Cody Schoenmann

As we reach the home stretch of the 2023 MLB regular season, the Twins are in a two-team race for the AL Central division title with the Cleveland Guardians. Luckily, one of their best veteran players is coming into form at the right time. Is this veteran player's resurgence symbolic of things to come for the playoff-hopeful Twins? Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker - USA TODAY Sports Coined "The Twins' Mr. Clutch" in an article by the Pioneer Press's Betsy Helfand in 2021, infielder Jorge Polanco has long been a fixture in modern Minnesota Twins lore. Whether it be hitting for the cycle at Citizens Bank Park in 2019, skipping a throw to then-Twins second-baseman Luis Arráez during the 2020 postseason, or simply existing as a reliable day-to-day player, Polanco has been a part of every recent Twins moment in perpetuity. The 2023 season began without Polanco on the diamond as he was forced to miss the Twins' first 19 games while recovering from right knee soreness. Luckily, Polanco returned on April 21 and played 23 games with the Twins, hitting .284/.327/.484 (.811) with 27 hits, seven doubles, four home runs, and a 122 wRC+ in 101 plate appearances. Unfortunately, Polanco was forced to return to the 10-day IL with a strained hamstring on May 18. Polanco returned from the IL on June 1, and played in seven games while hitting just .120/.154/.320 (.474) with a 20 wRC+ and was instantly put back on the 10-day IL on June 8 with the same injury. Polanco appeared to be suffering from a chronic hamstring injury, and many began to wonder if Polanco's tenure with the Twins was nearing a disparagingly anti-climactic injury-fueled conclusion. Polanco took over a month and a half off and returned to the Twins, this time with a new position after transitioning from second base to third base to open up more playing opportunities at second base for the thriving rookie Edouard Julien. Here are Polanco's numbers since returning from the 10-day IL on July 28, split into two time duration brackets: July 28-August 10: .182/.321/.318 (.639), 53 plate appearances (PA), eight hits, three doubles, one home run, 28.3% K%, .136 Isolated Power (ISO), .250 BABIP, 85 wRC+ August 11-September 3: .310/.420/.549 (.969), 88 PA, 22 hits, two doubles, five home runs, 23.9% K%, .239 ISO, .362 BABIP, 166 wRC+ Polanco started slow out the gate following his return from the 10-day IL on July 28 but quickly turned things around beginning August 11, hitting for a .969 OPS and 166 wRC+ over the next 22 days, including a massive three-run home run against the second-place Cleveland Guardians last Monday. Polanco followed up his massive three-run home run last Monday against the Guardians with a clutch lead-padding two-run home run against the Texas Rangers this past Friday. Polanco appears to have gotten his groove back, and it is happening at the most opportune time, as the mood surrounding a first-place team with a five-game lead couldn't be much worse. On Thursday, the second-place Cleveland Guardians claimed Matt Moore, Reynaldo López, and Lucas Giolito off of waivers from the Los Angeles Angels, leading to panic about whether the Twins will be able to maintain their lead over the Guardians and win the AL Central. While much of what happens with the Guardians going forward will be out of the Twins' hands, as they face them only three more times this season, what the Twins can do is make sure they perform well the rest of the season against teams that currently own losing records such as the Mets, White Sox, Angels, Athletics, and the Rockies. If the Twins want to make the playoffs, they must win at least four out of five of the upcoming series against the previously mentioned teams, if not all. While more remarkable collapses have happened, the Twins still own a 94.5% chance of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs, and reinforcements are coming. Adding a healthy Alex Kirilloff, 100.1 mph throwing relief pitcher Louie Varland, and a potentially healthy Brock Stewart, Chris Paddack, and Jorge Alcala to an offense that ranks fifth in fWAR since the All-Star break and includes steady veterans inspiring young players should create a great sense of optimism. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Those who follow the Twins are panicking, and reasonably so. Admittedly, so am I. As Minnesota sports fans, we are all too familiar with the phenomenon of having the rug pulled out from underneath us. It is sad, and the emotional recovery is tedious and painstaking, yet we stick around clutching to a fleeting glimmer of hope, wishing this time will be different. I am not here to virtue signal or tell anyone their sense of doom is wrong, but what I will say is that while, according to FanGraphs, there is a 96.7% chance our hearts will get broken in the postseason, there is only a 5.5% chance that our hearts will get broken come to the end of the regular season. I will take those odds. Polanco's resurgence is not only fantastic for the Twins and himself, but it is also symbolic of what appears to be happening to the Twins as a whole. It feels like the amalgamation of pieces that form the Twins are collectively coming together at the most opportune time to create a whole that finally breaks the dreaded 0-18 playoff curse, and just because the Guardians claimed two above-average relievers in Moore and López and a solid starter in Giolito shouldn't deter fans from thinking as such. What do you make of Polanco's resurgence in August? Also, should fans still be optimistic about the Twins' playoff chances? Comment below. View full article

I like the Kyle Tucker comparison a lot. Extremely similar in many ways.

I appreciate what you have to add on to the list @DocBauer! Always very insightful.

I don't think Vázquez is blocking anyone in the minor league system either. Camargo has been a nice story, but I don't think he has the ability to be a serviceable backup at the Major League level, and I think your wRC+ example affirms that stance. Down the line, I think Isola or potentially even Winkel could be serviceable backup catchers, but Jeffers and Vázquez are by far the best catching options in the Twins organization.

Whenever I watch Jenkins the player that always comes to mind is Bryce Harper. I know it's just wishful thinking, but I think Jenkins could end up being an elite MLB outfielder.

