They have a choice. They can either develop hitters or they can sign them as free agents. I don't see them signing them in free agency so that kinda makes the development thing a little extra important. We can't commit half the inventory to not good enough. There has to be a path to a better cut of meat... We can't just Ham Hock our way through. 

So... The best they could do was develop a Wallner who can't do it himself, develop a Larnach who requires another player to handcuff to them. The best they could do is a team that PLATOONS more than any other team. 

Wait... that's not true... Brent Rooker was the best player they developed. And they think Wallner isn't good enough. 

 

 

 

 

[rv78]

2. Managing Player Workloads: The grind of a 162-game season takes its toll, especially on veteran players. Platooning offers built-in rest days for players, keeping them fresh and reducing injury risk. Players like Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton bring immense value to the Twins, but injuries have sidelined them for parts of the last two seasons. Veteran players need rest days to avoid extended IL trips, and sitting the team’s stars against tough right-handed pitchers could help them manage their workload. 

HUH? 2 players that have probably missed the most time the last 2 seasons due to injuries that actually have SCHEDULED off days and you are saying they would benefit from sitting? Rest has never been proven to prevent injuries and Players like Correa and Buxton prove that. 

[Linus]

I think platooning is being utilized two different ways here. The first is the starting lineup. If we were facing a lefty and they elected to start Margot et al I say OK and yank him when the righty reliever comes in. The second is the mid game platoon switch. So we were facing a righty but a lefty reliever gets brought in the fifth inning and voila Wallner Larnach are pinch hit for by Margot. Margot now finishes the game against righty relievers. 
its the second practice that is harmful. As RB points out this is how a bad hitter like Margot racks up a ton of at bats against righty handed pitching. 
Either you have to quit making the mid game switch or you need to trade for an outfielder that doesn’t have horrible platoon splits and let Miranda play first. If they did this very few platoon switches would be needed. 

[Riverbrian]

9 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

Why did they stop yanking starting pitching after two times through?

Quite simply, they believed the talent had developed to the point they could handle it.

Could be. I can't say for sure. Whatever the reason... they did it for a year and then just stopped doing it. That's the only thing that I truly know. The reasoning is contained inside the walls of 1 Twins Way.  

They may have stopped because they felt the talent had improved enough to stop as you suggest. They added Lopez to the rotation and they didn't bring back the innings eaters of Bundy and Archer. That is a big talent adjustment in itself so yeah... maybe.  

However... Sonny Gray? He went from 4.98 Innings per start to 5.75 innings per start from 2022 to 2023. Sonny Gray for some reason was caught in that 2022 vortex of whatever was happening. A 3.08 ERA and 4.98 innings per start. 

The outsider view point which is all I have to work with. There was a rather noticeable consistency in 2022. Two times through the order. The Starter was gone... regardless of his performance. Pulled after facing #9 in the order. The starter wasn't allowed to face that lead off hitter a third time. It seemed almost robotic... or should I say... Systemic. They went from 408 PA's third time facing a hitter in 2022 to 804 in 2023. That number was 708 PA's in 2024.

In 2024... a total of 74 starts were made by starting pitchers with ERA's higher than 4.09. (I choose 4.09 because Lopez came in at 4.08). It would be 106 starts if I used 4.00 as a nice even number line. We had young arms like SWR, Festa, Zebby and Varland tugging at those numbers. 

For Comparison. In 2022... The year of two times through the order restriction. 69 starts were made by Starters with an ERA over 4.09. 74 starts over 4.00 for the nice even number line. 

Could it be argued that the two times through the order philosophy was the reason that the Twins had 93 starts made by starters under 4.09. Could be... But they stopped doing it with an improved rotation in 2023 and kept not doing it with a rotation being backfilled by youth named SWR, Festa, Zebby and Louie Lou-Eye. 

Seems systemic to me... just like every single left handed hitter we have isn't good enough also seems systemic.  

[saviking]

Yes, yes, yes, they platoon too often. And they change the batting order too frequently. Give the players consistency. 

[David Maro]

Over thinking the game gets you 4 place in the central and will do the same in 25.

[stringer bell]

It has been pointed out that Max Kepler was brutal against left handed pitching and in the aggregate that is certainly true. However, in Kep’s two best seasons, he was actually held his own against left handed pitching.  2019– Kepler vs LH had an OPS of .885 vs lefties, better than against right handers. In 2023, Max posted an above-average .751 OPS against left handers. The rest of his Twins’ career, he was considerably worse facing left handed pitching.

