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Last season, the Minnesota Twins watched as they bled players on the active roster down the stretch. Rocco Baldelli saw big acquisitions like Tyler Mahle and Jorge Lopez flop, while players like Luis Arraez, Byron Buxton, and Jorge Polanco all hit the injured list. The Twins were a snakebit group to the finish line in 2022, and the only way they were going to compete was in short three or four game samples.
Fast forward to 2023, and this Twins team isn’t only positioned to win in October, but they are built for it. During the offseason Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were intentional about providing starting pitching depth. Chris Archer and Dylan Bundy-type starters were not going to cut it, and acquiring Pablo Lopez put another strong arm in the starting rotation. Having Bailey Ober, Louie Varland, Simeon Woods Richardson, and Brent Headrick all at Triple-A was reflective of a strong process.
It has all resulted in one of baseball’s best pitching staffs. Yes, they have struggled since the All-Star Game. Joe Ryan looks like a mess, and Ober has not quite been himself. Still, Kenta Maeda has rebounded in a big way, and Sonny Gray is trending towards a Cy Young award. Going into a postseason series relying on Gray, Maeda, and Lopez gives Minnesota a very strong fighting chance.
During October though, it’s not just the starting rotation, and that’s where Minnesota could stand to benefit. The bullpen was untouched this offseason, and then capable looking arms like Danny Coulombe and Jeff Hoffman were left off the roster. That has made the relief corps Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, and pray for rain.
Brock Stewart emerged and looked the part of a high-leverage arm, but may not return this year. Emilio Pagan has turned the page on his awful 2022, and his performance has the front office looking right for sticking by him. Still though, the group a rung down from the top two or three arms leaves plenty to be desired. In the postseason though, there is opportunity to shift arms where necessary.
Nothing says that the Twins have to go with five starters, and in any given series, they likely won’t have the need for that many games. Having Ober, Ryan, and others available in relief could help to bridge the gap between two strengths, and provide necessary outs in the middle of games. It’s a blueprint that Baldelli can’t employ now, but one that certainly works when the strategy of a game gets compressed.
It’s well documented how poorly the Twins have hit this season, and a lineup that includes players like Carlos Correa, Joey Gallo, and sometimes, Byron Buxton, should be better than it has been. That said, a flip of the calendar allows new opportunity with everyone starting at .000. Correa has been a menace in the postseason, and Buxton returning refreshed should matter.
The Twins lineup is built to be more power than run creation, and adding quickly during October can be a key way to change the game. Balanced with contact hitters like Edouard Julien or Donovan Solano, Minnesota can put guys on base. Ryan Jeffers has emerged as a breakout star behind the plate, and Royce Lewis playing in his first October action seems enticing.
There is no denying that the AL Central is baseball’s worst division in 2023, but the Twins have held their own against good teams. Despite dropping maddening contests to the Tigers or Nationals, they won season series against both the Yankees and Astros. Better pitchers have been the ones where the Twins lineup has shown up, and that will be what they can expect to see during the postseason.
It doesn’t seem like a great bet to suggest that the Twins are destined for a World Series victory, but ending the 0-18 drought and winning a series or two is hardly an unrealistic belief.
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