Hunter McCall

Joey Gallo hasn't even taken a swing for the Minnesota Twins yet, but he is already among their most criticized players. Image courtesy of © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports This criticism is strange, considering Joey Gallo has provided elite-level talent as recently as two years ago. Fans need to give Gallo a chance before calling for his head. Gallo started the 2021 season with the Texas Rangers. Coming off a disappointing shortened season in 2020 in which he had an OPS under .700, he looked to prove that he was still a competent hitter. Gallo started the year having an excellent campaign, making the All-Star Game, and going into the trade deadline with a .869 OPS and 25 home runs. The struggling Rangers decided to capitalize on Gallo's value by trading him to the New York Yankees for four top-30 prospects. Before the Yankee trade, despite having a consistently low batting average, Gallo put up eye-popping numbers. Since the trade, however, he has been a different man. His batting average has dipped from its already low baseline, and his strikeout rate is among the highest in baseball. Due to the underperformance and the amount of capital the Yankees gave up to acquire Gallo, Yankee fans quickly turned on the slugger. (Remember, this is the same fanbase that booed Aaron Judge in a playoff game the same year he hit an American League record 62 home runs.) In a post-game interview, Gallo was quoted saying the Yankee's fans "make me feel like a piece of s—t." As Gallo's frustration built, his performance continued to spiral. At the 2022 trade deadline, the Yankees moved on from Gallo, trading him to the Dodgers. Gallo had his moments as a Dodger but wasn't an everyday player on a loaded roster. He finished the season with an OPS under .700 and entered free agency looking for a change of scenery. He found that in the Minnesota Twins. The Twins signed Gallo to a one-year prove-it deal worth $12M. It's a low-risk, high-reward deal for a Twins team looking to get back into the playoffs. If Gallo continues to underperform, they can plug Trevor Larnach in the corner and move on from Gallo at the end of the year. If he returns to the first half of 2021 form, they have a hitter capable of being a 5 WAR player. When they acquired Gallo, Yankees fans failed to realize that he is what he has always been. He will strike out an appalling number of times and hit in the low .200s on a good year. Banning the shift could help boost Gallo's batting average, but expecting him to hit .270 is an unrealistic expectation for him in 2023. His flaws should be understood ahead of time, but there are many ways to contribute value to a baseball team. Joey Gallo has as much, if not more, raw power as anyone in the league. He is a slugging machine when he is playing well. In addition to the power production, he draws walks at a rate higher than 90% of the league. He strikes out a ton, but his at-bats are almost always quality. Did you know Gallo sees more pitches per at-bat than former Twin and contact savant Luis Arraez ? In 2022, Gallo saw 4.2 pitches per plate appearance compared to Arraez's 4.0. Gallo's ability to produce long, quality at-bats can be very beneficial for the Twins in 2023, as it shortens the game life of opposing starting pitchers and gives his teammates ample opportunity to see different pitch sequences thrown on any given day. Lastly, Gallo provides great defense to an already stellar defensive outfield. Since 2020, Gallo has contributed 32 DRS, the second-best in the MLB, and collected two Gold Glove awards. He will fit in nicely in left field beside the rangy Byron Buxton and bring back the old "Nothing falls but range drops" mentality in the outfield. For those already flooding Twitter and the comment section of Twins Daily with posts about how horrible Joey Gallo is and that he's "the next Miguel Sano ," give the guy a chance. Go into the season understanding that Joey Gallo isn't Luis Arraez. He won't contend for a batting title. That's not his strength. However, if you were to let him play his style of baseball, his strengths could be a significant asset to the Minnesota Twins. View full article