August was an incredible month for Twins minor league hitters, but one promising young talent stood out among the rest. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints August was the month of offensive outbursts from the Dominican Summer League Twins to the Major League club itself. Highlighted by top prospects and the new faces of the 2023 draft class, seemingly everyone wanted to showcase their hitting ability this month. Choosing only five hitters felt wrong, so let's begin by celebrating the honorable mentions. Honorable Mentions Moises Lopez - DSL Twins - .306/.405/.528 (.933), 42 PA, 11 Hits, 4 BB, 12 K, two doubles, two home runs Brandon Winokur - FCL Twins - .296/.345/.556 (.901), 58 PA, 16 Hits, 3 BB, 17 K, five doubles, three home runs Luke Keaschall - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels - .292/.426/.472 (.898), 94 PA, 21 Hits, 15 BB, 20 K, eight doubles, one home run Andrew Cossetti - Cedar Rapids Kernels - .259/.440/.537 (.977), 75 PA, 14 Hits, 16 BB, 20 K, two doubles, three home runs Carson McCusker - Cedar Rapids Kernels - .255/.305/.636 (.941), 59 PA, 14 Hits, 3 BB, 21 K, three doubles, six home runs Noah Miller - Cedar Rapids Kernels - .281/.350/.494 (.844), 100 PA, 25 Hits, 10 BB, 22 K, eight doubles, three home runs Emmanuel Rodriguez - Cedar Rapids Kernels - .260/.402/.479 (.881), 92 PA, 19 Hits, 18 BB, 25 K, two doubles, four home runs Hernan Perez - St. Paul Saints - .310/.383/.643 (1.026), 47 PA, 13 Hits, 5 BB, 8 K, two doubles, four home runs Andrew Stevenson - St. Paul Saints - .275/.363/.525 (.888), 91 PA, 22 Hits, 10 BB, 19 K, four doubles, four home runs #6. Walker Jenkins - FCL Twins/Fort Myers - .333/.362/.469 (.831), 74 PA, 23 Hits, 5 BB, 9 K, four doubles, two home runs The number five overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft came out of the gates as advertised, lining a double over the FCL Rays third baseman head on his first-ever professional at-bat. After this memorable moment, Jenkins managed to hit .333/.390/.537 (.927) through 59 plate appearances with the FCL Twins before being promoted to the Fort Myers Might Mussels on August 22. Since joining Fort Myers, Jenkins has hit .333/.333/.400 (.733) through just 15 plate appearances, with his highlight moment coming last week when he hit a walk-off single in his second game with the Mighty Mussels. Jenkins has met expectations so far, and his somewhat surprising promotion to Single-A Fort Myers while being an 18-year-old fresh out of high school is a sign that the Twins view Jenkins as developmentally advanced. There is a lot of hype around Jenkins, and with hype comes pressure and expectations. Whether Jenkins will be able to meet those expectations long-term is yet to be seen, but he has undoubtedly impressed during his first cup of coffee in professional baseball. #5. Patrick Winkel - Wichita Wind Surge - .318/.410/.591 (1.001), 78 PA, 21 Hits, 11 BB, 18 K, six doubles, four home runs Number five on this list comes in the form of catching prospect Patrick Winkel. Winkel, 23, was drafted in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins out of the University of Connecticut. While at the University of Connecticut, Winkel hit a .299/.357/.501 (.858) with 112 hits, 35 BB, 21 doubles, and 19 home runs over 430 plate appearances with the Huskies. Winkel had a relatively uninspiring 2022 season with the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels, hitting just .254/.330/.391 (.721), but has elevated his game hitting .272/.373/.437 (.810) since joining the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge to begin the 2023 Texas League season. The left-handed hitting Winkel has a smooth and compact swing that stays in the strike zone, not too dissimilar to that of Max Kepler, which lends to him manufacturing good at-bats that tend to lead to production. Winkel has been incredible in August, exhibiting a great sense of contact while hitting an impressive six doubles and four home runs. Twins minor league catchers have been impressive this season, and Winkel is among the top of that group. Winkel's performance has landed him just behind another impressive standout member of the Wind Surge. #4. Yoyner Fajardo - Wichita Wind Surge - .341/.423/.568 (.991), 105 PA, 30 H, 12 BB, 15 K, six doubles, four home runs Number four on this list comes in the form of the speedy and versatile Fajardo. Fajardo started his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, but began his first season in the Minnesota Twins minor league system in April with the Wichita Wind Surge. Fajardo, 24, has