Matthew Taylor

For 15 years the Minnesota Twins have tried to add an ace to their starting rotation to no avail. On Sunday night, after another dominant playoff start, Pablo López announced to Twins Territory that they finally have their ace. Image courtesy of © Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports Ever since the Minnesota Twins traded away Johan Santana they have been in the long pursuit of another ace starting pitcher. They tried the path of developing their own ace through the draft like José Berríos or Kyle Gibson. They tried trading for prospects on other teams like Alex Meyer. They tried trading for veteran starters to get ace-level production like they did with Tyler Mahle. And they tried signing free agent starting pitchers like Phil Hughes or Ervin Santana. Though some of those pitchers turned out to be very good, year after year the Twins ended each season still without that ace level starting pitcher. The kind of pitcher who could pitch them out of losing streaks. The kind of pitcher who could thrive under the brightest of lights. The kind of pitcher who could take the ball in game one of a playoff series and deliver a victory. That is what separates a great pitcher from an ace. And that’s someone that the Twins had been missing ever since Johan. Enter Pablo López. While the Twins acquired Pablo López in a controversial deal this offseason for fan-favorite Luis Arraez, López quickly pitched his way into Twins fans’ hearts this season, posting a 3.66 ERA in 194 innings while finishing second in the American League and strikeouts at the age of 27. While his numbers this season were excellent, what seemed to most sell Twins fans on the Venezuelan right hander was his mental makeup. Since arriving in Minnesota, López has always displayed the confidence and calmness that you see in an ace starting pitcher. His combination of ability and attitude is exactly the mix that you expect to thrive in the postseason. Turning the page to October, and that combination of ability and attitude has been on display. Starting with Game 1 of the Wild Card series and López walking into the stadium wearing a Johan Santana #57 jersey, you could just sense the swagger oozing off of the right hander before he even threw the first pitch. He then followed up that swaggy entrance with a lights-out pitching performance, throwing 5 ⅔ innings and only allowing one earned run. López’s start was the best playoff in the franchise’s history since Johan Santana and delivered the first win since Johan and ended the streak that hung over the heads of Twins fans across the land of 10,000 lakes. Then, when you hear Pablo’s quotes postgame and hear about how he embraced the pressure that came with trying to be the guy who broke the 0-18 streak and how “pressure is a privilege”, you once again see the makeup of an ace level starting pitcher. In order to truly cement his place as an ace starting pitcher, though, we needed to see Pablo back up his performance against the Blue Jays and do it against the defending champions, in their house, down 0-1 in a five game series with our backs against the wall. Under circumstances where many starting pitchers would have crumbled under the pressure, the Venezuelan took the ball in Game 2 and delivered one of the three greatest postseason pitching performances in Minnesota Twins history, tossing seven shutout innings against an Astros team which led the American League in runs scored in the second half of the season. In what was essentially a must-win game for the Twins, López gave the Twins exactly the performance they needed and completely flipped the ALDS on its head. That is what ace pitchers do. While Pablo López was great for the Minnesota Twins all season, ace level pitchers do it in October and López has stepped up his game this postseason with his play, his moxie and his leadership. López has earned the trust of the locker room and the fanbase and is still just 27 years old with a four year contract with the Twins ahead of him. After years and years and years of searching, the Minnesota Twins finally have their ace. Don’t take it for granted. Do you agree that the Minnesota Twins finally have their ace in Pablo López? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

The four outer boxes are outside the strikezone. Yordan is left handed. So the middle inside strike and upper inside strike are both cold areas for him. As well as the low and inside zone.

