Lou Hennessy

While he may not get the top billing in the Minnesota Twins’ bullpen picture, Griffin Jax has emerged as one of the premier setup options in the American League. His offseason gains last year helped propel him to that point. What does another step up look like for the flame-throwing righty? Image courtesy of © Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports Think about the Twins reliever who can approach 100 MPH with his fastball. No, not that one. I’m talking about Griffin Jax, whose unique journey to the big leagues has led him to two years of success in a setup relief role. Through his winter training program with Driveline in the 2022-2023 offseason, the hard-throwing righty added substantial velocity to his fastball, and the results speak for themselves. He finished the 2023 campaign with a 3.86 ERA and a solid 24.8% strikeout rate across 65 innings pitched, and was completely dominant in four postseason appearances, wherein he punched out five while only allowing one hit and no walks. So how did Jax get to this point, and where does he go from here? Get In (Drive)Line Like many players in Major League Baseball, Jax spent last offseason working with Driveline, the renowned data-driven player development organization. Many players get assessments and training resources through this premier program, and for many pitchers, they do so with an eye toward increasing their strength and velocity on their pitches. Jax’s partnership with them proved to work wonders, as his fastball velocity increased substantially in 2023. Sure, he had already made huge strides the year prior, as he had the highest velocity gain among all MLB pitchers once he moved to a bullpen role prior to 2022. But his advances with Driveline by his side led to another step forward. He made a few tweaks to his mechanics in an effort to increase his extension, and strengthened his arm to a point where he was throwing his heater an average of 1.8 MPH harder in effective velocity than in 2022. That’s notable for someone who was already topping out around 97 MPH. Jax’s fastball was transformed into a true weapon, and it effectively improved his other offerings, as each pitch in his repertoire now boasts a Stuff+ score that is well above average. Opposing hitters rarely barreled him up (a 3.6% improvement from the year prior), they hit far more ground balls (a 10.8% improvement) and they mostly failed to hit it over the fence (five home runs allowed all season). Is Jax’s work with Driveline the sole reason for his raw improvements? Not necessarily, but it’s clear that the extra velocity gave him a leg up. What’s next? If the Twins could take Jax’s production from last year and precisely replicate it for 2024, they would gladly take it. But there’s room for improvement, and plenty of opportunity to reap the good karma that should be awaiting him after being relatively unlucky in a couple blemishes on his 2023 game log. So what can take Jax to his next level? It’s easy to say that another jump in velocity would prove beneficial, but how realistic is that after the increase we’ve seen over the last two years? Driveline is a training program, not a genie in a bottle that will grant him the same wish three times in a row. But let’s look at some of the changes Jax made late in the 2023 season, when he had his best six-week stretch. From September through the end of the postseason, he had a 1.84 ERA and a whopping 12.3 K/9, while allowing just nine hits across 14 ⅔ innings pitched. He was locked in, and some changes to his repertoire may have something to do with the success that followed. In that time frame, Jax truly went back to his bread and butter – that being his nasty sweeper and a lethal four-seam fastball that he dotted up in the zone. He threw his heater almost twice as often as he had been (nearly 33% of the time, compared to 16% for the two months prior), while completely eliminating a cutter that had seen mixed results through the season. While still throwing his sweeper more than any other offering in the final month of the season, Jax reined in its usage to a more palatable 35.3%, rather than the sky-high 71% peak that he saw earlier in the year. So maybe he sticks with that more balanced usage of his two best pitches, or at least makes the necessary in-season adjustments just as he did in 2023. If Jax can carry over the eyebrow-raising success that he showed for most of last year (and especially in the final six weeks of the season), then he quickly becomes the third head of a truly terrifying monster at the back of the Twins’ bullpen – along with that guy that touches 100 MPH with his fastball and that other guy that can do the same. What do you think? What are reasonable expectations for Jax this year? Do you think he has another gear? Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

The World Champion Texas Rangers had a collective 4.28 ERA and the National League Champion Arizona Diamondbacks had a 4.48 ERA.

Few players on the 2024 Twins roster are coming into as pivotal of a season as Chris Paddack. After missing most of the last two years, can he help fill the void left by Sonny Gray in the starting rotation? Image courtesy of © Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK Chris Paddack is ready to get back on his horse, pin his badge back on his chest and resume his role as The Sheriff, this time in the Twins’ starting rotation. With his trusty six-shooter reloaded after undergoing major repairs (i.e., a second Tommy John procedure), the 28-year-old is ready to show this town what made him an appealing trade candidate back in 2022. And while the Twins are encouraged by the raw stuff he displayed in the final couple weeks of last season out of their bullpen, they need to be ready to see the good, the bad and the ugly from their promising starter. Barring a surprising move to acquire another starting pitcher, it looks like the Twins’ rotation picture is mostly solidified. Staff ace Pablo López has his name written in pen atop the depth chart, with Paddack, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Anthony DeSclafani pegged to fill out the MLB starting group in some order (although there's likely to be at least some uncertainty about DeSclafani, at least until we get closer to Opening Day). But how that rotation performs depends heavily on what version of Paddack shows up, and how far his horse can take him this year. High Expectations If the Twins get the version of Paddack that they’ve seen on the field in two brief stints since acquiring him, they’ll see a high-energy arm, with excellent raw stuff and a top-prospect pedigree. In five starts upon joining the club in April 2022, he had a 4.03 ERA across 22 ⅓ innings pitched, with 20 strikeouts and just two walks. His numbers under the hood (including a 1.72 FIP) suggest his small-sample success might’ve been legitimate. Paddack got good swing-and-miss rates from his three secondary offerings (25% from both curveball and slider, and an impressive 30.6% from his standout changeup). He’s also working on adding a cutter to his repertoire to complement his other offerings, especially against right-handed hitters. When paired with his standout performance upon returning to the mound last September (wherein he pitched a combined 8 ⅔ innings between three regular season outings and two postseason appearances), those skills have Paddack looking primed for a breakout as he tries to reestablish himself as a starting pitcher. And the Twins seem to believe in him, as they’ve stated on numerous occasions that they are counting on him being a force in the rotation despite the fact that he's missed most of the last two seasons. According to manager Rocco Baldelli, just being back with the big-league club could work wonders for Paddack. "I think just being with the group is going to help him a lot, He hasn't spent a lot of time actually with our team. He's been rehabbing. He's been getting his work in in Florida where he can get the attention that he needed," Baldelli told a scrum of reporters that included Twins Daily's John Bonnes on Monday. "But I think him spending time with his teammates, with our pitching coaches, with our staff is going to help him out a lot. I still think he's probably figuring some of those things out." If Paddack is able to stay relatively healthy this season, he could try to hit a self-imposed goal of 140-160 innings pitched. It remains to be seen whether that is a reasonable target, but if he can put up something similar to the 4.28 ERA (with 9.2 K/9 and 1.0 BB/9) that he’s displayed in his limited Twins tenure thus far, then the club would gladly take that. Possible Challenges There’s no escaping the uncertainty that comes from returning to game action after undergoing one Tommy John surgery--let alone two. Paddack isn’t the kind of person to shy away from a challenge, but the mind can only go so far once physical limitations take their toll. Now 28 years old, the righty has time on his side as he hopes to reclaim his promising career, but it’s hard to put any stock in him reaching the same peak he was shooting for earlier in his career. No matter how much confidence the club can put out to the public, the reality is that Paddack is going to have to