Cody Christie

Jhoan Duran has put himself on the map during his rookie season with a seemingly unhittable repertoire of pitches. Where does his best pitch rank among the top pitches in Twins' history? Baseball continues to evolve as technology and training regimens allow players to reach levels never previously imagined. Pitchers can put an unprecedented spin on their offerings while reaching higher velocity levels. Here are some of the most dominant pitches in team history. Jhoan Duran's Splinker Earlier this week, Jhoan Duran became the first player in MLB history to throw an off-speed pitch over 100 mph. Boston's Xander Bogaert's left the batter's box after being utterly baffled by what he had just seen from Duran. His triple-digit fastball helps to set up his dominant off-speed offering. In his rookie season, Duran has posted an 11.6 K/9 while limiting walks (2.1 BB/9) and compiling a 201 ERA+. It's hard to fathom where the 2022 Twins would be without Duran. He is in his first year transitioning to a relief pitcher and has been the team's most reliable bullpen option for most of the season. Johan Santana's Changeup Johan Santana learned his dominant changeup after joining the Twins organization and used the pitch to become one of baseball's most dominant pitchers. He won two Cy Young Awards and should have earned a third if the voters did value wins in 2004. From 2004-2006, he led the AL in strikeouts, WHIP, K/9, ERA+, and FIP. An argument can be made that Santana deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, but injuries shortened his career. Francisco Liriano's Slider Johan Santana won the 2006 AL Cy Young, but he wasn't even the best pitcher in the Twins rotation in the season's first half. Francisco Liriano started the year in Minnesota's bullpen and eventually entered the rotation. In 28 appearances, he posted a 2.16 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP and 144 strikeouts across 121 innings. It seemed like the Twins would have a dominant one-two punch for the playoffs, but Liriano's elbow didn't hold up. Tommy John surgery forced him to the sideline until 2008, and he never reached his previous level of dominance. Bert Blyleven's Curveball One of the first dominant pitches in franchise history was Bert Blyleven's curveball. As a 19-year-old, he burst onto the scene and played part of 11 seasons in a Twins uniform, including the 1987 World Series squad. Blyleven played in an era when strikeouts were not as prominent, but his longevity allowed him to compile 3,701 strikeouts for his career. Even if it's hard to compare Blyleven's curveball to some of the pitches mentioned above, he used this pitch to orchestrate a Hall of Fame career. There are many ways one can attempt to rank these pitches, from overpowering to strikeout totals. Santana gets the top spot because he dominated baseball for multiple seasons, with his changeup being a strikeout weapon. Duran's splinker is nearly impossible to hit, especially considering its velocity and movement. When it comes to Liriano, he had a chance to top this list if his peak had lasted more than a partial season. Blyleven's curveball was a good pitch, but even he tended to leave one over the plate. Pitch Ranking 1. Santana's Change-Up 2. Duran's Splinker 3. Liriano's Slider 4. Blyleven's Curveball How would you rank the pitches listed above? Would you add anyone else to the list? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

September is shaping up to be an exciting month as the Twins find themselves in the thick of the playoff race. Here are four storylines to watch in the season’s final month. The Twins have been a roller coaster ride to watch this season, with great play through the season’s first two months and poor play over the last two months. Luckily, the team’s ineptitude hasn’t knocked them out of the playoff race because the team plays in one of baseball’s worst divisions. With weeks left in the season, there is plenty of pressure on the Twins to find a way to play in October. Correa Starting to Heat Up Minnesota signed Carlos Correa for various reasons, but his postseason experience is unlike few players in Twins history. Last weekend, Correa punished the ball in a three-game series against the Giants by going 8-for-12 with a double, a home run, and four RBI. Fans may be unimpressed with Correa’s numbers in a Twins uniform as his .790 OPS is over 40 points lower than his career mark. However, offense is down across baseball, and his 129 OPS+ is two points higher than his career total. Minnesota’s offense has struggled in the second half, and Correa may be the key to getting the team back on track. Buxton’s Ailing Hip Byron Buxton’s biggest goal for the 2022 season was to avoid going on the injured list. He made it to the end of August before needing an IL stint even though he had been battling multiple injuries this season. Buxton won’t join the team for their weekend series in Chicago, but there is a possibility he will join the club in New York for their big four-game series with the Yankees. The Twins are a better team with Buxton in the line-up, especially when facing left-handed