Sherry Cerny

Let’s get to the report. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions! TRANSACTIONS RHP Patrick Murphy activated from the Development List RHP Josh Winder has been assigned to Low-A Fort Myers on MLB Rehab. Saints Sentinel St. Paul 6, Iowa 2 Box Score Louis Varland had a phenomenal first game of his season. He threw five innings and allowed only one run, one walk, and he struck out nine batters. Jordan Balazovic, Trevor Megill and Brock Stewart each recorded four outs. Balazovic made his first appearance of the year. He gave up one run on one hit and two walks. Megill walked two. Stewart recorded his first save which gave Varland his first win of the season. Kyle Garlick is the top story today for the St. Paul Saints. The outfielder has been driving in the runs early in the season and Edouard Julien and Matt Wallner setting the table for the middle of the lineup, specifically Tyler White and Mark Contreras to drive them in. Hernan Perez gave the Saints a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning with a solo home run. Mark Contreras came up big in the bottom of the sixth inning. With Garlick and Julien on second and third, he drove them home with a two-run home run which gave the Saints a 5-1 lead. The Saints had just four hits and six walks. Julien had one of the hits and walked twice. Garlick and Contreras each drove in two runs. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 2, Springfield 0 Box Score This was a battle of the pitchers for most of the game. In the third inning, Twins top prospect Brooks Lee and Yunior Severino got on base. Catcher Alex Isola drove in Lee with a double and first baseman Aaron Sabato followed with a sacrifice fly to drive in Severino. The Wind Surge had a 2-0 lead, and that was it for run scoring. As you would expect, this game finished in just two hours and five minutes. In his first Double-A start, David Festa pitched a clean, scoreless five innings. He gave up only one hit and struck out eight batters. Hunter McMahon came on and struck out three batters over two perfect innings. Jordan Brink worked a hitless eighth from, and Michael Boyle he save with a hitless ninth frame. The Wind Surge had seven hits. Isola and Yoyner Fajardo were both 2-for-4 in the games. Kernel Nuggets Cedar Rapids 5, Peoria 4 (10 innings) Box Score The Cedar Rapids Kernels kept the baseball night alive for the Twins affiliates. The Kernels needed 10 innings to beat the Peoria Chiefs. In the third inning, the Kernels got on the board first with a three-run home run from Tanner Schobel off of Cooper Hjerpe. Kyle Jones started for Cedar Rapids. The 2022 draft pick went five innings without giving up a run. However, he was charged with three runs in the sixth inning. In 5 1/3 innings, he gave up six hits. He struck out six batters without giving up a walk. Matt Mullenbach struck out two batters without giving up a run, though one of two inherited runners scored. Matt Swain got the eighth inning. He walked three batters but gave up a run on a sacrifice fly which put the Kernels down 4-3. In the top of the ninth inning. Keoni Cavaco and Kyler Fedko got things started with singles. Charles Mack laid down a sacrifice bunt and the bases were loaded because of an error. After a strikeout, Emmanuel Rodriguez drove in pinch-runner Willy Joe Garry with the game-tying run. Regi Grace pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Misael Urbina began the top of the 10th as the Manfred Man on second base. Kala'i Rosario singled to score Urbina. Unfortunately, that was the only run they scored. Fortunately, Regi Grace remained in and kept Peoria off the scoreboard to give the Kernels the win. Rosario led the way. He went 2-for-4 with a walk. Noah Miller went 2-for-5. Fedko went 1-for-2 with two walks. Muscle Matters Dunedin 3, Fort Myers 4 Box Score Through four innings, the Mussels held a 4-3 lead. Fortunately, that was a lead they kept the remainder of the game. The game was tied in the third when Alec Sayre got out on a sacrifice fly to score Rubel Cespedes, advancing Mikey Perez to third. Dylan Nuese drew a walk. With men on the corners, and then stole second while Dunedin catcher Sammy Hernandez threw to third base to try and catch Mikey Perez. Perez saw an opportunity and took off, stole home and gave the Mussels a 3-1 lead. Designated Hitter, Andrew Cossetti got his first professional hit during the game, which secured the lead for the Mussels when he hit a line-drive to right center-field to give the Mussels a 4-1 lead. Starting pitcher, Andrew Morris threw 4 1/3i innings, striking out seven batters but gave up the only three earned runs of the game before getting pulled in the fourth inning. The bullpen really shone through to carry the rest of the game. The Blue Jays attempted to catch up to the Mussels, but the bullpen kept that from happening, shutting out the Jays the rest of the game. Twins bullpen pitcher Josh Winder joined the Mussels on a rehab assignment and threw two innings, giving up two hits, He walked two and struck out three batters.. