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We still have to wonder about who will occupy a couple of the final roster spots for the Twins come Thursday, but after a report from The Athletic's Dan Hayes Sunday, we know for sure about a few players who won't make the trip north. Eiberson Castellano, whom the team selected in the Rule 5 Draft in December from the Phillies, will not make the team (and thus, will not stay in the organization), while reliever Brock Stewart and infielder Brooks Lee will each begin the season on the injured list.
Brooks Lee and the Infield Alignment
Lee was scratched from Thursday’s spring training lineup with what was described by the team as back tightness. While we can’t be sure of his prognosis, this likely feels ominous to Twins fans. Lee missed the first two months of the 2024 season with a herniated disc in his back.
Lee’s injury, combined with that of Royce Lewis, significantly weakens the team's infield defense. After Lewis’s hamstring strain last week, Lee seemed the logical defensive replacement at third base, with the Twins seemingly more confident in his glove than that of Jose Miranda. Despite the uneven offensive production he’s shown in the infancy of his big-league career, he offers defensive stability across second base and third base.
This figures to leave Edouard Julien, Miranda, and Willi Castro covering second and third base defensively—hardly an inspiring group. Mickey Gasper is likely winning a job as a bench bat. The final roster spot seemingly comes down to Austin Martin versus DaShawn Keirsey. Keirsey is by far the better defender, but Martin is right-handed, and therefore a better matchup fit for this team's bench.
Brock Stewart, Eiberson Castellano, and Bullpen Implications
Stewart being down to start the season is hardly a surprise, as he reportedly came into camp behind other arms. While it’s perilous to speculate on health, this seems like more of a building-up priority as opposed to a long-term concern given that Stewart pitched in a minor-league game on Saturday.
Castellano walked 19.2% of the hitters he faced this spring in 10 2/3 innings, typically throwing strikes at a 50-55% clip. Not good enough. It remains to be seen what his future holds. With Castellano cut and Tonkin on the IL, the Twins need a rubber-armed reliever who can pitch multiple innings and/or back-to-back days. Scott Blewett seems a possible internal pick. He’s managed a 3.39 FIP this spring. He’s shown the Twins he can be, at the very least, a serviceable bullpen arm for the major-league team. There's every chance, though, that the team will scoop up one or more players who shake loose from other rosters in the coming days.
[Ed. note: Manuel Margot was released by the Brewers, but signed quickly with the Tigers. So, you're safe, for now.]
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