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So far this season, Pablo López has not been the pitcher he was in 2023, and even if he is able to sort things out down the stretch, he will need help. Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober have looked the part of capable rotation pieces, and Simeon Woods Richardson has stepped up in such a massive way. Rocco Baldelli needs more though.
Calling Jorge Polanco trade throw-in Anthony DeSclafani a starting pitching addition would be doing a disservice to what Minnesota needed to accomplish. Of course, the front office was hamstrung by an ownership group unwilling to invest in their product, but maybe that will change, given the results thus far.
The Twins should be expected to nose around in the pitching market, and there will be a plethora of options out there. Two future Hall of Famers, at the end of the line and with AL Central familiarity, could be a lot of fun.
Max Scherzer
Playing for a reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers team, Scherzer is one of three pitchers who have spent the majority of the season on the injured list for the club. Now back, and having made his season debut (though he'll need to prove his health), Scherzer is pitching for a club under .500 and in third place in the AL West.
The Seattle Mariners haven’t been a juggernaut, and maybe the Houston Astros or Rangers catch them, but the Texas team could sell instead. If they do, Scherzer is in the final year of his massive deal, and he will certainly be eyeing a chance to return to October baseball.
Arguably, the biggest hurdle here is dollars. Though Scherzer is being paid $43.3 million this year, $20.83 million is already being taken care of by the Mets. Minnesota could approach ownership and ask them to foot the additional bill, or have the Rangers pay it down to increase the level of return they get.
Scherzer has made 30 postseason appearances. He hasn’t been the greatest postseason pitcher, but I don’t think the Twins are in a spot to scoff at his résumé. It would be a pretty fun full-circle moment to see him come back to the AL Central and take another team to the World Series, as he nears the end of his career.
Justin Verlander
Speaking of players who could come full circle, Verlander played the first 13 years of his career with the Detroit Tigers. Unlike Scherzer, he is currently dealing with an injury, having recently been placed on the injured list with neck discomfort. Having come back from Tommy John surgery in 2021 to win the Cy Young in 2022, though, he has shown an ability to rebound even in the late stages of his career.
Like Scherzer, Verlander was part of a New York Mets team that spent a bunch of money and did nothing. Also like Scherzer, he is in the American League West and playing for a currently underperforming team. There is reason to believe a franchise looking for yet another trip to the American League Championship Series won’t sell, but Verlander could be a target if they do.
The stuff isn’t what it once was, as he currently owns a 3.95 ERA with a 4.97 FIP, but he has a ton of postseason pedigree and is looking to add another World Series ring to his shelf. Verlander is making a whopping $43.3 million this season, with $25 million being paid by the Mets. He has a $25-million vesting option for 2025, and that becomes guaranteed with 140 innings this year. It’s unlikely he hits that number, but Minnesota’s rotation wouldn’t be worse with him in it for 2025, either.
At some point the Pohalds will need to decide if they are going to care about their baseball investment. It didn’t happen this offseason, and with television revenues set to decline next year, it’s not going to happen then, either. Getting creative and taking on a big contract while not parting with key farm pieces could be a way to capitalize on a team that should still be riding momentum from a postseason run a year ago. Much more likely, perhaps, they could pay a higher price in terms of young talent and ask either Texas or Houston to hold onto much of the money attached to Scherzer and Verlander, in the bargain.
The hurdles are well substantiated, but Scherzer or Verlander being among Baldelli’s top group does a lot for any dreams of ending the Twins' 32-year championship drought.
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