Yordan Álvarez has destroyed the Twins through the first three games of the American League Division Series. How can the Twins limit the powerful left hander? Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Coming into the American League Division Series, we all expected that the most challenging bat in the Houston Astros lineup would be Yordan Álvarez. Álvarez is a tremendous hitter in the prime of his career, and is a left hander. With a playoff roster full of right handed arms, Alvarez’s elite power from the left side of the plate would surely give the Twins a handful. Yordan Álvarez has been more impressive this series than even the most aggressive predictions. Through the first three games in the ALDS, Álvarez is 6-for-12 with four home runs, two doubles and six RBI. Álvarez has done damage against right handed pitchers and southpaws alike and has knocked the ball all across the yard, in Houston and in Minneapolis. Up to this point, the Minnesota Twins have not approached Álvarez any differently than they have approached any other batter. They have pitched to the left hander in each of his plate appearances and thrown him plenty of hittable pitchers (obviously). It’s clear that that approach has not been working, as Álvarez has completely taken over this playoff series from the plate. So what can the Minnesota Twins do to limit the left hander? The first option is the most obvious one and one that the Minnesota Twins should and most likely will employ in Game 4 – don’t pitch to Yordan at all. Up to this point the Minnesota Twins have not given Álvarez the Barry Bonds treatment, but with the consistent damage that he has been causing against Twins’ pitching, intentionally walking the 26-year-old and only allowing him to reach first base is something that makes way too much sense for them not to try. What makes this strategy difficult, and why the Twins haven’t tried it yet, is that the Astros have Kyle Tucker and José Abreu hitting directly behind Yordan. By intentionally walking the left hander, you’re putting a person on base for the 2023 American League RBI leader (Tucker) and the player who just hit two 440-foot home runs against the Twins on Tuesday afternoon. The Twins won’t be able to employ this strategy in every situation, but in scenarios where first base is open, the Twins should certainly give Álvarez a free pass and make Houston’s other players beat them. In the scenarios that the Twins aren’t able to intentionally walk Álvarez, like when there are runners on first and second, for example, the Twins need to do a better job attacking Álvarez with inside pitches. Each of Álvarez’s four home runs in this series have come on outside pitches or pitches in the middle of the zone. Outside and middle pitches are where Álvarez does most of his damage. With his large frame and huge arms, when he’s able to get extension he can hit the ball a long way. While he can still hit tanks on inside pitches, it’s clear that’s where he’s most vulnerable. Take a look at his heat map below to see. What’s been made most clear through the first three games of the ALDS is that the Minnesota Twins cannot continue pitching the same way to Yordan Álvarez. They need to switch things up. By intentionally walking him where they can, and attacking him on the inside of the plate when they need to attack him, the Twins can hopefully limit the damage that the Cuban can do against them. How do you think the Twins should attack Yordan Álvarez? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

After two days of speculation of who would start game one of the American League Division Series, the Minnesota Twins made it official: Bailey Ober will be taking the mound in Houston on Saturday afternoon. Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Coming off of the Wild Card round sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this week, there was no clear answer on who would be the game one starter for the divisional round. Joe Ryan made the most logical sense at first, as he was the one slated to start a game three, should that have been necessary earlier this week. There was a growing sense, though, that due to Joe Ryan’s style, he might not be the best fit to pitch in Houston. Joe Ryan is notably a fly ball pitcher, allowing nearly 50% of all batted balls to be launched into the air. As a result, Ryan was very home run prone this season, allowing 32 home runs in 29 appearances in 2023. In a ballpark like Houston, with the power alley to left field, a homer-prone pitcher like Ryan is a recipe for disaster. Additionally, Joe Ryan has struggled mightily since his groin strain in Atlanta at the end of June. Since June 27, Ryan has a 6.62 ERA with 24 allowed home runs in 14 games. Going away from Ryan in Game 1 made a lot of sense. Taking Joe Ryan out of the picture, Baldelli’s choices really came down to Kenta Maeda and Bailey Ober. With Maeda now positioned into a hybrid-bullpen role, Ober just made the most sense. Though he didn’t make the Opening Day roster, Bailey Ober has been a steady force for the Twins all season, tossing a 3.43 ERA. While Ober also allows his fair share of fly balls (49%), he has done a better job keeping the ball in the ballpark, allowing less than a home run per nine innings. Ober is coming into game one on a bit of a roll, as he posted a 2.08 ERA in the month of September with 26 strikeouts compared to just three walks. Game 1 will be Ober’s first ever postseason appearance, but he does have some experience against the Houston Astros, with a 4.50 ERA in 10 innings back in 2021. How do you feel about Bailey Ober being named the Game 1 starter? Leave a comment below and start the conversation. View full article