pitchers. Buxton has talked his way out of going on the IL multiple times this year, and he is going to want to be at Yankee Stadium to start next week. Multiple Pitchers Returning from Injury Minnesota’s most prominent trade deadline acquisition, Tyler Mahle, didn’t look good the last time he was on the mound as his velocity was down. However, he threw a bullpen session on Monday and feels good. The Twins think he will be back on the mound this weekend in Chicago. Multiple other pitchers are also nearing a return from the IL. Josh Winder returned from the injured list at St. Paul this week. Randy Dobnak has made multiple rehab appearances, including two innings at Triple-A on Sunday. The Twins expect Bailey Ober to throw a live bullpen session this week before going on a rehab assignment. Minnesota won’t have room for all these arms on the roster, so it will be interesting to see how their rehabs progress. Maeda Needs More Time While multiple pitchers are returning from injury, Kenta Maeda may need more time before returning to the Twins roster. Maeda had Tommy John surgery on September 1, 2021, and there was hope he could return as a reliever during the regular season. There is still a possibility that he can return for the playoffs, but the team isn’t ready to make that commitment yet. “Everything kind of feels like it’s in a good place,” Derek Falvey told reporters. “(But) we aren’t going to push as hard over the next couple of weeks because we just want to make sure (Maeda’s) comfortable, the doctor’s comfortable and otherwise. We always were hopeful that maybe we were kind of getting him to a place where he thought, ‘Hey, let’s push and be a little more aggressive here.’ … Just based on his progression, how important he is for next year, making sure we’re in a good place, we just collectively didn’t feel like it’s time to say, ‘Go.’” Many of these storylines need to play out positively for the Twins to make a run to October. What storylines will you be watching over the next month? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Every season some prospects break out to move into a team's long-term plans. Unfortunately, other prospects struggle, and their stock significantly falls. Here are three of the team's top prospects that have struggled in 2022. Getting to the major leagues can be challenging even for baseball's best prospects. Some players work their entire lives to reach the big leagues, and others make their debut before their 20th birthday. All three names below had the potential to impact the Twins roster during the 2022 season, but poor performance and injuries have cast doubt on their top prospect rankings. Minnesota's farm system continues to drop in national rankings, and these three players take a small portion of the blame for the fall. So which prospects have seen their stock drop the most this season? Austin Martin, SS/OF TD Preseason Ranking: 1 Many national rankings pegged Martin as the Twins' top prospect entering the 2022 season. All three national prospect rankings placed him in their top-60 prospects, but he has fallen off those lists as they have been updated this season. Martin is repeating Double-A this season as a 23-year-old, where he is over a year younger than the average age of the competition. His biggest concern is the lack of power development throughout his professional career. Martin posted a 1.007 OPS in college, and his OPS dropped to .676 in 2022. Martin still has all of the tools to be an above-average hitter, and he needs to continue making adjustments in the minors' upper levels. Jordan Balazovic, SP TD Preseason Ranking: 4 Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus included Balazovic at the backend of the top-100 lists entering the season. Balazovic missed time to start the 2022 season with a knee injury and has never looked right on the mound. In his first 17 appearances, he has allowed 50 earned runs in 49 2/3 innings. His strikeout rate is down (8.3 K/9), and his walk rate is up (4.7 BB/9). He is on the 40-man roster, but he has struggled so much at Triple-A that the Twins haven't been able to call him up. Luckily, he is over four years younger than the average age of the competition at Triple-A. Hopefully, he can call 2022 a lost season and get back on track this winter for an improved 2023. Matt Canterino, SP TD Preseason Ranking: 6 Canterino may never be ranked as a top-100 prospect, but he may have the best stuff and highest ceiling of any pitching prospect in the organization. He has been unhittable with 13.8 K/9 and a 1.48 ERA in his career when on the mound. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to pitch more than 37 innings in any season since turning pro due to various injuries. His 2022 season ended abruptly when the Twins announced Canterino would undergo Tommy John surgery. This injury means he will miss the rest of 2022 and the majority of 2023. Plenty of pitchers have come back strong after this surgery, and the Twins have to hope he can stay healthy moving forward. Are you worried about the future of these three players? Can they bounce back from poor 2022 campaigns? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Minnesota’s strong start to the season seemed to change the outlook for the 2022 campaign. The dog days of summer have been cruel to the Twins, which have some questioning Rocco Baldelli’s future with the club. Rocco Baldelli is nearing the end of his fourth season at the helm of the Minnesota Twins. His first year as manager couldn’t have gone much better as he helped guide the team to 101 wins and a division title. MLB named him the AL Manager of the Year, and it seemed like the team was heading in a positive direction. During his second season, the COVID pandemic impacted nearly every aspect of the game, from spring training through the playoffs. Baldelli guided the Twins to a second consecutive division title even with all the distractions in 2020. He won 60% or more of his games in each of his first two seasons, but then the wheels came off in 2021. Last season was an unmitigated disaster from the start of the season. Minnesota went 9-15 in April and ended up with one month (August) when the team had a winning record. It didn’t seem to matter what buttons he pushed during the season’s first half, but the team didn’t quit on him. Even as the team headed for a last-place finish, the club went 29-28 from the start of August until the season’s end. Young pitchers like Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober also gave hope to an improved 2022 Twins roster. Entering the 2022 season, most projection systems had the Twins pegged to finish around .500. By the end of May, those expectations had changed because Minnesota went 30-21 to start the year. Unfortunately, the Twins have been playing below .500 since that point and have little margin for error over the season’s final month. Even with altered expectations, Minnesota still has an opportunity to make the playoffs for the third time in four seasons under Baldelli. The way the season has played out is one of the most frustrating things for fans. Minnesota made a splash by signing Carlos Correa to a giant contract shortly after the lockout ended. Correa has provided leadership, but his on-field performance has been below his typical level, which isn’t something Baldelli can control. A manager can only be as good as the roster he is given, and the Twins roster had some evident flaws from the season’s start. Minnesota’s pitching staff had holes and injuries, and poor play only magnified those flaws. The front office tried to remedy those issues at the trade deadline, and the pitching staff has improved in recent weeks. However, the line-up has struggled to score runs, and the team is struggling to stay in playoff contention. When a team plays well, a manager will get credit for pushing all the right buttons. When a team struggles, a manager gets most of the blame. Injuries have dramatically impacted Minnesota’s lineup as this roster would look significantly different with a healthy Ryan Jeffers, Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, and Royce Lewis. That being said, every team deals with injuries, and the best managers find ways to win games even when injuries occur, especially those managers of the high-salaried teams. Luckily, the front office won’t be forced into deciding until this winter. Minnesota has only had four different managers since Tom Kelly took the reins near the end of the 1986 season. It seems unlikely for the Twins to go in a different direction at the manager position as this front office picked Baldelli, and he guided the team to multiple division titles. The Twins may turn it on and end the year strongly, but a poor finish may have fans calling for new leadership in the dugout. Do you think Baldelli’s future with the club is in jeopardy? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins signed outfielder Billy Hamilton to a minor-league contract on Friday. What can the veteran outfielder provide the Twins? On Friday, multiple reports surfaced that the Twins had agreed to a minor-league deal with veteran outfielder Billy Hamilton. Minnesota is the third different organization this season for the former top prospect, but the Twins need outfield depth, and they were willing to give Hamilton a chance. It also sounds like he has early opt-outs in the deal if the Twins don't add him to the active roster in the next week. Nearly a decade ago, Billy Hamilton was considered one of baseball's best prospects. As a speedy outfielder in the Reds organization, he stole bases at a record pace and provided elite outfield defense. His offensive skills weren't fully developed, but many viewed that as something that could improve throughout his professional career. Entering the 2013 season, all three national prospect rankings placed him as one of baseball's top-20 prospects. Hamilton broke into the big leagues as a 22-year-old and played parts of six seasons in Cincinnati. Unfortunately, his bat never fully developed, even with multiple chances as a regular player for the Reds. In 690 games, he hit .245/.298/.333 (.631) while striking out 554 times. He was able to steal 277 bases, but he was also caught 63 times. During the 2014 season, he led baseball in caught stealing as he