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – David Festa (Wichita) - 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Day – Edouard Julien (St. Paul) - 1-for-2, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (1), 2 BB, K PROSPECT SUMMARY The Twins Prospect Tracker is the best way to see how each of the Twins top prospects performed during their games; but in case you wanted a quick look, Here is how each of the top 20 performed today: #1 - Brooks Lee (Wichita) - 1-for-4, 1 R, BB, K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, RBI, SF, 2 K #5 - Edouard Julien (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, 1 R, BB, K #8 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-5, 2 K #9 - Louie Varland (St. Paul) - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K #11 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, 1 R, BB, K #14 - Noah Miller (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-5, R, K #16 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K #18 - Tanner Schobel (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-5, HR, R 3 RBI, 2 K #20 - Misael Urbina (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, R, 2 BB, K UPCOMING SATURDAY SCHEDULE AND PITCHING PROBABLES: Iowa @ St. Paul (DH at 1:00) - RHP Aaron Sanchez (0-0, 2.70); GAME 2 - RHP Randy Dobnak (0-0, 1.93) Wichita @ Springfield (6:00PM CST) - RHP - Travis Adams, (0-0, 0.00) Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (6:35PM CST) - LHP Connor Prielipp (professional debut) Dunedin @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - RHP Zebby Matthews (0-0,0.00) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss today’s game!

Happy Triple-A Opening Day! The Twins have the day off on Friday. The Saints are playing their opener in Toledo, a three-game series. They will return to CHS Field to start their home schedule on Tuesday when Louie Varland takes on the Iowa Cubs. Next Thursday, the Wichita Wind Surge, Cedar Rapids Kernels, and Fort Myers Mighty Mussels will start their seasons. Let’s get to the report. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS The Saints officially announced their Opening Day roster on Friday morning. Check it out here. Utilitymen Michael Helman and Austin Martin are beginning the season on the Saints Injured List. Pitcher Patrick Murphy and catcher David Banuelos are on the Development List. Saints Sentinal St. Paul 4, Toledo 7 Box Score Bailey Ober started the game and the season for the Saints on the road against Toledo. Ober struggled early, giving up a run on two hits in the first inning. His day ended after just three innings pitched. He worked out of a jam in the 2nd inning but then gave up two more runs in the third inning. More importantly, he needed 32 pitches to get through that inning. The right-hander gave up three runs (2 earned) on five hits and a walk. He also struck out four batters. WBC hero Jose De Leon came on in relief of Ober to start the fourth inning. He was efficient and kept the Mudhens at three runs through the sixth inning. In the bottom of the seventh frame, he gave up a bloop single, got a strikeout and issued a walk. Cody Laweryson came in for his first Triple-A appearance, a tough spot with two runners on base and trying to keep the Saints within striking distance. He started well, getting Tigers prospect Parker Meadows to strike out for the second out. Unfortunately, Andy Ibanez came to the plate and launched a three-run homer, expanding the Mudhens lead to 6-1. Four batters later, Toledo had two more hits, a walk and another run. So De Leon’s final line doesn’t necessarily tell the story of how he pitched. He was ultimately charged with two runs on three hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings. 27 of his 46 pitches were strikes (59%). Laweryson’s line? He recorded two outs, both on strikeouts. However, two of two inherited runners scored, and he then gave up two more runs on three hits and a walk. The Saints offense struggled. Toledo kept the Saints from earning not only runs