Seth Stohs

The A's continue to spend some money. Late tonight, we learned that our old friend Brent Rooker has agreed to a 5-year, $60 million extension. It essentially buys out his three arbitration seasons and two years of free agency. There is also a vesting option for a sixth season at $22 million. The A's will play in Sacramento the next three years before moving to Las Vegas. Read more here. On a personal level, I couldn't be more excited. Such a great dude, hard worker, studies the game, studies hitting, knows himself...

It's been a quiet offseason for the Twins and their fans, but what does that mean for the 2025 Twins roster? Is there enough talent and depth to compete in the AL Central? Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images It has been a painfully slow offseason for the Minnesota Twins and their fans. Aside from the basic, offseason business (40-man roster decisions, Rule 5, arbitration), the Twins have made a handful of minor-league signings and one trade. That’s it. So, if you’re a Twins fan like me, I’m sure you’re often asked, “Are they going to do anything this offseason?” In the early years of the Derek Falvey Era, the answer would have been, “Certainly.” It may not have always happened before February, but the Twins were active, even in some price range sections that they previously had not shopped in. Fans understand that there is a budget, but with Falvey, the sense was that he pushed that every year. Until last year when ownership insisted that he cut $30-35 million from the payroll. And now this offseason, the goal is to remain pretty similar to 2024, if not down just a little bit. We have seen free agents such as Max Kepler, Kyle Farmer, Caleb Thielbar, and Carlos Santana sign elsewhere as free agents. Even guys like Diego Castillo (the pitcher), Steven Okert, Matt Bowman, Caleb Boushley, Jay Jackson have signed elsewhere while Manuel Margot is still unsigned. The Twins did bring back Scott Blewett and Daniel Duarte on minor-league deals though. Alex Kirilloff abruptly retired. But that doesn’t mean that the cupboard is bare. Honestly, it doesn’t necessarily have to mean that the team can’t compete to return to the playoffs in 2025. What might the Twins Opening Day roster look like if the season had to start today? Note: the season doesn’t actually start for nearly three months, so assume that the Twins will have a few more transactions by then. Starting Rotation (5): RHP Pablo Lopez, RHP Bailey Ober, RHP Joe Ryan, RHP Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP Chris Paddack Summary: Pablo Lopez is a borderline ace. His salary jumps precipitously in 2025, but with some of the offseason free agent pitcher signings, it appears that the Twins were wise to lock him up nearly two years ago. Bailey Ober continues to improve. He has pitched quite well since he was first called up to the big leagues. He is in his first year of arbitration. So is Joe Ryan who also has continued to get better and make adjustments since his debut. Unfortunately, he missed the final six weeks of the season but should be on track to return by opening day. Simeon Woods Richardson came on early last season and did not give up his rotation spot. He made his starts and he showed some signs that he can be a mid-rotation starter. And, I’ve included Chris Paddack here for now as well even though rumors are that the Twins may want to trade him. When healthy, he can provide some quality innings. He just hasn’t been healthy since joining the Twins. Next In Line: RHP David Festa, RHP Zebby Matthews David Festa came up and also showed signs of high potential starting stuff. He’s got the pitches and generally throws strikes. He will just need to be more consistent with them Zebby Matthews began the 2024 season with the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels. He dominated his way through the system, and by mid-August made his debut. Certainly he was rushed a little quicker than they may have wanted, but the stuff is there. He could use time in St. Paul to continue developing, but these two are ready when needed. Others on the 40-man roster: RHP Travis Adams, LHP Brent Headrick, RHP Marco Raya. Others in the upper levels: RHP Andrew Morris, RHP Cory Lewis, RHP Huascar Ynoa, RHP Randy Dobnak, LHP Christian MacLeod, RHP C.J. Culpepper, RHP Kyle Jones, RHP Pierson Ohl. Bullpen (8): RHP Jhoan Duran, RHP Griffin Jax, RHP Cole Sands, LHP Kody Funderburk, RHP Jorge Alcala, RHP Justin Topa, RHP Michael Tonkin, RHP Eiberson Castellano (Rule 5), RHP Brock Stewart (IL) Summary: Duran may have had a down season, but the potential remains for him to be dominant at the end of games. Remember, he began the season on the IL. Meanwhile, Jax became one of the best relief pitchers in all of baseball. Could he return to starting? Maybe. Cole Sands was the most improved Twins player in 2024. He turned question marks into exclamation points and looks to continue to gain confidence. Jorge Alcala had his option picked up and at times looked like a late-inning option. Justin Topa missed nearly the full 2024 season with a knee injury, but the Twins signed him, Tonkin and Stewart to provide some veteran bullpen options. With Caleb Thielbar signing in Chicago, Funderburk is one of just two lefty pitchers on the 40-man roster. I have Eiberson Castellano on the roster, working as a long reliever, since he was the team’s Rule 5 pick. He has to remain on the roster all season or offered back to his original team. Next In Line: RHP Louie Varland, RHP Ronny Henriquez, LHP Brent Headrick, RHP Scott Blewett. Louie Varland is a big leaguer. No question about that in my mind, and he could be dominant out of the bullpen. I think he should be on the Opening Day roster, but for now I have them keeping Tonkin and Castellano on the roster so as not to lose them. Henriquez showed at times last year that he can be a really good, multi-inning reliever in the big leagues. And, Headrick could start or relieve. He’s the other lefty on the 40-man roster. He missed most of the 2024 season with a forearm injury but returned late