was thrown out 23 times. It was tough for him to live up to the hype surrounding his minor league career, and he hasn't played more than 120 games in a season since leaving the Reds. Over the next three seasons, Hamilton bounced around to five different organizations and never played more than 93 games in one place. He has posted a .568 OPS and a 51 OPS+ during that stretch. His chances to steal bases also dropped as he was getting on base less than 27% of the time. In 221 games, he was limited to 37 stolen bases. Last season, he appeared in 71 games for the White Sox and posted a .620 OPS. The Marlins used Hamilton in 20 games during the current season, but he was limited to 15 plate appearances. He has mostly been relegated to a pinch-runner or late-game defensive replacement. Hamilton went 1-for-13 with seven steals and nine runs scored in limited action. Minnesota will likely use Hamilton in a similar role as the Twins wait for some other outfielders to get healthy. The Twins currently have multiple outfielders on the injured list, including Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach, and Alex Kirilloff. Royce Lewis is another injured player that likely would have picked up time in the outfield if he was healthy. Minnesota has used other outfield options like Tim Beckham, Kyle Garlick, and Jake Cave. Those players have found some success, but it has hardly been an ideal outfield depth chart. Hamilton's inability to hit consistently has pushed him to a bench role in recent years. However, his speed and defensive ability can still change a game. The Twins haven't had many dynamic players to use off the bench during the 2022 season, and Hamilton certainly offers skills that can help a contending team. Minnesota will need to be strategic in how he is utilized, but he can help a team that has struggled to consistently score runs this season. What do you think Hamilton can offer the Twins? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Louie Varland has been impressive in his first taste of the Triple-A level. With the Twins struggling, will they consider calling up one of the organization’s top pitching prospects? The Twins drafted Louie Varland in the 15th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Concordia University in St. Paul, MN. After signing, he made his professional debut with the Elizabethton Twins. He allowed two earned runs on nine hits over 8 2/3 innings in three appearances. His 10-to-4 strikeout to walk ratio pointed to him making some improvements as a professional, and he improved even more during the 2020 shutdown. The Twins and Varland were concerned with some of the stress on his joints, so they focused on changing his arm action. This change had multiple benefits. He saw increased velocity and movement on his fastball along with improvements to his secondary pitches. In college, his fastball topped out in the low 90s, but now he can regularly hit in the upper 90s. His best secondary pitches are his changeup and slider that play well off his improved fastball. Varland used his improved stuff to surprise many during the 2021 campaign. He dominated at Low- and High-A on his way to winning the Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Year. In 103 innings, he posted a 2.10 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP and a 142-to-30 strikeout to walk ratio. Half of his appearances came at Low-A, where he was over a year older than the average age of the competition. Still, he continued to perform well after his promotion. Varland had put himself on the prospect map but needed to prove it wasn’t a fluke in 2022. For the first time in his professional career, Varland has spent the entire season pitching at levels where he is younger than the average age of the competition. Nearly 56% of his at-bats have come against older batters who he has held to a .234 batting average. In 122 innings, he has posted a 3.02 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP and a 143-to-42 strikeout to walk ratio. He’s pitched a career-high in innings, and his three Triple-A starts have been nearly flawless. Varland would have been an excellent candidate for a September call-up in previous seasons, but MLB changed the roster rules. September rosters are now limited to 28 players, and this will be the first 162-game season where that rule will be in effect. Minnesota has to add Varland to the 40-man roster this winter, so it might not be too challenging to add him earlier. Multiple pitchers returning from injury would be ahead of Varland on the team’s depth chart. Up-and-coming prospects can be exciting when making their debuts, and the team can play well behind the pitcher. It would be great to see Varland have some September success like Joe Ryan did in 2022. However, Minnesota might also want Varland to end the season on a high note. He’s pitching very well at Triple-A in his hometown, which might be enough to carry him through to the start of next season. He will be added to the 40-man roster this winter and enter spring training with eyes focused on him being a big-league contributor in 2023. Do you think Varland will get a September call-up? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Gio Urshela is wrapping up his first season in a Minnesota Twins uniform. Has he done enough for the Twins to offer him arbitration this winter? Nearing the end of his seventh big-league season, Gio Urshela’s offensive profile has been interesting to follow throughout his career. It took until his age-27 season for a team to give him a chance to play over 100 games, and he made the most of the opportunity. In 175 games between 2019-20, he hit .310/.359/.523 (.881) with a 134 OPS+ and 72 extra-base hits. He was a well above-average hitter that offered some defensive flexibility. It looked like the Yankees had found another strong player off the scrap heap. During the 2021 season, his offensive numbers struggled as he posted a 97 OPS+ while striking out 109 times in 116 games. He ended the season with a .720 OPS and questions about his long-term role with the Yankees. His defense at third base also struggled as he posted a -1.2 SDI, which is one of the metrics used to award Gold Gloves. Only four American League third basemen had a lower total during the 2021 season. Coming off his down season, Minnesota acquired Urshela along with Gary Sanchez as part of the Josh Donaldson trade. Urshela seemed like he had the potential to be a bounce-back candidate, and the Twins acquired him with multiple years of team control. For the 2022 season, Urshela made $6.55 million through the arbitration process, and he will be scheduled to make more in 2023. So, should the Twins offer him arbitration or let him test the free agent waters? Entering play this weekend, Urshela has very similar offensive numbers to 2021. His .741 OPS is just over 20 points higher than last season, and he has almost an identical amount of extra-base hits. However, giving context to those numbers is crucial because offense is down across baseball this season. His 114 OPS+ ranks above league average and in the 67th percentile or higher in Max Exit Velocity, xSLG, and K%. Not everything has been perfect for Urshela this season. Among Twins hitters, he has the seventh highest Win Probability Added, which places him between Kyle Garlick and Royce Lewis. His defense has also been below replacement level, as only one AL third baseman has a lower SDI ranking. There have been good and bad moments for him throughout the season, but the team will have to consider what value he can provide the team for 2023. FanGraphs pegs Urshela as providing the Twins with $8.4 million worth of value so far in 2022. That is significantly more than the $6.55 million Minnesota is paying him this season, but it might be similar to where his arbitration figure ends up for 2023. Entering the 2021 season, the Twins had to decide whether or not to offer arbitration to Eddie Rosario. He was scheduled to make around $12 million in arbitration, and the front office decided to go in a different direction. It was the right decision, even if he had some big playoff moments for the Braves. The Rosario decision was likely more straightforward than what the team will do with Urshela. Looking ahead to next season, the Twins will have multiple options to play third base. Luis Arraez, Jose Miranda, and Royce Lewis are all options to fill the role at the hot corner. All three players are part of the team’s long-term plan, and Urshela’s arbitration money might be more wisely spent on other roster pieces. Do you think the Twins will offer Urshela arbitration? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Matt Wallner is having a breakout season at Double- and Triple-A. Is his ceiling similar to a current big-league slugger? The Twins’ current front office selected Matt Wallner with the 39th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. The Minnesota native dominated at Southern Mississippi in three collegiate seasons by hitting .337/.461/.652 (1.113) with 39 doubles and 58 home runs in 189 games. He compiled these tremendous offensive numbers while still being a part-time pitcher during his freshman and sophomore seasons. An arm injury forced him to focus on hitting as a junior, and his raw power made it tough for potential organizations to ignore. After signing with the Twins, Wallner played 65 games in his professional debut. In rookie ball and Low-A, he posted an .810 OPS with 31 extra-base hits and an 80-to-24 strikeout to walk ratio. With no 2020 minor league season, Wallner spent most of the 2021 campaign at High-A. He broke his hamate bone and missed a chunk of the season but hit 15 home runs in only 66 games. Following the season, the Twins sent him to the AFL, where he posted a 1.011 OPS with six home runs in 79 plate appearances. Wallner used his AFL time to jumpstart his 2022 season. In 78 Double-A games, he hit .299/.436/.597 (1.033) with 15 doubles and 21 home runs. Since being promoted to Triple-A, he has continued to get on base over 32% of the time and has nine extra-base hits in 29 games. Unlike many power hitters, his OPS is only separated by seven points between right- and left-handed pitchers. For the first time in his pro career, Wallner has been younger than the average age of the