early in the game, but only allowed four hits through the seventh inning. Their first base runner came in the second inning when newly-acquired outfielder Andrew Stevenson walked. An inning later, Matt Wallner blooped a single to left, just beyond the reach of #OldFriend Akil Baddoo for the Saints’ first hit of the season. In the fifth inning, veteran Hernan Perez had an infield single that could (maybe should) have been ruled an error. In his third at-bat, Edouard Julien got the Saints on the board. He hit a solo home run into left center, getting the Saints on the board. Along with some pitching struggles, and hitting struggles, the Saints also committed three errors on defense. However, there was a highlight-reel throw from center fielder Mark Contreras. With speedy veteran Jonathan Davis on second base, Akil Baddoo hit a fly ball to center field, just shy of the warning track. Contreras played it perfectly, got behind the ball, caught it, and made a strong throw to Andrew Bechtold at third base to get Davis on a close play. Kyle Garlick and the Saints came into the top of the ninth inning battling back. Garlick hit a solo home run to get the Saints another run on the board. Contreras followed suit with a single and getting more runners in scoring position. Jair Carmago doubled on a sharp fly ball to score Contreras with only one out. The Saints continued to stay alive bringing home Andrew Stevenson on a ground out from Hernan Perez getting three more runs before Bechtold struck out to end the game. The Saint's battled hard at the end, but it wasn't enough. Tomorrow is another day... TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Jose De Leon (St. Paul) - 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K Hitter of the Day – Edouard Julien (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR (1), K PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the new Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Sunday. #5 - Edouard Julien (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR (1), K #11 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, 3 K UPCOMING SCHEDULE Saturday: St. Paul @ Toledo (3:10 PM CST) - RHP Aaron Sanchez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Sunday: St. Paul @ Toledo (1:10 PM CST) - RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss today’s game!

Box Score SP: Pablo Lopez: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB,8 K (85 pitches, 50 strikes (58.8%) Home Runs: None Top 3 WPA: Pablo Lopez (0.316), Byron Buxton (0.156), Griffin Jax (0.89) Bottom 3 WPA: Max Kepler (-0.144), Carlos Correa (-0.88), Nick Gordon (-0.85) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) New Season, New Team Fifteen players on the Opening Day 26-man roster were not on the team last season, but Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton were. They started the game by getting on base with a couple of singles. Buxton has been placed in the DH position while they continue to assess his knee. The move appeared to be frustrating for some fans, but for this writer and the team, I believe it’s a great move. It was enjoyable to see the new faces of Michael A. Taylor, Joey Gallo and Christian Vazquez mingled in with the veteran players. New acquisition Taylor seemed to fit right into centerfield. Trevor Larnach was out the majority of last season with a groin injury that led to an abdominal pull, but he certainly showed why he is an important piece of the lineup. Pitchers on both teams and their defenses seemed to keep things at bay through the fifth inning, until Byron Buxton hit a triple to lead off of the sixth inning and came home on a single from Correa. Zack Grienke was pulled with the Twins ahead 1-0. Dueling Pitchers Sonny Gray’s statement about mound time and pitchers wanting to stay out longer than four innings, has been a recent story line. That became more intriguing when, in the fifth inning, starter Pablo Lopez loaded up the bases. Pitching manager Pete Maki made a mound visit with bases loaded and one out, and appeared to calm Lopez down. The Twins got out of the inning with a 6-3-4 double play and he returned in the sixth to retire one more batter before Manager Rocco Baldelli took him out of the game. Taking it all in The new rules with the pitch clock certainly paced the game a lot quicker, but this writer found myself looking less and less at the pitch clock throughout the game. The pace of the game certainly did move faster, but it didn’t seem to affect the pleasure of the game. (Game time was 2 hours, 32 minutes!) The