been impressive all season, but he elevated his performance to the next level in August. Beyond hitting .341/.423/.568 (.991), Fajardo stole 17 bases in August, nine more than the next closest player in the Twins minor league system. Fajardo steals bases at a high clip and has hit the ball hard all across the park, as illustrated by his 33 extra-base hits this season. Fajardo also provides value as a utility player, playing second base, third base, designated hitter, and all three outfield positions in his professional baseball career. Fajardo has predominately played left field this season at Double-A Wichita, but versatility is still a relevant aspect of his game. Fajardo has been a pleasant surprise this season, and hopefully he can finish out his best season as a professional baseball player on a high note. #3. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. - Wichita/St. Paul - .323/.458/.576 (1.034), 85 PA, 22 Hits, 12 BB, 16 K, three doubles, two home runs Keirsey Jr. started the month out at Double-A Wichita, but after just two games, he was promoted to Triple-A St. Paul. Since joining the Saints, Keirsey Jr. has hit .297/.416/.438 (.854) with 19 hits and four extra-base hits over 64 at-bats. Keirsey Jr. has played centerfield as well as both corner outfield spots and has been a steady left-handed bat at the top of the Wind Surge and now Saints lineup. Keirsey Jr., who I have ranked as the eighth-best prospect in the Twins system, is having his best season as a member of the Twins organization, leading those who follow the team to wonder if he has Major League aspirations in the near future. Keirsey Jr. is eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this upcoming offseason again, and if the Twins elect not to add him to the 40-man roster there is a relatively high chance he would get plucked by another team. If the Twins add Keirsey Jr. to the 40-man roster, Twins fans will likely watch him make his Major League debut next season. Keirsey Jr. had a great month of August, and his promotion to Triple-A St. Paul was well deserved. #2. Alex Isola - Wichita Wind Surge - .358/.424/.617 (1.041), 92 PA, 29 Hits, 10 BB, 17 K, three doubles, six home runs The runner-up for August 2023 Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is C/1B/DH Alex Isola. Isola has built off his productive 2022 season with an even more impressive 2023 season, highlighted by his breakout month of August. Through 92 plate appearances, Isola has six home runs, which ties Carson McCusker of the Cedar Rapids Kernels for the minor league system lead in August. Not only is Isola hitting home runs, but he is making sufficient contact and hitting the ball around the park. Home runs are great, but when a C/1B/DH can consistently the ball around the field for contact it begins to feel like that player, in this case Isola, might be an exceptional talent. Isola has been incredible in August, and if it weren't for the resurgence of the winner below, he would have walked away with the honor of Twins Daily Hitter of the Month for August 2023. Winner: Austin Martin - St. Paul Saints - .357/.489/.600 (1.089), 90 PA, 25 Hits, 16 BB, 11 K, five doubles, four home runs The Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month for August 2023 is the number five overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Austin Martin. For the first time since he joined the Twins minor league system, Martin is playing like the star he was at Vanderbilt. The most notable way Martin plays like that is by spraying the ball across the park while generating hard contact. Martin had 25 hits in August, which is incredible, and nine of them were extra-base hits. Now, while only 36% of a player's hits being extra-base hits isn't all too encouraging, having Martin regain form as a hitter who sprays singles around the field is encouraging. While Martin mainly shoots singles and the occasional double around the field, he has added an essential element of power to his game, showcased by the four home runs he hit in August. Martin will likely never be a power hitter - that's just not who he is - but if he can hit three to four home runs a month while being an elite contact hitter, the Twins would have themselves an exceptional player. Not only is Martin hitting the ball exceptionally well, but he is providing adequate defense at both second base and centerfield while making the occasional highlight-worthy play. Martin's incredible month at the plate has earned him the honor of Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Month for August 2023. View full article