You don’t win a playoff round without big performances from players in big moments. Let’s look at the five best performances from Twins players in the Wild Card Round. Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Plenty has already been written about the incredible Wild Card series victory by the Minnesota Twins over the Toronto Blue Jays. There were countless great moments, clutch hits, big throws, and game-saving pitches. So many great moments were provided by so many different players. Let’s count down the biggest performances from an unforgettable Wild Card round. 5. Griffin Jax Griffin Jax had an up-and-down season for the Minnesota Twins all year. Posting months like May and August with sky-high ERAs while also showing lights-out potential in other months, like June and September. In the Wild Card round, Jax was given one of the toughest assignments that you can ask of a relief pitcher. Come into the eighth inning of a two-run game with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Cavan Biggio due up. And he had to do it twice. Jax survived a leadoff double from Guerrero Jr. in game one and escaped with no damage before a 1-2-3 appearance in game two. Both times, Jax protected a close lead against the Blue Jays best players, allowing the Twins to deploy Jhoan Duran in the ninth inning to win both games. 4. Sonny Gray Fourth on the list is Sonny Gray, who started Game 2 trying to match Pablo López’s excellent start in Game 1. Gray didn’t disappoint as he was able to complete five shutout innings and five strikeouts. against the usually-potent Blue Jays lineup. Several times Sonny Gray found himself in trouble, like when he survived runners on second and third in the second and fifth innings, managing to strand runners even when he might not have been perfect on the mound. And of course the pickoff. Sonny Gray was the Twins’ best starting pitcher all season and he proved his worth once again in game one with an excellent start in a game where the Twins needed it, only scoring two runs all game. 3. Pablo López Pablo López might not have gone scoreless like Sonny Gray went in Game 2, but his start ranks ahead because of the stakes that Pablo was going up against. López embraced the role of the pitcher who was finally going to break the Twins streak. In fact, he showed up to Game 1 wearing Johan Santana’s jersey, the starting pitcher who threw in a playoff game that the Minnesota Twins won. Pablo thrived under the immense pressure that was on him and delivered an unforgettable performance in game one, lasting 5 2/3 innings and only allowing one run. 2. Carlos Correa Number two on the list is the man that the Twins brought onto the team because of his ability to perform when the lights shine the brightest, and that is exactly what Carlos Correa did in the Wild Card round. Correa provided three moments that played a huge role in delivering the Twins first playoff series win in twenty years. In game one, Correa made the defensive play of the game when he bailed out a misplayed grounder from Jorge Polanco to drill Bo Bichette at home plate. Then in Game 2, Correa delivered the game-winning RBI before orchestrating the momentum-swinging pickoff play that killed the Blue Jays best rally of the series. Carlos Correa was paid $200 million to make big plays in the biggest moments and that was exactly what he did in the Wild Card round. But he ended up in second place to… 1. Royce Lewis What more can be said about Royce Lewis. The man who almost single-handedly ended Minnesota Twins fans’ 19 years of misery when he delivered home runs in the first and third innings of Game 1 which counted as all three runs that the Twins scored in the game. What makes the effort even more impressive is that Lewis did it on an injured hamstring, where it was no guarantee that he would even make the playoff roster at all. Lewis is just 24 years old but became a forever legend after his performance in Game One. A performance that allowed Twins fans to believe again and a performance that set the tone for what has the potential to be a magical playoff run. Do you agree with the list above? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

While his regular season didn’t exactly meet expectations, the past two days have shown exactly why you sign Carlos Correa to a $200 million contract. