Non-Tendered Players That Could Interest The Minnesota Twins

DJL44 · December 3, 2019

There were a few catchers let go who could be the backup in 2019.

Kevin Gausman could be interesting like Walker and Nelson

TNTwinsFan · December 3, 2019

Pillar was one guy that stood out for exactly the reasons listed above. Fliers on Walker and Jason Adam might be worth it.

twinkiesfan11 · December 3, 2019

Travis Shaw could be an excellent bounce back candidate and can play 1B, 2B and 3B.

Homer Hanky · December 3, 2019

Nate Palmer is a great writer...

Nate Palmer · December 3, 2019

Travis Shaw could be an excellent bounce back candidate and can play 1B, 2B and 3B.

Almost included him. I am worried if he could be a starter for the Twins and then is redundant to have with Marwin and Ehire on the roster. Certainly still another solid option from the group today.

Nate Palmer · December 3, 2019

Nate Palmer is a great writer...

Thanks! That is very kind and means more than you know.

Tom Froemming · December 3, 2019

I mentioned both Walker and Kevin Gausman in my article for the offseason handbook. Here are some interesting career numbers to consider:

Kevin Gausman (925 2/3 IP, 28-years-old)

21.7 K%, 7.1 BB%, 43.1 GB%, 1.34 WHIP, 95 xFIP-, 4.04 SIERA

Taijuan Walker (528 1/3 IP, 27-years-old)

21.3 K%, 7.4 BB%, 43.7 GB%, 1.25 WHIP, 99 xFIP-, 4.08 SIERA

And a couple more names for additional context:

Zack Wheeler (749 1.3 IP, 29-years-old)

22.8 K%, 8.5 BB%, 46.5 GB%, 1.29 WHIP, 97 xFIP-, 4.03 SIERA

Jose Berrios (596 2/3 IP, 25-years-old)

23.1 K%, 7.7 BB%, 40.7 GB%, 1.26 WHIP, 99 xFIP-, 4.23 SIERA

Things have not been going Gausman's way the past two seasons and Walker has logged just 14 innings over that time, but both of them are pretty interesting to me.

AZTwin · December 3, 2019

Jimmy Nelson is certainly intriguing

twinsfansd · December 3, 2019

I thought about Buchter, too. But it appears he can't get right handers out, and the new 3 batter minimum would work against him. Probably why he was non-tendered. Alex Claudio of the Reds the same thing.

sweetmusicviola16 · December 3, 2019

Sanchez needs to be turned into a reliever, I'm not against pursuing him with that in mind. In our rotation? No way.

Mike Sixel · December 3, 2019

Sanchez is out for the year, probably.

I sign gausmann and move him to relief.

Danchat · December 3, 2019

I mentioned both Walker and Kevin Gausman in my article for the offseason handbook. Here are some interesting career numbers to consider:

Kevin Gausman (925 2/3 IP, 28-years-old)
21.7 K%, 7.1 BB%, 43.1 GB%, 1.34 WHIP, 95 xFIP-, 4.04 SIERA
Taijuan Walker (528 1/3 IP, 27-years-old)
21.3 K%, 7.4 BB%, 43.7 GB%, 1.25 WHIP, 99 xFIP-, 4.08 SIERA

And a couple more names for additional context:

Zack Wheeler (749 1.3 IP, 29-years-old)
22.8 K%, 8.5 BB%, 46.5 GB%, 1.29 WHIP, 97 xFIP-, 4.03 SIERA
Jose Berrios (596 2/3 IP, 25-years-old)
23.1 K%, 7.7 BB%, 40.7 GB%, 1.26 WHIP, 99 xFIP-, 4.23 SIERA

Things have not been going Gausman's way the past two seasons and Walker has logged just 14 innings over that time, but both of them are pretty interesting to me.

I would certainly like to give Gausman a shot. Perhaps Wes could get him to replicate those numbers he pitched with the Reds.

stringer bell · December 3, 2019

A one-year deal for Shaw makes sense. According to BBRef, he's a plus defender at third. Good power and a little bit more L/R balance.

AZTwin · December 3, 2019

A one-year deal for Shaw makes sense. According to BBRef, he's a plus defender at third. Good power and a little bit more L/R balance.

Brewers fans at work today were feeling leery with Shaw when they heard Moose signed elsewhere. Their GM apparently felt the same way as he let him go even after losing Moose. I’d pass

DocBauer · December 3, 2019

I could get behind Shaw. While nothing spectacular, I would take his mean for the 2016-2018 seasons and be pretty happy. I don't recall his poor season last year. Was he injured?

John Bonnes · December 3, 2019

I wonder what was going on with Treinen last year. Looking at reports, he looked great in the spring and in his first couple (multi-inning) appearances, then struggled but was shortly thereafter diagnosed with tendonitis. He came back, but Mid-July he was shut down with a shoulder injury. He came back again but was shut down for good in September with a back injury.

Looking at that, I could see a narrative that he just had cascading injuries that led to a season in which he could never get back on track. That seems like a guy who could bounce back big time.

MMMordabito · December 3, 2019

A modest two year deal to any of the highlighted pitchers would be a good move, IMO. All three have high end talent, but the injury issues are concerning. The deal could be treated in a psuedo-Pineda way. Year one is all about health. IL until 100% or when it makes sense assuming a playoff push.

I wouldn't sign more than one of those three though.