Comparing Floro to Forsythe is a great comparison lol. The only difference is that the Twins are in contention this year unlike 2018.

Floro is a UFA after this season.

My best guess with López is that he is non-tendered and then accepts a minor league offer with an invitation to spring training from a non-contending team like the Royals or Pirates. When it comes to Floro, I think there is a chance he gets a Major League offer, potentially even from the Twins, depending on how well he pitches down the stretch. If he continues to pitch poorly, I could see him signing a minor league deal as well.

One month in, this reliever swap has not worked well for either team. Yet, there is still reason for optimism. Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker - USA TODAY Sports On July 28, the Minnesota Twins traded relief pitcher Jorge López to the Miami Marlins for fellow relief pitcher Dylan Floro. This week, we passed the one-month anniversary of said trade. Unlike the win-win Luis Arráez for Pablo López, Jose Salas, and Byron Chourio trade executed between Kim Ng and Derek Falvey this prior off-season, this trade deadline swap has been anything but. Here are Floro and López's numbers through the first month with their respective new teams: López - Marlins - 9.26 ERA, 5.32 FIP, 5.63 xFIP, 11 2/3 IP, 20 hits given up, 12 earned runs, nine walks, eight strikeouts, 6.17 K/9, .442 BABIP, 58% LOB% Floro - Twins - 6.30 ERA, 3.07 FIP, 4.39 xFIP, 10 IP, 15 hits given up, seven earned runs, five walks, eight strikeouts, 9.00 K/9, .455 BABIP, 66.7 LOB% López's first five batters faced with the Marlins went well, giving up zero runs and zero hits through 1.2 innings pitched, but then the wheels began to fall off. Over Lopez's next 19 batters faced, he gave up eight hits and accumulated three earned runs while only striking out one batter and leaving just 55.6% on base. Floro's first handful of outings with the Twins went much more smoothly, giving up just three hits and zero earned runs over his first 14 batters faced. Floro's first rough outing came against the Detroit Tigers on August 10 against the Tigers, giving up four hits and two earned runs while facing seven batters over just one inning pitched. López and Floro rebounded nicely from their rough outings, with López going two straight outings without giving up a run and Floro going three straight outings without giving up a run. Then came the implosions. The bulk of López and Floro's inflated numbers are consequences of implosive outings, which occurred at similar times. López's implosion came on August 16 against the Houston Astros when he faced six batters, gave up two hits, walked three, and surrendered four earned runs. He recorded just one out. López became erratic and struggled to keep his pitches in the strike zone, a phenomenon all too familiar to those who follow the Twins. While López's shortcomings are unfortunate, he is no longer the Twins' problem, so it feels unnecessary to harp on his performance too much. So, let's shift our focus to Floro. Floro's implosive outing came on August 22 against the Milwaukee Brewers when he faced nine batters, gave up six hits, walked zero, and surrendered five earned runs in one inning. Floro is an interesting case, as he is a better pitcher than statistics like ERA would suggest. Fielding Independent Pitching, or FIP, is a sabermetric that measures what a pitcher's Earned Runs Allowed (ERA) would look like over a certain period if that pitcher were to experience league-average results on balls put in play. Unsurprisingly, FIP strongly correlates to the sabermetric Batting Average on Balls in Play, or BABIP. Floro's FIP currently sits at 3.07, which is 3.23 points lower than his ERA of 6.30. Floro is a reliever who pitches to contact, so most of the outs he generates will come from either ground outs or flyouts. Being a "pitch to contact" reliever, Floro's primary goal is to generate weak contact, which leads to shallow flyouts or weak groundouts. Floro has done an adequate job doing that, as evidenced by his Exit Velocity (EV), or the speed of the ball coming off the bat in miles per hour, of 83.9 mph. Unfortunately, balls put into play off of Floro are finding holes and landing for hits, as evidenced by his BABIP of .455, 160 points higher than the league average of .295 for relief pitchers. Now, the question that needs to be looked at next is whether Floro's poor numbers are a product of bad luck or Floro simply being ineffective. To start, the answer for Floro's implosive outing against the Brewers is bad luck, as they were able to essentially BABIP Floro into submission by hitting bloop single after bloop single, leading to an outburst of hits and runs. Although Floro's performance against the Brewers was uniquely unfortunate, I think similar conclusions of him being a victim of bad luck can also be made for his other outings. This conclusion feels rational because the same phenomenon occurred earlier this season with the Marlins. Over Floro's 39 2/3 innings pitched and 171 total batters faced as a reliever for the Marlins this season, Floro's had a 4.54 ERA and a 2.77 FIP. Similar to his performance with the Twins, there is a dramatic difference between Floro's ERA and FIP. Floro is struggling now and has all season, but reason for optimism lies within his underlying metrics and his most recent outing against the Texas Rangers this past Sunday. In his outing against the Rangers, Floro walked leadoff hitter Mitch Garver but was then able to get Travis Jankowski to strikeout on a high and outside fastball, Adolis Garcia to strikeout on a breaking ball down and away, and Jonah Heim to groundout to shortstop Carlos Correa, ending the top of the 13th inning. The Twins were then able to capitalize, winning on a walk-off walk manufactured by centerfielder Michael A. Taylor. Although a small sample, Floro's outing was encouraging and could be a sign of things to come. Floro becoming even a semi-reliable relief pitcher that can complement the front of the bullpen in Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, Emilio Pagán, and the potentially returning soon Brock Stewart would be an encouraging development for a team that has had back-end of the bullpen struggles all season. One month in, the López for Floro trade hasn't worked well for either team. But there is reason to believe Floro's performance could turn around rather quickly. What do you think of the López for Floro trade? Do you think Floro can turn things around? Comment below. View full article