I love the lineup! A lot of proven talent mixed with potential! You have your superstars in Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa, and a deep, flexible roster that can compliment them very well. Every player you mentioned has hit at the MLB level. Kirilloff and Larnach have injury concerns, but the talent has never been questioned. Christian Vasquez will do everything you can hope for out of a catcher in today's game, play excellent defense and produce a .700+ OPS. In 2021, Joey Gallo was an all-star and gold glove winner. He produced 4.2 WAR that year, and prior to being traded to the Yankees at the deadline, had a .869 OPS. I think there's enough reason to believe that he didn't mesh well in New York, and is due for a bounce back year. Even in a year that people call a disaster, he produced +0.2 WAR, which looks pretty terrific next to a player like Eddie Rosario who produced -1.6 WAR. The last name you mentioned was Max Kepler. Whether you like it or not, Max Kepler helps the Twins win. He should benefit from the shift ban, and plays excellent defense. He won't be asked to hit in the heart of the order anymore, and probably also won't hit against lefties. This will make him a much more pleasant player to watch! All I'm saying is the Twins have put together a very solid baseball team. I really look forward seeing what happens and rooting for them this summer, you should as well!

Value is a relative measure, you are correct about that. Every team uses a different metric for deciding player's worth. I would also imagine though if you were to poll the 30 MLB teams on which side received more value, 29 of them (and maybe even the Marlins) would agree that the Twins received more value. This was a necessary trade for the Marlins because they had arms to give, prospects ready to play, and a need for a hitter in the lineup. For these same reasons, it was necessary for the Twins. That doesn't change the fact that the Twins made their major league team better while also bolstering their farm system, which is a feat very rarely accomplished in the league. This is why it was a good trade. All of this of course is rather beside the point. The point of the whole article was to talk about the possibility of trading from the wealth of middle infield prospects the Twins have acquired to land an ace at the deadline. I simply used the Arraez trade as the latest example of Falvey seemingly getting teams to overpay.

Every single trade value metric says the Marlins overpaid by an outrageously high margin. When you are the recipient of the more valuable side in a trade this lopsided, I consider it master-class. Also, if you have read any of my blogs over the course of the last couple months, I have been advocating for trading Arraez for Lopez for quite some time. The original thought was that the Twins would have to give up Arraez plus a prospect for Lopez, so the fact that Falvey managed to get Lopez plus two prospects for Arraez alone is a phenomenal effort by what I consider a very good general manager. Falvey stuck to his guns and got the Marlins to overpay. This is fact.

Trading for Pablo Lopez to add to the front of the rotation was a great move, but it doesn't mean the Twins should stop pursuing options to improve the unit. Image courtesy of © Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports Derek Falvey pulled off another master-class trade last Friday in which he flipped Luis Arraez for Pablo Lopez with two prospects. One of those prospects, Jose Salas, was a top five prospect in the Marlins organization. The 19-year-old Salas was an international signing in 2019 by the Marlins and now gives the Twins another middle infield prospect with a ton of upside. Falvey has shown to be very patient on the trade market, sticking to his guns and getting teams to overpay. Just as he did when he traded Jose Berrios for Austin Martin and Simeon Woods-Richardson at the 2021 trade deadline, Falvey has a knack for getting the most out of every trade he has his hand in. The Twins were insistent they wouldn't trade Arraez for Lopez in a 1-for-1 deal, but the fact that the front office convinced the Marlins to throw in a top prospect provides the Twins with a good amount of middle infield depth in the minor leagues. Salas joins Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, and Austin Martin as top prospects in the Twins organization and potential future shortstop options to take over for Carlos Correa when he inevitably moves to 3rd base. The consensus is that Lee and Martin will almost certainly move positions by the time they arrive at the majors, but Lewis proved he can play short in his limited time there last year. While Salas is young, early accounts suggest that he may stick at short. The depth the Twins have built is excellent. After this trade, the Twins have acquired enough top-tier minor-league talent to make a swing for a pitcher even more impactful than Lopez. The Twins currently have six pitchers worthy of a look at a rotation spot, and while all of them are very good, none of them would be considered an "ace." The rotation the Twins have built is better than any rotation they've had in a while, but adding a top-of-the-line pitcher would put this team from contenders in the AL Central to contenders in the American League. Whether they move to push for a trade now or at the trade deadline in July, the Twins could cash in on the depth of minor-league talent they have accumulated just as they cashed in on the depth of MLB-level hitters in the Arraez trade. This offseason, a couple of pitchers' names have been thrown around that would be considered by most in the "ace" status of starting pitchers. The two names mentioned most frequently are Arizona Diamondback's Zac Gallen and Milwaukee Brewer's Corbin Burnes . Gallen is under team control through 2025, while Burnes is under team control through the 2024 season. Trading Burnes when your team is a contender in its division would be weird, but that's how the Brewers have operated in recent years. Despite being in the thick of the playoff race, they traded Josh Hader to San Diego at last year's deadline. Zac Gallen has more control than Burnes and plays on a bad team, so Gallen remains the more likely option to get moved at some point this year. The package for either of these two players would not be cheap, but after adding Salas, the Twins could have enough assets to complete a trade and not deplete the farm too much. They also have the #5 overall pick in the upcoming MLB Draft this July. Plus, they have young talent on the major league roster. For instance, if the Twins were to strap Bailey Ober , under team control through 2027, to one of their top infield prospects, they could put themselves in a position where they would be close to pulling off a deal. Coupling the assets the Twins have to give with Falvey's recent ability to get teams to overpay leaves trading for an ace well within the realm of possibilities. While it is unlikely that the Twins will pull off a trade for an ace before the offseason ends, it remains a possibility of something to look forward to at the trade deadline. If the Twins can stay healthy and competitive, there is no reason they can't use their depth of infield talent at the minor-league level to make one more massive move in an attempt to bring the Commissioner's Trophy back to Minnesota. What are your thoughts? Should the Twins dip into their minor-league talent to put together a package that would entice a team to send back their ace? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins! View full article