in the year. And, my advice would be not to give up on Matt Canterino. He has tremendous stuff and a great attitude, and what a story it will be when he gets an opportunity in the big leagues! Others on the 40-man roster: Matt Canterino . Others in the Upper levels: RHP Daniel Duarte, RHP Darren McCaughan, LHP Jaylen Nowlin, RHP Kyle Bischoff, RHP Ryan Jensen, RHP John Stankiewicz, RHP Michael Martinez, LHP Aaron Rozek, RHP Cody Laweryson, Catchers (2): Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vazquez Summary: If I’m in charge, I would try hard to lock up Jeffers to a four-plus year contract extension. While he hasn’t always been consistent from month to month, he provides solid offense, include 20-homer power. The Twins have reportedly tried to trade Vazquez for awhile, but they won’t get anything in return without eating some of his contract, in which case, they might as well just keep him. That said Jair Camargo is ready to roll. Next in Line: Jair Camargo. Camargo has provided a powerful bat for the Saints the past two seasons, and he is a solid backstop with strong communication and leadership skills. He could handle the backup role. And, while he has been a catcher in the minor leagues, newly-acquired Mickey Gasper is really more of a DH/1B than a catcher. That said, if his bat is good, and he could play adequate first base or second base, he’s fine as the #3/emergency catcher. Others on 40-man roster: Mickey Gasper Others in the Upper levels: Patrick Winkel, Ricardo Olivar, Noah Cardenas, Andrew Cossetti, Alex Isola, Infielders (6): Jose Miranda, Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis, Carlos Correa, Edouard Julien, Willi Castro Summary: We know that Carlos Correa will be the team’s shortstop anytime he is healthy. We know that Royce Lewis will start at one of the infield positions, second base or third base, when he is healthy. For Lewis, I think it’s only fair to pick a position in spring training and go with it rather than have him bounce around. I believe that the Twins should look to lock up Brooks Lee long-term right now and hand him the position that Lewis doesn’t play. Willi Castro can play all three of those infield positions as well as at least two outfield spots. That leaves the big question mark at first base. With Carlos Santana going back to Cleveland and Alex Kirilloff retiring, who will play first base? For me, I would ask Justin Morneau to be at spring training nearly every day and work with Jose Miranda and Edouard Julien on first base defense every single day. Invite Mickey Gasper and Yunior Severino and Mike Ford. Aaron Sabato can be there, and so can Luke Keaschall. We have seen the kind of impact that Miranda and Julien can have on the offense when they are going well. Next in Line: Mickey Gasper, Michael Helman If the Twins were to play Edouard Julien and Jose Miranda at first base and DH, then having Gasper on the roster as the #3 catcher and the backup first baseman can make some sense. Michael Helman has played a lot of minor league games at second base, third base, shortstop, and all three outfield positions. There is a ton of value in that, especially if Willi Castro remains an everyday player. Others on 40-man roster: Mickey Gasper, Michael Helman Others in the upper levels: Mike Ford, Yunior Severino, Aaron Sabato, Ben Ross, Payton Eeles, Jorel Ortega, Jake Rucker, Tanner Schobel, Luke Keaschall, Anthony Prato, Outfielders (5): Trevor Larnach, Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Austin Martin, DaShawn Keirsey Summary: For nearly a decade, we have been able to play Max Kepler’s name in this group. His contract ran out and he recently signed with the Phillies. However, the Twins have some talented outfielders who, frankly, outperformed Kepler last year. It starts with Byron Buxton who returned to center field last year and surpassed 100 games played. Flanking Buxton will be a couple of lefty-hitting corner outfielders in Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner. Both have had success and did so in 2024. Both are ready to take another big step forward in 2025. All three are first-round picks. So was Austin Martin who debuted early in the 2024 season and showed his athleticism in the outfield and on the base paths. He could be a platoon option in left field. He’s got a good eye at the plate. And DaShawn Keirsey’s speed and defense alone should give him a chance. He can play all three outfield spots including a strong centerfield. And, his offensive numbers in 2024 show what kind of stat line filler he can be. Next in Line: Michael Helman, Emmanuel Rodriguez As noted above, Helman’s utility make him a valuable player in the organization. Along with the ability to play six defensive positions pretty well, he has raked in St. Paul the last couple of seasons, and he can steal bases. Emmanuel Rodriguez is a Top 25 prospect in all of baseball, and he’s been putting up offensive numbers since his pro debut in 2021. He missed a lot of time last year with a hand/wrist injury but still put up numbers when he was on the field and ended his season in St. Paul. Others on the 40-man roster: Michael Helman, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Others in the Upper levels: Allan Cerda, Kala’i Rosario, Walker Jenkins, Anthony Prato, Carson McCusker, Will Holland, Jeferson Morales, Kyler Fedko. Potential Lineup vs RHP: Brooks Lee 2B, Carlos Correa SS, Trevor Larnach LF, Royce Lewis 3B, Byron Buxton CF, Matt Wallner RF, Edouard Julien 1B, Ryan Jeffers C, Willi Castro DH. Potential Lineup vs LHP: Byron Buxton CF, Carlos Correa SS, Royce Lewis 3B, Ryan Jeffers C, Jose Miranda 1B, Brooks Lee 2B, Austin Martin LF, Matt Wallner/Trevor Larnach RF, Willi Castro DH. So what do you think? In my opinion, there remains an awful lot of talent on the roster. Players lost this offseason can be replaced by players with more upside. The top three starters are all very exciting, and there is some depth for starting pitchers with guys who have some big league innings under their belts now, or should be debuting in 2025. View full article

