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This winter, everyone saw the Carlos Correa saga play out. They landed Pablo Lopez for Luis Arraez. Joey Gallo got a change of scenery, and Christian Vazquez would start behind the plate. Kyle Farmer and Michael A. Taylor looked like solid complimentary pieces, and Rocco Baldelli had plenty of healthy talent returning from 2022.
The bullpen, however, had no additions.
As they have done routinely throughout their tenure leading the organization, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine punted on the bullpen. They made a few waiver claims and had Danny Coulombe and Jeff Hoffman in on minor-league deals. Despite both arms looking good through spring training, the insistence of rostering Cole Sands as a long man won out and had them both out of the organization by Opening Day.
Fast forward to where we are now, and those decisions look poor. Despite spending most of July with Minnesota, Sands recorded just five outs, relegated almost entirely to mop-up duty. He went an entire week on the roster, during a significant daily game stretch, without being used. Coulombe has a 2.92 ERA with the Orioles, and Hoffman owns a 2.51 ERA for the Phillies.
With the trade deadline looming outside of a right-handed bat, nothing was more obvious to add than bullpen help. It was an opportunity for the front office to right their previous wrong.
They needed to give Jhoan Duran some help. Griffin Jax had crazy usage, and Caleb Thielbar had just returned from the injured list for the second time dealing with an oblique issue.
They did nothing and accepted the failure of the Jorge Lopez trade with Baltimore, sending him to Miami for Dylan Floro in hopes a change of scenery could suit both players.
For months we had heard a similar refrain from the front office, and it often comes to the tune of players in the clubhouse being talented enough to get it done. That is fair when looking at an underperforming lineup. Considering the bullpen, though, doing nothing for that group is a slap in the face.
Not only has Duran underwhelmed during July, but it came out on deadline day that Brock Stewart (who also was acquired through a minor league deal) had a setback with his arm, and the timetable for his return is unknown. Thielbar is no sure bet to stay healthy; from there, it's a bunch of dice rolls.
Floro is an upgrade over the version of Lopez Minnesota employed, but his improved production relies on the peripherals playing better. Emilio Pagan has been solid this year but is less than 12 months removed from being an absolute disaster. Jordan Balazovic and Josh Winder are both failed starters with little-to-no track record, and Jovani Moran looks every bit the command mess his numbers suggest he is.
The front office failed to show up for Baldelli and his group of relievers that could've used their help.
Acquiring relief arms is not rocket science, and while a lefty made sense for Minnesota, anyone performing at a relatively positive level with a pulse should've been an option. They were never going to spring for Aroldis Chapman, but plenty of possibilities were available. To do nothing is simply unacceptable.
The Chicago White Sox highlighted the perils of trying to buy a bullpen. Grabbing Kendall Graveman, Liam Hendriks, Joey Kelly, and Craig Kimbrel in the same stretch still didn't save them. No one asked the Twins' front office to plop down Edwin Diaz-money on relief arms, but with $5 million or a mid-level prospect enough to move the needle, they chose neither.
When the dust settles on this season, the Twins will have to win the division if the front office wants to save face. Only Cleveland represents a threat, and it remains to be seen if even they are trying. Ending the 0-for-18 postseason stretch has to happen, and winning a series would be nice. No matter what happens from a results standpoint, consistently ignoring the bullpen is a broken process.
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