Twins Select Walker Jenkins, Option Alan Roden, & DFA Woo-Suk Go

[CoachDW]

Woo Sukked. Go.

You could see this one coming a mile away the moment they acquired him.

 

[bean5302]

2 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

It once again begs the question, why did Falvey take Roden in the trade package with Rojas? His path to playing time was questionable from the get go when we have a dozen other LH hitting corner OF. Now we've spent the last year and a half not knowing who he is or can be at the MLB level.

 

2 hours ago, ashbury said:

As a trade chip to use later, he was plausible.  But they needed to flip him, or one of his near-clones already in the organization, as part of an off-season package, and that's what still baffles me.

Lefty-hitting corner outfielders can be kind of valuable.  But when you corner the market on them, you can't package up, say, the four you don't want, and swap them en masse for the pitching prospect you've had your eye on the last six months.  Other teams don't look for a bunch of any one thing - trades of prospects generally involve a variety of player types - so several trades were needed last off-season to clear the perceived glut.

IOW acquiring Roden wasn't necessarily a mistake, but it committed the Twins FO to effort in addition to what was already on their plate, that somehow they didn't wind up doing.

I think there was a much more plausible path for Roden at the deadline last year, especially for this year. I don't think anybody expected Larnach to return or some of the other questionable roster moves the Twins have made over the offseason and into this one.

Plus Roden was the toss in. As a sweetener, and given the assumption Larnach wouldn't return, Roden should have been able to cover CF as a lefty and provide some depth insurance. Rojas was the big get.

[Vanimal46]

5 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

 

I think there was a much more plausible path for Roden at the deadline last year, especially for this year. I don't think anybody expected Larnach to return or some of the other questionable roster moves the Twins have made over the offseason and into this one.

Plus Roden was the toss in. As a sweetener, and given the assumption Larnach wouldn't return, Roden should have been able to cover CF as a lefty and provide some depth insurance. Rojas was the big get.

I mean, Falvey was still here making the call to offer arbitration to Larnach. I get he’s the toss in, but they should have targeted someone else who isn’t redundant in this organization. 

Nature of the business and all of that, Roden coming to the Twins couldn’t have been a worse fit for him. He wasn’t going to get a fair shot with E-Rod and Jenkins within striking distance of MLB. 

[Danchat]

Buxton not going on the IL is strange... I have a hard time buying that he's going to be effective after re-injuring himself again on Wednesday. I think I'd actually rather have Roden right now than an ailing Buxton.

[DocBauer]

3 hours ago, bean5302 said:

I would have much preferred Buxton to the IL and Roden optioned to call up Rodriguez, but at least the Twins have somebody who can potentially catch balls in center field now.

Jenkins has obliterated RHP, but there's a massive drop off against LHP with a much lower BB and higher K rate.

Emma, on the other hand, has hit LHP almost as well as RHP with a pretty flat K:BB rate. Probably not enough to warrant optioning Martin and playing Emma vs. LHP, though. Martin has always hit lefties well.

But I would disagree about Martin. I don't dislike him, and I'm not saying the Twins should trade him or DFA him. But assuming Gonzalez isn't ready in 2027 to earn a job immediately, I'd really like to see the Twins FINALLY trade for or sign a RH OF that can beat up LHP and not suck against RHP. 

Martin is a RH bat who belongs in LF, can cover RF OK, but is really redundant with Keaschall's move to the OF. It's BEYOND TIME to ignore the final bench spot and actually add someone who is a decent bat with some power and who they can play without crossing fingers.

[thelanges5]

E-Rod up next or Martin?

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

I mean, Falvey was still here making the call to offer arbitration to Larnach. I get he’s the toss in, but they should have targeted someone else who isn’t redundant in this organization. 

Nature of the business and all of that, Roden coming to the Twins couldn’t have been a worse fit for him. He wasn’t going to get a fair shot with E-Rod and Jenkins within striking distance of MLB. 

Roden also got injured at the wrong times. He looks like a competent bench player and should be on a big league roster somewhere.

[DocBauer]

I understand defering to Buxton as the figure head and leader of this team. I GET IT, even if I don't necessarily agree with it.

If he can live with the pain and still play every couple of days, again, I get it. An 80-85% Buxton is still valuable. And I doubt a few more weeks will make a difference in regards to whatever procedure he needs in the offseason. And while I appreciate the WARRIOR that he is, I think I'd set him down and just tell him we're going to shut him down for another couple of weeks to help in the playoffs...which we probably aren't going to get to.

If he HONESTLY feels he can contribute every few days, then I keep him on the roster. 

But Go being released is obvious. You take a shot once in a while, and that was a miss. No harm, no foul.

Since the 2025 trade deadline has been brought up, I DON'T think Roden should have been part of that deal. Even with the potential of Rojas, I still wouldn't have made the Varland deal. Especially with Roden as the 2nd piece. And I actually still like him as a 4th or 5th or platoon player with solid ability. But he NEVER FIT the Twins future needs. 

I like Roden as a player overall, given a fair chance. But how in hell did he EVER FIT with the future with Jenkins and Rodriguez and others? 

If the trade was Rojas and another arm, or a solid RH OF, or a solid INF prospect,  that might have made much more sense.

I don't dislike Roden as depth, and maybe part of a trade package in the offseason. He was just never a good fit for the Twins. This trade might haunt the Twins for a while unless Rojas turns out to be a quality SP, or even a stud LH RP. 

I'm hoping for the former, but am OK for the latter. But Roden, with all due respect, was the WRONG secondary to that trade.