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Heading into the postseason, Carlos Correa was coming off of the worst regular season of his professional career. In 135 games, Correa posted just a .711 OPS with a league-leading 30 double plays. Statcast’s defensive numbers didn’t love his 2023 season either, as he finished in the 34th percentile with negative one outs above average. Correa finished the 2023 season with a career-low 1.1 fWAR, even lower than he provided in the shortened 2020 COVID season in which he only appeared in 58 games. The thing with Carlos Correa, though, is that you don’t give him $200 million for him to win you games in the regular season. You sign Carlos Correa to a $200 million contract for him to win you games in October. Carlos Correa has playoff experience unlike anyone who has ever donned a Minnesota Twins jersey before. Through his time with the Houston Astros, Carlos Correa has racked up 79 games of playoff experience. Correa has been in every key moment and has shown the ability to deliver when the pressure is at its highest. It was that playoff experience and that clutch ability that the Minnesota Twins were looking for when they signed the shortstop to a six-year deal. It didn’t take long for Correa to show that the Twins were correct in their expectations for Correa, as he has played in just two postseason games with the Minnesota Twins and has delivered in three massive moments that helped drive the team to their first playoff series victory in twenty years. The first moment came in Game 1 when Correa nailed Bo Bichette at home plate in an extraordinary display of baseball wit and incredible arm strength. Then in Game 2, Correa delivered once again. The first came at the plate when Correa started the scoring when he ripped a bases-loaded single which gave the Twins a 1-0 lead. Then again, Carlos Correa delivered an unforgettable moment with his glove (and baseball mind), when he orchestrated a pickoff play of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at second base with runners on second and third and the dangerous Bo Bichette at the plate. A play that we later learned was drawn up by Correa when he realized that the crowd noise would keep the baserunner at second baseman from being able to hear Toronto’s third base coach. Each of Carlos’s spectacular plays played a key role in delivering victories in games one and two. Without Correa, there’s no telling how either of those games would have gone. Outside of the incredible plays in the field, Carlos Correa has also provided the unquantifiable, yet still invaluable leadership and confidence to a locker room that has never experienced postseason success before. We have heard from countless players that Correa’s experience and leadership has played a key role in galvanizing the locker room and preparing the team to make a postseason run. Whether it’s on or off the field, Carlos Correa has proven to everyone why you invest in a player with the talent, experience and leadership like he possesses. Correa is proving himself to be worth his $200 million contract, and he is on the path to proving himself to be worth so much more. View full article

Frank Viola. Jack Morris. Kirby Puckett. Royce Lewis. On Tuesday night, Royce Lewis etched his name into Minnesota Twins lore and became a legend for life. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Heading into the 2023 postseason there were plenty of questions surrounding the availability of Royce Lewis. Less than two weeks ago, Lewis had suffered a hamstring injury that was deemed a three to four week injury. As he usually does, Lewis beat the odds, made the roster, and was named as the starting designated hitter for the Minnesota Twins in Game 1 of the Wild Card series. Coming into the series. 24-year-old knew all too well about the 0-18 playoff losing streak that Twins fans had suffered through for the last 19 years. And if anyone was going to help the Twins break out of that losing streak, Lewis was the top choice to play the hero. After all, Lewis has been the one to be that hero throughout the season. Lewis has been the one coming through with big plays, clutch hits, and grand slams and never seeming to be afraid of a moment, no matter how big. It didn’t take long for Lewis to show the believers that their faith in the right-hander was well warranted. In the bottom of the first inning, a hobbling Royce Lewis labored his way into the batter’s box, forcing a full count, before turning on a Kevin Gausman four-seamer for a blast into the left field bleachers to give the Twins an early 2-0 lead. The home run set the tone early and energized a crowd that needed to see its hometown nine get off to a fast start, as an early deficit would have surely made Target Field go anxious and silent. As the game went on, though, it became pretty clear that this was going to be a close game and that the Twins could use some additional run support. After a trip through the order didn’t provide much of any offense, Lewis decided to take matters into his own hands once again, blasting another Gausman four-seamer, this time to the opposite field right-center, to put the Twins up 3-0 with a rolling Pablo López. In the end, Royce’s two home runs provided the only three runs contributed for the Minnesota Twins en route to their Tuesday win. Royce contributed .243 WPA (Win Probability Added) to the Twins efforts and played an enormous role in bringing a victory to Minnesota. While the stat line was impressive, what made the performance legendary was the context behind the stat line. We all know about the 0-18: the heartbreak, the missed calls, the underwhelming performances. The Minnesota fanbase has suffered more than any other fanbase in baseball over the past twenty years and has been waiting for a player to step up, say "no more" and end the streak. This fanbase was waiting for a player who not only was unafraid by the big moment but one who reveled in the big moment, demanded the bat in those scenarios and delivered when the moment was the biggest. And for that player to be one who has overcome as much as Lewis has overcome makes the legendary status all that much more impressive. Lewis overcame two ACL tears, overcame a late-season hamstring injury, overcame proclamations of a bust of a number one overall pick, and so much more. Royce Lewis is still just 24 years old. He still has an entire postseason in 2023 and an entire career to play out. But tonight, Royce Lewis ended the longest playoff losing streak in professional sports history. He grabbed the giant gorilla off of the back of the entire Minnesota fanbase and threw it into the Mighty Mississippi. Tonight, Royce Lewis put his name up there with the greatest legends in Minnesota Twins history. And he's just getting started. View full article