This answer may not be a popular one, but before Gallo was traded to the Yankees just a little over a year ago, he was among the best OBP players in the MLB. On top of that, he actually averages more pitches per AB than Luis Arraez. There's a lot of hope for a ton of positive regression from Gallo, which is why he is one of my favorite moves of the off-season thus far.

Keep an eye on Prielipp as you mentioned. I think he's the Twins' best chance in the system to blossom into an ace!

It hurts to lose Luis Arraez, but the strategy of trading a bat for an arm is a sound one. Image courtesy of © David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports The 2022 Minnesota Twins team was ravaged by injuries, which ultimately led to the team's demise. One area of the team that was affected as much, if not more, than any other unit was the starting pitching rotation. Kenta Maeda, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack, and Tyler Mahle all suffered severe injuries that led to minimal availability. Even Sonny Gray found himself banged up more often than the team would've liked. The Twins’ rotation prior to the trade was Gray, Mahle, Joe Ryan, Maeda, Ober. On paper, this rotation looks to be reasonably solid one through five, but with the recent injury history of most of the staff, it left Twins fans, and likely the front office, holding their breath. The Twins also have a few arms close to the majors, such as Josh Winder, Louie Varland, and Simeon Woods Richardson , but they likely want to avoid pivoting to young arms as often as they did in 2022. For depth purposes, the Twins were interested in adding one more top-of-the-rotation pitcher. The problem is, those don't typically grow on trees and can cost a pretty penny to pry one away from a team willing to deal. Luckily for the Twins, they had depth in another area they were willing to dip into to acquire a solid starting pitcher. After signing Carlos Correa, the Twins have put together a pretty impressive list of controllable hitters who gave them leverage on the trade market. I have listed below the Twins hitters on the 40-man roster who are set to compete for limited at-bats this summer. I also included the player's value according to BaseballTradeValues.com in descending order. Baseball Trade Values uses a scale to track every player's worth based on controllability, contract, and production. Jorge Polanco 2B ($34.8M) Luis Arraez 1B/DH ($26.6M) Jose Miranda 3B ($26.4M) Royce Lewis SS/OF ($22.7M) Trevor Larnach OF ($14.6M) Byron Buxton CF ($13.5M) Ryan Jeffers C ($13M) Alex Kirilloff 1B/OF ($11.9M) Max Kepler OF ($7.6M) Matt Wallner OF ($7.3M) Carlos Correa SS ($7M) Nick Gordon UTIL ($6.7M) Gilberto Celestino OF ($1.8M) Joey Gallo OF ($1.2M) Kyle Farmer UTIL ($0.4M) Christian Vázquez C (-14.2M) To put these numbers into perspective, Pablo López has an estimated value of $38.8M. The list above features 16 players who have either played a significant role for the Twins or will play a role this year. As it stands, with this many quality hitters, there are not enough at-bats to go around. The depth is excellent, but the Twins could capitalize on this depth by trading it for a solid starting pitcher. The Twins could have piece together many packages by agreeing to part ways with one or two of these players. Arraez made a lot of sense to move in a large package for a frontline starter. While Arraez brings a fire to the game that is fun to watch, he is not without his flaws. The only defensive position he has shown to be above-average at is first base, and few teams are willing to commit to a first baseman who doesn't exhibit any power. With Arraez's lengthy injury history, there's a good chance his value will never be higher, making him a reasonable trade prospect. There are many ways the Twins could have finished off the off-season, but it was paramount that they do all they could to add to their rotation. With the depth of Major League-ready hitters at their disposal, the Twins were able to turn a somewhat expendable pieces into a frontline starter who adds tremendous value to this team the way it is constructed. What are your thoughts? Should the Twins have traded a bat for an arm? Who would you have parted with? Should they consider doing something similar for a reliever? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins! View full article