I concur that pinch hitting and allowing weaker hitters to get key PAs is the biggest flaw in Rocco’s platoon setup.

Better usage and better players are needed. Perhaps Baldelli will be forced to ride with Larnach/Mianda/Wallner more often in 2025. It would seem to be a decision season for all three anyway  

 

[USAFChief]

10 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

Baldelli manages how Falvey wants him to. The platooning is a Falvey thing. Fire Baldelli, I don't care. But you won't see a manager brought in who does things drastically differently because the FO and the manager are not separate departments anymore. 

Falvey wants his team run a certain way. The way Rocco runs it. Cutting out Rocco doesn't fix the problem. They meet everyday to talk strategy. Everyday. Not here and there. Every single day. Rocco may be a disaster, but he's exactly what Falvey wants. He's told us that. Literally. 

At the risk of going around in circles here...he actually said the opposite. 

It’s probably more of a conversation for Rocco, because despite what others think from time to time, we don’t have a Bat Phone to the dugout. He makes those calls

 

Baldelli. Makes. Those. Calls.

[chpettit19]

51 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

At the risk of going around in circles here...he actually said the opposite. 

It’s probably more of a conversation for Rocco, because despite what others think from time to time, we don’t have a Bat Phone to the dugout. He makes those calls

 

Baldelli. Makes. Those. Calls.

Of course Falvey isn't calling him in the middle of the game telling him what to do. But he meets with him every day during the season. Every. Day.

You really think he's kept Rocco around for 6 years (about to be 7) while meeting with him every day discussing these moves and strategies but he disagrees with them and would hire somebody who'd use the Margot, Farmer, Luplow, Garlick, etc. types he brings in (you, again, conveniently skip the part where he starts off saying "I think it depends on personnel") in non-platoon roles?

It'd be an awfully bold move to bring in a bunch of clear platoon bats and then hire a manager that doesn't platoon them. "Hey, here's multiple righties who can't hit righties but mash lefties, how do you plan to use them? Start them against righties even when you have other options? Well, it's your call, you're the manager." Yeah, I see what you're saying. He'd definitely do that. Or he'd just ask the manager what players he should go bring in. Either way, I'm sure that's the answer. Good call. Firing Rocco would definitely lead to a drastic change in how the Twins build their team and use their players. These definitely aren't organizational philosophies that start with Falvey and he definitely wouldn't replace Rocco with somebody who believes in the same general philosophies.

[DocBauer]

Nothing wrong with platooning on small basis to look for the best match ups. Larnach and Wallner against a tough LHP that day? Go ahead and sit one and put Helman in that day. The other LH OF starts and plays. The other LH OF is available later in the game if needed. Playing to an advantage is smart baseball. But to not only sit and not develop, or even attempt to develop, a young LH batter in favor of a limited RH bat is inexcusable and I think all the reasons why have been laid out well by @riverbrian and others. 

But what is really crazy to me is the veritable obsession the Twins have regarding facing LHP. I know they were surprisingly poor a couple years ago, for a couple of years, but I think they have attempted a correction course that is clearly an overcorrection. Within a 162 game season, statistically speaking, you should only be facing a LHSP 25% of the time. That's 40 games. 

So we can't have too many LH hitters because ONE QUARTER of total games played MIGHT put us at a disadvantage? What about the other 122 games started by RHP? On top of that, aren't the majority of RP ALSO RH? So once again, why be afraid to lean too LH in regard to your hitters due to 25% or fewer arms even being LH?

Absolutely maddening to me.

[Pat]

It's pretty clear that platooning is not going away.  It's a whole roster of interchangeable parts except for a few players.  Can you win this way? With the emphasis on bullpen games and the constant changing of pitchers, you need more players who can hit both handed pitching.  If you don't, you condemn yourself to poor matchups on a consistent basis at various spots during the game.   By not developing hitters, especially LH batters, you hamstring your offense and you are left with the debacle of Manny Margot because there really is no other option.  

[stringer bell]

Two thoughts here to cap my involvement in this thread: 1) It seems that the feeling is that most left handed hitters just aren’t able to handle left handed pitching much more so than right handed hitters facing same sided pitching. 2) “Lefty killers” really don’t exist, so if you are a short side platoon hitter, you’re really a backup that makes starts against left handed pitching. Another factor in the platoon play at least at the start of last year was that the right handed hitters were thought to be the superior fielders, so exchanging Santana for Kirilloff, Margot for Wallner and Farmer for Julien made a bit more sense if the Twins were trying to hold a lead. 