only time it felt rushed was when Amir Garrett seemed to barely get set before throwing the pitch. Oddly, that seemed to benefit the Twins as Donovan Solano singled to extend the Twins lead to 2-0 as Larnach was brought home in the sixth inning. Even though the Twins maintained their lead, three times they left the bases full without bringing anyone home. Not everything can be perfect, but a repeat of last year leaving guys on base consistently would be frustrating. What’s Next? The Twins will send veteran Sonny Gray in game two of the series (0-0, 0.00 ERA) to the mound on Saturday after the built-in off day for the entire league. The team will face Jordan Lyles, a RHP who finished last season with a 4.42 ERA. The game is scheduled for 1:10 pm. Postgame Interviews (Coming Soon) Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet SUN MON TUE WED THU TOT Sands 45 0 0 0 0 45 Thielbar 0 24 0 0 11 35 Alcala 33 0 0 0 0 33 López 0 22 0 0 5 27 Duran 11 0 0 0 16 27 Moran 0 12 0 0 0 12 Jax 0 0 0 0 9 9 Pagán 0 0 0 0 0 0

Getting rid of Gio Urshela was the let-down of the off-season for me. Urshela came in quietly, didn’t say much, but he let his defense and at-bats speak for themselves. He quickly became a fan favorite and had the whole stadium singing his walk up song’s chorus, “Take this world and give me GIO” with every at-bat. While Urshela had one more year of arbitration remaining, he was due for a big raise and earned it. Urshela hit .285/.338/.429 with 27 doubles and 13 home runs, Two of those homers were walk-offs. The Twins wanted to make as much room as they could to contend for shortstop, Carlos Correa, who ultimately went to the Giants. Urshela’s absence will give Jose Miranda a well-deserved opportunity at third base. So the trade is not illogical. However, when Correa signed with the Giants, it made the Gio trade extremely frustrating; but now, the trade is frustrating and perplexing. On Friday, the Twins signed Joey Gallo to a one year, $11 million contract. Why would the Twins get rid of a steady contributor to the lineup and defense only to bring in a player who really struggled with the bat in 2022? Urshela may have saved them a few bucks in the chase for Correa, but he would have been the better investment. Gallo certainly has talent, but he also spent 2022 between the Yankees and the Dodgers with a mortifyingly low batting average of .162 for the season. When he does hit the ball, he has power and sits in the 94th percentile for hard hit balls. If he is unable to produce at the plate, he can still provide value with his defensive play. Seeing Double More than likely Gallo would play one of the corners of the outfield positions alongside Byron Buxton, but if there is one thing the Twins already have - it’s a lot of left-handed hitting outfielders including Nick Gordon, Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, Mark Contreras, and Matt Wallner The Twins also currently have another outfielder who plays good defense but finds his batting average near the Mendoza Line. Max Kepler has been the subject of trade rumors during the offseason. Kepler struggled with the bat but was a finalist for AL Gold Glove in right field in 2022, a far cry from his breakout 2019 season. Kepler, like most of the 2022 roster, fought injuries and missed most of the season's final month. Both Gallo and Kepler are often mentioned as it relates to the new shift rules coming in 2023. There is some thought that those two hitters in particular lost hits because of the shifting tendencies. Will it help? Can both be on the same roster? More potential crazy trade options It is possible that Gallo may be a replacement for Kepler if he is traded this offseason. Another option is making one the primary DH, though it is likely Luis Arraez will get a lot of DH plate appearances and Byron Buxton will get time there too. Maybe Minnesota can be a place where Gallo can bounce back and flourish. With the rest of the outfield and much younger prospects like Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirilloff, Gilberto Celestino, Royce Lewis, Nick Gordon, Matt Wallner and Mark Contreras, any one (or multiple) of them could be a part of a package deal to get more starting pitching, or any pitching period. But if the Twins don’t trade Kepler, there are two outfielders with similar stats, bats and love to hit into the gaps. Once again, the Twins front office leaves fans scratching their heads with confusion, too many players in the outfield, no Gio, and there is still eight weeks until pitchers and catchers report.