Jhoan Duran had about as dominant of a rookie season as you can have as a reliever. After an equally strong start to 2023, Duran’s numbers have been slipping as of late. Should Twins fans be concerned? Image courtesy of © Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports After posting a dominant 1.86 ERA in 67 ⅔ inning as a high-leverage reliever for the Minnesota Twins in 2022, Jhoan Duran came out of the gates on fire in 2023 in what looked like an equally dominant sophomore season. Through the first three months of the season, Jhoan Duran posted a 1.45 ERA, with opponents hitting just .147 against the right-hander. Since the calendar changed from May to June, however, there has been a noticeable dip in Duran's numbers. Since June 1, Duran has a 4.26 ERA, and opponents are hitting at a clip of .265. Duran has allowed twice as many home runs in six fewer innings and has yet to put together a perfect outing in over a month. The table below shows the stark difference in numbers before and after June 1. While BABIP points to poor luck causing much of Duran's disappointing numbers this summer, underlying metrics also show a genuine reason for concern with the 25-year-old. In addition to his high FIP, Duran's average allowed exit velocity is up, and his xWOBA allowed is way up. One potential reason for the poor numbers comes from Pitch Profiler, who points out that Duran's induced vertical break is way down. This decrease in vertical break makes Duran's pitch paths more predictable, leading to more hits and a higher potential for home runs. Another potential reason for Duran's poor late results is that he's overworked. With the top-heavy bullpen that the Twins have, in addition to their poor offense putting them in lots of close games, Duran not only has had to pitch many innings, but he has also had to pitch in many high-stress innings. While he is just 83rd in innings pitched as a reliever, Duran ranks third in all of baseball in average leverage index. Combining that with Duran's sky-high pitch velocities and fatigue is a more-than-reasonable explanation for much of the dip in performance. Jhoan Duran still has the talent and ability to be one of the best relievers in the game. Some underlying metrics point to him being the victim of bad luck, with others pointing to a dip in performance. What appears to be clear, though, is that Duran is overworked. He's throwing high-stress innings consistently and has been doing so for the past two years. With the American League Central race all but locked up, the Twins should consider getting Duran some time off to be back in form in time for the playoffs because the Twins will need that right arm in October. Are you worried about Jhoan Duran's dip in numbers lately? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

Edouard Julien is now more than 65 games into his MLB career. Despite Julien’s poor defense at second base, and the Twins’ continuously poor offense, the Twins inexplicably refuse to try the rookie at first base. Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports Edouard Julien has been better than anyone could have expected him to be at the plate in his rookie season with the Minnesota Twins. Through his first 67 games with the Twins, Julien is slashing .286/.377/.490 (.867) with 22 extra-base hits. Where Julien has not excelled, though, has been on the defensive side of the ball. Upon his call up to the majors, Julien was viewed as a poor defender at second base, and even those poor projections underestimated just how big of a struggle the position has been for the rookie. Julien currently ranks in the 15th percentile in Outs Above Average with -5 defensive runs saved at second base. The Canadian has unfortunately shown that he is extremely stretched at second and lacks the range and twitchiness to succeed there. Julien’s struggles at second base, especially now with Jorge Polanco back from injury, have put the Twins in a difficult spot. Polanco has not proven to be as solid at third base as he is at second base, but in order to keep Julien’s bat in the lineup, their choices are to use the designated hitter spot on Polanco or Julien, or play with a far-below average defensive alignment with Polanco at third and Julien at second. The pickle that the Twins have found themselves in will only prove more challenging once Royce Lewis returns to the lineup in the coming week. Once Lewis comes back and overtakes the third base position, the Twins will have no choice but to play one of Jorge Polanco or Edouard Julien at designated hitter every day. (And soon after, Byron Buxton will return and make the situation even more complex.) There is one easy way for the Twins to fix the issue that