[Riverbrian]

19 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Two thoughts here to cap my involvement in this thread: 1) It seems that the feeling is that most left handed hitters just aren’t able to handle left handed pitching much more so than right handed hitters facing same sided pitching. 

In the case of the Twins... All Left Handers would unfortunately be "most" accurate. 

We either can't develop left handed hitters like other teams can or we overweight the data point. 

[jorgenswest]

3 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

In the case of the Twins... All Left Handers would unfortunately be "most" accurate. 

We either can't develop left handed hitters like other teams can or we overweight the data point. 

I wondered how many left handed batters were being developed. I decided to sort left handed batters by plate appearances against lefties and then try to come up with a qualifying line. My qualifying line was 502 multiplied by the ratio of left handed batters faced (~26.9%) ending up with 135 PAs. When looking at the list there is a gap from 129 to 141 so 135 fit that way also. There is also a noticeable drop in the ratio of players with a league average wRC+ in the next group of 35 players.

Thirty five left handed batters qualified for the lefty on lefty title. 17 had an above average wRC+ and 17 a below average wRC+. The title winner was Jordan Alvarez. I am pretty confident the Twins would have started Alvarez against lefties. It would be the same for several others like Ohtani, Soto, Harper and Henderson.

I then wondered about developing. The Guardians had three of the top 23 by PAs in Kwan, Gimenez and Naylor.  Kwan was well above average, Gimenez below and Naylor just above average though probably not for his position. The Twins probably would have been batting Farmer against lefties instead of Gimenez. They probably would have limited Naylor’s at bats some also. I don’t know the Guardians motivation for playing the three so much against lefties. It may be to develop that skill. It may be to make it more difficult for teams to utilize the pen against them. Their typical line up against a lefty had Kwan batting first, Naylor batting 4th and Gimenez batting in the 6 or 7. I think splitting them up also can get that left handed pitcher off rhythm.

 

[Riverbrian]

15 minutes ago, jorgenswest said:

don’t know the Guardians motivation for playing the three so much against lefties.

They had more lefties than they could sit. Kwan, Naylor and Gimenez were probably considered the top 3 so they got more work in against lefties. 

For example: Just picking a game at random last year against lefties. Sunday, June 23 against Kikuchi and the Blue Jays. Cleveland won the game 6-5

Cleveland started: 

Kwan LF (L)

Freeman CF (R)

Ramirez DH (S)

Naylor 1B (L)

Fry C (R)

Schneeman 2B (L)

Rodriguez RF (R)

Rocchio SS (S)

Martinez 3B (S)

Naylor (L) Brennan (L) Gimenez (L) Arias (R) were on the bench.

That's 3 left, 3 switch, 2 Right and 3 left handers on the bench with 1 right hander.

Kikuchi lasted 2 innings. 

Followed by

Pop (R) 1.1 Innings

Little (L) .2

Thee Trevor Richards (R) 2 innings

Cabrera (L) 1

Green (R) 1

Despite Cleveland knocking out Kikuchi early and Toronto going right, left, Right, left to finish the game. Bo Naylor was the only pinch hit that Vogt utilized in what was a tight game all the way. It wasn't a match up pinch hit. David Fry was pulled after catching two innings due to an elbow injury while Kikuchi was still on the mound.

When Bo Naylor entered the game in the 5 spot for Fry in the 3rd inning. Cleveland was L L L in the 4 5 and 6 spots with Kikuchi still in the game. Schneider would try to exploit that. 

In the 3rd with the Jays up 3 - 1. The lefty wall of 4,5 and 6 came up against Kikuchi. J. Naylor Doubled, B. Naylor Walked, Schneemann singled knocking Kikuchi from the game. Replaced by Pop. 

The lefty wall would come again in the 4th. Cleveland ahead 5-3. Schneider brings in lefty Brendan Little to face the wall with one out starting with switch Ramirez. Left Josh Naylor hits a home run off of him 409 feet to right center. 

The next time the lefty wall came around. Schneider brought in lefty Genesis Cabrera. Cabrera hung a zero but he did give up a double to Bo Naylor. 

This is one game... I'm not saying this is the way it always is in 162 games. I'm not saying that Vogt is different than Baldelli. I'm not saying that Vogt is better than Rocco.