With the Twins holding a sizeable lead over the rest of the AL Central, their focus will likely soon shift to maximizing player's health and ability for the playoffs. The player at the top of that list should be star shortstop Carlos Correa. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson - USA TODAY Sports On May 25, Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. Correa's diagnosis sent shockwaves through the Twins franchise and Major League Baseball. Will Correa need to go on the IL? Will he be out for the rest of the season? What will the Twins do at shortstop if Correa is out for a significant period? Those who follow baseball ruminated on worst-case scenarios, and the all-too-familiar sense of panic flooded the collective consciousness of the cursed yet ever-optimistic Minnesota sports fan. Why us, and why now? Why Correa of all players? Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Correa was in the lineup the next day against the Toronto Blue Jays and made an incredible defensive play. Instead of going on the 10-day IL or sitting out for an extended amount of time, the plan for Correa was to manage his plantar fasciitis utilizing relatively frequent rest days and load management practices. Although Correa's play has been below his career averages, the plan to keep Correa on the field has gone exceptionally well. Here are Correa's numbers since his plantar fasciitis diagnosis on May 25 compared to league average statistics for shortstops during the 2023 season: Correa - .233/.312/.401 (.713), 314 PA, 65 H, 15 doubles, 10 homers, 22.6% K%, .168 ISO, .275 BABIP, 96 wRC+ League Average - .244/.308/.394 (.702), 22.8% K%, .150 ISO, .295 BABIP, 89 wRC+ Correa has been able to perform as a slightly above-average shortstop while dealing with plantar fasciitis, which is clearly hindering his performance. Not only has Correa performed above league average for shortstops while suffering from plantar fasciitis, but he has been a steady fixture in the Twins lineup, missing only 14 games this season. Correa's pain tolerance, resilience, and devotion to the Twins and the game of baseball should be appreciated, and he is a significant reason why the Twins currently own a 96.2% of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs. On Wednesday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reported that the Twins plan on playing current starting third baseman Royce Lewis at shortstop more often once Byron Buxton returns from the 10-day IL in early September. Shifting Lewis to shortstop opens up the opportunity for the Twins to give Correa more days off while being able to keep one of their star young players in the lineup down the stretch. The Twins also have Kyle Farmer and the soon-to-return from the 10-day IL Willi Castro as viable shortstop options, so Correa getting extended rest isn't exclusively contingent upon Lewis shifting over to shortstop. While it would be wise to give veteran players days off during the season's final month, especially those dealing with a persistent ailment like Correa, a different end of the spectrum exists for young players like Lewis, Edouard Julien, and Matt Wallner. If the Twins make the playoffs, this would be Lewis, Julien, and Wallner's first time in the postseason. While these three young position players have been vital fixtures for the Twins since the All-Star break, they have only 587 combined plate appearances this season. To put this into perspective, Correa has 506 plate appearances this season. Keeping Lewis, Julien, and Wallner in the lineup and, in turn, giving them more at-bats offers them more opportunity to, though it is incremental, hone their craft, sharpen their play, and gain experience as they hope to march into the postseason. Resting Correa while playing young and emerging position players more often is a win-win situation for the Twins, barring they can sustain their immense divisional lead. The main reason the Twins should rest Correa is the opportunity for Correa to heal from his bout with plantar fasciitis in hopes of being as healthy as possible for the postseason. Playing one or two games while taking the majority of games off during each remaining week could help Correa, as noted when Twins manager Rocco Baldelli interacted with reporters following Correa's initial diagnosis in late May. In the Twitter post above, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic highlights Baldelli's personal battle with plantar fasciitis. Baldelli implies that resting and having the privilege of doing essentially no physical activity for a month healed his condition. Now, every person is different, but giving Correa extended time off could end up helping him with his plantar fasciitis the same way it helped Baldelli. Since Correa's initial diagnosis, the Twins have been entrenched in an unrelenting divisional battle with the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers, so giving him extended time off has yet to be a realistic option. Correa is hitting .258/.382/.500 (.882) with 16 hits, four homers, three doubles, 21.1% K%, .242 ISO, and 141 wRC+ over his past 76 plate appearances. Correa has been an integral part of why the Twins were able to go from 0.5 games behind the Guardians during the All-Star break to a six-game lead as of August 28. With just 31 games left in the regular season and the Twins possessing a formidable six-game lead over the second-place Cleveland Guardians, the Twins could soon find themselves in a spot where they can take their foot off the pedal and give Correa extended time off. As long as the Twins manage not to implode during their upcoming six games in nine days stretch versus the Guardians, they should reward Correa for his services by resting him as much as possible down the stretch. What do you think of Correa's performance while battling plantar fasciitis this season? Should the Twins give him extended rest? Comment below. View full article