they’re having in their defensive alignment, however it’s a defensive move that the Twins have refused to try out all season — playing Julien at first base. First base is inherently an easier position to play than second base, as it is five steps below second base on the defensive spectrum. Additionally, Julien does have 181 innings of minor-league experience at the position. Maybe Julien won’t be great at first base, but he certainly hasn’t been good at second base. Additionally, moving Julien to first base makes a ton of sense because of the poor production that the Twins have been getting from the position, mainly from Joey Gallo. Since Matt Wallner has come on as the everyday starting left fielder for the Twins, Gallo has become the everyday first baseman for the Twins. A problem when he’s struggled so mightily on the season, batting .152 since June 1. Moving Julien to first base would improve their defense by moving Polanco back to everyday second base, improve their offense by replacing Gallo’s bat with Julien’s, and free up the designated hitter spot for a platoon rotation or Alex Kirilloff when he returns. Moving Edouard Julien to first base makes all the sense in the world, and it is puzzling that the Twins refuse to make the move, or at least try it. Do you think the Twins should move Edouard Julien to first base? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

Max Kepler and Emilio Pagán were left for dead by most Twins fans just a month ago. They have both been proving fans wrong and providing immeasurable value to a team that desperately needs it. Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports The day was June 11th, and the Minnesota Twins had just suffered what was arguably their worst loss of the season, a 7-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays after blowing a two-run lead in the eighth inning. The primary culprit for the loss? Emilio Pagán, who served up a three-run home run to Cavan Biggio to give the game away. The three-run home run was just the latest in a run of meltdowns for Pagán in his time with the Minnesota Twins, this time pushing his ERA on the 2023 season up to 4.61. Following the game, many in Twins territory were (understandably) pushing for the reliever to be DFA’d. Including this author. Emilio Pagán was on his fourth consecutive season of terrible performances and showed no signs of it getting better. Pagán continuously served up home runs at inopportune times that would absolutely crush the team for which he was pitching. The other reason for getting rid of Emilio Pagán was that his upside was so limited. Even if Pagán were to “turn things around”, how high would his ceiling actually be? Well, since that back-breaking home run that he allowed on that June night in Toronto, Pagán has shown what his ceiling can be. In the 23 appearances since that game, Pagán has posted a 1.59 ERA with 21 strikeouts and eight walks. This elite stretch of pitching has brought Pagán’s ERA on the season down to 3.24 in 50 innings. Perhaps most importantly, the right-hander has shown the ability to limit the home runs that have haunted his teams for years. After allowing 28 home runs over his previous two seasons, Pagán has only allowed four home runs this season. That ability to keep the ball in the ballpark has been the biggest development for Pagán and will be what keeps him as a trusted reliever down the stretch for the Minnesota Twins. On the same day that Emilio Pagán served up the home run that gave the Twins the loss, Max Kepler similarly had a miserable day at the office going 0-for-4 and dropping his OPS to a lowly .637. Like Pagán, many Twins fans were urging the front office to move on from Max Kepler as he was continuing his run of failure at the plate ever since his breakout in 2019. Additionally, with the Twins so flush with talent in left-handed corner outfielders, there was little utility seen in keeping Kepler on the roster. Similar to Pagán, Kepler didn’t appear to have the upside that was worth hanging onto Kepler through his downsides. But also similar to Pagán, Kepler has shown that he does possess that upside. Since the 0-for-4 performance on June 11, Kepler owns a .853 OPS in 48 games with 11 home runs and 26 RBI in 168 plate appearances. Kepler’s bat has propelled the Twins offense in a time when they needed it most and his defense has similarly been great. Additionally, with the injury of Alex Kirilloff and the poor play from Joey Gallo, the Twins have needed production from Kepler’s left-handed bat, and he has provided. So, Max and Emilio, on behalf of all of Twins Territory… We are sorry! Most of us wanted you gone, and you have proven us wrong. We just hope that you continue to prove us wrong, because the Twins will need you both down the stretch. Would you like to apologize to Max Kepler and Emilio Pagán? Leave your apology in the comments below. View full article