But... I am saying that having 6 left handed hitters on their roster didn't hurt them during the course of the season that they won the division. And it didn't hurt them against a total of 3 left handers in this specific game. (honestly picked at random).  

I am saying that instead of looking for a RIGHT HANDED OUTFIELDER... How about adding to your left handed hitting pile instead, Since we only have 3 of them and they are simply not allowed to face Kikuchi.  

You are doing good research. I appreciate it. You are on the RIGHT path looking LEFT like you are.  

You are one of the best. 

[Riverbrian]

1 hour ago, jorgenswest said:

I wondered how many left handed batters were being developed. I decided to sort left handed batters by plate appearances against lefties and then try to come up with a qualifying line. My qualifying line was 502 multiplied by the ratio of left handed batters faced (~26.9%) ending up with 135 PAs. When looking at the list there is a gap from 129 to 141 so 135 fit that way also. There is also a noticeable drop in the ratio of players with a league average wRC+ in the next group of 35 players.

Thirty five left handed batters qualified for the lefty on lefty title. 17 had an above average wRC+ and 17 a below average wRC+. The title winner was Jordan Alvarez. I am pretty confident the Twins would have started Alvarez against lefties. It would be the same for several others like Ohtani, Soto, Harper and Henderson.

I then wondered about developing. The Guardians had three of the top 23 by PAs in Kwan, Gimenez and Naylor.  Kwan was well above average, Gimenez below and Naylor just above average though probably not for his position. The Twins probably would have been batting Farmer against lefties instead of Gimenez. They probably would have limited Naylor’s at bats some also. I don’t know the Guardians motivation for playing the three so much against lefties. It may be to develop that skill. It may be to make it more difficult for teams to utilize the pen against them. Their typical line up against a lefty had Kwan batting first, Naylor batting 4th and Gimenez batting in the 6 or 7. I think splitting them up also can get that left handed pitcher off rhythm.

 

All teams platoon. Varied levels team by team philosophy but all teams do at least some platooning. I've researched it quite a bit looking at all 30 teams and what I have concluded without a doubt. No team out of all 30... kills their left handed hitters like the Twins do. Nobody. 

I'm suggesting that Cleveland is playing the split correctly and the Twins are playing it wrong by garbage shopping to play the percentage point gain on individuals.

I don't care what the team stats say. Cleveland could send up 9 players into the left handed batters box against the 75% of right handers in the game and that is playing the split correctly. Minnesota could send up 9 players into the batters box against the 25% of left handers in the game and that is playing it wrong. The Twins are just getting lost in individual matchups and losing the big picture. Advantage Cleveland!!! 

I'm suggesting... I'm begging... I'm hoping that Mr. Zoll reads this... or Falvey or Baldelli or anyone with influence. Instead of looking for a right handed hitter to replace Margot just to continue the killing of your young left handed prospects. Go look for a left handed hitter instead and bring the balance closer to attacking the 75% instead of the 25%. That 75 to 25% ratio is going to out distance the percentage point drop if Wallner has to face a left hander. 

Go get a left handed hitter... Don't care what position. Actually just get the best hitter you can find. But if you have to choose between right and left. Choose Left... And maybe just maybe if you end up with too many lefties in your lineup... Wallner can get that OPS against left handers up to .700 with exposure. Maybe even... Wallner takes it further and becomes the next Yordan as you mention. He certainly won't under the current system because he isn't allowed to. 

When it is reported that you are looking for a right handed hitting OF. We know what you are looking for. Stop looking for that. You are just scaring me and I'm trying to be supportive. 

And please... quit your doggone pinch hitting in the 5th. Save your bullets for the 8th or 9th when the sands of the hour glass are waning. 

[RpR]

Twins platooning did look like a knee-jerk reaction.

Should that be changed , YES.

[Riverbrian]

36 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

And please... quit your doggone pinch hitting in the 5th. Save your bullets for the 8th or 9th when the sands of the hour glass are waning. 

Touring around Roster Resource - 38 players are listed as projected closer. Main Closer or Co-Closer) 

Only Josh Hader is listed as main closing option solely. 4 other are listed in co-closer roles.  

Josh Hader - Astros

Chapman - Red Sox (Co-Closer (2))

Horton - Tigers (Co-Closer (3))

Garcia - Rangers (Co-Closer (2))

Ferrer - Nationals (Co-Closer (2))

That's 5 out of 38 - 13%. Even less than the 25% of lefties in existence. Hader is the only guy to take on the Margot replacement you are searching for so you can yank Larnach in the 5th. 