The Pohlads didn't "short-change" Correa. They didn't "lowball him." They made him a fair offer based on his age and production. The offer was $285 million over ten years, more per year than the Giants offer but three years shorter. There is nothing the Pohlads did differently than what most fans expected. They threw everything at Correa, minus the kitchen sink. There are the always angry Twins fans that voice their "Pohlad Pocket Protector" comments which, at this point, is more out of obligation and typical Minnesota fandom than logical reaction. It makes sense. Correa was a dark horse in the 2022 season we were surprised to get. With his agent, Scott Boras, at the helm, it was a dream that the Twins would have him for longer than a season. Longevity (no matter what Correa said about "loving being in Minnesota" - because he did) was probably not a reality. The Twins are not a big market team like the Giants, who can throw $300 million at one player. (And yet they nearly did. They're not the Mets, who can throw $400mm at three players. Or the Yankees, who, well, you get the point. The point is, losing out on big contracts like this is not always a loss. Not getting this deal may not be a bad thing. The Twins will not be in a Bobby Bonilla, Josh Hamilton, CJ Wilson, or Albert Puljos situation. Luckily they got the Yankees to take the final two seasons of Josh Donaldson's contract. Not being stuck with a substantial long contract is a good thing. We should remember when Joe Mauer was the highest-paid member of the Twins and, after so many injuries and concussions, couldn't catch anymore. He moved to first base, where his bat was no longer elite, but he was still paid like an MVP. Byron Buxton is another highly-paid athlete who has lost a lot of playing time with various injuries. Twins fans would be inconsolable if the front office poured all the money into one player who needed to come out of games or miss a large chunk of time to heal. Amid Correa Watch 2022, the Twins made two sound acquisitions, trading for shortstop Kyle Farmer from the Reds and signing free agent catcher Christian Vasquez coming off a World Series win with the Astros. These two players have the potential to contribute defensively and offensively. Because fans were so focused on where Correa was going, these two acquisitions fell outside the spotlight, not getting the accolades they certainly earned. The front office has not left fans without hope. They certainly have impressed the past two seasons with their cloak-and-dagger movements to get certain players. But now, it's time to put the money Correa left behind where the front office's mouth is. The fans know that they have money to spend, and they know that fans know that they know. (Friends reference). Hence, the ball is truly in their court to make moves to continue improving the team. One of the most significant areas that the Twins can invest in is pitching. The Twins have several solid veteran starters, each with injury concerns. Sonny Gray ended the season on the Injured List with a leg injury and is rumored to be a potential trade piece. Tyler Mahle ended the season on the Injured List with a shoulder injury. Kenta Maeda is expected to return to the starting staff after spending all of 2022 on the Injured List after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober showed in 2022 that they should remain part of the starting rotation. In addition, the team saw glimpses of talented young arms such as Josh Winder, Cole Sands, Louie Varland, Simeon Woods Richardson, and Ronny Henriquez. And it doesn't make sense to give up on prospects Jordan Balazovic, Blayne Enlow, and recent roster-addition Brent Headrick. However, adding another starter, such as lefty Carlos Rodon or right-hander Nathan Eovaldi to supplement the top of the rotation would provide some insurance. While there are slim pickings for high-level free-agent starting pitchers, Carlos Rodon is still looking for a home. While rumors abound that he will end up with the Yankees, that's what the Yankees thought last year with Correa too. Maybe the Twins didn't lose out. While the fans will miss cheering for him in a Twins uniform, this contract could make them hostile in a hurry. Instead, one-year contracts happen, so do opt-outs, and the game moves on. Taking the temperature on Twitter, there is a lot of "it would have been nice." While some fans may continue to grumble, in the long run, this may be a good thing for the team, the fan base, and Correa, who we wish well in his new adventures. We will see you in May, C-4!