The Twins front office has stuck to their process all season. Has it worked to their advantage? Image courtesy of Brett Davis - USA TODAY Sports Stubbornness is a polarizing characteristic. Traditionally, people associate stubbornness as a flaw of character: Close-minded, stagnant, and unable to grow with the ever-changing environment surrounding oneself. Stubbornness can stunt progression, leading to an adverse reaction that can affect people on a micro or macro scale, depending on the situation. On the other hand, stubbornness can be great when blended with a sense of discernment and a strong foundation, especially in decision-making professions where multi-billion-dollar corporations' success and public image are on the line. Sound familiar? When stubbornness leads to success, the decision-maker gets praised for being decisive, focused, and having a clear vision. Like most things in life, specific decision-makers and corporations' stubbornness should not be considered exclusively good or bad. To think in absolutes is a fault in thought process, especially when analyzing the ever-changing state of professional sports teams. Notably the 2023 Minnesota Twins. The narrative behind the Minnesota Twins franchise and specific Twins players resides in a constant state of extreme fluctuation, and much of that flux in narrative resides in the decisions, or lack thereof, made by the front office. The Twins front office decision-making process, or lack thereof, has created a new angst amongst Twins fans that has yet to be felt since the front office did essentially nothing to enhance and fortify the World Series-hopeful 2019 Bomba Squad. Although the Twins have done relatively nothing to improve this year's roster besides trading Jorge López for Dylan Floro and claiming Jordan Luplow off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays, the team benefits from sticking with a handful of players that the majority would have cut bait with long ago. While this is true, the other end of the spectrum exists, and the Twins have also suffered at the hand of their stagnation. Has the good outweighed the bad? Let's take a look. The outcomes manufactured by the Twins stubbornness overlap with the 1967 Spaghetti Western film aptly titled The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, so it feels appropriate to categorize the decisions made as such. The Good: The Re-emergence of Max Kepler and Emilio Pagán The prominent cases that illustrate the Twins reaping the benefits of sticking with players when the majority believed they should part with them are the recent performances of Kepler and Pagán. Here are Kepler and Pagán's numbers since the end of the All-Star Break: Kepler - .297/.344/.576 (.920), 128 PA, 35 H, 9 2B, 8 HR, .280 ISO, 21.1% K%, 150 wRC+ Pagán - 1.04 ERA, 2.98 FIP, 92.1 LOB%, 4.3 HR/FB, 0.52 HR/9, 61 TBF, 17.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 15 SO Kepler and Pagán have put up elite numbers since the All-Star break, propelling themselves into conversations of being the Twins current best position player and relief pitcher, respectively. Unfortunately, that was not the case earlier this season or last season for Pagán, and when discussing Kepler, this hasn't been the case since his breakout season in 2019. Kepler and Pagán's turnarounds have been encouraging. Although that doesn't guarantee future success, their production since the All-Star game has contributed significantly to the Twins having a 91.2% chance of making the playoffs, according to Fangraphs. The Twins front office's stubbornness has finally appeared to pay off with Kepler and Pagán, but this, unfortunately, isn't the end of their stubborn ways. The Bad: Unwavering Allegiance to Joey Gallo When the Twins signed Gallo to a one-year $11 million contract last December, a sense of optimism came with the addition. Many thought Gallo, like Sonny Gray, was a victim of the formidable pressure Yankees fans put on players. Once Gallo returned to a small market team, he could play loosely, thrive, and hit 41 home runs again, as he did for the Rangers in 2017. Right? Gallo has undoubtedly been better as a member of the Twins than the Yankees, but his numbers are less than inspiring in both cases. Here are Gallo's first 314 plate appearances with the Yankees compared to his first 313 plate appearances with the Twins: Gallo - Yankees - .167/.299/.380 (.679), 314 PA, 44 H, 16 HR, 38.2% K%, .213 ISO, 91 wRC+ Gallo - Twins - .180/.304/.447 (.751), 313 PA, 48 H, 20 HR, 42.8% K%, .267, 107 wRC+ Gallo has been better than many make him out to be and has provided defensive flexibility while hitting the occasional home run. Regardless, the Twins have better options to fulfill his roster spot waiting in the wings at Triple-A. It is reasonable to think that current Saints players Austin Martin, Chris Williams, Trevor Larnach, Anthony Prato, and potentially even recently promoted to Triple-A prospects Yunior Severino, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., and, most notably, Brooks Lee could help the Twins more than Gallo at this moment in the season. The Twins have done a great job at blending young hitters with their core veterans this season, but Gallo feels like the last roadblock that is stunting the development of a future full-time contributor like Martin, Larnach, or even Lee. Rostering Gallo for the rest of the regular season will likely prove insignificant as the Twins are all but locked into a playoff spot with a 91.2% chance of making the playoffs. However, suppose the Twins elect to start Gallo over a promising young player like Matt "Cement Bones" Wallner or Alex Kirilloff in a playoff game or prioritize pinch-hitting him for Royce Lewis or Donovan Solano in the late innings of a playoff game when a right-handed relief pitcher enters the game. In that case, flying too close to the sun could make the Twins like Icarus. The Ugly: Neglecting the Back End of the Bullpen The way the Twins front office's stubbornness has negatively affected the 2023 team the most is through neglecting the back end of the bullpen. While the front office choosing not to improve the back-end bullpen should be considered malpractice, their passivity hasn’t come back to haunt yet due to admirable performance from the front-half of the bullpen. Highlighted by Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, currently inactive Brock Stewart, Floro, and the previously mentioned Pagán, the Twins, according to Fangraphs, have the 22nd-ranked bullpen generating 2.1 fWAR. While the combination of Duran, Jax, Thielbar, Pagán, and Floro, to an extent, have performed well, they account for only five-eighths of the bullpen, leaving three bullpen spots relatively unclaimed and lacking production. Jordan Balazovic, Josh Winder, and Cole Sands currently fill the final three bullpen spots. However, their jobs are in a highly dynamic spot, as all three of these relievers could get optioned back to Triple-A St. Paul at any moment. A playoff team's sixth-best reliever has to be better than the likes of Balazovic, Winder, and Sands. The five other American League teams currently owning playoff spots are the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros, and Seattle Mariners. While each team has relief pitching-induced shortcomings, they have established bullpens that most would deem playoff-ready and more well-rounded than the Twins. To put this into perspective, here is how much fWAR each playoff team's sixth, seventh, and eighth options have generated combined compared to the Twins with seeding: Orioles - Danny Coulombe, Cionel Pérez, Nick Vespi (1.5 fWAR) Rangers - Chris Stratton, Brock Burke, Grant Anderson (1.6 fWAR) Twins - Balazovic, Winder, Sands (-0.4 fWAR) Rays - Jake Diekman, Shawn Armstrong, Jacob Lopez (1.1 fWAR) Astros - Ryne Stanek, Rafael Montero, Seth Martinez (0.3 fWAR) Mariners - Tayler Saucedo, Isaiah Campbell, Eduard Bazardo (0.5 fWAR) While some of the advantages appear incremental, it cannot be understated how much less productive the bottom half of the Twins bullpen has performed in comparison to the other playoff-caliber teams in the American League. The Twins front office purposely rejected two opportunities to improve and fortify their bullpen by not acquiring a reliable veteran set-up man this past offseason and by not trading for another veteran relief arm to complement the acquisition of Floro. Electing to have faith in unreliable young relief options like Balazovic, Winder, Sands, Jovani Moran, and Oliver Ortega has proved to be the front office's greatest fault this season. Will it come back to haunt them in the playoffs? That remains unanswered, but if it does it is essential to note that it was entirely avoidable. The Twins front office has expressed a sense of stubbornness regarding roster decisions this season. While it will likely prove to be insignificant the rest of the regular season, it has the risk of being their Achilles heel come the post-season. What do you make of the Twins front office's stubbornness? Has it worked in their favor? Do you think they will come to regret it? Comment below. View full article