This is the most important statistic for both of them! Gonzalez started the season at age 19 in High A. (same with De Andrade and others). Yasser Mercedes overall numbers are solid, but if you just look at his FCL numbers, they're remarkable. He just happened to move up to Fort Myers for like 2 weeks and struggled mightily. But his athleticism is unreal. He'll be fine.

OK, I was randomly thinking about the Covid season and that I had created 3-4 Minnesota Twins Jeopardy games. I have enjoyed looking back at them. I think you will too. Having looked back, I realize that these were from the offseason AFTER the 2020 Covid season. #1: https://jeopardylabs.com/play/twins-daily-offseason-jeopardy #2: I can't find #2. It's also possible I jumped from 1-3. I don't know. #3: https://jeopardylabs.com/play/twins-daily-minnesota-twins-jeopardy-3 #4: https://jeopardylabs.com/play/minnesota-twins-jeopardy-4 Would you like to see more stuff like this?

It's time to see what the Top 5 articles of 2024 were at Twins Daily. I sense a pattern. Over the past several days, we have been counting down the Top 25 most-viewed articles in 2024. As I've written, I personally really enjoy looking back and seeing what our readers most enjoyed and what articles brought people to the site. I think that you will notice an interesting trend in the top five. If you have missed any of the previous installments, check them out here: Part 1: 21-25 Part 2: 16-20 Part 3: 11-15 Part 4: 6-10 #5: Twins Prepping Audra Martin to Make Pivotal Start Against Guardians Lou Hennessy August 8 Twins fans have enjoyed seeing Audra Martin reporting before and during Twins games. Her postgame interviews are great. Her interviews with fans at their first Twins game are great. Her in-game interviews with the parents of players making their MLB debuts are amazing. She joined the Moorhead Orchestra and played the National Anthem with her fiddle before a game a few years ago. In early August, she brought the house down when she sang ‘God Bless America’ at Target Field. However, with the Twins needing a starter for a huge series against the Guardians in mid-August, Rocco Baldelli and Pete Maki strongly contemplated turning to Martin to make a crucial start. While clicking around the rabbit holes of YouTube, they found a video of a Catch with Audra segment. Strong arm. Good mechanics. Athletic. Good control. They were also aware of her love of hockey and figured she must have a ‘tough guy’ mentality. Ultimately, the Twins used a combination of David Festa and Zebby Matthews. Even Ronny Henriquez and Steven Okert got starts. Maybe going with Audra would have been a good idea. “I just want to help the team however I can. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to make a breakthrough here,” she said as she turned back to her microscope, where she has been researching a cure for cancer. “It’s all in a day’s work.” #4: Twins Apologize for New Sing-a-Long Song RandBalls Stu April 12 Those that have gone to Target Field in recent years know that during the 7th inning stretch, Take Me Out to the Ballgame is played. Later, a crowd-picked song plays and fans sing and dance in an attempt to get on the big screen. The songs can be across genres, but they are known to all audience members. According to RandBalls Stu, the team’s in-game production staff hoped to add some new options. A couple were tried out, and one song in particular created quite the fire storm. #3: With TV Rights in Flux, Twins Close Target Field to Spectators and Media RandBalls Stu May 3 “The best way to experience Twins baseball is with the mind’s eye,” said a team spokesperson. “That’s why we’re closing Target Field to all spectators and media, effective immediately.” As more and more fans (specifically Comcast subscribers at the time of this article) were unable to watch, it became important for us to put RandBalls Stu on the case and see what he could find out. Being fair is really important, and if some Twins fans can’t watch their favorite team, maybe the ‘right’ thing to do was to not let anyone see the games. No fans. No media. No TV or radio. “As for how fans can follow the team going forward, the spokesperson said, ‘The oral tradition predates the printing press. Stories will travel from person to person, strengthening the bonds of family and enriching our neighborhoods. If you want to know if Austin Martin is getting called up, put down your phone and ask someone.’” #2: On Royce Lewis, Quadriceps Strain, and the Twins’ Options Lucas Seehafer March 29 Opening Day in Kansas City. First at-bat of the season for Royce Lewis? A home run. Second at-bat of the season? Solid single. Unfortunately, Carlos Correa followed with a double. Lewis took off, hoping to score on the play. Unfortunately, he pulled up at third base limping. He came out of the game with a quadriceps injury that cost him about six weeks. Lucas has been writing at Twins Daily for several seasons. In his “real” job, he is a professor and a physical therapist. When there are injuries, we really appreciate him letting us know what we need to know about the injury. What happened? What happened to the body part? What does the diagnosis or grade of injury mean in practical terms. What is a typical return timeline from that injury, and how or why could that vary? #1: Congress Votes to Shut Down Cleveland Guardians Until We Can All Figure Out What’s Going On RandBalls Stu June 28 Every year, it seems as if Twins fans look at the Cleveland Guardians roster, and aside from Jose Ramirez in the lineup and a Tanner Bibee or Shane Bieber in the pitching staff, they never seem like a clear-cut top team in the division. And yet every year, there they are, at or near the top of the division. I’ve mentioned several times that from mid-April through the end of July, the Twins had one of the top records in MLB. And yet they were barely able to make up any ground against Cleveland. In late June, RandBalls Stu wrote about the government investigating the Guardians and trying to figure out what was happening. “‘There’s no way their record can be that good,’ said (Amy) Klobuchar. ‘We’ll get to the bottom of it.’” There you have it. The Top 25 most-viewed articles of 2024. What does it mean that four of the top five articles were satirical? Do we normally just take things too seriously and people just want to have fun with it all? As always, we appreciate RandBalls Stu, and “Sweet Lou” Hennessy has added several really good pieces as well. Happy New Year to all! View full article