competition throughout the season. Wallner’s swing-and-miss approach comes with the associated flaws of a power hitter. He has accumulated 148 strikeouts in his first 107 games this season. In 2021, he struck out 31% of the time, but he was dealing with an injury and missed an entire season of development during the 2020 campaign. There are also concerns about his eventual defensive value, but the organization continues to use him regularly as a right fielder. Wallner has been charged with six errors in 173 chances this season. MLB Pipeline recently updated their top-30 Twins prospects, and Wallner moved into the organization’s top-5 prospects. Part of their scouting report on Wallner said, “he does have a Joey Gallo-esque offensive ceiling.” Gallo is in his sixth full-time season at the big-league level and has hit .202/.328/.475 (.804) with three seasons of 38 or more home runs. Like Wallner, he strikes out a lot, with three seasons of 196 or more strikeouts. Strikeouts have become a more regular part of baseball in recent years, so Wallner should carve out a role at the big-league level. Minnesota likely would have called him up this season if he were a right-handed hitter as the team deals with injuries to Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirilloff, and Byron Buxton. Wallner has the potential to be as good as Gallo, but he will need to continue to improve some of his flaws. Do you think Wallner can have a similar career to Gallo? What is Wallner’s ceiling? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Minnesota's bullpen has been frustrating to watch throughout much of the 2022 campaign. For a player like Jovani Moran, it has to be even more frustrating that he isn't getting a more extended look at the big-league level. The Twins drafted Jovani Moran in the 7th round of the 2015 MLB Draft as a high schooler from Puerto Rico. Arm issues limited him to fewer than 20 innings in his first two seasons, but he had a breakout season in 2017. He put himself on the prospect radar with a dominant performance in the Appalachian League, where he accumulated 45 strikeouts in 24 innings. All those appearances were in a relief role, but his dominant performance earned him the Twins Daily Short Season Pitcher of the Year. Moran hasn't been flawless as he has climbed the organizational ladder. His early included elbow and shoulder injuries like removing bone chips, but he has been able to avoid Tommy John surgery. In six minor league seasons, there has only been one season where he has pitched more than 70 innings. On the field, his 4.3 BB/9 rate is too high, and that trait has followed him to the big-league level. Throughout the 2021 season, Moran has pushed himself into the conversation at the big-league level. Last year, he won the Twins Daily Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year. Moran posted a 2.54 ERA and a 14.6 K/9 in 35 appearances between Double- and Triple-A. By the season's end, he made his big-league debut, but he surrendered seven runs in eight innings. His small sample size with the Twins didn't take away from him being in the team's long-term bullpen plans. During the 2022 campaign, the Twins have shuffled Moran between St. Paul and Minneapolis. At Triple-A, his appearances haven't been as clean as one would like to see. He has a 5.09 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP, but he has only allowed more than two runs in two appearances. He's posted a 15.8 K/9 which is nearly as high as when he dominated the Appy League as a 20-year-old. Even with time spent at multiple levels, Moran has been nearly flawless at the big-league level this season. Three of the six earned runs he has allowed came in less than an inning against the Tigers. He's allowed one hit or fewer in all but two appearances, and he has multiple strikeouts in half of his appearances. In his professional career, Moran's changeup has been his dominant pitch, and that has continued this year, with 20 of his 31 strikeouts coming on the changeup. However, his fastball has also improved with a .202 xBA and a .278 SLG. The Twins' bullpen has multiple long-term problems, including sticking with veteran relievers too long. Emilio Pagan has been pushed into a low-leverage role even though he has been one of baseball's worst relievers over the last two seasons. Pagan is likely out of the team's plans after this season, and Moran is a 25-year-old with the potential to impact Minnesota's bullpen for the long term. It's time Moran got a more extended look. Do you think Moran deserves a longer look in the Twins bullpen? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Minnesota's remaining schedule doesn't get easier after facing Kansas City and Texas over the last week. Here are the Twins' toughest remaining opponents on the schedule. The Twins will have to start playing better if the team wants a chance to make the postseason. The Twins have struggled to gain second-half momentum even after the club's trade deadline acquisitions. Can Minnesota start making a move with these opponents facing them in the weeks ahead? 