Trey Mancini is just coming off the best feeling in the world of baseball: a World Series championship. At the beginning of the season, Mancini was with the Baltimore Orioles, the organization he had played for since they drafted him in 2013. The Orioles were just getting hot as Mancini's bat cooled off, but the Astros still saw something. The 30-year-old was part of a three-team trade that sent him from Baltimore to Houston. Mancini was hitting .268/.347/.404 with ten homers before the trade and was a "high-value" hitter, which would undoubtedly have helped in the postseason. Mancini came in as a veteran player at first base and helped alleviate some pressure from struggling first baseman Yuli Gurriel. He could also serve as a DH, and played 31 games in the corner outfield positions, but his bat was most attractive to the Astros. However, Mancini slumped in Houston, hitting .176/.258/.364, and struggled in the postseason. One could easily blame that on a major trade late in the season and after being with a club for six seasons, but he certainly did not produce like the Astros’ thought he would at the plate. However, he did play great defense, which helped secure game five of the World Series. He snagged a hit off Kyle Schwarber and got his first postseason hit in game six, which resulted in a run. He did both of these coming off the bench. He shared his frame of mind with Michael Shapiro of Chron in a post-game interview. “In a series of this magnitude, you can’t reflect on what’s going on. You have to look forward,” Mancini explained. “You gotta wash [your mistakes], go to the next day and be ready for your team.” The Twins can relate to late-season and postseason struggles. They started hot last season but faltered after the All-Star break, mainly due to injuries. Those injuries forced the organization to bring up many Triple-A players pushed to the big leagues potentially before they were ready, and those injuries leave a lot of question marks in exactly the positions where Mancini played. Twins players cycled through first base and designated hitter last year after Miguel Sano was injured. Luis Arraez will certainly play one of those spots after earning himself the American League batting title and contributing heavily to many of the Twins' wins. But even Arraez's time was limited due to injuries and pain, but still earned his first Silver Slugger Award. Meanwhile, the Twins' corner outfield positions are mostly manned by unproven younger players, many of whom have injury concerns, and almost all of whom hit left-handed. Mancini's veteran right-handed bat is a great compliment to those spots, too. So there are a lot of places where he would be a benefit to the squad. Plus, with Mancini's late-season fade, the Twins could likely offer him a short-term deal. Mancini would be a better overall player than the Twins' Kyle Garlick, who the Twins signed on November 15 to a one-year $750,000 deal to avoid arbitration. Garlick managed to have good numbers in 2022 despite being hurt throughout the season. Garlick has worked out well for the team, particularly his ability to get clutch hits off lefties, but his role has been limited, and he's had trouble staying healthy, too. Mancini's health is also a significant part of his story. After his breakthrough 2019 season, he missed the 2020 season with stage III colon cancer. His return earned him the 2021 AL Comeback Player of the Year award. 2022 was another step forward, and ended in a World Championship. Perhaps 2023 can, too? That would also be a good fit for Mancini and the Twins. What do you think? Do you like Mancini as a pickup for the Twins this offseason? Tell us in the comments below.

The jury is still out on the starting rotation for the Twins, but it looks like Sonny Gray is the anchor, with Joe Ryan, Kenta Maeda, Bailey Ober, and Tyler Mahle penciled into spots with question marks. If the team experiences anything like they did last season, injuries always loom heavily with this club. Taking on one more starter would benefit the club immensely, especially with uncertainty about Kenta Maeda's health and how he might pitch following surgery. Even with Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan at the top of the rotation, Carlos Rodon would easily be the team's ace, something that the Twins have not had of late. Jose Berrios was the closest the Twins have come to an ace in a long time, and the fans and club need more at the top of their rotation if they want to compete. With the Giants in 2022, Rodón had a 2.88 ERA and led the majors with a 2.25 FIP. He finished second in the National League with 237 strikeouts and hit double-digits 11 times, a franchise record. Rodón made a career-high 31 starts, putting aside (at least for now) the concerns about his shoulder that limited his market a year ago. 2022 was his best season since entering the majors. At 29 years old, his market this offseason should include a lot of teams. Watching pitchers like Jacob de Grom, Justin Verlander, and C.C. Sabathia, Rodón has the potential to continue for several seasons, provided he can stay healthy. His contract last offseason was a two-year $44 million deal with the Giants, but it included an opt-out clause that he took advantage of after the season. Since 2015, he has outperformed his contract and is worth more than what he made. The team that signs him this offseason will give up a draft pick as San Francisco made him a qualifying offer, which he declined. However, that should not stop him from getting at least four years with an average annual value of over $25 million. He pitched for a long time with the White Sox and knows the AL Central Division. However, it can be assumed that Rodon will be courted by nearly every team that intends to contend for a playoff spot in 2023 and beyond. As the non-tender deadline creeps up, additional players will become available. Several pitchers could potentially fill the Twins need, but Rodón would be a good fit in the league, division, and clubhouse.