miss time at some point in 2024, whether that is due to injury, skipping starts to try and preserve his arm through the calendar year, or giving him a quicker hook in-game. "We never have hard limits really on almost anyone," Baldelli answered when asked about a potential innings cap to Paddack's season. "But anyone who has been out for that period of time, you just have to be very aware of where they're at, both short-term in a particular start, and longer-term when you look at the bulk of what he's putting on his body." Determining how much time he’ll need to miss as he ramps back up is going to be key. If he falls much short of his goal of throwing 140 innings, the Twins will need to find somebody to replace him for the rest of the starts from that spot in the rotation. The biggest variable around him might not be his performance, but the size of the innings chunk that the team will need to find elsewhere to round out his place in the rotation. Fastball velocity is going to be another huge development to keep track of for Paddack going forward. Out of the bullpen last year, he averaged 95.5 MPH on his heater, and his other offerings were very effective when paired with the fastball at that velocity. But he will likely have to rein that in as he moves to a starter’s workload, and it's hard to guess how the rest of his repertoire is affected. Realistic Outcome There are a few paths that Paddack and the Twins can take that will lead them to realistic success in 2024. Both sides are going to need to be pragmatic, whether his performance is going better, worse or as-expected. One consideration could be to mostly let it fly (as the team did with Kenta Maeda in 2023), where the club was able to get about 20 starts of solid results (4.23 ERA, 10.1 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9). Of course, they had to navigate a two-month stint on the injured list early on, but upon returning, Maeda rattled off a 16-start stretch in which he had a 3.39 ERA across 85 innings pitched. That type of performance would certainly interest the Twins, but a workload that just barely crosses the 100 innings pitched mark (Maeda totaled 104 ⅓ innings last season) probably falls short of what the club is hoping to get from their pivotal starter this year. Maybe a more reasonable expectation is to see what he can provide as a starter into July, and hope the Twins can swing a trade for an established, playoff-caliber starter at that stage. If Paddack remains healthy and effective through the trade deadline, it’s a good problem to have. If his raw stuff starts to diminish, maybe they determine whether he needs rest for his recovery, or pivot to another temporary move to a relief role for the home stretch of the regular season. That would effectively limit his inning count, while still providing positive value, especially if he looks as electric in relief as he did in his brief 2023 stint. When the dust settles after a hard-fought season, Paddack is likely to have shown up as one of the versions we’ve outlined. He’ll either be the sheriff who reclaims his title as an authoritative figure in the Twins’ starting rotation, with a repaired pistol at his side and a chip on his shoulder, or as a recovering deputy whose horse doesn’t run as far as it used to. Either way, he holds a pivotal role as the X-factor in the Twins’ rotation for 2024 and beyond. What do you think? What are reasonable expectations for Paddack as he returns to the rotation after missing most of the last two seasons? Let us know what you think in the comment section below, and as always, keep it sweet. Reporter credit: @John Bonnes View full article

The freshly renewed TV deal with Bally Sports North leaves many fans in the dark, yet again. How can the Twins make up for this disappointing conclusion, and get back in the good graces of their loyal fans? Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports The Twins officially re-upped with Bally Sports North for the 2024 season. It’s a conclusion that very few wanted, but it was the best deal the club could muster in terms of getting a half-respectable payday in the near-term while they kick the broadcasting rights can down the road for another year. The optics of how everything went down ended up being the icing on this urinal cake of a situation. While various people associated with the team stated confidently that local blackouts would be a thing of the past, the return to BSN means those limitations still loom and viewers will need a cable subscription even if they want to stream the game, as has been the case for the last handful of years. So not only did the club put fans back in an unappealing situation, but they sullied their own word along the way. “The disappointing news is we had said very openly that our top priority was expansion of reach of our games. We felt we were in a unique position to deliver on that, considering we were a free agent in the television world,” explained Twins president Dave St. Peter to Evan Drellich of The Athletic. “And at the end of the day, we ended up doing a one-year deal on linear distribution only, and we recognize that leaves a growing number of our fans in a place where they’re gonna have a harder time watching our games.” So even though the club was able to clean up the mess caused by their television broadcast uncertainty, it feels like they used their good word to wipe up the spill, leaving it spotted and stained. And this is where the Twins need to be swift in their recovery, as some stains don’t come out if left unattended for too long. Here are three ways that the club can win back the good graces of their fans after falling short on their promise to expand the broadcast reach of their product. Allow Kids Into The Ballpark For Free Major League Baseball has been going through a unique set of growing pains as they try to navigate the fact that their base audience is getting older, and they need to find a way to become a bigger draw to a new generation of fans. Making their games easily accessible to the kids at home is an easy way to get more of them interested in the sport, but if that isn’t going to happen this year, then the club needs to find a way to get them into the ballpark. That’s why the Twins should invite fans 10 years old and younger to attend their games for free with a paying adult. This gives parents a more affordable opportunity to bring their family to a game, creating happy memories and renewed interest for a younger demographic that may not come out to a game otherwise. The Twins get to showcase their team to a new generation, and they still get to rake in the money brought in through increased concessions. Kids are going to want to eat at these games (and the parents may need another $14 beer to deal with the stress of bringing the kids – let’s be honest – anywhere). This creates some goodwill in the near-term, and hopefully a new generation of lifelong fans in the long-term. Host Watch Parties If fans can’t stream Twins games at home, then the club should make every effort possible to fill their calendar with hosted watch parties, especially for away games. This could mean making more of an event out of displaying their games on the Target Field Station plaza (which they already do for many games). Bring in the pregame and postgame crew to do their segments live from the watch party, and have them mingle with the crowd during the game. Imagine attending one of these watch parties and seeing former fan-favorites such as Glen Perkins or Trevor Plouffe hanging out with you. Maybe another locally-based Twins personality like Kent Hrbek shows up and passes out free hats or vouchers for a free standing room only ticket to a future game. The Twins could also partner with various local establishments to host watch parties, promising to provide a unique game-watching experience with prizes and guests. This gives the club an opportunity to showcase their highly marketable team while making a positive impact on the restaurants/breweries/theaters that they partner with. More Ticket Flash Sales/Promotions When Carlos Correa re-signed with the club last year, the Twins offered $4 tickets through the end of that week. It was an easy way to build the excitement of the notable signing, while offering fans something to take advantage of for a short amount of time. It was an extremely popular idea, and it’s the kind of proposal that gets folks interested in coming to more games in a hurry. I know this because I’ve had countless people come to me – a lowly scribe – asking when the Twins are going to run something like that again because it was the only way they went to a handful of games last year. And the team doesn’t have to wait for notable signings to make this promotion a reality. Picture Royce Lewis hitting a walk-off home run, and using that highlight as a jumping-off point to run a ticket promotion during the ensuing social media hoopla. For that matter, make standing room only tickets available for $5 after every walk-off at Target Field. Let the team on the field do the heavy lifting, and use their highlights as the catalyst for a special. These proposals could renew an appetite for the fans that has been spoiled by the bitterness of their TV situation. Yes, the debacle with Bally Sports North left a bitter aftertaste, but the team can help themselves out by taking the steps necessary to flush that bitterness out on their own. Look, I’ve never owned a billion dollar company (yet) and I don’t know the inner workings of a professional sports team’s ticket operations. But I do know that what goes around, comes around. And unless the Twins throw some goodness to their loyal fans, they are not going to like the negative buzz that’s likely coming to them. What do you think? How would you like to see the Twins make up for the disappointing conclusion to their TV situation? What would it take to get you back to the ballpark if you feel slighted by this development? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