The purpose of my blog post was to suggest that by designating Kyle Garlick for assignment the Twins hinted that they were looking to make a move to add a right-handed hitting outfielder. I would be intrigued by a megadeal as you mentioned, but I don't think there's any way the Twins would trade Polanco over Arraez, as Polanco offers durability and defensive flexibility. It is definitely and interesting thought though! I am also a firm believer that trading Gray would be rather counterproductive. As it stands, he is arguably the Twins' best pitcher, so trading him after signing Correa feels like one step forward two steps back in my opinion. I know you outlined gaining two starters from Miami, but the Twins would only net one starter with the loss of Gray plus they would be giving up all those other assets you mentioned. I also don't think Gray fits well in a Miami trade because the reason they are trading starters to begin with is because they have too many. So, for the Marlins, gaining Grey would also be counterproductive.

I agree, it’s a very smart move for the reasons you mentioned. It’s very unlikely Garlick gets picked up, but as you also alluded to, I think a move for a right-handed outfielder is still to come.

Yes, however I don’t think they’d risk putting him on waivers if they had a desire to continue with the current plan. I think Gallo plays every day, but he doesn’t fill the need for a right handed outfielder. I really like the idea of being McCutchen in, as he provides elite production against left-handed pitching

No, he has not.

Even if he does, he won’t be on the MLB roster. So yes, they could bring him back up, but then what was the point of DFAing him?

If the Twins are willing to spend the small amount extra it would cost to acquire Soler, I really like this idea. Would kill 2 birds with one stone while severely decreasing the amount of trade capital the Twins will have to fork up. Soler has been very good against lefties and can fill Garlicks role. I like it a lot if the Twins are willing!

I like Mancini too, however, with the current roster structure I’m not sure he fits. Like Celestino, Mancini also has reverse splits, so it wouldn’t make much sense to platoon him. I also think he’ll probably be a bit too spendy to just be played a couple times a week. If the Twins move Arraez and Kepler, you could make a case for signing Mancini because then I think he’d play close to every day, but he’s definitely not the best solution to replace Garlick’s role in my opinion.