[jorgenswest]

53 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

They had more lefties than they could sit. Kwan, Naylor and Gimenez were probably considered the top 3 so they got more work in against lefties. 

 

Other than the Guardians it was hard for me to find a team that tried to develop the left on left. They had 687 left on left plate appearances. There were a few teams ahead of the. And the Cardinals might fit. The others were more superstar driven lefties.

I am sure you have reported that the Twins were 30th on this list with 194. The Guardians were second on the list last year and the Twins were 20th and reasonably close to average. They made a real effort last year to leverage that platoon but didn’t appear to get the advantage part of it.

[dxpavelka]

Giving guys like Wallner & Larnach, who can't seem to hit LHP more PAs against LHP doesn't seem like a recipe for improvement.

[Riverbrian]

1 hour ago, jorgenswest said:

Other than the Guardians it was hard for me to find a team that tried to develop the left on left. They had 687 left on left plate appearances. There were a few teams ahead of the. And the Cardinals might fit. The others were more superstar driven lefties.

I am sure you have reported that the Twins were 30th on this list with 194. The Guardians were second on the list last year and the Twins were 20th and reasonably close to average. They made a real effort last year to leverage that platoon but didn’t appear to get the advantage part of it.

Lots of platooning going on out there. But... Plenty of exposure or development as you and I are calling it is also occurring. It isn't just about the super-star Freemans of the world. It's a lot to expect Wallner or Larnach or Julien to become Freeman but is it unreasonable to hope that Wallner could become a Cronenworth? McMahon, Verdugo, Bleday, Naylor, Pasquatch, Schnauel. 

There are others. The line that you've drawn is fine because lines after to be drawn for starting points but your line is also influenced by the same things that will influence my list below. 

The numbers of left handed hitters on the roster, injury and availability due to when they were called up or traded for will heavily influence this list... However... I still think it has value so here are a list of pure left handed hitters (no switch hitters allowed) that were in top 9 in AB's against left handed pitchers for their club. 

Orioles:

Gunderson (Led the Team)

Cowser

Mullins

Red Sox:

Duran (Led the Team)

Devers

Yoshida

Abreu

Cases was 10th (Lots of time on IL)

White Sox: 

Benindendi

Sheets

Lopez

Guardians:

Gimenez

J. Naylor

Kwan

B. Naylor

Tigers

Greene (Led the Team)

Keith

Torkelson

Astros;

Alvarez  (Led the Team)

Tucker

Royals:

Pasquatino

Melendez

Angels:

Schanuel (Led the Team)

Twins:

Nobody

Yankees:

Soto (Led the Team)

Verdugo

Rizzo

Athletics:

Bleday

Butler

Mariners;

Crawford

Rays:

B. Lowe

Rangers:

Seager (Led the Team)

Smith

Lowe

Jays:

Varsho

Horwitz

D-Backs:

Carroll

McCarthy

Braves:

Olson

Harris

Kelenic

Cubs:

Bellinger (Led the Team)

Busch

Crow-Armstrong

Reds:

Friedl

Benson

Rockies:

McMahon

Blackmon

Jones (10th but hurt most of the year)

Dodgers:

Ohtani (Led the Team)

Freeman (2nd on the team)

Marlins:

Chisolm

Sanchez

Brewers:

Turang

Yelich

Frelick

Mets;

Nimmo

McNeil

Phillies:

Schwarber (led the Team)

Harper (2nd on the team)

Stott

Pirates: 

Cruz

Padres: 

Cronenworth (Led the Team)

Merrill

Arraez

Giants: 

Conforto

Yaztremski

Cards: 

Donovan

Burleson

Gorman

Nootbaar

Siani

Nats:

Abrams (Led the Team)

Wood

Garcia

Winker

Platooning is happening. Development is also happening. The Twins have taken it to a level that is beyond what any other team is doing.

A. They either know something that nobody else knows

B. Struggle to fully develop players

C. Have purposely challenged the future for possible short term gains in the moment by strip mining nearly 50% of the active offensive roster for parts. 

D. Have possibly overweighted the data for left/left splits to the point that it controls roster decisions. 

E. They were extremely unlucky to have 4 left handed prospects with absolutely no hope of ever hitting a left handed pitcher.