Today, we jump into the Top 10 most-viewed articles of 2024. It is probably fair to say that this collection of articles represents the season pretty well. Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler clearly had a lot of fans in the Twins organization and among Twins fandom. With 15-16 years in the organization, seeing them heading elsewhere certainly has an effect on readers. Player leaving. Ownership cutting payroll significantly. Hoping for a new television deal, and then going back to Bally's. It was a tough year for the Twins and their fans in 2024. But that doesn't mean there weren't lots of positives. Let's see if any positive articles fell into our Top 10 Most-Viewed Twins Daily articles this year. #10: Max Kepler: A Minnesota Twins Era Nearing Its End Cody Christie August 22 16 seasons is a long time. Max Kepler signed with the Twins as a 16-year-old in 2009 out of Germany. Recently, he signed a one-year contract with the Phillies. The 31-year-old literally spent over half of his life employed by the organization. He made his debut for the Twins in 2016 and spent parts of nine seasons in the big leagues before becoming a free agent this offseason. In late August, he was clearly injured and played just six more games before going on the Injured List. Cody looked back again at his time with the Twins, on and off the field. He had moments of greatness, and generally was steady. It is just unfortunate that he needed to miss so much time late in his time with the Twins. #9: Minnesota Twins Acquire Outfielder Manuel Margot from Dodgers in 3-Player Trade Seth Stohs February 26 The Twins were looking for a backup outfielder, preferably right-handed, and able to play all three outfield positions including centerfield. They clearly had a number that they were willing to spend on that position, and rather than go with a free agent, the Twins made a trade. The Twins sent minor-league Gold Glove shortstop Noah Miller, a first-round pick in 2021 from high school in Wisconsin, to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In return, the Twins received veteran outfielder Manuel Margot. Essentially, the Twins paid him $4 million for the season. He played in 129 games, the most since 2019 with the Padres. He started slow. Over the first two months, his OPS was below .530. He posted an .839 OPS in 22 games in June. He was brought in to play primarily against left-handed pitchers. In 172 plate appearances, he had a .540 OPS against right-handers. In 171 plate appearances against southpaws, he had a .713 OPS. When he started against a left-handed starter, his OPS was .846 (.422 vs. RHP). In a completely random, fluky stat, he went 0-for-30 in pinch hitting opportunities. He became a free agent after the season. In my personal opinion, this trade has the potential to be a very good deal for the Twins. In addition to Margot, the Twins received 21-year-old infielder Rayne Doncon from the Dodgers. He split the season between Fort Myers and Cedar Rapids and hit a combined 24 doubles and 11 homers in 2024. #8: The Jorge Polanco Trade Fails the Simplest of Tests John Bonnes January 30 The Jorge Polanco trade news article showed up in our Top 20 most-viewed articles. Obviously dealing a guy who spent 15 years in the organization will be a big deal. In the top 10 is an article from The Geek with his opinion of the trade a day or two later. Generally speaking, I think he was just fine with the return they got for Polanco. They got a top 100 prospect, an intriguing pitching prospect, a very solid reliever, and an oft-injured starting pitcher who has had some success in the past. However, he believed (and most would agree) that it made the 2024 Twins worse. On the other hand, the Twins added a reliever and two quality prospects for one year of Polanco and could play Edouard Julien everyday at second base. 11 months later, this trade ultimately had no (or very little) impact on the 2024 Twins or Mariners. Polanco was hurt some and when healthy, struggled to hit above the Mendoza Line. DeSclafani didn’t pitch at all, and Justin Topa only pitched in three games all season due to a knee injury, and that was on the final weekend. Gabriel Gonzalez and Darren Bowen remain solid prospects, though with less luster when they were acquired. Long-term, they could help the Twins on the field or even in another trade. Topa will be back with the team in 2025. #7: Twins Could Swing Blockbuster with Red Sox Ted Schwerzler January 17 We heard the Twins were going to lower payroll. We heard the Red Sox were also going to try to lower their payroll as well. However, none of us was willing to fully believe it. Instead we continued to think through and speculate potential deals and trades that could work for both teams. The Twins were believed to be looking to move Christian Vazquez and his contract. The Red Sox were said to be shopping Kenley Jansen. No such deal was ever made, and of course we have no way to know if any such conversations were ever had. Probably not. Vazquez had another year that certainly wasn’t worth anywhere near $10 million. Jansen had another very solid season with a solid 3.29 ERA and a very good 1.06 WHIP. His 10.2 K/9 was in line with his numbers in recent years. #6: The Twins are Killing Their Brand and It’s Brutal to Watch Nick Nelson May 7 Before the 2023 season, the Twins named Joe Pohlad as their new public-facing owner. Fans thought the family’s third generation might run things a little differently. And, when Carlos Correa came back to the Twins with a $200 million contract, there was reason to believe. The 2023 payroll was well above its payroll had ever been, and we all hoped that might be a number that could continue to rise. The 2023 season saw the Twins not only win the division title, but they won their first playoff game and first playoff series in two decades. Fan excitement was as high as it had been in probably 20 years. When their season ended, so did their deal with Bally Sports/Diamond Sports. The hope was that they might be able to score a big, new TV contract. Grace! (Those who listen to the Crime in Sports podcast know what that means!) At that point, Derek Falvey talked openly about the payroll being reduced “substantially.” Over time, we learned that could be cut by as much as $35 million. Then news came that they had taken a one-year deal with Diamond Sports for less money and with them fighting bankruptcy. Would they actually get the money? And if they did, and didn’t spend it on players, the owners would just have more money. Either way, fans who had not been able to view games on TV still couldn’t in 2024. And this article was in early May, just before the Twins played very well for three months. It’s fair to say that their messaging to fans since this article hasn’t improved. At least not until after the season when we learned that the Pohlad’s were contemplating selling the team. It may take some time to complete that process, but when that happens, the Twins business will be able to pivot in a direction that hopefully will excite fans. Frankly, they have a ton of work to do to bring back disenfranchised fans who have found other things to watch since they couldn’t watch the Twins. Oh, and while we love Cory Provus, seeing Dick Bremer ousted after 40 years as the Twins TV voice and arguably their greatest ambassador. Frankly, that’s part of what is important about Twins Daily. 365 days per year, you can find new content on the Minnesota Twins. There have been times in recent offseasons where you might find five to seven new articles in a day. We want the Twins to be successful. We want them to have more fans. That isn’t just good for us. It is good for the Twins that there are still some communities of Twins fans, of diehards. However, they have a ton of work to do to bring back the casual fans, or even bring in new fans. Sorry that one got a bit negative, a bit preachy. Sorry about that! I'm guessing many of you might agree. Feel free to discuss the owners, the TV situation, Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, and more. View full article