The Twins officially made Carlos Correa the wealthiest man in franchise history on Wednesday, to the tune of a 6-year $200M deal with vetted options that could make it up to a 10-year deal depending on the number of plate appearances he has in the latter years of the contract. The final resolution finally came after a free agency experience filled with more twists and turns than an Ari Aster film. In the end, Carlos Correa ended up exactly where he began this journey, with the Minnesota Twins. The signing filled Twins fans with shock and jubilation. A superstar free agent brought home by the heavily criticized front office. However, lost in the excitement is a move that may have tipped the Twins' hand on what is next to come. The Twins DFA'd Kyle Garlick, the team's lefty-mashing outfielder, who was often used as a platoon player anytime there was an opposing left-handed pitcher. What could this mean for the Twins? Garlick's now vacant role is a big one to fill on the team, especially considering Byron Buxton and Gilberto Celestino are the only right-handed outfielders on the current active roster. To that point, Celestino has reverse splits, meaning he performs better against right-handed pitchers than lefties, making him a non-candidate for this particular role. Luckily for the Twins, there are several options available on the market who can step in and fill this role. Robbie Grossman Signing Grossman would be one of the more unexciting moves the Twins could make, but Grossman could step in and be very effective in a platoon role. Since 2020, the former Twin has possessed an .840 OPS, which includes a .394 OBP against left-handed pitching. The switch-hitting Grossman doesn't tear the cover off the ball, but he would be a welcome addition if he could step in off the bench against left-handed pitchers and produce anywhere near these levels. Tommy Pham Tommy Pham may be a difficult sell, as his clubhouse presence may not be worth the benefit of having him in the lineup. Most baseball fans remember that Pham open-hand slapped Joc Peterson last year over a fantasy football league. The bizarre behavior of Pham may not be welcome in Minnesota, but there is no doubt Pham fits the profile of a platoon outfielder. The 35-year-old veteran had a .784 OPS against lefties last year, including 6 of his 11 home runs in just 139 at-bats against left-handed pitching. Adding Pham would give the Twins solid platoon production at the plate, but when you factor in the potential headache of the wild behavior of Pham, he may not be the best man for the job. Andrew McCutchen Lastly, and my personal favorite, Andrew McCutchen. Though he is no longer the same McCutchen who appeared in five straight All-Star Games and took home an MVP trophy, he can still be a significant asset in the correct role. Since 2020, McCutchen has a whopping .905 OPS against left-handed pitching. To add to his profile of mashing lefties, he possesses speed on the base paths. Despite being 36 years old, StatCast profiles McCutchen in the 90th% in sprint speed among MLB players. McCutchen would be able to play just about every day, whether hitting against a lefty or pinch-running late in games. For what will likely be a modest price, the Twins should think long and hard about bringing the veteran to the Twin Cities. With Garlick out of the fold, the Twins now have an opening to make another upgrade to last year's roster. All of the players listed above would be able to step in and fill the role, but it is hard not to get excited about what Andrew McCutchen could bring to the field as well as the clubhouse. Regardless of who they sign, the Twins have dropped a massive hint on what the front office's next move could be by designating Kyle Garlick for assignment. What are your thoughts? Who will the Twins add to fill Garlick's role? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins!

The Carlos Correa free agency roller coaster continued on Monday night, as a series of Tweets from several different accounts suggested that they had sources who confirmed the Twins had finally called it quits on the All-Star shortstop. This was far from unexpected, as it was assumed that a reunion between Correa and the Twins was a long shot at best. However, it was only about an hour later when Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes dropped a report that the Twins are, in fact, not out on Correa, but instead, talks between the two sides have accelerated recently. With the growing frustration between the Mets and Correa, is a window finally open for the Twins to reunite with Correa? Should the Twins even consider it? The easy answer to the first question is yes. A window is open. Just as the Mets' window opened when the Giants balked at Correa following a flagged physical, there is a reasonable chance the Mets will do the same thing. The window is there, but should it be one the Twins jump in? The answer to that question is much muddier than just yes or no. Correa has been flagged on two separate physicals by two different team doctors for a lower leg injury sustained long ago. The injury is not calling into question how he will perform tomorrow, but rather how he will hold up throughout a 10+ year contract. With as much guaranteed money as we've seen thrown around, it's no surprise that the Mets and Giants have both paused on committing to a long-term deal. With this in mind, whatever Correa's new contract is, it will likely feature a lot less guaranteed money, which is why the stalemate is taking place. On the flip side, Correa was outstanding for the Twins in 2022. He was great at the plate, in the field, and in the clubhouse. He is well-liked by the whole organization and is the type of guy you want to build your team around. Correa would also fill a massive need for the Twins at shortstop, where they are currently slated to start Kyle Farmer, who mashes lefties but is far from an everyday shortstop, regularly. If the Twins can chop off some of the guaranteed money and shorten the contract to a length everyone feels comfortable with, the organization and fans would welcome Correa back with open arms. These Correa stories are exhausted and old, but as long as he remains unsigned, it remains relevant news. No one has any idea what will happen with Correa. Until the pen meets the paper, he will remain a wild card on the free agent market, who could sign anywhere under the sun. The Athletic article by Hayes and Rosenthal is interesting enough to keep Twins fans engaged in a dream of a reunion. Still, until he steps foot in Target Field again, it's best to view the situation as a long shot. What do you think? Where will Correa land? Should the Twins do everything in their power to convince him to stay? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins! *UPDATE* The Minnesota Twins sign Carlos Correa to a 6-year $200M contract with a four additional option years that could max out the contract at $270. The Twins are reportedly "optimistic" about the upcoming physical, which has already been scheduled. Barring another unforeseen twist, the Correa saga ends in happiness for the Twins!