The Twins announced their 2024 promotions calendar this week, and while they were able to pack in some incredibly fun marketing ploys, some ideas failed to make the cut. Image courtesy of Melissa Berman The Twins are known to have some of the best promotions in the league annually. From the Joe Mauer sideburns giveaway to T-Pain’s post-game concert last season, the club knows what they’re doing when it comes to getting creative with their ideas. But for one reason or another, some concepts fell by the wayside. These are their stories. Gleeman and the Geek Sexy Pin-up Calendar giveaway Come celebrate the Home Opener by closing this thing as fast as possible. This exciting and somewhat concerning item is sponsored by BetterHelp, who assured us that licensed therapists will be available to help process the trauma fans will experience when they see the visual atrocities depicted in this calendar. Nasty Cat Blanket giveaway sponsored by the office of Mayor Jacob Frey For all the non-losers who decided to come downtown to watch a ballgame in person instead of watching it remotely, this giveaway is sure to put Minneapolis’ lovable leader in everyone’s good graces. Streaming Night sponsored by Bally Sports (only 25% of fans attending get to watch the game) It’s the outcome that everyone was begging for. Why should everyone enjoy America’s pastime when ownership could be making up to 80% of the very modest TV revenue they received last year? The lucky few that get to actually watch the game will enjoy an exciting young ballclub, and the remaining fans will only be able to see the field if they have a VPN. BOGO Murder Lemonade sponsored by Panera Bread Bring the Thelma to your Louise to Target Field, and the two of you can hold hands and drive off that cliff into Flavortown, baby. Dollar Frog Night (minimum two per customer) Are you the kind of person not really interested in being responsible for caring for a living animal when you come to a Twins game? Too bad! Everyone in attendance must purchase two frogs for a dollar each. Leftover frogs will be processed into Dollar Hot Dogs for the following game. Butterfinger Candy Bar giveaway This one goes out to everyone who can’t catch a foul ball in the air. Sponsored by Mr. Butterfingers himself, Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Pohlad Family Wallet Retirement ceremony We all love the retired jersey numbers hanging in left field as a way to honor such legends as Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, and Joe Mauer. Now we get to honor the small piece of black leather that made all this possible, as it apparently went into retirement this offseason. Watch as a lone white moth flutters out of the empty billfold as it’s lifted into the rafters. Forgotten Twins Jersey Giveaway Upon entry, every fan will get the jersey of a former Twin that you vaguely remember being on the rosters of yesteryear. Whether that’s Mike Lamb, Clete Thomas, Esmerling Vásquez, PJ Walters, or any other easily forgotten former Twins, come take a walk down no-memory lane. Remember Corky Miller? Of course, you don’t! But come get his jersey anyway. Jerseys will be provided from the personal collection of Twins Daily’s own Gregg Masterson. Postgame concert featuring your neighbor whose name you’ve forgotten, and now too much time has passed, and it would be weird to ask him his name again. Is it Jeff? Johnny maybe? Josh? You cannot remember this guy’s name for your life, but he’ll be playing a post-game concert on the field. JORDAN. It’s gotta be Jordan. Better yet, how about you introduce someone to him, and he’ll tell them his name. NOW we’re getting somewhere. Is it Jason? Cripes. View full article

The Twins are still on the lookout for a difference-making right-handed bat. Could an old friend of Derek Falvey’s be a clean fit for the club? With Jorge Polanco and his reasonable salary headed to the Seattle Mariners, the Twins will look to reinvest that allotted money back into their roster. More specifically, the club is seeking to use the roughly $4 million they saved in the deal on some support in the right-handed slugger department. Enter Carlos Santana. The longtime division rival may be in the twilight of his career at age-37, but he would still check a lot of the boxes that remain on the Twins’ off-season wish list. While many continue to hope that the club would make a blockbuster splash this off-season, bringing Santana into the fold as a designated hitter/first-base platoon partner with Alex Kirilloff would be a frugal way to add a bonafide southpaw-crusher to the Twins’ roster. And Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey certainly has familiarity with the switch-hitting slugger, since the two spent years together in the Cleveland Guardian organization until 2016. So maybe it’s time to call his old friend and ask “¿Oye como va?” Sure, someone along the lines of Jorge Soler or JD Martinez might offer a higher offensive ceiling than Santana, but it’s assumed that they would require a heftier payday, with less of a defensive fit. Soler is also known to be seeking a multi-year deal, which is probably not in the cards for the Twins at this time. Santana could likely be had on a one-year deal, similar to the one he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates last off-season. His contract guaranteed him a modest $6.75 million salary, which nearly matches the $4 million they opened up with the Polanco trade when combined with the outgoing $2.5 million they allotted to Donovan Solano in 2023. Santana’s bat has toed the league-average mark over the last two seasons (101 wRC+), but his numbers against left-handed pitching continue to be quite valuable (118 wRC+ in 2023, 133 wRC+ in 2022). If he continues to hold on to that type of production against southpaws in 2024, it would pair seamlessly with the .858 OPS that Kirilloff put up against righties in a limited sample last season. Defensively, Santana still boasts above-average range at first base, and would be an improvement over Solano or Jose Miranda. And the likely short nature of his deal wouldn’t preclude the Twins from continuing to develop Miranda within their system after suffering an injury-marred 2023 campaign. Santana might even be able to provide him with more veteran guidance as he continues to learn the position going forward. Of course, there is a downside to Santana’s game as he approaches his 38th birthday. His batted-ball numbers took a significant dip last season, especially when it came to hard hit percentage (down 8.7% from 2022). Santana has also sunk to the lower depths of the league in terms of sprint speed (17th percentile since 2021), which the club has made a concerted effort to improve in recent years. But on paper, the benefits to a potential reunion between Santana and Falvey seem to outweigh the drawbacks. And one way or another, the Twins need to find a way to improve their production against left-handed pitching, which happens to be Santana’s best asset. The fit is just too smooth to ignore. So give us that bat. Make it real, Or else forget about it. What do you think? Would an addition of Carlos Santana on a modest one-year deal elevate this team as constructed heading into spring training? Who would you rather see them bring in via free agency or trade? Let us know in the comment section below, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