In Part 3 of the most-viewed articles at Twins Daily in 2024, we'll talk TV, Yankees, an in-season decision, and a couple of Twins trades that still get talked about. Check it out below. Image courtesy of © Brad Rempel-Imagn Images (September 2017) As we continue to countdown the Top 25 most-viewed articles at Twins Daily in 2024, I continue to chuckle a bit, intrigued by which articles end up ranking high and receiving so many clicks. Some make sense. Others just feel really random, and the five articles today exemplify that. Let's jump right into it and see which articles received the 11th through 15th most page views. Feel free to discuss any of those articles or start thinking about what you think you will find in the Top 10. #15: The Twins Made a Decision about Royce Lewis and Edouard Julien, but It May Not be the Right Choice Matthew Taylor June 3 Throughout the course of a season, there can be difficult decisions for a front office. In early June, Royce Lewis was set to come off of the Injured List. Veteran role players Kyle Farmer and Manuel Margot were struggling, but they weren’t going to be DFAd that early. Some may have thought Jose Miranda. He was the one called up when Lewis went on the IL. But he was playing really well and crushing baseballs. In the end, the decision was pretty easy. Edouard Julien, who was terrific as a rookie in 2023, was hitting below .200 and had more than three times as many strikeouts as walks. It was probably the easy decision, but check out why Mr. Taylor thought that it might not be the right answer. #14: Twins Send Jorge Polanco to Mariners in Five-Player Deal Matthew Trueblood January 29 He had been the longest-tenured Twins player at that time, having signed just days before Max Kepler in 2009. He had one more season on his long-term contract, plus an option year. However, the Twins were under orders to drop $30+ million from their 2023 payroll. Polanco was traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for reliever Justin Topa, veteran and oft-injured Anthony DeSclafani, pitching prospect Darren Bowen, and outfield prospect Gabriel Gonzalez. DeSclafani missed the whole season with injury. Topa pitched just a couple of innings over the season’s final weekend after dealing with a knee injury all season. Bowen showed his potential at times in Cedar Rapids. Gonzalez spent most of the season at age 19 in Cedar Rapids. Unfortunately his power wasn’t on display and he missed a couple of months with a back injury. Topa has a couple of years of team control remaining while Bowen and Gonzalez can develop under team control for several seasons. Meanwhile, Polanco fought through arguably his worst season and the Mariners chose not to pick up his option for 2025. #13: Eduardo Escobar Trade Turned into a Coup for Minnesota Ted Schwerzler May 13 At the July 2018 trade deadline, the Twins traded fan-favorite Eduardo Escobar to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for outfield prospects Ernie de la Trinidad and Gabriel Maciel, and a hard-throwing pitcher in A-ball named Jhoan Duran. Despite missing the season’s first month with an oblique injury, Duran has been one of the most dominant relievers in baseball the past three seasons. 2024 was definitely a step backwards for Duran, in terms of velocity and results, but remains a strong late-innings option for the Twins. Escobar was just coming into his own, and he continued to get better in Arizona. In 2019, he was an All Star and hit 29 doubles, 10 triples, 35 homers and drove in 118 runs. The D-Backs got two prospects from the Brewers at the July 2021 deadline. #12: How Can I Watch the Twins Today? (And Seven Other Questions about the Twins-Bally-Comcast Clustermuck) John Bonnes May 1 Unfortunately, it’s been a question since 2021 when YouTube TV and other streaming services quit dealing with regional sports networks. The Twins, and several other teams, have been - to some degree - held hostage, losing significant dollars with almost no say in the decisions. The thought was that it was going to be cleaned up last offseason. Instead the Twins went back to Bally Sports for one year. The Twins TV future remained a topic throughout the year. Even after the year when the team announced that it would team with MLB TV in 2025 and hopefully bring the Twins games to more people’s TVs. Of course, I’m not sure everyone understands the minute details of the TV deal the Twins have for 2025. Or, maybe it’s just me? #11: Yankees 5, Twins 1: Umpires Stubbornly Refuse to Award Five Runs for Cool Homer Ted Schwerzler June 4 After every Twins game, you can find a Game Recap at Twins Daily. It isn’t your typical postgame article on the game. We’ll look at Win Probability, and we try to highlight key plays in the game. Maybe there was a unique play. In this game, the primary thing that may have made it take get so many views is that it was against the Yankees. In this game, former Twins prospect Luis Gil started and pitched well, as he did most of his Rookie of the Year season. Gleyber Torres hit a home run that literally would only have been a home run at Yankees Stadium. Not one of the other 29 MLB stadiums. Let's discuss. What are your thoughts on the Polanco trade, nearly one year later? How clear are you about how we will be able to watch Twins games in 2025? Do you think it is clear-cut that the Twins won the Escobar-Duran trade from 2018? Or even just let us know what you might want to see from the daily Game Recaps. View full article

I don't know if Mauer has any interest in any sort of minority ownership. I am pretty well certain that he has no interest in being a primary owner. And, his net worth is not even close to being able to do that. I hope he's asked about his level of interest, but knowing him a bit, he isn't interested in being involved on a daily basis. He much prefers to spend quiet time with his family.