Personally, I think moving Duran back to a starter would be a big mistake. Not only would it dramatically deplete the bullpen, but Duran really struggled with both injuries and performance when he was a starter in the minors. I think he found his all-start role, and should continue to grow in it!

Very good points! I agree with everything you said! My own personal belief in trading Arraez for Lopez lies in what each player offers the Twins. Arraez is a great player, one of my favorites, but he just doesn’t fit the Twins current philosophy. His biggest flaws are the injury history and he’s a defensive liability. While he’s great with the bat, he has next to no power, which is something the Twins covet. This is nitpicking, because he’s a great player, but his flaws make him less valuable the way the roster is built in my opinion. Lopez on the other hand would bring much needed durability to a rotation that desperately needs it. He flashes ace potential and he’s only 26. If the Twins keep Arraez and follow your plan, I will be more than happy. I agree that the rotation is as good as it’s been in years, and they have some young talent who could fill in in case of injury. Thank you for your input! Go, Twins!

To this point, the Minnesota Twins’ off-season has not gone as some had hoped, leading fans to chalk it up as a major dud. I, on the other hand, view it simply as incomplete. The current makeup of the roster is bursting at the seams with potential, and there are still enough moves the Twins can make to transform this promising roster into a contender in the AL Central. Here are a few moves I could see the Twins plausibly acting on to achieve that goal. Sign a Right-Handed Outfielder It seems as though the Twins currently possess every left-handed outfielder that has ever played the game. With Gallo, Kepler, Larnach, Kirilloff, and Wallner all taking their cuts from the left side of the plate, the Twins could use a little pop from the right side. Trey Mancini is one right handed option that fits the Twins’ current roster very well. Mancini is only 30 years old and has five seasons of solid production at the plate. He went through a tough time at the plate after being traded to the Astros last year, but I choose to look at the whole body of work rather than the final 51 games he played in Houston. Mancini’s bat is the appeal here, but he has experience playing outfield as well as first base, a position where the Twins don’t currently have a permanent solution. The Twins have money to spend, and signing Mancini would give them a guy they can plug into a corner outfield spot, first base, or DH to add a plus bat to the lineup. There are other options on the free agent market that would fill this need, but Mancini is the one I like best. Bolster the Rotation If you thought signing Gallo was the beginning of the end for Max Kepler in Minnesota, signing Mancini would surely be the straw that broke the camel’s back. In a scenario where the Twins do sign Mancini, they now have too many cooks in the outfield, and unfortunately, Kepler is the odd man out. As noted in my last blog post, I am very high on Pablo Lopez as a potential target for the Twins, and the Marlins are reportedly looking for MLB-ready bats, particularly outfielders. Kepler isn’t enough to get Lopez on his own, but they could package him with either a top 5 prospect or Luis Arraez. Another way they could try to complete a deal would be to take on Jorge Soler’s contract. This method would dip into their spending over the next few years but would allow them to hang onto their top prospects and Luis Arraez. The two teams have been reported to be in ongoing trade talks, so it remains to be seen how this plays out, but Pablo Lopez would be a massive addition to a frequently injured rotation. If the Twins elect not to trade for a front of the rotation guy, they must sign a back of the rotation insurance piece. Four of the five rotation pieces penciled in either struggled to stay healthy last year or didn't play at all due to injury. Adding a guy like Michael Wacha would prevent the Twins from having to rush young prospects the way they did last year with Josh Winder and Louie Varland. Both Varland and Winder showed promise in their big league debuts, but both guys could use a bit more time in the minors before being rotational MLB pitchers. Sure Up the Bullpen 2022 was a year of highs and lows for the Minnesota Twins bullpen. The emergence of Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran as dominant pieces at the back end of the bullpen was riveting, while Emilio Pagan and Jorge Lopez left a sour taste in many fans’ mouths. The Twins should see the return of Jorge Alcala in 2023. Although there is no guarantee Alcala will return to the form he was when he was the favorite to win the closer job after the Taylor Rogers trade, he should still be a viable piece for the Twins to use. Jorge Lopez walks too many batters, but I still believe in the elite stuff, and his dominant first half of 2022 with the Orioles is impossible to ignore. There may even be hope that Pagan can be a decent middle reliever if he continues to develop his splitter. As a unit, the group is solid, but with the rotation’s inability to pitch deep into games, they could use one more reliable arm. Michael Fulmer would be a familiar name the Twins could bring back for a modest price. Another name I like if the Twins are in the market for a lefty reliever is Andrew Chafin, who had a 3.06 FIP and fanned 67 batters over 57.1 IP last season with the Detroit Tigers. Chafin is left-handed compared to Fulmer’s right-handedness, so it would be up to the Twins to decide which is a bigger need and what would be a better fit. At this point in the off-season, even though things may seem all doom and gloom, there are still moves left for the Twins to make. They have a young, promising roster, money to spend, and bats they should be willing to trade to upgrade the team as a whole. The three potential moves highlighted above could put a nice touch on an otherwise uneventful off-season and, in my opinion, would make the Twins contenders in the AL Central. What are your thoughts? What’s a move you want the Twins to make before Spring Training? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins!