Joe Mauer finds himself on the doorstep to baseball's Hall of Fame. His high school coach, Jim O'Neill, is right there with him, as he has been for the past 25 years. Image courtesy of © David Berding-USA TODAY Sports "He liked to keep things pretty quiet during the game," said former Cretin-Derham Hall High School baseball coach Jim O'Neill. “It was the same thing while he was at school. He didn't do anything for the attention." While Joe Mauer started etching his name into the history books thanks to his budding stardom in high school, he always wanted to be treated like any other person. This was the unofficial first impression O’Neill ever picked up regarding the star catcher, who would go on to be one of the best athletes to ever come out of the St. Paul high school that produced the likes of Hall of Famer Paul Molitor, Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke, and local media supernova Sweet Lou Hennessy. Little did O’Neill know, Joe would become one of the program’s crown jewels, and eventually be inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. For the former coach of the Raiders who spent four years training the Twins legend in his youth, it couldn’t happen to a better person. “I loved seeing him tune out the pressure of having 15 scouts at any given game,” O’Neill recounted. “He would say to the other players taking batting practice in the cage with him, ‘Hey, don’t look at me. I think they’re here to see you.’” O’Neill has been close with Mauer ever since, and he’s seen the Twins legend grow on and off the field for the last 25 years. From winning CDH’s last state title for baseball in 2001, to being drafted with the first overall pick, to marrying his wife and starting a family, Mauer has had his coach in his corner through every step in his storybook life. “I can’t think of a person that could accomplish what Joe did with such grace and humility,” O’Neill said. “That’s what will always stand out about Joe. He did it the right way.” For Mauer, doing things the right way was foundational to how he treated others, even before stardom. A new children’s book, The Right Thing To Do: The Joe Mauer Story was co-created with local sports broadcaster Joe Schmit, and shines a light on the compassion, inclusion and generosity that Mauer has lived by for his entire life. “He was just like how he’s portrayed in the book,” O’Neill attests. “And he still is to this day.” Proceeds from the book go to two local non-profit organizations. Highland Friendship Club (highlandfriendshipclub.org) serves individuals with disabilities by providing a range of opportunities to develop lifelong skills, friendships and connections within their community, and Thumbs Up brings awareness to youth mental health initiatives (thumbsupformentalhealth.org). Highland Friendship Club, in particular, has been near and dear to Mauer’s heart for years. From hosting bowling tournament fundraisers, to inviting the group to countless Twins games, and even honoring them with the chance to sing the national anthem before his Twins Hall of Fame ceremony last season, Joe has been a close friend to the organization. He’s always been about bringing his community along with him as his illustrious career progressed. O’Neill experienced this loyalty firsthand, when Mauer invited him to attend All-Star weekend in 2009. Having his high school coach throw to him was the defining factor for Mauer to accept his invitation to participate in that year’s Home Run Derby. “It was a really special weekend for me, and not just in terms of what I got to experience. Yes, it was incredible to be on the field, get treated like a big-leaguer and sit at a dinner table with guys like Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols,” O’Neill said. “But what was even better was hearing the way those guys talked about Joe. They called him a class act and a truly special ball player for the whole weekend.” That’s the kind of company Mauer is going to find himself keeping come July 21, when he is officially inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame. After surpassing the 75% threshold in his first year on the ballot, Mauer will become the newest Twins legend to get a bronze plaque in Cooperstown. “It’s an incredible experience to be there. I went when Paul Molitor got in because he was a teammate of mine in high school,” O’Neill said. “It’s exciting to think about Joe standing in front of everyone on that stage, with the best players who ever lived. And he’s going to belong up there with them.” Joe belongs in that hallowed museum for countless reasons--not just for his incredible career on the field, but for his generosity and compassion off of it. Sure, there’s no character clause for getting into the Hall of Fame, but there’s a karmic fate that reels in worthy personalities sooner or later. Knowing Joe, he’s going to bring a lot of folks into the celebration with him--especially his former coach, who has become a treasured friend. Whether he likes it or not, the spotlight will be shining brightly on the St. Paul legend. “I hope it highlights his ties to St. Paul,” O’Neill said. “Joe was the hometown kid who did right by us all.” View full article

While the trade route might offer a clearer path to accomplishing some of their offseason goals, there are some intriguing names that remain available on the free-agent market. Should the Twins make a push for any of these players? Image courtesy of © Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports The calendar has flipped to 2024, and the Twins have done *checks notes* very little to add to their roster for the upcoming season. Part of that is due to a slow-moving free agent market, as well as a lack of clarity on the funds available as they peruse the players who might be available to them. Yet, the needs of the team remain clear. They would like to find a playoff-caliber starting pitcher to replace Sonny Gray; an offensive boost from the right side of the plate; and a more established reliever (but one who wouldn’t require more than a one-year deal). Some of the players on this list might require a smaller financial commitment than they anticipated when they became free agents. The Twins’ front office is no stranger to waiting out the storm so that they can find these kinds of deals. Here are five remaining free agents who fit the Twins’ current needs: Rhys Hoskins Though he missed the entirety of the 2023 season while recovering from a torn ACL, Hoskins remains one of the most popular targets among Twins fans, thanks to his stellar offensive track record with the Philadelphia Phillies. Across his six-season career, the 30-year-old slugger has a .242/.353/.492 slash line, with 148 home runs. Throughout his career, Hoskins has had solid success against right-handed pitchers (.819 OPS, 118 wRC+) and he has absolutely demolished lefties (.921 OPS, 146 wRC+). While he doesn’t offer much in terms of defensive value (-11 career OAA at first base), he more than makes up for it with his prodigious bat. At the outset of the offseason, MLB Trade Rumors predicted the former Phillie would land a two-year deal worth $36 million. On the surface, that feels steeper than the Twins would like to go, given their self-imposed financial limitations, but if Hoskins’s market fails to materialize as we approach spring training, he could be a good fit on a friendlier contract. He would be a fantastic pairing with Alex Kirilloff at first base, and could get some time at designated hitter if Byron Buxton makes his way back to center field. Adam Duvall He may not bring as much to the batter’s box as Hoskins does, but Duvall might be a cleaner fit for the Twins, based on his ability to play center field on a semi-regular basis. While his bat doesn’t carry the same thunder, it does have a track record of providing pop from time to time. Think about what Michael A. Taylor provided for the Twins last season. He had another fantastic year in center field (8 OAA), while swatting 21 home runs. Duvall has a reputation for that kind of performance, where the strong defense is his calling card, and the home runs are icing on the cake. He won a Gold Glove in 2021, and has averaged 32 home runs per 162 games throughout his career. Last season, Duvall hit 21 home runs in just 92 games. If paired with some combination of Buxton and Willi Castro, he might work as a fourth outfielder type who can step into regular playing time if needed. Duvall shouldn’t require a burdensome contract, as he is already 35-years-old and did miss some time with injuries in 2023. If the Twins have their hands tied financially, he could be a low-cost fit to put in the outfield mix on a one-year deal. Jorge Soler The former top prospect out of Cuba once again finds himself seeking a multi-year deal on the open market, and based on his strong 2023 campaign, he should be able to find one. But with many teams reining in their spending this offseason, he might not get the three-year, $45-million deal that many thought he would secure. If that ends up being the case, Soler would make a lot of sense for the Twins, especially if they shed some of their veteran contracts. Last season, the right-handed corner outfielder hit .250/.341/.512, belting 36 home runs and driving in 75 runs. If signed by the Twins, Soler could occupy a corner outfield spot on a semi-regular basis, though his defense is middling at best. Some time at designated hitter would almost certainly be in the cards, but that is (again) dependent on Buxton’s ability to take the field. Like Hoskins, Soler held his own against right-handed pitching (.786 OPS, 109 wRC+) and obliterated southpaws (1.080 OPS, 181 wRC+). At the right price, that production would be incredibly enticing for a Twins outfield picture that is currently heavy on left-handed options. John Brebbia The most realistic option on this list is probably the least exciting, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t serve an important purpose. Brebbia is likely bound for a short contract worth a few million dollars, which is a sweet spot for the Twins’ front office. And while the club already nabbed Josh Staumont on a similar deal last month, Brebbia offers a higher floor and lower ceiling. Over the last two seasons, the 33-year-old has compiled a 3.47 ERA across 106 ⅓ innings pitched, with an 8.6 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9. He