Today we jump into the Top 20 most-viewed articles from Twins Daily in 2024. Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images A terrific free agent signing. A spring trade. Some funny stuff. And a concert? Check out which articles were ranked 16th through 20th most viewed at Twins Daily in 2024. Part 1 (21-25) #20: Twins to Sign Veteran Free Agent First Baseman Carlos Santana Nick Nelson February 2 It seemed like such a non-inspiring signing when it happened. Just weeks from the start of spring training, the Twins signed the 37-year-old first baseman for one year and $5 million. He got off to a slow start, but this turned into one of the team's better free agent signings in recent years. He really helped an infielder that needed it by playing tremendous defense. At season’s end, he had earned his first career Gold Glove Award. He was also a finalist for a silver slugger after posting a .749 OPS, 26 doubles and 23 home runs. Carlos Santana recently signed a one-year, $12 million contract to return to the Guardians, the organization he spent the first 10 big-league seasons with. #19: Twins Trade Nick Gordon to Marlins for Left-Handed Reliever Steven Okert Parker Hageman February 11 Nick Gordon had a breakout season for the Twins in 2022. In 136 games, he hit .272/.316/.427 and was able to adequately fill in when needed at second base, left field, or center field. Unfortunately, he was hurt much of the 2023 season and Willi Castro filled in that same role and same production. Out of options, the Twins shipped Gordon to the Miami Marlins in exchange for lefty reliever Steven Okert. Ultimately, neither player remained on their new team’s roster the entire season. #18: Max Kepler Loses Arm, Insists He Shouldn’t Need Injured List Stint Lou Hennessy June 26 Satire is fun. Every week, Rand Balls Stu has been providing satire to Twins Daily for several years, and this year, Sweet Lou joined him with the occasional fun article. The Twins have certainly had more than their fair share of injuries in recent years. There was a photo available this year that showed Max Kepler fielding a ball with his glove, but it appears that he has no right arm. Lines like Kepler revealed to his manager Rocco Baldelli that “he has a little nagging pain in his left arm, mostly due to the fact that it was torn clear off his torso over the weekend.” “Yeah, it hurts, but I’m not sure I’m ready to call it an actual injury yet.” #17: Twins Promotional Schedule 2024: Flo-Rida Postgame Concert Melissa Berman February 18 You never know which articles are going to excite a site's readership. Apparently Twins fans were pretty excited about the team's promotional schedule. Of course, it includes the typical giveaways such as Hat Day and Bat Day. They announced the 2024 dates for Star Wars Day and Prince Night. They had three bobblehead giveaways. However, a June 14th ticket to the Twins/A's game also would get to stick around for a postgame concert by Flo-Rida. Thousands of fans would stick around Target Field for the opportunity to Get Low. #16: Not Wanting to be Outdone, Joe Mauer Trying to be Twins Next Owner Lou Hennessy October 3 Sweet Lou has joined Stu in providing Twins Daily's readers with chuckles... But in this case, Lou was also a bit of a fortune teller. This article was written and published days before news broke that the Pohlad's were contemplating selling the team. The idea that led to this article was Buster Posey taking the reigns over the Giants baseball operations. What do you think? Should Joe Mauer throw his name in the ring? Which were your favorite articles or stories from 2024? View full article

With 2024 coming to a close, it's time to look back at the most-viewed articles on this site. Do you have your favorites? Image courtesy of © Denny Medley-Imagn Images 2024 was a year filled with ups and downs. Twins fans were excited coming into the year after the team ended its playoff losing streaks. Then we heard about payroll being cut. Then came the Joe Pohlad "right sizing" comments came out during spring training. But over a stretch from mid-April until mid-August, the Twins had one of the top records in baseball. Carlos Correa had returned to All-Star form, but his plantar fasciitis returned and he missed two months. Byron Buxton missed a month. Several young, immensely talented hitters just stopped hitting. The team found themselves falling from second place to fourth place in the division. While the Twins haven't had a lot of news (other than the Pohlad family announcing they are looking into selling the organization, the Ishbia Brothers are contemplating a purchase, and the Twins got Mickey Gasper from the Red Sox for Jovani Moran), Twins Daily has continued to pump out multiple articles every day. 365 days. That's a lot of articles, but today we'll start talking about the 25 most-viewed articles at Twins Daily in 2024. #25: Twins Make Seven Roster Cuts as Spring Training Ends Ted Schwerzler March 26 The Opening Day roster is a huge deal for players and for fans. Sure, roster changes sometimes start on Day 2, but lining up on the baseline on Opening Day is pretty special. Just a couple of days before Opening Day, the Twins set their 26-man roster by sending seven players to minor-league camp. All seven were not on the 40-man roster, so none were surprises. Veteran relievers Matt Bowman and Jeff Brigham were sent down. So was catcher Brian O’Keefe, who the Twins released before Opening Day. Former Twins utility player Niko Goodrum was back in the organization. He didn’t make the Opening Day roster and was traded to the Rays 40-man roster shortly after this. Twins prospects Chris Williams, Michael Helman and Anthony Prato also stayed with the big-league club throughout all of spring training. Helman made his debut in September. #24: Royce Lewis Has Run Out of Gas Nick Nelson September 9 In mid-June, Royce Lewis was quoted as telling hitting coach David Popkins, “Hey, I don’t do that slump thing. That’s not a real thing for me.” As you know, he proceeded to slump most of the final two months of the season. Much was made of the quote, and it obviously is easy to make a meme around it. The rest of his quote is just as important. He continued by saying, “I understand that that’s a thing, baseball, you’re going to go into a slump or whatever, but for me, I don’t have that mindset. It’s a new day.” In other words, he knows there are slumps and they will happen to everyone, but he keeps telling himself that each day is a new day and what has happened in the past doesn’t need to affect today. After dominating through his first 40 games of the season, his numbers certainly regressed in the second half. #23: The Writing Seems to be on the Wall for Alex Kirilloff Eric Blonigen August 18 The Twins top pick in the 2016 draft, Alex Kirilloff was deemed a natural-born hitter. When healthy, he showed a solid approach, used the whole field and showed real power potential. Unfortunately, in the minor leagues and in the big leagues, he missed significant time for a variety of reasons. Wrist injuries were frequent and frustrating. Again, when he played pain-free, he showed what he was capable of. However, he’d slump, not say anything and really struggle. Then we would find out he’s been playing hurt. The same happened in 2024. When the Twins optioned him to Triple-A, he let them know about his back pain. Fans started questioning whether he could ever stay healthy, and some even questioned his will to play. (which is never fair) Less than two months later, we learned just how serious his back pain was when he retired from baseball. He needed a back surgery that will hopefully allow him to live a normal, pain-free life with his family. However, he will not be able to play baseball again. #22: Carlos Correa Trade Buzz is Heating Up Nick Nelson November 9 Carlos Correa has a full no-trade clause in his contract, but that certainly won’t stop teams from calling up Derek Falvey and asking about the Twins All Star shortstop. It only makes sense. Some of the big market teams are looking for a third baseman, and that is something that Correa could do. He’s had plantar fasciitis that have cost him two or three months the past two seasons. Other teams are aware of the Pohlad’s comments on lowering payroll. Correa is owed $128 million over the next four seasons. He also has four option years beyond that where his salaries drop from $25M to $20M to $15M and $10M. I would guess the odds of a Correa trade are pretty low, but the Twins should take the calls and see what teams are willing to offer. #21: Core or Out the Door: Twins Trade Candidates Cody Christie November 3 At the conclusion of the season, Cody posted a two-part series on 10 top Twins players. For each, he basically asked if the player is part of a long-term core or if the player is potential trade candidate. The group of five players includes arguably the top five players on the team. Do you agree with his assessment on how likely each is to be traded? Over the coming days, you'll be able to see what the Top 20 most-viewed articles at Twins Daily in 2024. What were some of your favorites of the year? View full article

He's in the conversation for Starting Pitcher #12 or so... if he's called up for more than the Caleb Boushley role from 2024, things are not going well in 2025.