The Minnesota Twins’ playoff odds are now up over 85%. Without jinxing them, let’s look at who the Twins could be facing in the playoffs and rank their potential opponents. Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports Coming out of the trade deadline, the Minnesota Twins have been on a tear (pre-Tigers series), while the Cleveland Guardians had been on a slide. With the now 3 ½ game lead and the Guardians' poor outlook after selling at the trade deadline, the division looks like more of a formality than a competition over the last two months of the season. Should the Minnesota Twins avoid a massive collapse and win the American League Central as they should, they will be looking at a three-game playoff series against the sixth seed in the American League, the lowest-ranked Wild Card team. In looking at the current American League standings, the Orioles, Rays, Rangers, and Astros appear locked into the top four records in the American League. That leaves the Twins likely to face the Blue Jays, Yankees, Red Sox, or Mariners. Let's rank those potential opponents based on difficulty for the Twins from easiest (4) to most difficult (1). 4. Boston Red Sox Of their four likeliest playoff opponents, Twins fans should root for Minnesota to get matched against the Boston Red Sox this October. The Red Sox currently rank 18th and 19th, respectively, in team batting and pitching fWAR. While its starting rotation in a playoff series would consist of three pitchers with sub-4 ERAs, the Red Sox lack the top-end starting pitching that can steal a playoff game and, ultimately, a series. 3. Seattle Mariners Next on the list is the Seattle Mariners, 2 ½ games out of the final Wild Card spot in the American League. After falling to .500 towards the end of July and looking like they might become sellers at the trade deadline, the Mariners are now 6-1 since the start of August and 61-52 on the season. The Mariners currently rank 11th in batting fWAR and 2nd in pitching fWAR, thanks to elite starting pitching and relievers. Even though the Mariners have such strong pitching, they have so much youth and playoff inexperience, with pitchers like Logan Gilbert and George Kirby leaving the Mariners as the third most difficult potential playoff matchup for the Twins. 2. Toronto Blue Jays Coming in second on the list of most difficult playoff matchups for the Minnesota Twins in 2023 are the Toronto Blue Jays, who the Twins are most likely to face in the first round. The Blue Jays currently have the fifth-best run differential in the American League and have a well-rounded team that ranks eighth in batting fWAR and seventh in pitching fWAR. The amount of star talent they possess makes the Blue Jays extra scary in a playoff format. From Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and Bo Bichette on the hitting side of the ball to Kevin Gausman and José Berríos on the pitching side, Toronto has the elite top-end talent that can take over a playoff series. 1. New York Yankees The number one team on the list of most difficult potential playoff opponents for the Minnesota Twins in 2023 is the New York Yankees, who will hold this spot until the Twins can prove that they shouldn't. The Yankees' playoff success against the Minnesota Twins is unmatched. While the Yankees are different from the powerhouse that the Twins have grown accustomed to, they still have plenty of talent to make for a challenging series in a playoff round. The biggest asset that the Yankees have in a potential playoff series is ace Gerrit Cole, who has a career 5-0 record with a 2.43 ERA against the Twins. A game one matchup against Cole could quickly put the Twins in a 0-1 series hole and bring back all of the ghosts that have haunted the Twins for the past twenty years. If there were any year that the Twins would be best suited to conquer their demons in the New York Yankees, this would be the season, but until they do it, they should always be considered the most difficult potential playoff matchup. Which potential playoff opponent would be the most challenging for the Minnesota Twins? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

The Minnesota Twins missed the boat at the trade deadline, but a waived right-handed bat on Saturday presents the Twins with a second chance at acquiring just the player they need. Image courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports Author's note: According to Jon Heyman, Ramón Laureano has been claimed by the Cleveland Guardians following the posting of this article. The biggest need that the Minnesota Twins had at the 2023 trade deadline was a right handed corner outfielder. With Max Kepler, Joey Gallo, Alex Kirilloff and Matt Wallner, the Minnesota Twins have a surplus of left handed bats, yet nothing to speak for in terms of right handers. As we know, the Twins didn’t make a move at the deadline to acquire a right handed corner outfielder, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t still bring one in. On Saturday afternoon, the Oakland Athletics announced that they waived 29-year-old outfielder Ramón Laureano, and he is now eligible to be picked up via waivers. Laureano is a right hander who has a career OPS+ of 110 and has played all three outfield positions over his six-year career with the A’s. Laureano burst onto the scene as a 23-year-old with Oakland in 2018 when he posted an .832 OPS in 48 games as a rookie before following it up with a .860 OPS in 123 games in 2019. Laureano’s bat has fallen off a bit since his first two seasons, but even in a down season in 2023 he is doing what he has always done — hitting left-handed pitching. The Minnesota Twins’ struggles against left-handed pitching this season have been well documented. Currently the Twins rank last in all of baseball with a .662 OPS against left-handed hitting. Ramón Laureano is a career .790 OPS hitter against