increased his strikeout rate by over 10 percentage points last season, but was on the shelf for about eight weeks with a lat strain. The Twins showed interest in Brebbia before he signed his last deal with the San Francisco Giants, likely due to his penchant for throwing his slider more than half the time. If Pete Maki and the Twins’ coaching staff can help him refine that offering, they could have a diamond in the rough to add to the middle of their bullpen corps. Not for nothing, Brebbia would also provide immaculate vibes to an already fun bullpen group. Marcus Stroman As previously noted, the Twins would likely prefer to find Gray’s replacement on the trade market. But if Stroman’s price drops to a more-reasonable level, he could make sense, as a playoff-caliber starter who wouldn’t require a massive financial commitment. He opted out of the $21 million that he was owed for the 2024 season, in the hopes of getting a multi-year commitment. MLB Trade Rumors predicted a two-year, $44-million deal for the 31-year-old. It’s hard to picture the Twins wanting to pay Stroman more than $20 million per year, but if they can get him somewhere closer to the $15-17 million range, it would be a similar situation to what they had with Gray: a solid number-two or -three starter in their early thirties, with some question marks surrounding their health. A healthy Stroman would slide nicely between Pablo López and Joe Ryan in the Twins’ rotation. Since the start of the 2021 season, the former Duke star owns a 3.45 ERA across 83 starts and 454 innings pitched. He’s had a sub-4.00 ERA in all but two seasons of his career, due in large part to an extensive repertoire that remains effective even into his thirties. Just last year, Stroman had four different pitches that had a 30% whiff rate or higher. Again, like some other names on this list, the Twins would most likely only be interested in Stroman if his market fizzles. What do you think? Do any of the names on this list stand out as targets? Who else would you put on this list? Let us know in the comments, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

A familiar angel is sent from (baseball) heaven, to show a discouraged hometown hero what life would have been like had he never been... drafted with the first overall pick in 2001. Image courtesy of Purple Wolf Graphics WARNING: This tale contains some very strong language, for Joe Mauer. We have elected not to censor his voice, and to leave intact his expressions of grief and frustration. We hope you will excuse the invective. “Ah jeez,” Joe Mauer sighs, as he drains the last swig of 2% milk at the bottom of his custom highball glass. “Heck, I’m not driving.” He reaches into the fridge and grabs a small bottle of chocolate milk, then fills his glass with three fingers of Nesquik. It’s the night before baseball’s Hall of Fame announces the final vote tallies for this year’s class, where it appears Joe will fall just short. The house is dark, and the only light is the flickering of MLB Network on the den TV in the background. The former hometown hero walks past his mantel, surveying the various pieces of prestigious hardware that have made themselves cozy above his marble fireplace. Five Silver Slugger bats. Three Gold Gloves. An American League MVP trophy. A small shadow box holding a pair of his promotional giveaway prop sideburns. “I think Mauer should be in the Hall of Very Good. Yeah, people say he was one of the greatest catchers of all time, but I only remember him being pretty good, and he hardly ever caught.” one of the talking heads on the TV declares in the background. “And I’m not just anybody. I’ve been covering the game since 2014. Maybe I just expect more from a player taken first overall in their draft.” Joe throws his remaining milk to the fire, creating a quick flash of nuclear green. He leans against the mantel, and looks at a framed picture of a teenage version of himself on the day that he signed his first contract in 2001. The Joe in the picture is wiry, donning dorky glasses and a haircut that screams, “Thanks Mom!” as he pulls his arms through a pinstriped Twins jersey. He ponders the burdens of expectations and the story of Jesus being rejected in Nazareth. “Talk about a case of the Mondays,” he says under his breath. “Sometimes I wish I was never taken with the first pick that day.” Suddenly, the fire dies and the TV signal drops to static before turning off completely. Joe is left in the dark. “Holy cow, what the heck is going on?” he says quizzically as he makes his way out the front door. Joe gets to the street and looks around at the neighboring houses. All their lights seem to be working just fine. He gives a friendly Minnesota wave to a man getting out of a car in the driveway next door. The man furrows his brow and flips the hood of his coat up before turning to go inside. “They don’t know who you are,” says a booming voice from behind Joe. He turns to see a burly figure in a hooded cloak. The man removes his hood to reveal himself dramatically. As he shows his face, he lets out his trademark jolly chuckle and introduces himself. “Aaaaand welcome, TO. . . It’s a Hall of Fame Life - Joe Mauer edition. I’m your host and guardian geek, John Bonnes.” The angelic figure steps towards Joe and reaches out his hand. As he moves, a couple empty glass bottles can be heard rolling at his feet. “Take my hand, Joe. It’s time you see how good you really have it,” the guardian geek says. “But first let’s talk about the sponsors of this dream sequence, the fine folks at SotaStick.” As the geek continues talking, Joe’s attention turns to his mailbox. But it’s somehow different from the one he remembers. He walks up to it and sees ‘PRIOR’ written where his name used to be. “For Pete’s sake. Who is messing with my mailbox?” he exclaims. “I told Bert my house was off-limits for pranks from now on.” He removes the mailbox from its post and makes his way back up to the house. When he gets to the entrance, the door is locked. “That’s not your mailbox, and that’s not your house,” Bonnes said, surprising Joe, who didn’t expect the old coot to continue following him. “That’s what I’m trying to get to. You were never taken with that first overall pick back in 2001. Instead, the Twins picked Mark Prior. He had a great couple of years, but failed in the few postseason games that he was able to start before his career was cut way short due to injuries.” Joe looks at the geek like he’s a mad man. “That’s not possible,” he says. “I had my number retired by the Twins. You can ask any of the beat writers.” The geek raises an eyebrow and takes Joe’s hand. The two soar through the air, and land in St. Louis Park, outside of a quiet Chinese restaurant. Joe wipes his eyes, as he can’t believe what’s happening. When he catches his breath, he looks up and sees a disheveled, bearded man sitting beside the restaurant door with a sign that reads ‘Will podcast for fried rice’ and a souvenir JR Rider cup from a Timberwolves game that has a handful of loose coins jingling inside. “Aaron Gleeman! Surely he’ll be able to vouch for me,” Joe says, approaching the man at the door. “Hey Gleeman, can you tell this guy that I really am a Twins Hall of Famer? Something wacky is going on and he doesn’t believe me.” The man looks up and smirks. “You? In the Twins Hall of Fame? You sure about that?” he chuckles. “Sure, buddy. And I was the 2021 NSMA Minnesota Sportswriter of the Year.” Joe looks at him, defeated. None of this is making any sense. The kind man that vouched for him on countless occasions is now a jaded, sarcastic fool. He's wearing a cheap button-down from Target, and top of his head shows the effects of male pattern baldness. “What happened to him?” Joe asks. “I can barely recognize him.” “Gleeman lost interest in baseball when the Twins sputtered between 2004 and 2010,” the guardian geek explains. “You weren’t there to give him something interesting to write about, so he quit. The successful, captivating writer that you know and love never came to be. Now look at him.” Joe takes one last look at the beggar before Bonnes grabs his hand and they soar above the Minneapolis skyline. As they fly into downtown, the geek drops Joe at the front door of Manny’s Steakhouse. “You go in without me,” Bonnes says, as he keeps floating towards Finnegan’s Brew Co. Joe walks into the swanky restaurant and makes his way to the bar. A sharply-dressed, clean-cut man is sitting next to him, scarfing down the biggest steak Manny’s has to offer. He’s watching Jeopardy on the bar TV and answering every question before the contestants can ring in. “Hey, you’re Do-Hyoung Park,” Joe says. “Please tell me you remember who I am. I just talked to you in the Twins’ press box a few months ago.” “Will you pipe down?” the man snaps. “I’ve never been in a press box before. I’m one of the most trusted chemical engineers in the US military, not some jock-sniffing creative type. One call to President Neuman and I can erase your entire life, buddy. Now get out of my face!” Park pushes Joe off of his stool. Mauer picks himself off the floor and runs back out toward the street. “What is…pain.” Park whispers depressingly as he looks down at his steak. Joe sees his