It's all good!

The only declaration I make in the piece is that Taylor is an elite defensive centerfielder, which he is. I just analyzed his unexpected power surge and why I think it is happening. I never said whether I think he is good or bad offensively and I never said he was a starter on a great team.

When the Twins traded for Michael A. Taylor in January, they expected to get an elite defensive centerfielder who provides a relatively productive bottom-of-the-order bat. Taylor has fit that bill to a tee. What the Twins likely didn't foresee was Taylor hitting for power. Where is Taylor's power surge coming from? Image courtesy of Jeff Curry - USA TODAY Sports Those who consume baseball on a grand scale tend to fall into the habit of putting players in boxes. For example, all who follow baseball closely view Martin Maldonado of the Astros strictly as a defensive catcher. That's where his value is, and if his defensive prowess were to decline to even average, he would likely no longer be an active Major League Baseball player. But what about when a player deviates from one or multiple preconceived notions placed on them and begins to decline or excel in a rather unexpected area of their game? This precise phenomenon is currently happening to Minnesota Twins centerfielder Michael A. Taylor. Throughout his almost ten-year Major League career, Taylor has garnered the reputation of being a defensive specialist in centerfield who hits for singles and the occasional extra-base hit with home runs coming sparingly. While maintaining a level of elite defense in centerfield, illustrated by currently possessing eight Outs Above Average (OAA), which ranks him seventh out of 42 qualified centerfielders, Taylor has added a new element to his game in his first year as a member of the Twins: power. When looking at centerfielders with at least 300 plate appearances, Taylor currently ranks seventh out of 27 centerfielders with an Isolated Power (ISO) of .206. To put this into perspective, here are the ten leaders in ISO for centerfielders: (Note: League average ISO for centerfielders stands at .168) Luis Robert Jr., White Sox - .291 Chas McCormick, Astros - .248 Jack Suwinski, Pirates - .243 Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks - .232 Mike Trout, Angels - .230 Cody Bellinger, Cubs -.223 Taylor, Twins - .206 Cedric Mullins, Orioles - .195 Jarren Duran, Red Sox - .191 Julio Rodriguez, Mariners - .187 Admittedly, there is a significant drop off of .17 points from Bellinger to Taylor. Regardless, the fact that he is above star players like Mullins and Rodriguez and keeping company with some of the league's most recognizable power hitters in Bellinger and Trout is nothing to scoff at. Taylor sitting top ten in ISO for centerfielders is unexpected, and his career norms reiterate that notion. After taking out the 60-game 2020 season, where Taylor generated an ISO of .228 in just 99 plate appearances, here are Taylor's ISO numbers over the past five seasons: 2018, Nationals - (.130) 2019, Nationals - (.114) 2021, Royals - (.112) 2022, Royals - (.104) 2023, Twins - (presently .206) Subtracting 2020, Taylor's average ISO from 2018-2022 is .115, which is .46 points below the league average of that stretch of .161. Why is Taylor Suddenly Hitting for Power? Anytime an element of a hitter's game drastically changes out of seemingly nowhere, the first place one should look for answers is whether or not that player has changed something in their approach or their mechanics. In Taylor's case, there appears to be a noteworthy change in both. First, let's look at Taylor's approach. Through 320 plate appearances, Taylor has struck out 109 times and currently owns a Strikeout Percentage (K%) of 34.1%. Taylor's K% of 34.1% is on track to be 10.2 percentage points higher than the K% he had last year with the Royals, which was 23.9%. It is clear that Taylor, whether through the Twins' advice, on his account, or both, is sacrificing contact for power. Although Taylor's batting average and on-base percentage are lower than his career norms, he has hit 16 home runs so far in 2023 and is on track to surpass his career high in home runs which he set with the Washington Nationals in 2017, hitting 19 home runs. Next, let's look at Taylor's swing mechanics. When a hitter makes drastic changes in their hitting mechanics, there tends to be an increase or decline in specific ability-based statistics that back the change they underwent. In Taylor's case, there is a trend of mild-to-moderate change in specific power-relevant statistics. The four power-relevant statistics that Taylor has incurred a mild-to-moderate deviation in are Max Exit Velocity (Max EV), Expected Slugging (XSLG), Barrel Percentage (Barrel %), and Launch Angle. Here are Taylor's numbers in the four statistics provided compared to his averages from 2018-2022, once again subtracting 2020: Max EV 2018-2022 - (110.6) 2023 - (113.1) XSLG 2018-2022 - (.365) 2023 - (.437) Barrel % 2018-2022 - (6.7) 2023 - (13.2) Launch Angle 2018-2022 - (10.3) 2023 - (12.1) In all four statistics provided, Taylor's 2023 numbers are greater than his averages from 2018-2022, with sharp increases in his XSLG and Barrel % standing out in particular. While many factors go into the creation and continued development of one's swing, sometimes minor adjustments can lead to great discoveries and surprising results. After Taylor hit a two-run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night, Twins play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer stated that Taylor attributes his newfound power to utilizing a new leg kick, a technique he didn't use while with the Kansas City Royals. The logic behind hitters using a leg kick is to ensure they use their body's lower half. Occasionally, hitters find themselves not using their lower half in their swing mechanics, leading to a decrease in power, and that may have been the situation Taylor was finding himself in before joining the Twins. As shown in this video, when Taylor was with the Royals, the lower half of his body was essentially motionless. A stark contrast to the home run he hit as a member of the Twins. By incorporating a leg kick, Taylor activates his entire lower body once his foot plants on the ground. When a player like Taylor gets his quick and twitchy upper half in unison with a strong lower half acting as a foundation, then power outbreaks, like the one Taylor is going through right now, are more likely to occur. As the season continues, the Twins and Taylor will look to continue to benefit from Taylor's newfound leg kick as he brings an element of power from the bottom of the lineup, something very few teams can say they have. Are you impressed by Taylor's unexpected power surge? Comment below. View full article