There has been plenty of off-season buzz surrounding Marlins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez. The 26-year-old hurler struck out 174 batters over 180 innings in 2022 while possessing a solid 3.71 FIP. Since the Marlins have a deep and young starting pitching rotation, Lopez is both expendable for them and very valuable on the trade market. Is Lopez a realistic trade target for the Minnesota Twins? It has been no secret that the Minnesota Twins have been looking to add to their rotation that experienced various health issues in 2022. They made a hard push for left-handed free agent Carlos Rodon but ultimately fell short, leaving them looking for other reliable options. The Twins have been linked to the Marlins in trade talks for the last couple of months, and one would assume Pablo Lopez’s name has likely been thrown around. Lopez, however, will not come cheap. Due to his age, he will turn 27 in March, productivity, and the fact that he is under team control for two more full seasons, Lopez’s value is very high. But what will it cost? If the Twins want a realistic shot at landing Lopez, they will have to throw some tangible assets on the table. It is rumored that the Marlins aren’t looking for prospects in return for Lopez but rather bats they can plug into the lineup to help them out immediately. With that said, a trade to bring Lopez to Minnesota would likely cost the Twins Luis Arraez and maybe even a little more. If the Twins were willing to eat Jorge Soler’s contract, they could perhaps convince the Marlins to complete a deal without Arraez’s involvement. However, for a mid-market team, the Twins will probably be unwilling to add the $12M per-year contract to the payroll for a player that won’t offer much productivity. This leaves the Twins with only one really realistic option, which would be to move Arraez, whose value is higher than it has ever been and may be as high as it will ever get. Does it make sense to trade him while his value is high? Arraez is a clear fan favorite and among the best pure hitters on the planet, but he also carries his share of flaws. Arraez has had a litany of knee issues in the past, he’s an awful defender anywhere besides first base, and provides next to no power at the plate, which is an approach that doesn’t seem to fit what the Twins have been trying to do in recent years. Maybe it’s time to strike while the iron is hot, put the chips in the middle of the table, and pull off a trade for a durable frontline starter. What are your thoughts? Are you willing to pay this price for a frontline starter? Let me know, and as always, Go, Twins!

Just replying! Not trying to offend!