The Timing Is Right for Twins Shift To a Six-Man Rotation

Would make perfect sense... that is why Rocco will likely not do it. ;) 

I could see the 6 man rotation being a good move through the rest of the season.  Certainly with a 5 game lead the Twins have the cushion to give it a try.  I just don't want to see SP removed from a game they are pitching well in at the 73 or 78 pitch mark "just because."  

Once the post season rolls around, provided Joe Ryan is back to pre All Star Game form (and that's a big "if") I would go with Gray, Lopez, Ryan and Ober as the SP and move Maeda and Keuchel to the BP.  The Dodgers were very successful using Maeda as a SP in the regular season and moving him to the BP come post season.  His postseason pitching stats are outstanding, primarily as a BP pitcher.  

A six game lead with 33 games left helps. I'd rather see the Twins clinch early and then give everyone a rest. Win both series vs Cleveland and they can do whatever they want the rest of the season. I wouldn't mind if the rotation the last week of the season was Ryan, Maeda, Keuchel, Varland, and a bullpen game.

Is the timing right moving into the two series with Cleveland?

In a 5 man rotation it should line up as Maeda, Lopez and Gray in the first series followed by Lopez, Gray and Ryan in the second series?

What does it look like in a 6 man rotation?

Is the rest from a 6th starter more important than throwing your best atms against Cleveland?

I am not a believer that an extra day of rest is as beneficial as a skipped start. I would suggest that it might be better to win the Cleveland series and close out the division early. Once secured give any of the starters real rest to end the season.

edit: had I noticed I would have simply liked what DJL44 said much more succinctly. 

A six man rotation  would only give the pitcher an extra day of rest where a skipped turn would give them plenty of rest to rest the arm fatigue  ...

Pitchers like to stay on a routine  so it's hard to determine  what is the right  direction  ...

extra day of rest or skipped turn , they would benefit both ways ...

we have the depth to do this so every consideration should be taken to keep our starters fresh and healthy  ....

Agreed!

Someone please explain this fascination with Keuchel.  Yes he had one good outing, but his command has not been real good including in AAA.  Why do we want to count on him, this is not the 2017 version of Keuchel.  How is his stuff going to play out of the bullpen, it won't.  Can we try and raise the bar at some point and find and develop pitchers who can contribute.  We have guys in St. Paul that should be brought up and see if they can contribute, there is more upside than throwing Keuchel out there, release him now.

44 minutes ago, karcherd said:

Someone please explain this fascination with Keuchel.  Yes he had one good outing, but his command has not been real good including in AAA.  Why do we want to count on him, this is not the 2017 version of Keuchel.  How is his stuff going to play out of the bullpen, it won't.  Can we try and raise the bar at some point and find and develop pitchers who can contribute.  We have guys in St. Paul that should be brought up and see if they can contribute, there is more upside than throwing Keuchel out there, release him now.

 

Not posting as a member of the Dallas Keuchel "fan club," but have to mention that he absolutely EARNED his promotion from AAA as his command was pretty darn good as evidenced by these numbers over 6 starts:

IP:  32

ER allowed:  4

ERA: 1.13

K to BB:  28/12

WHIP: 1.25

Opp BA:  .233

IMO Keuchel has earned a spot with the Twins at this point either as a member of a 6-man rotation or in a role to bolster Ober who's pitched the most innings in his career this season.   Keuchel is a professional PITCHER still in 2023.  His start in PHI was brutal, but his other 2 starts were good to above average.   

Just asking---------who at SP right now would be a better option than Keuchel?

23 minutes ago, darwin22 said:

Not posting as a member of the Dallas Keuchel "fan club," but have to mention that he absolutely EARNED his promotion from AAA as his command was pretty darn good as evidenced by these numbers over 6 starts:

IP:  32

ER allowed:  4

ERA: 1.13

K to BB:  28/12

WHIP: 1.25

Opp BA:  .233

IMO Keuchel has earned a spot with the Twins at this point either as a member of a 6-man rotation or in a role to bolster Ober who's pitched the most innings in his career this season.   Keuchel is a professional PITCHER still in 2023.  His start in PHI was brutal, but his other 2 starts were good to above average.   

Just asking---------who at SP right now would be a better option than Keuchel?

Two options, Varland or Funderburk to start.  I have to believe they could give the same production with more upside.  All the reports I read was he was struggling with his command in St. Paul, now I didn't see any of his games I am only going off what I heard.

2 hours ago, arby58 said:

Given how 'inept' many find him, it's amazing he has a .526 winning percentage as a manager. Must be a lot of inept managers in MLB.

I am not a Rocco hater nor apologist but records in the AL Central need to come with an asterisk, a caveat and maybe even a legal disclaimer. Rocco has hugely benefitted over his managerial career from a historically bad division. 

On 8/26/2023 at 12:11 PM, karcherd said:

Two options, Varland or Funderburk to start.  I have to believe they could give the same production with more upside.  All the reports I read was he was struggling with his command in St. Paul, now I didn't see any of his games I am only going off what I heard.

Not intending to get into a p*ssing match, but in case you missed it----Keuchel more than proved his status to stay on pitching staff today with his 5 shutout innings in relief of Ober.  As for Varland, he had 3 consecutive good starts for SP in August, but his most recent start (8-22) was a stinker vs. Omaha ( 4IP, 7 runs, 4 ER with 6 hits allowed and 3 walks).  Funderburk as a starter?  He's not started a game this year.  Soley used as a RP--and a very good one for the Saints this season.

Keuchel and Ryan are fresher than the other four right now so I would be more inclined to keep those two on regular rest and give each of the other four one skipped start. The team is currently rostering six starters. I think the rules would allow Ober to be optioned today, enabling us to add another reliever right now, and with the roster expansion taking effect on Friday he could be reinstated at any time. With a skipped turn his next start would be around September 8. 

The 6 man rotation is absurd to me.  We do not win the game the other day without Keuchel coming out of the pen.  No ifs and or buts.  If a pitcher needs and off day we can swap Keuchel in there.  Giving out big dogs one start off in the coming month is more useful that creating a 6 man rotation.