What’s the Biggest Question Facing the Back of the Rotation for 2024?

I'd like to limit both Paddack & Varland's innings, Maybe even have them piggyback to begin the season.

What about the Dobber?

"What are your expectations for the back end of the rotation? How many innings will Paddack and DeSclafani pitch for the Twins in 2024?"

I don't think DeSclafini throws a pitch in 2024, unfortunately.

As for Paddack, Tommy John threw 209 innings in his first season back from the surgery named after him...😉

Health.  Two years of healthy starters in a row is a lot to ask.  If/when we need someone, I was encouraged by what we have seen from Festa and SWR this spring.  I think the new arm slot is going to improve his chances of being a ML pitcher.  The question is can he maintain velocity and how much time will he need to grove that delivery.  Festa's stuff looked really good.  The question in his case is can he gain the consistency in command needed at the ML level.  

It would be great if the top 7 can make it work.

But sometimes you catch lighting in a bottle or get lucky before the league figures it out when running on spare parts (see Albers, Andrew).

I'd love 8 locks here, but of all the things to worry about with a roster I think they're okay for their top 7. In part because they've counter weighted their bullpen this year.

15 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

I'd like to limit both Paddack & Varland's innings, Maybe even have them piggyback to begin the season.

why are you limiting Varland? He is 26 and has pitched 103, 152, and 149 the last three years? Shouldn't be expected where he is pitching he goes 150+ again?

1 hour ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

why are you limiting Varland? He is 26 and has pitched 103, 152, and 149 the last three years? Shouldn't be expected where he is pitching he goes 150+ again?

He's still inexperienced in MLB, So I'd like to take him slow to begin with. I know some differ but IMO MLB innings are more strenuous than minor league innings, especially to begin with..

17 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

It's a little misleading to say the Twins had 10 people make at least 1 start. 2 of those starts were Pagan for 1 inning and De Leon for 2. The Twins used 8 real starters last year while having an unbelievably healthy rotation that saw 841 of their 895 innings (94%) filled by just 6 guys. While it'd be great if they can have that kind of health again, it's not very likely. I really hope a few of SWR, Headrick, Festa, and the rest of those AAA arms are ready.

2 pitchers coming back from surgery, one getting it is the modern version of a health staff. 

9 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

I know what you mean by "back of the rotation".

However... I want to stress that a rotation is a rotation. If the chosen 5 remains healthy (they won't)... that will be an equal 32 starts for all of them... each start is going to be important to compete and allow your offense and defense and bullpen to win a game for you and the workload is shared.

You can label Lopez as front end of the rotation but he isn't just going to matchup against Corbin Burnes types every time he starts. You can label Paddack as back end of the rotation but he isn't going to matchup against Cole Irvin types every time he starts. Lopez will face off against Burnes and Irvin types and the same goes for Paddack. Healthy starters are going to pitch the majority of innings available during the course of a 162 game season. All 5 slots in the rotation are equally important. 

In regards to that... the biggest question facing our rotation will be the replacements coming up from the minors. Can we get a surprise boost from the young arms in the system much like we got from the offense last year. Julien and Wallner saved our season last year when Correa and Buxton took a nose dive. Can our young starters do that when called upon. 

I know what you mean by "back of the rotation". I won't label them as such.  

And I'll let others label our starters with a one and a two or a three. 

  

 

Do you think the list of potential contributors goes beyond Festa, SWR, and Canterino?  Could we be surprised by a surge to the top by Raya or Culpepper?  Is Pierson Ohl a dark horse with his plus command?  These are the questions I ask myself.  We can add will DeSclafani be of any value this year to the list of questions.

32 minutes ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

What's the status of Connor Priellipp?  I know he had arm trouble but he was highly touted coming out of college and I got the impression that he could move up the ladder fast.  Could he possibly help later on in the season?

He had surgery for an internal brace last July so contributing this year is doubtful.

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

He's still inexperienced in MLB, So I'd like to take him slow to begin with. I know some differ but IMO MLB innings are more strenuous than minor league innings, especially to begin with..

I get that but really what you are saying is you want the younger more inexperienced guys pitching in the bigs to give the older (26) more experienced guy less innings. IMO you give you best pitchers the most innings, with Paddack I get limiting him coming off injury.

15 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

I get that but really what you are saying is you want the younger more inexperienced guys pitching in the bigs to give the older (26) more experienced guy less innings. IMO you give you best pitchers the most innings, with Paddack I get limiting him coming off injury.

That's not what I'm saying. Although Varland is 26 he doesn't have a lot of MLB innings at SP. Even if we conserve Varland in the beginning, Being conserved, he could still pitch around 150 innings.