guardian geek at the end of the block. He runs toward the man, who is now barking into his cell phone. “Look, I told you I’ll have your money by the end of the week! There’s no need to get violent,” Bonnes pleads. “Ope, he’s back. Gotta go.” He hangs up and sighs as he looks at Joe. “Sorry, that was my wife,” the geek explains. “Come on, I have one more place to show you.” As they glide above First Avenue toward the North Loop, Joe notices an odd omission in the Minneapolis skyline. “Wait a second, what happened to Target Field?” Joe shouts. "There’s just an empty lot where my beloved home ballpark used to be.” “Target Field was never built, because there just wasn’t enough interest in baseball in Minnesota,” Bonnes explains, as the two drop down to the cement footprint where the Twins' beautiful ballpark should have been. “The team didn’t have a franchise icon that they could market. Instead, the Twins played their final game in Minnesota on October 3rd, 2010. The club moved to Las Vegas that winter, and Minnesota has been left without a professional ballclub ever since.” Joe drops to his knees as snow begins to fall around him. He can’t take it anymore. With tears streaming down his face, he reaches up toward the heavens. “Please! I’m sorry!” he cries as he clenches his eyes shut, trying to awaken from this nightmare. “I want my life back! I wish it really had been me who was taken first in that draft. I had a great career, no matter what the Hall of Fame voters decide.” He sits in silence for a moment, feeling the snowflakes melt as they land in his salt-and-pepper hair. When he opens his eyes, he’s no longer downtown, but back on his front lawn, holding his mailbox with the name ‘MAUER’ etched on its side. His wife opens the front door and peeps her head out into the winter air. “Joe, sweetie, what the heck are you doing out there?” she asks. “You need to come inside! Something marvelous has happened.” Joe races into his house. His home is back to its normal state. The fire is crackling and one of his twin daughters is practicing the piano. She stumbles through a rendition of “What You Know” by T.I. (Joe continues to assume "key by the three" is a basketball reference.) He doesn’t care, though. He’s relieved to be home, back in his normal life. The TV is still blaring MLB Network, and the host of the show is interviewing a panel of writers about Hall of Fame chances for the following day. Among the guests are Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic, and Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. “I talked to so many voters in recent days, and I’m confident that Mauer is going to absolutely sail past the 75-percent requirement in his first year,” Gleeman proclaims. “I guarantee he’s going to get the call tomorrow.” “I agree with Aaron,” Park chimes in. “And I was on Jeopardy!” It's not an exclamation; that's just official Jeopardy! style. Joe can’t believe what he’s hearing. He smiles at his wife and wraps her in a hug. “Hey, what’s in your back pocket?” she asks. Joe pulls out a gift card to SotaStick that has a message scribbled on the back. Congratulations, Joe. And remember. . . No man is a failure who has friends within the media. Thanks to our sponsors! Love, Your guardian geek, John Bonnes “Who’s that from, dear?” his wife asks. “Oh, nobody,” Joe replies as he smiles and looks into the fire. “Just some old coot.” He places the card next to the framed photo of himself as a teenager on the mantel and gathers the family around the piano to sing the first verse of his longtime walk-up song. The End View full article

The New York Yankees have, once again, acquired a world-class player, much to the chagrin of the rest of the league. But they now have a pretty crowded outfield picture. Can the Twins find a way to benefit from this? Image courtesy of © Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports It’s hard to argue that Juan Soto going to the New York Yankees is somehow a good thing for the Minnesota Twins. He’s a 25-year-old marquee player on a Hall of Fame trajectory, who will now don the pinstripes of Twins Territory’s most hated rival. But this monumental trade between the Bronx bombers and the San Diego Padres has many layers to it. If the Twins play their cards right, they could benefit from the shuffling of these rosters. For those who missed it, Soto was sent to the Yankees along with outfielder Trent Grisham, for a package headlined by three of New York’s best young pitchers. While Childish Bambino will surely garner the most attention when looking at this swap, Grisham could be of interest to the Twins if the Yankees are willing to flip him. Talks surrounding this trade went on for days before the Yankees and Padres finally made it official, and New York actually completed a separate deal in the meantime. In a surprising development, the Yankees acquired Alex Verdugo from the rival Boston Red Sox, and will have him seeing regular action in their outfield throughout the 2024 campaign. Was this a fallback option in case they couldn’t reel in Soto? A leverage play to soften San Diego's demands? Or do they have more moves up their sleeve? It’s unclear how all these pieces will fit together, but the club now finds themselves with a plethora of established outfielders, including Soto, Verdugo, Grisham and Aaron Judge. Each of those players are used to seeing everyday playing time, so somebody will have to take the back seat--and let’s just say Soto and Judge are assured to be sitting shotgun for the foreseeable future. Could the Twins swoop in and make a play for Grisham? He would fill the hole left by Michael A. Taylor, that of a defense-forward true center fielder on a friendly contract. The fleet-footed 27-year-old has two years of club control remaining, and he’s expected to earn $4.9 million via arbitration in 2024. His stellar defense (92nd-percentile range, according to Statcast) makes him good enough to be a reliable option even if the bat falters, but he wouldn’t block playing time should Byron Buxton find himself healthy enough to take the field. Grisham is a left-handed hitter, but he’s had reverse platoon splits throughout his career. Those numbers took it a step further in 2023, when he had a .790 OPS against fellow southpaws. That could fit nicely as a platoon option alongside Willi Castro, who had an .803 OPS against righties in 2023. In his whole career, Grisham has only 518 plate appearances against southpaws, so we have to do quite a bit of regression in order to project him in this way for the future, but it's certainly worth noting. The Yankees must have seen something they liked in Grisham when making the trade, but with Verdugo also in the fold, the former Padre could be expendable for the right price. Maybe the Twins can offer a mid-level prospect or two to help replenish the Yankees’ farm system that was just purged of its most exciting arms last week. Could some combination of impressive B-level prospects in the back half of Twins Daily's Prospect Rankings pique their interest? Would the Yankees insist on getting someone closer to being big league-ready such as Simeon Woods-Richardson? Here’s another outside-the-box idea: would the Yankees have any interest in Kyle Farmer (.725 OPS in 2023), to go along with a prospect package? Anthony Volpe (.666 OPS) is pegged to get the lion’s share of playing time at shortstop, with Oswald Peraza (.539 OPS) as his backup, so the Yankees may see value in the idea of swapping a fourth outfielder for a utility infielder who can play a solid shortstop if Volpe fails to improve. Farmer could also spell D.J. LeMahieu at third base or Gleyber Torres at second, if needed. Here's what a trade pitch could look like: Twins receive: Grisham - .198/.315/.352 (91 wRC+), 13 home runs, 15 stolen bases, 1.7 fWAR in 155 games played in 2023 Yankees receive: Farmer - .256/.317/.408 (101 wRC+), 11 home runs, two stolen bases, 1.6 fWAR in 120 games played in 2023 Yasser Mercedes (No. 14 prospect) - .294/.356/.488, eight home runs, 36 stolen bases in 66 games played in Rookie ball since 2022 Woods-Richardson (No. 17) - 4.91 ERA (1.50 WHIP), 7.6 K/9, 4.8 BB/9 across 24 games (22 starts) at Triple-A in 2023 It’s still to be determined whether the Yankees are set on holding on to Grisham, despite their crowded outfield that now features two superstars and two more established regulars. But it would behoove the Twins to reach out in an effort to improve their club along the margins, and to ride the wave of the ripples set into motion by the Soto trade. What do you think? Would Trent Grisham be a good fit for this Twins team? What should they be willing to give up to make it happen? Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