With the Twins operating short-handed at first base, they have resorted to giving a majority of starts to Joey Gallo, Donovan Solano, and even Christian Vázquez. Should hot-hitting Ryan Jeffers get an opportunity at first base? Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports After the All-Star break, the Twins appeared set to roll out a rotation of Joey Gallo, Donovan Solano, and Alex Kirilloff at first base, with Kirilloff being the primary starter. Initially, the Twins' plan worked flawlessly, highlighted by Kirilloff winning AL Player of the Week for July 17-23, hitting .345/.394/.793 (1.187) with three home runs, two doubles, a triple, and four multi-hit games. Unfortunately, Kirilloff was placed on the 10-day IL with a shoulder issue at the end of July and has been out since. Twins Current Situation at First Base With Kirilloff placed on the 10-day IL, the Twins have given substantial playing time to Gallo and Solano. On the surface, Gallo and Solano's numbers since Kirilloff went on the 10-day IL are shockingly incredible. Let's look at their numbers since July 30. Joey Gallo: .240/.406/.600 (1.006), 32 PA, six hits, three home runs, 40.6% Strikeout Percentage (K%), .360 Isolated Power (ISO), 177 wRC+ Donovan Solano: .500/.538/.542 (1.080), 26 PA, 12 hits, zero home runs, 15.4% K%, .042 ISO, 213 wRC+ Initially, these numbers are incredible. But, if you dig below the surface, there is more than meets the eye. If you were to take out Gallo's 4-for-4 performance against the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend, he is hitting .095/.296/.238 (.534) in 27 plate appearances with two hits, zero home runs, a 48.1% K%, .143 ISO, and a wRC+ of just 64. Gallo's incredible 4-for-4 game exemplifies how one substantial game can manipulate how great or lackluster a player's numbers can look over a small sample size, but it also changed how those who follow the Twins perceive Gallo, at least in the short term. If Gallo hadn't gone 4-for-4 with a walk and instead went 1-or-4 with a single and a walk, those who follow the Twins would be just as eager to move on from Gallo as they were less than a week ago. Gallo has bought himself more time, but his one-off outstanding performance should not be seen as the start of an upward trend for Gallo but as a one-off occurrence that likely will not happen again. On the other hand, Solano has been a solid player, and the numbers he has put up since Kirilloff was placed on the IL aren't nearly the mirage that Gallo's are. The only problem is that Solano sustained a right knee sprain while facing the Detroit Tigers last week, which looked much more severe during the initial play. Solano returned on Sunday, going 3-for-5 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite hitting well, Solano looked like he was physically struggling during the game showing signs of pain during his at-bats. In the game that Solano returned to the Twins lineup, catcher Christian Vázquez played first base. Vázquez starting at first base will not become a normal occurrence, but it illustrates how the Twins are desperately attempting to find competent players to play at first base for the time being. Another new element in this equation is Jordan Luplow. Despite being labeled as a first baseman, Luplow has only played 113 1/3 major-league innings at first base, with 107 1/3 of those innings coming with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021. Luplow, in theory, could play first base, but the Twins seem inclined to play him in left field against left-handed starting pitching, as evidenced by the fact that he has played 27 innings in left field and just three innings at first base with the Twins. Gallo, Solano, Vázquez, and Luplow would work as a rotation at first base, but what if another member of the Twins' 26-man roster could play first base? And what if that player was stuck in a positional timeshare with the aforementioned Vázquez yet deserving more at-bats? Why Not Ryan Jeffers? Jeffers has been incredible since Kirilloff was placed on the 10-day IL and deserves increased playing time, and this is where he could slot in perfectly at first base. Here are Jeffers numbers since July 30: .278/.381/.694 (1.075), 42 PA, ten hits, four home runs, 33.3% K%, .417 ISO, 191 wRC+ Jeffers' numbers are impressive and fit the criteria of what an above-average power-hitting first baseman's ideal statistics would look like. Despite fitting the first base archetype, there is one caveat. Jeffers, 26, has played five professional innings at first base, which came in 2021 with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. Jeffers' lack of playing time at first base is a reason for concern, and despite popular belief, first base isn't an elementary position that anyone can play adequately. There is nuance and complex positioning assignments that can be difficult for players to learn, especially on the fly. That being said, first base is one of the lowest positions on the defensive spectrum and, as shown with Vázquez, the Twins appear willing to push their limits at the position. So, why not put a player who has been contributing at a near-elite offensive level for quite some time? Another element of value that Jeffers possesses is that he is a right-handed hitter. Playing the right-handed hitting Jeffers at first base would give the Twins more flexibility for when they platoon versus left-handed starting pitchers. For example, the Twins could play Jeffers at first base, Vázquez at catcher, Solano at designated hitter, Luplow at left field, and so on. The Twins are in a pinch at first base and have been forced to play Gallo nearly every game, even when facing left-handed pitching. With Solano still hurt and Kirilloff likely not returning until at least late September, the Twins may be forced to take an unconventional approach to the position for the season's final months. Instead of continuing to give significant at-bats to a struggling Gallo and an injured Solano or being forced to play Vázquez at a position where his defensive value is essentially snuffed, the Twins could get the best of both worlds by playing the offensively surging and wide-framed Jeffers. Do you think the Twins should give Ryan Jeffers a look at first base? Comment below. View full article

Brooks LeeWalker JenkinsEmmanuel RodriguezMarco RayaDavid FestaCharlee SotoAustin MartinDaShawn Keirsey JrBrandon WinokurYunior SeverinoLuke KeaschallByron ChourioTanner SchobelBrent HeadrickAlerick SoularieSimeon Woods RichardsonCory LewisMatt CanterinoZebby MatthewsKala'i Rosario Hendry Chivilli is another name to keep an eye on in the coming years.

Brooks LeeWalker JenkinsEmmanuel RodriguezMarco RayaDavid FestaCharlee SotoAustin MartinDaShawn Keirsey JrBrandon WinokurYunior SeverinoLuke KeaschallByron ChourioTanner SchobelBrent HeadrickAlerick SoularieSimeon Woods RichardsonCory LewisMatt CanterinoZebby MatthewsKala'i Rosario Hendry Chivilli is another name to keep an eye on in the coming years.