stringer bell

A nice win on Sunday can't cover up what has been a continuation of what happened late in the 2024 season. Buxton and Correa have been less than stellar and the third Twins' "star" (Lewis) hasn't played due to injury. Everyone else on the position player side seems to have struggled. It's early, but Miranda's struggles and France's success seem to justify the move to get France in the first place. Bader started hot, but hasn't hit much since the first week. His usage seems about right and he definitely looks like a better player than the 2024 version of Manny Margot. Despite the injury to López, Twins' pitching seems to be finding the range, with six straight acceptable to good starts and most recently a dominant bullpen effort in Sunday's game. One other note--it's really hard to trust Jorge Alcalá. Too many brutal blowouts where he can't get anybody out. The next time he looks dominating. It has to give a manager gray hair (unless they have no hair).

I don't think Headrick had any options remaining and he also was coming off a injury wrecked 2024 season. I am of the opinion that left handed pitchers should be hoarded a bit by the Twins since they have had so few on the major league roster the last few years, but I think it was a defensible judgment call to try to get Headrick through the DFA process instead of Funderburk.

Two things about Funderburk have stood out to me since he has played with the Twins. First, he really has struggled with the first guy he faces--really not a good thing especially for a relief pitcher. Secondly, his command seems to come and go. When Kody is around the plate, he's very effective, but far too often he is in hitters' counts and then his stuff doesn't play. Does that relate at all to relative ineffectiveness against left handed hitters? I don't know.

Things look a lot rosier after a solid win in a game started by the team's #5 starter. If the Twins are to avoid being buried, they need to win the Mets series. It looks like it will be cooler and windier tonight. Might keep the ball in the park.

Larnach is only striking out 11% of the time, but his exit velocity is down. He sustained success over basically all of the 2024 season, so I think giving him more rope is in order. As stated above for Julien and Miranda, his flaws would seem to limit his upside and make it hard for him to become a core player (or everyday regular).

Good article and good comparison. Unfortunately, both Julien and Miranda are guys that need to hit well above average to be assets on a major league team. Can or will either guy hit enough to be a DH or carry a glove that over the long run will hurt the team? These factors make their upside marginal and make it very hard to increase their role. It sticks in my mind that at the start of 2024, both José Miranda and Trevor Larnach had no chance of making the major league team ahead of Julien or Matt Wallner and a few months later their positions were reversed. Now things have shifted back, but there appears to be no push to demote Larnach at this point. It seems to me that the players' flaws will keep them on the edge of everyday status rather than being a trusted regular. In 2025, Julien has reduced his K rate to an acceptable 23.8%, while also reducing his walk rate. Miranda has increased his K rate to 36.1% and hasn't drawn a walk in the early season. I think those numbers tell the story for right now.

A lot of left fielders don’t catch that fly ball. Bader covered a lot of ground.

Looks like four relievers for four innings. My thought is that a couple of guys can be available both Sunday and Monday.

Sim has used most of his arsenal in five innings. I dunno if it's wise to send him out for another inning.

Danger time in the fifth.

Buck ties Baden for the HR lead. I see they are starting Castro at short for Correa's day off. I was kind of hoping that Lee would get the starts at short when CC isn't playing.

I meant the 26-man roster. The question wasn't about who would be added, but how the subtraction would occur. Going short on the bullpen doesn't seem to be an option. The team is at risk for losing Blewitt with his DFA and he certainly could declare free agency. The same would be true for others recalled in the final bullpen slot.

Gleeman is now reporting that the three starters for the Mets series will Ryan, Ober and Festa, so nevermind.

Concur. Miranda was a middling prospect who absolutely destroyed the minors as he broke out, but he was never considered that highly nationally. There aren't many sure things in baseball and many of the sure things don't pan out, usually due to injury. I think Miranda might get another chance after a reset in St. Paul, but the sands in the hourglass are dwindling for sure. Personally, Miranda is exactly what the Twins have too much of, that is a guy whose value is tied to one skill--the ability to hit--and when that breaks down he doesn't have the tools to be a team asset. Larnach, Wallner and Julien to varying degrees have the same profile.

Michael Fulmer, a Twins mid-season acquisition in 2022, is back in the majors for the first time since 2023. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/04/red-sox-place-richard-fitts-on-15-day-il-select-michael-fulmer.html

They are on a long stretch without days off and I think the plan was to give the starters an extra day in the middle of the long stretch.

Apparently Zebby will start on Monday and they'll have to make a place for him. Funderburk? Put someone on IL? Usually, I can see a fairly easy way to handle the roster churn, but I don't see an easy way to get Matthews on the 40-man at this point.

As the last guy on the bench, I can see Gasper filling that role. Obviously, he hasn't hit and if that continues, no one, no matter how good a fit on the roster, can stay in the big leagues. Gasper is a 29-year old with handy versatility (first base, second base and some catcher) who is a switch hitter with a very good AAA resumé. The team doesn't have to worry about stunting his development and he can fill in a lot of places. A similar case can be made for Keirsey--he offers a couple of handy skills (pinch running and defensive replacement), but if he can't hit, a roster spot is pretty valuable to give him. It's hard to give Keirsey much playing time because Larnach, Wallner and Bader haven't been too bad.

Lee for Miranda. It’s possible that the Twins might go with more regulars and less platooning. Outside of the catcher alternation, Baldelli has France Julien, Correa, Lee, Larnach, Buxton and Wallner and Castro to start in the eight other positions with Bader able to step in for someone. It leaves Keirsey Jr. with pinch-running and defensive replacement duty and maybe Gasper as a short-side platoon option. The three switch hitters are probably pretty much in the lineup against lefties along with Correa, Buxton and France, but there would be room to use one or two of the lefty hitters against southpaws.

A bit surprised, but I think it’s a good move. Miranda has shown flashes of ability to hit, but hasn’t been able to sustain it. He’s really slow and not a gifted defender. He’s got to hit to be an asset and so far he’s not hitting.

Is there a timetable for Keaschall to be a full-time defensive player? I know both his innings and appearances have been managed as he recovers from TJ surgery. It would appear that he is pretty close to ready as a hitter.

Tight zone tonight.

The team hasn’t succeeded, so Rocco is probably toast. We can second-guess the next guy. I’d be very surprised if he’s going to magically always be right when it’s time to lift a pitcher.

Given the coming schedule and being down one of their best starters, I think this will be the deciding stretch of the season. Selling off assets and bringing up young players could be coming as soon as May 1, even with lame duck ownership and field staff.

Yeah, it looks really bad and it might be bad all season. While I am not sure I buy the salary limits, if we accept they couldn't spend much more than the salaries in front of them this season, counting on improvement and better health to improve their hitting. They have many guys--Miranda, Lee, Julien, Larnach, Wallner and Jeffers to name a few--that could excel and thrive or burn out. I think it is time to find out about these guys. So far, no one has thrived and a few have stumbled, but the real culprits have been the most established players--Correa and Buxton--have been the biggest problems in the offense. I think this is the last chance for this manager and many of the players and if they fail major changes are in the offing probably with a mostly new front office. Rocco Baldelli has followed the blueprint of the front office and after initial success, there has been more disappointment than progress. They haven't been able to put together a sustained offense and they've acquired players with injury histories who surprise! have continued to have disabling injuries. So, circling back to the comment by @nicksaviking, I think the minimal change was a gamble worth taking (if the "salary cap" model is to be believed). It's early and there has been close to zero reason to be optimistic and the front office reliance on guys who aren't athletic and have little speed has shown up in below average defense and base running. The hitting will almost surely improve, but it might be too late.