A slow-moving free agent and trade market continues to be the talk of the Winter Meetings, especially at the top end. That part of the market is most likely not in play for the Twins, who usually avoid diving into that tidal wave, and would rather see what washes ashore in the aftermath, so they, too, can only wait and watch. Here’s your Twins Daily dose of information. Image courtesy of © Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports While everyone bemoans how little is happening, there's actually some stuff happening. It's just a bit more workaday than we imagine when we think of the annual league convention. Buxton Health Optimism Twins fans know the drill when it comes to their star center fielder. While general optimism is welcome after any positive development, it should be taken with a grain of salt. A healthy Byron Buxton would be about as good of an addition as the club could make this offseason, but there’s a lot of winter to go, and then comes the minefield of spring training. But for what it’s worth, the team is extending some good news when it comes to their cornerstone player, saying he’s showing great signs of recovery after his knee surgery in October. Buxton was spotted in town last week, where he apparently met with surgeon Chris Camp and Twins’ trainer Nick Paparesta. "They felt like he was moving around about as well as they had seen him move around in a long time, which was great," said Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey. Buxton has now been cleared for all baseball activities, and he’s slated to undergo further evaluation later this week and into next. Could this development affect the club’s pursuit of another option in center field? That seems short-sighted, but this news does dampen the urgency to find an alternative full-time option, however slightly. Michael A. Taylor filled in admirably when thrust into a majority share of that role last year, but his market is also starting to take shape, with a handful of teams showing interest. Again, only time will tell, but the club seems confident that Buxton will be ready to go full-steam ahead when spring training opens in early February, and they confirmed their expectation that he should be in the mix for playing time in center. Relief Market Heating Up The Twins haven’t been linked to any relievers as of yet, but it’s reasonable to expect them to explore the market as the dust begins to settle like they have in years past. It’s highly unlikely that they would make a play for a marquee bullpen ace such as Josh Hader, but they’ll need to supplement their relief corps if they hope to have the same stability that they showed in 2023. That holds especially true after losing Emilio Pagan, who agreed to a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend. Pagán was second on the Twins in relief appearances, and his rubber arm will be missed, despite some fan skepticism after an up-and-down 2022 campaign. The righty finished the 2023 season with a 2.99 ERA, with 8.4 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 across 69 ⅓ innings pitched. Looking league-wide, the relief dominoes appear to be falling. Kirby Yates signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers, Chris Devenski inked a contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, and a handful of teams have been showing interest in hard-throwing Jordan Hicks. These options are in the mold of player that the Twins could target when they decide to make a move for a bullpen addition, but again, they have a history of waiting until the calendar flips. Expect them to look into modest one-year deals, and even some minor-league deals with invitations to spring training. Rule 5 Draft On Deck It hasn’t been part of this front office’s M.O. to make a selection in the Rule 5 Draft, but they're keeping an open mind (and they have some open roster spots) this year. These selections can be risky, as the player needs to occupy a spot on the team’s 26-man roster (or on the IL) for the entirety of the season if they wish to keep him in the organization. Then again, the only thing ventured is a $100,000 transaction fee. If the player doesn't stick, the Twins can offer the player back to whichever organization they were selected from, and get half that paltry amount back. With 36 men on the reserve list already and some looming logjams, it's still not actually likely that the Twins make a selection. However, they could see the flip-side of that coin. One of their breakout minor-leaguers from the last season, DeShawn Keirsey, Jr., was left exposed at the deadline to protect players by adding them to the 40-man. The 26-year-old center fielder began the year at Double A, where he had the best performance of his professional career, hitting .305/.363/.488 (.850 OPS) with 13 home runs in 91 games played. He was promoted to Triple-A St. Paul, where he continued to impress with his speed and defensive prowess. Keirsey’s player type is generally seen as an ideal Rule 5 candidate, as he is close to MLB-ready, and it’s easier to hide them on the bench or with limited playing opportunity. As a fourth outfielder/pinch runner, Keirsey could appeal to a plethora of teams. Here's hoping the Twins don't come to rue the day they passed him over for protection. Other news and tidbits: Buxton wasn’t the only right-handed hitter who got positive news on the injury front. Infielder Jose Miranda is also said to be showing improvement after a cleanup procedure on his right shoulder, and should be ready for spring training. The Twins once again improved their position in the MLB draft. Even though they finished the 2023 season with the 23rd-worst record, they will instead hold the 21st overall pick in next year’s draft, thanks to some shuffling due to the MLB Draft Lottery, which was held last night. Of course, it’s not as substantial of a jump as last year, where they were awarded the fifth overall pick while having the 13th-worst record. They went on to pick their current No. 1 prospect, Walker Jenkins. The Cleveland Guardians were awarded the first pick in the 2024 draft. What's on your mind as we head down the home stretch of the Winter Meetings? What do you realistically want to see the Twins do before the week is through? Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

The Twins should always be looking to bolster their relief corps, even if the additions aren’t destined to see many high-leverage opportunities. It could take some time before they pay off, but could these three recently non-tendered arms be worthwhile additions on minimal commitments? Image courtesy of © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK Twins decision-makers have never been keen on paying top dollar for the best relievers on the market, and this off-season appears to be no exception. While the top of the free-agent class features high-caliber options such as Josh Hader and Hector Neris, the Twins are likely to seek complementary arms to their current group on one-year or non-roster deals. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Multi-year commitments to relievers have a strong tendency to come back and bite the team who signs them, even if the immediate impact of an addition appears enticing. The Twins have a spotty track record when it comes to bringing in sufficient depth to last a full season, but there’s no denying the fact that they have hit on some underappreciated arms who subsequently turned into bullpen buzzsaws for them. From Caleb Thielbar to Matt Wisler to Brock Stewart, the current front office has been able to identify talent in the off-season scrapheap in recent years. Some in this class of player might need some tweaks, whether it be mechanically or through modifying their pitch repertoire, but the upside is waiting to be tapped into. If these experiments fail to deliver fruitful results, the commitment should be minimal enough to be able to cut bait without much blowback. Here are three recently non-tendered pitchers who could be interesting pickups for the Twins as they seek low- and medium-leverage arms for 2024 (and beyond). Lou Trivino The former Oakland setup guy underwent Tommy John surgery in early May, so it’s hard to know how a team like the Twins would evaluate his potential value. He won’t have any impact in the first couple months of the season, but Trivino has a solid track record in the majors and has been a bullpen mainstay for the A’s and Yankees since debuting in 2018. Over his last three seasons, the veteran righty carried a 3.76 ERA through 150 ⅔ innings, with an encouraging 9.6 K/9. He did have a walk rate that hovered around 10%, which should be cause for concern, especially after coming off of elbow surgery. Trivino uses a heavy sinker that he was able to throw for strikes consistently and that averaged more than 95 MPH before the operation. He used a handful of other pitches, including a cutter, four-seam fastball, changeup and a rarely-thrown curveball. What might interest the Twins most is his development of a slider in early 2022, before being traded to New York. The pitch achieved good results in a small sample. Then, the Yankees pumped its usage up substantially with a great outcome (41.7% whiff rate after the trade). If the Twins can reel Trivino in on a team-friendly deal, whether that means a minor-league contract with an invitation to Spring Training or a very affordable major-league guarantee, he could be a worthwhile project. Maybe they could simplify his pitch mix by having him focus on that slider and just one fastball, as they have with other success stories in the past. He'll become a free agent again next winter if only signed for a season, as he has no extra years of team control remaining. If he's amenable, the best move might be a two-year pact that