Treinen and Buchter are both interesting. MiLB options abound in the pen, so more arms with talent are a good answer for the volatility. I'd kick the tires on Alex Claudio as well.

Danny Hultzen on a minor league deal would be fine. It's a Rich Harden type of hail mary, but it's good to explore all options.

No interest in Pillar here. It's just a name drop, although he has had some good games against the Twins. The Twins top four outfielders right now are all "capable" or much better than that. Give Jake Cave 628 PAs, and he'll match that homer total and do it with an OBP well above the .287 that Pillar put up. Hell, with all the articles suggesting a Rosario trade and using his .300 OBP as one of the main reasons to move him, I don't see what Pillar will bring that's any better. He might be cheaper, but why kill the clubhouse over 2-3 mill?

stringer bell · December 3, 2019

All of the left handed relievers who were non-tendered should get a look. With the three batter minimum, they need to be able to have some success against right handed hitters, though.

Given the Twins roster construction, they already have three utility types (Gonzalez, Adrianza & Astudillo) and a regular for every position except first base (or third if Sanó is moved). A right handed hitting outfielder who can play center field well (as well or better than Kepler) would be a good add.

There were also a number of catchers non-tendered, although none of them hit left handed. If the Twins are interested in Garver getting reps at first, they should be interested in adding major league catching.

BrianBuchanan · December 3, 2019

Treinen is such an interesting case. I wonder what the market will be? Short-term, high dollar? I'd love to let The Guru (Gus Johnson) get a crack at setting him straight.

Cody Pirkl · December 3, 2019

Filling Hildenberger's spot with Trienen would probably be a good move in my opinion. They could start him out lower down the chain of relievers and see if he returns to form. I think he's somewhere in between his historic 2018 and terrible 2019 and that's still a damn good reliever.

I didn't see that Jimmy Nelson got non tendered. If they're going to sign a Martin Perez reclamation project again, that should be your guy.

redstorm · December 3, 2019

Pillar fits the biggest need in my opinion. As alluded to, he is good Buxton insurance. Also, his career numbers vs LHP make him a nice option for when you want to give Rosario or Kepler a day off (though both did have improved numbers vs LHP last year)

Musk21 · December 3, 2019

Any interest in RP Yimi Garcia, who was non-tendered by LA last night?

3.61 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 66/14 K/BB in 62 1/3 innings

mikelink45 · December 3, 2019

Interested in Treinen, not interested in anyone else. Either the potential for a real upgrade or don't waste time and money.

nater79a · December 3, 2019

I thought about Buchter, too. But it appears he can't get right handers out, and the new 3 batter minimum would work against him. Probably why he was non-tendered. Alex Claudio of the Reds the same thing.

Exactly this on Buchter.

.904 OPS vs right-handers.

Not going to fly with the new rule.

Shaitan · December 4, 2019

I wonder how many OtherTeamDaily.com's out there are looking at Hildenberger and saying the same thing we're saying about RPs here.

DocBauer · December 4, 2019

All of the left handed relievers who were non-tendered should get a look. With the three batter minimum, they need to be able to have some success against right handed hitters, though.

Given the Twins roster construction, they already have three utility types (Gonzalez, Adrianza & Astudillo) and a regular for every position except first base (or third if Sanó is moved). A right handed hitting outfielder who can play center field well (as well or better than Kepler) would be a good add.

There were also a number of catchers non-tendered, although none of them hit left handed. If the Twins are interested in Garver getting reps at first, they should be interested in adding major league catching.

Like the way you are thinking here! Agreed on checking out various LHRP options. My dream was Pomeranz on a 2yr $4-5M deal but that got completely blown up. Now, it's about who is the best candidate Johnson and the FO like. I kind of hate to say it, but I'm starting to wonder about Perez. I think his days as a SP option are gone, unless someone decides they can still "fix" him the way it looked like the Twins did the first couple of months last year. If he would accept a bullpen move, I find him interesting.

With all due respect to Cave, who I like despite some rough edges and a play in the field here and there that left me scratching my head, I'd be very interested in a lower cost 4th OF who can play a legitimate CF. I don't care if he bats LF/RF necessarily, just a guy who can play good defense and be solid offensively. I just don't know who to target at this point.

Catcher is weird and interesting. There are a couple guys I like...really liked Vogt...but still prefer to go status quo with Castro. Interesting I haven't heard a single rumor about him. Leads me to believe a re-sign is a strong possibility.

beckmt · December 4, 2019

Treinen would fit the bill for me, rest are speculation, but a flyer on Walker or Nelson could be good insurance, while allowing the first group of starters to get more time in Rochester.

terrydactyls · December 4, 2019

If you really want to take a flyer on someone, I have the perfect candidate. After shoulder surgery in 1987, I was unable to throw a baseball until I had my shoulder replaced in 2017 and spent 2018 rehabilitating it. I can now throw pain free. I have no wear and tear on my right arm and can still top out on the radar gun at a solid 45 MPH. My control is a little weak but I'm sure Wes Johnson could straighten that out. And I would be a very inexpensive signing which would leave a lot of money left over for Rendon and Cole. And if you view this as a Bill Veeck type of move, what other team would have a 73-year old pitcher?

Aerodeliria · December 4, 2019

On second thought, I wouldn't take Kevin Pillar. His OBP is awful and apparently his defense fell off a cliff last year.

Bomba2026 · December 4, 2019

I see Mr Puig is available from Cleveland....oh hahaha no. I just love to mess with myself sometimes.....

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