It's inexplicable to me that Roy Smalley isn't in there already... since he's the best SS in team history. Without the stats for each player it's really hard to make a case for them. Koskie was about OBP/OPS. Brunansky had a ton of homers. Guzman had the one All-Star season. Mack put up crazy numbers for 5 years. Harper wasn't good defensively, but he hit .300 a ton and rarely struck out (or walked).

Goltz and Perkins. Then I'd say Worthington. Grant, Reardon, Chance just didn't have enough time with the org. Erickson really only was really good his first couple of seasons. Also, who is the guy in the article photo on the far left?

Bailey Ober and Griffin Jax will be able to get their young children some great presents this holiday season after MLB handed out its annual pool of money to pre-arbitration players. Image courtesy of © D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images In the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the players and owners agreed to provide bonus money for pre-arbitration eligible players who perform well based on a calculation using a couple of different Wins Above Replacement (WAR) statistics. Players barely make the league minimum for their first three MLB seasons, if they stick in the league that long. Through the arbitration process, they can start earning some money. This system eases the frustration and inequity of that framework for young players. Major League Baseball sets aside $50 million. Specific amounts are earned for receiving Rookie of the Year, MVP, or Cy Young votes, or finishing first- or second-team All-MLB. For those award allocations, a player can only receive one bonus each year, whichever is higher. The remainder of the award pool is spread out between the top pre-arbitration players in baseball, based on the blended WAR metric negotiated by the two sides. A year ago, ten players earned a bonus of at least $1 million. This year, eight players received a seven-digit bonus led by Royals' shortstop Bobby Witt at $3,077,595. I'm sure it's no surprise to see that Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes and Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson earned more than two million dollar bonuses. The others over $1 million are Brewers catcher William Contreras, Royals lefty Cole Ragans, Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill, and Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil. Just shy of $1 million were Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser and Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio. This year, a total of 101 players earned a bonus through this program. Twenty-three players earned at least $500,000. None of the Twins players reached that level, but several 2024 Minnesota Twins earned a significant bonus. Here are the Twins players who received bonuses (and what their 2024 salary was): Bailey Ober - $381,085 (2024 salary: $761,850) Griffin Jax - $352,852 (2024 salary: $761,750) Joe Ryan - $331,054 (2024 salary: $758,850) Matt Wallner* - $256,296 (2024 salary: $745,550) Simeon Woods Richardson* - $243,471 (2024 salary: N/A, but not much over the league minimum of $740,000) *2024 salary shows a full season. These players would have been paid a prorated amount based on their days in the big leagues. Here are some other bonuses handed out that you might be interested in: Former Twins or Twins farmhands: Yankees RHP Luis Gil ($1,098,628), A's DH Brent Rooker ($687,804), Mariners 1B/OF Luke Raley ($312,989). Players from Minnesota: Cubs 1B Michael Busch ($325,723), Nationals RHP Jake Irvin ($239,663). Bonuses are paid by the MLB team who then gets reimbursed by MLB from that $50 million pool. Each of the 30 teams paid equally into the pool. Congratulations to all of these recipients on their well-deserved bonuses. View full article

Twins have also signed RHP Darren McCaughan. MLB time in 3 of the past 4 seasons. Most time in 2024, but not good numbers. Like most MILB signings, he's signed for the Saints and for depth if a lot of things go wrong.

I LOVE this signing! Obviously him getting back to 100% would be amazing, but on an MILB deal, it's fantastic. He's young, and if starting doesn't work, could always try the bullpen too.