left-handed pitchers. Even in a down year in 2023 he is still performing well against southpaws, posting a .793 OPS. In addition to hitting left-handed pitching, Laureano runs well and has the flexibility to play center field as well. Laureano is owed about $1 million for the rest of the 2023 season and has an additional year of team control following the season where he will be in his final year of arbitration. Additionally, Laureano still has minor league options remaining, which would give the Twins even more flexibility. If the Twins were to put in a waiver claim on Ramón Laureano and add him to their roster, he would likely take the spot of Joey Gallo or newly acquired Jordan Luplow. Laureano would be a better fit than either of them and would be the perfect addition to this Minnesota Twins roster. View full article

Prior to the Carlos Correa signing this past offseason, Joe Mauer’s $184 million extension was the largest contract in Minnesota Twins history. As we celebrate Mauer’s inauguration into the Twins’ hall of fame this weekend, let’s look back at that extension and evaluate if it was worth it. Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports Coming off of the 2009 season, Joe Mauer was on top of the baseball world. He had just completed a season in which he slashed .365/.444/.587 with a career-high 28 home runs and 96 RBI. Mauer was voted American League MVP, one vote shy of earning the honor in unanimous fashion. Mauer also found himself one season away from becoming the most sought after free agent in all of baseball. However, in March, heading into the 2010 season, in what would have been his final year under team control, the Twins signed Joe Mauer to an eight-year, $184 million contract extension. The contract was the fourth-largest contract ever handed out in MLB history at the time. The reasoning behind the Twins inking Mauer to such a large contract was not difficult to understand. Mauer had been playing like a Top-5 player in baseball over the first five seasons of his MLB career, and at just 26 years old, Mauer had not even hit his athletic prime yet. Mauer was hitting better than a catcher had hit in a long time, and brought value to the Twins on both sides of the ball. Additionally, the Twins signed Mauer to the contract extension just one month before they opened their brand new stadium, Target Field. There was no move that would have excited a fanbase and opened up a new stadium better than extending the hometown hero, Joe Mauer, to a massive contract extension. For an ownership group that was constantly criticized for being tight with their money, their paying up to keep Mauer in Minnesota was a massive boost to a fanbase at the perfect time. So, the contract extension was definitely the right move at the time, but how did things play out after Mauer signed the extension? In the season immediately following his contract extension, Mauer proved to the Pohlads that their investment was well-spent, as he was an all-star, finished Top-10 in MVP voting, and won his third consecutive Gold Glove and Silver Slugger from the catcher position. Things took a bit of a turn in 2011, though, when the infamous “bilateral leg weakness” began for Mauer. He only played in 82 games that season, and he started to get his first action at first base. His gradual transition to first base continued in 2012 and 2013 until he became a full-time first baseman in 2014 after Ike Davis's foul tip off of Mauer's face mask caused him to abandon catching for good, just four seasons after signing his extension. After becoming a full-time first baseman in 2014, Mauer would never go on to make another all-star team, earn MVP votes or Gold Gloves, while averaging just 1.4 fWAR per season through his final season in 2018. Aside from being an elite hitter, what made Mauer so valuable and worthy of such a large extension was the fact that he played the catcher position. It’s so rare to find a catcher with elite batting skills, and that Mauer was such a great hitter was invaluable. When the Twins signed Mauer to the $184 million extension, they did so assuming that they would be getting an elite catcher for most, if not all, of the contract. How things turned out, though, was that Mauer was only a full-time catcher for the first season immediately following the extension. For five years of the extension, Mauer wasn’t a catcher at all. If we look at Fangraphs’ financial value metric, Joe Mauer provided $125.7 million of value, despite earning $184 million over that timeframe. From that metric alone, one would conclude that the extension was not worth it. Although the dollar value says the money wasn’t worth it, the contract extension was still one that was ultimately the right move. The contract extension was worth it because it launched the opening of Target Field. It kept the hometown kid home. It signaled that the Pohlads weren’t, in fact, “pocket protectors”. It showed that the Twins were willing to spend money and ready to compete. In the end, it was injuries that kept Mauer’s extension from providing the value they thought they would get when they inked him to the contract. But even though they didn’t get that value that they had hoped, the contract provided value for the Twins that went beyond the diamond. Do you think Joe Mauer’s contract extension was worth it? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article