guarantees him a bit more money but gives the Twins a chance to get a full season from him in 2025, should things go well. Derek Law As an old flame of the Twins, Law pitched 74 ⅓ innings across the last two years since leaving Minnesota, with a 3.74 ERA and handful of unappetizing parts under the hood. He had pedestrian strikeout numbers (7.5 K/9), a high-risk walk rate (10.2%) and a 4.77 expected ERA (xERA, derived from walks, strikeouts, and batted-ball data), but was able to avoid greater damage thanks to his ability to induce weak contact. Law’s 87-MPH average exit velocity allowed was among elite company across baseball, as opponents were limited to a 4.8% Barrel rate. We know the Twins have had interest in Law in the past, so the appeal might still be there, especially on a minimal commitment. Like with Trivino, the club could try to simplify the 33-year-old righty’s pitch mix. That could entail ditching his cutter, which has been his primary pitch for the last two years but has yielded lackluster results. Law could instead pair his plus slider with his four-seam fastball, which had far superior expected results in 2023 (.178 xBA, .272 xSLG). He threw six pitches last season, which is at least two more than he needs. Simplifying things could further unlock him, and he's already joined the fraternity of relievers who find their best velocity in their 30s, so the profile gets interesting in a hurry. Law might not raise the ceiling of the Twins’ bullpen, even if he pans out, but he could help raise the floor in low-leverage spots. Penn Murfee The last name on this list looks like it was simulated by MLB The Show, but might be the most intriguing one of the bunch--or it was, until Atlanta signed Murfee to a big-league deal Wednesday night. Murfee’s lack of notoriety probably comes from the veil of playing on a West Coast club, where he succeeded in mostly low-pressure relief opportunities for the Seattle Mariners. But the 29-year-old righty’s run ended in June when he succumbed to a torn UCL, requiring Tommy John surgery. Thus, Murfee was dropped by Seattle, and subsequently picked up and dropped by the Mets and Braves. After Atlanta non-tendered the Vanderbilt product in order to avoid paying him all season while he navigates the risky rehab and return process, the two parties got back together on a split contract. Murfee will make one salary while he's in the big leagues, and another, lower one if and when he needs to be optioned to the minors. Whereas many other teams (including the Twins) might have wanted him on a minor-league deal, Atlanta used their wide-open 40-man roster to their advantage and guaranteed him a spot. Murfee’s fastball sat around 88-89 MPH over the last few years, but he made up for it with a wicked sweeper that he used as his primary offering. That high-spIn pitch helped limit opponents to an anemic .177 batting average, and could be the kind of offering that the Twins’ front office loves. We already know they like guys who can give opponents unusual looks, and the lanky, sidewinding Murfee certainly does that. Since he's no longer available, maybe the Twins could turn to submariner Adam Cimber to provide that unique angle. The Blue Jays non-tendered Cimber after a rough 2023, but no reliever who was non-tendered has a more robust track record in MLB. Unlike Murfee, Cimber would almost certainly require a straight-up big-league deal, but it's likely to be a small one. What do you think? Should these non-tendered pitchers be of interest to the Twins? Who else would you rather see them chase in free agency? Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

The Twins traded for Pablo López when he had two years of club control remaining. Then they helped propel him to the next level. If they can make some tweaks to his breaking pitches, could Nestor Cortes fit that same mold? Image courtesy of Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports (Nestor Cortes) Facing spending limitations, the Twins should turn their attention to trading for a promising starter that they can propel to the next level, just as they did with Pablo López. That means seeking out a somewhat expendable arm in a good starting rotation, who can be elevated with a tweak or two. This pitcher should be under team control for at least two seasons, and this hypothetical target should be young enough that an extension becomes part of the conversation if all goes well. That’s a tall order, and there’s no assurance that there is a López to be had this time around. But one pitcher might carry that kind of upside, even if it comes with a significant question mark. It’s Nestor Cortes of the New York Yankees. While he may not be able to match López’s elite production from this season, he could be at that perfect balance point of being realistically attainable while having a recent track record of success. Heading into the 2024 season, Cortes currently finds himself grasping to the last spot in New York’s rotation, a group that is headlined by Cy Young award winner Gerrit Cole and also includes Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt and Michael King. The Yankees are also known to be gearing up in pursuit of some of the top arms in the free agent market, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga. If they land one of those pitchers, or acquire one at their level via trade, it makes Cortes all the more expendable. That’s where it would behoove the Twins to keep in contact with Brian Cashman and the decision-makers in the Bronx. The 29-year-old southpaw struggled for much of the 2023 season as he was hampered by a nagging injury. It kept him out of action for all but a dozen starts, and the results in those games were far from desirable. Cortes finished with a 4.97 ERA in 63 innings pitched, and allowed 11 home runs in that brief time. Yes, that shoulder injury is certainly concerning, but it shouldn’t be a disqualifier in terms of pursuing him in a trade. If anything, it could drop his price tag to a point where it becomes realistic for the Twins to make a move. Look no further than López’s situation while with the Marlins. He always had intriguing raw stuff, but he failed to pitch more than 111 innings until his final season with the club, and that was due in large part to an injured rotator cuff in both the 2019 and 2021 seasons. That’s the same injury that kept Cortes off the field and ineffective last year. While his velocity remained surprisingly consistent through his injury (91.8 MPH average fastball velocity in 2022, 91.6 MPH in 2023), his main secondary offerings were nailed pretty hard. Both his cutter and sweeper allowed a slugging percentage over .500, with eight of his 11 homers allowed coming on these offerings. But these pitches were real tools for him in the first two years of his Yankee tenure. They each had expected slugging percentages that were more than 100 points lower than his most recent figures, and they led to a to plenty of strikeouts and fewer hits. So if the Twins can get their hands on Cortes and rework these once-great secondary pitches as they did with López and his sweeper (which is admittedly a major 'if'), the reward could be worth the substantial risk. Cortes is just a year removed from a really promising stretch with the Yankees where he had a 2.61 ERA (0.98 WHIP) in 251 ⅓ innings pitched across 42 starts. That span started with a handful of opportunities out of the bullpen, but he soon graduated into the starting five after holding opponents to a brilliant .197/.278/.282 clip in relief. Once he secured his spot in the rotation, Cortes carried a strong 9.5 K/9 while holding opponents to a comfortable 6.4% walk rate. Care to guess what those same peripherals looked like for López in the two seasons leading up to his trade? They were eerily similar, with the young right-hander averaging 9.2 K/9 with a 6.9% walk rate. Does that mean Cortes would be destined to hit that same breakout if the Twins were to acquire him? Of course not, but you can see the appeal at the very least. The other side of this equation would be the potential cost to acquire such a player. The Yankees have had interest in Max Kepler in the past, and his one-year $10 million salary might look enticing to them after he had the best half-season of his career. Cortes would surely cost additional pieces to pair with Kepler, but it’s hard to imagine any of the top-tier youngsters being included in this deal. Could some combination of back-end prospects from the Twins Daily Top Prospect rankings be enough? Would the Yankees be interested in near-MLB ready minor leaguers such as Simeon Woods Richardson (No. 17) or Yunior Severino (No. 12)? Or maybe they’d prefer a higher-ceiling player that is still a few years away from making an impact in the major leagues such as Marco Raya (No. 4), Charlee Soto (No. 6), or Brandon Winokur (No. 8). The benefit of having a diverse pool of prospect types to choose from could come into play here, and Cortes might just be worth the investment if the price is right. What do you think? Would you like to see Nestor Cortes in the Twins’ rotation for the next two seasons? What do you think the return package would have to look like? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article