The battery is an essential component of the game, and catchers are the magicians who orchestrate it all. Let's look at what a catcher does and which Minnesota Twins catchers were the best at each job that a catcher does behind the plate. Terry Steinbach - The Toughest Catcher It's one of the most demanding positions to play on the baseball field: Catchers are constantly beaten up and hit with bats, balls, and sometimes players. They must squat down on their knees for nine or more innings, catching hundreds of pitches of varying speeds, movements, and breaks. A catcher must be in peak physical shape to stay in the game. MLB made a change to emphasize player safety in 2011 after a collision at home plate that saw star catcher Buster Posey suffer a season-ending ankle injury. Before the rule change where a player could no longer run through a catcher, Terry Steinbach was one of the best but most beat-up-on catchers during his time in MLB. Steinbach was no stranger to catching injuries. In 1988 he was hit by a thrown ball during batting practice, suffering five fractures around his left eye and requiring surgery. He also had a collision with future teammate Kirby Puckett just four days after returning from the injured list. Steinbach took a forearm to the jaw from Hall of Famer Cal Ripken during a collision and, later in the season, was hospitalized after taking a hit to the head from pitcher Bobby Thigpen in a contentious, tied late game. Steinbach, a Minnesota native who started his career on the west coast but ended with the Twins, spent 14 seasons behind the plate. As one of the Twins' best catchers, he also had his best season when he came to join the Twins in 1996 with 34 home runs, and his 100 RBI were the most by an Athletics catcher since Mickey Cochrane in 1932. He also caught Eric Milton's no-hitter in May of 1999 before retiring. Joe Mauer - The Best Defensive Catcher The catcher helps dictate the game because they touch the ball on nearly every pitch. They help set the players before the game and let players know where to stand based on different hitters. Crouched behind home plate, they call and receive pitches from the pitcher, frequently field bunts, and throw out runners trying to steal bases. Catchers frame close strikes, blocks balls in the dirt, and react with lightning quickness as the entire game plays out before them. The position requires a rare combination of spryness, strength, durability, and leadership. Joe Mauer, the best Minnesota Twins catcher in history, won three consecutive gold glove awards from 2008 through 2010. He had a lifetime .995 fielding percentage as a catcher and a caught-stealing percentage of 33%. Mauer led AL catchers multiple times in caught-stealing and fielding percentages. Brian Harper - The Modest Catcher It may seem cruel and unfair, but it's the truth. When watching a game, the focus will always be on the pitcher and their performance. Being able to put aside ego and pride is a huge thing for someone in this position. They have to know that while they contribute heavily in many ways, it's ultimately about the pitcher and helping them succeed. Having humility and the ability to selflessly support the staff, unseen, takes a special person, Brian Harper was that Minnesota Twin. Harper spent six of his 16 MLB seasons with the Minnesota Twins. One of the best catchers in the organization, he was the primary catcher behind the plate for the Twins during the early 90s. He and Jack Morris created a duo in two games that would be integral in the Twins winning the 1991 World Series. In Game 4, Harper stood out when he received a perfect relay throw from Puckett and Chuck Knoblauch and endured a massive collision with Lonnie Smith at home plate. He held on to the ball through the clash to secure the out. In Game 7, Harper not only caught all 10 innings of Jack Morris' legendary shutout but also turned the pivotal 3-2-3 double play with Kent Hrbek to end the eighth inning and squelch the Braves' most dangerous scoring threat of the game. Other catchers that have stood out for the Twins are guys like Mitch Garver and A.J. Pierzynski, rare examples of backstops who can really bring it with the bat. As we get ready for 2023, looking at what is coming up, do you think the Twins will ever have another catcher that can do what any of these three brought to the table?