This weekend, executives from all big-league teams, minor-league teams, independent leagues, job hunters and fans will head to Dallas for the annual Winter Meetings. On Wednesday afternoon, the Rule 5 draft will be held. Could the Twins make a pick in the MLB phase? Image courtesy of © Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins have not made a Rule 5 selection since the Dec. 2017 draft. Could this be the year that they choose to select a player again? And if so, who are a few names to know? Whom could the Twins consider taking? To make a pick in the Rule 5 draft, the team must have room on their 40-man roster. The Twins are currently at 38 players on their roster, so theoretically, they could make two picks in the MLB Rule 5 draft. They won’t, but it isn’t the worst thing to do. After the shortened 2020 season that included no minor-league season, the Twins lost Akil Baddoo to the Tigers and Tyler Wells to the Orioles. Wells was the Orioles' second pick of that Rule 5 draft. He made the team, pitched out of the bullpen that year, and has been a solid contributor in a variety of roles since then. In addition, the team must pay $100,000 to the team from whom the player was selected. If the Twins’ payroll is going to be similar to 2024, they are going to need to rely on several league-minimum players. In the big picture, it’s a pretty inexpensive way to fill one of 26 roster spots with an intriguingly talented player. However, the team has to keep the player on their big-league roster for the entire season. He cannot be optioned. If the Twins were to make a pick and wanted to send the player down to the minors, they would have to put him on waivers and offer him back to the original team for $50,000. If those things happen, the original team could just let him stay with the Twins, but more likely, they would want to receive a player in a trade for the Twins to keep their player. Because the player needs to remain on the roster or be lost, players selected need to be able to contribute something to the big-league club from Day 1. That’s why a huge percentage of players selected are pitchers. On a roster that includes 13 pitchers, it is also easiest to hide a pitcher in the back of the bullpen and limit their usage to low-leverage situations unless (or until) the player earns more high-leverage opportunities. The Twins took Tyler Kinley with their 2017 Rule 5 pick. He pitched in four games for them before being sent back to the Marlins. In 2016, they selected Miguel Diaz from the Brewers and traded him to the Padres for fellow Rule 5 pick Justin Haley. Haley pitched in 10 games for the Twins. Before the end of June, he was returned to the Red Sox. In 2014, they selected J.R. Graham. He spent the entire 2015 season with the Twins and pitched in 39 games. After one appearance in 2016, he was released. These are the typical Rule 5 draft picks, including relatively typical results. In 2012, the Twins selected Ryan Pressly from the Red Sox. He made the Opening Day roster and stuck around a long time. Pressly is a great example of a guy who needed an opportunity, got that opportunity, took advantage of it, and really thrived. He spent parts of six seasons with the Twins and was traded at the deadline in 2018 to the Astros. He’s become an All-Star, a World Series champion, and made a little bit of money as one of the best relievers in the game over the past seven or eight seasons. Where the team is on a winning and spending cycle is also a factor. While the Twins ended the season terribly and fell from second to fourth place in the AL Central, this team does have the talent to compete with Cleveland, Kansas City, and Detroit, even without massive changes. They do not need to do a complete rebuild. So, they may not want to play with a 25-man roster, making it more important that if they do select someone, it’s someone who will be counted on for some role. On the other hand, their combination of existing commitments and ownership-imposed payroll constraints make it a good time to find such a fringe contributor on the cheap. With all of that in mind, I think the Twins could make a Rule 5 pick this year. Before getting to my top five names to watch, though, let’s take a quick look at what positions the Twins could look for in the Rule 5. Catcher: The Twins have relied on Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vázquez to remain on the field the last two years. Vázquez is certainly a trade candidate, but with Jair Camargo on the 40-man roster and Patrick Winkel in Triple-A, they don’t need a catcher. In fact, they left catcher Ricardo Olivar unprotected, and he is often mentioned as a player who could be selected by another team. Outfield: As of right now, the lineup would include Trevor Larnach in left, Byron Buxton in center, and Matt Wallner in right field. Willi Castro can play in left and center. Austin Martin can play both of those positions as well. Wallner and Larnach are pretty interchangeable in the outfield. Emmanuel Rodriguez is on the 40-man roster and reached Triple-A in 2024. Infield: As of right now, the lineup would likely include Royce Lewis at third base, Carlos Correa at shortstop, and Brooks Lee or Edouard Julien at second base. José Miranda can play both corner spots. Castro can play those three spots as well. The Keirsey/Helman Effect: DaShawn Keirsey provides all the skills that a team could look for in a Rule 5 pick. He can play three outfield positions well, including center field. He can run. He can steal bases. He has a strong, accurate arm. And, he has shown that he can hit in Triple-A the last couple of years. Michael Helman can play all three outfield positions and three infield positions (2B, 3B, SS), and has a lot of innings at each over his professional career. He can run. He can steal bases. He has a good arm. And, he has shown that he can hit in Triple-A the past few years, when healthy. If the team is looking to add a question mark (or lottery ticket) with that skill set, why not just go with the guy you know, the guy who has earned it? In addition, those two players can be optioned when the starters are healthy, unlike a Rule 5 pick. First Base: OK, now there could possibly be a fit at first base. Carlos Santana had a really nice 2024 season, but he is a free agent again this offseason. The Twins could bring him back, probably on a $5-6 million, one-year deal—but then again, can they? Even if they can free up that much money in the budget, will they be able to spend it on this particular need? Alex Kirilloff’s retirement announcement last month was certainly surprising, at least until hearing the specifics of his back issues and the excruciating pain he must have. Yunior Severino was removed from the Twins 40-man roster after not getting called up at all in 2024. They brought him back on a minor-league deal, but clearly, they would want to go another direction. First base, however, is a position that needs to provide at least some offense, because there typically isn’t a lot of defensive flexibility. I’ll mention two first basemen that I wouldn’t mind the Twins selecting. Starting Pitching: Pablo Lopez is a near-ace. Bailey Ober has put himself in mid-rotation starter range, as has Joe Ryan, although he will be coming back from injury after missing the final eight weeks of the season. Simeon Woods Richardson had a nice rookie season, likely outperforming any of our expectations. David Festa and Zebby Matthews got their feet wet in the big leagues the last two months and showed they could be big-league starters. Brent Headrick missed much of last season but has a starter’s pitch mix and length, and he’s left-handed. Recently, the Twins added starters Marco Raya and Travis Adams to their 40-man roster. Andrew Morris, Cory Lewis, C.J. Culpepper and several other pitchers could develop and reach the big leagues as starters. In addition, it’s possible that Griffin Jax could be moved to the rotation. I don't see a need to add another arm to this mix, at least one that will have no track record and no roster flexibility. Bullpen: The Twins' bullpen is pretty well set going into the offseason, at least in terms of players with contracts. Jhoan Durán and Jax were offered arbitration. Brock Stewart, Justin Topa and Michael Tonkin reached agreements with the Twins. Jorge Alcalá’s 2025 option was picked up by the Twins. In addition, Cole Sands took a huge step forward, and I’m a big believer in Ronny Henriquez. In my mind, Louie Varland moving to the bullpen could be a huge positive for the Twins. They also have re-signed Scott Blewett on a minor-league deal, and Jovani Morán should be able to return from Tommy John surgery at some point during the season. Any of the starters could help out in the bullpen if needed. However, the Twins currently have just Kody Funderburk and Headrick as left-handed pitchers. Pitching: Starter or Reliever, if the Twins and their professional scouting department believe that an available pitcher has a chance to be an MLB regular, a long reliever, or potentially a late-game reliever, I would have no problem with them adding a pitcher. I’ve got a handful that fit some of the characteristics I would look for, and I’ll share them with you, as well. View full article