5. Boston Red Sox Dates: August 29-31 (in Minnesota) Boston has scuffled this season after reaching the ALCS last season. The AL East has some surprise contending teams, which pushed Boston to the bottom of the division. Even with an under .500 record, the Red Sox were expected to be a better team than their record indicates. Boston has three players with a WAR above 3.0 this season, including Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and Michael Wacha. So far this season, the Twins have gone 2-2 against the Red Sox, so this three-game set will decide who wins the season series. 4. Chicago White Sox Dates: September 2-4 (in Chicago), September 27-29 (in Minnesota), October 3-5 (in Chicago) Minnesota's playoff future will likely be decided by the team's games against Chicago. MLB's delayed start to the season means the Twins face the White Sox nine times in the final month, including six of the team's final nine games. Chicago was a mess in the season's first half, but they have slowly gained momentum to move above .500. The White Sox have outscored the Twins by four runs this season but have lost six out of ten games. 3. Cleveland Guardians Dates: September 9-11 (in Minnesota), September 16-19 (in Cleveland) Cleveland has been Minnesota's closest competitor at the top of the division for most of the season. If the Twins want to win the AL Central, the team will have to track down the Guardians over the next few weeks. Winning division games is one of the easiest ways to make up ground in the standings. The Twins have outscored the Guardians by 16 runs this season but have lost 6-of-11 games. 2. New York Yankees Dates: September 5-8 (in New York) The Yankees have been on a freefall in the second half as the team has a 5-14 record in August. New York had built such a significant division lead that they still sit atop the AL East by eight games. Clearly, the Yankees will want to play better heading into October, and a four-game home series with the Twins might be the cure to what ails them. Yankee Stadium has been a house of horrors for the Twins through multiple regimes and player changes. Minnesota won one of three games against New York at Target Field earlier this season. 1. Houston Astros Dates: August 23-25 (in Houston) Houston has been one of baseball's top squads during the 2022 season as the team is on pace to be the American League's top seed. The Astros came to Minnesota earlier this season and demolished the Twins in a three-game sweep where Houston outscored Minnesota 21-3. Now the Twins will head to Houston as a slumping team with Tyler Mahle on the injured list. It may be challenging for Minnesota to avoid a series sweep, especially with Houston's probable pitchers (Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, and Luis Garcia). Which opponent is going to be the biggest challenge? Which series is the most critical? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins recently promoted Simeon Woods Richardson to Triple-A, where he is one step away from making his big-league debut. Can he become better than Jose Berrios? When the Twins traded Jose Berrios, Austin Martin was considered the top prospect in the return package. Over a year later, Martin's prospect stock has dropped, and Simeon Woods Richardson is having a breakout year. Woods Richardson will forever be connected to Berrios and the trade that brought him to the Twins organization. So, does he have the potential to be better than Berrios when all is said and done? The Twins drafted Berrios as a teenager out of Puerto Rico, and he immediately put himself on the map as one of baseball's best pitching prospects. He was a consensus top-50 prospect for two consecutive offseasons while being selected to back-to-back Futures Games. In six minor league seasons, he posted a 2.77 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP and 9.6 K/9. He struggled during his big-league debut in 2016 but quickly became one of baseball's most reliable pitchers. From 2017-2021, he averaged 159 innings per season with a 3.74 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Woods Richardson's path to the big leagues has seen more ups and downs than Berrios. The Mets drafted Woods Richardson in the 2nd round of the 2018 MLB Draft. His professional debut was strong as he posted a 1.56 ERA and 13.5 K/9 in seven rookie league appearances. As an 18-year-old, he struggled at Low-A with a 4.25 ERA while being nearly four years younger than the average age of the competition at his level. The Mets traded him to the Blue Jays organization as part of the Marcus Stroman trade, but things got more challenging for him from there. With no minor league season in 2020, Woods Richardson's age-19 season was wiped out. He likely would have spent most of the season at High-A, where he had finished the 2019 season. The 2021 season also saw some hiccups for him as the Blue Jays were aggressive with him and sent him to Double-A. As a 20-year-old, he was over 4.5 years younger than the average age of the competition at his level. He never found consistency at Double-A, he went to Japan to be part of the US Olympic team, and then he was traded to the Twins. Overall, his prospect stock dropped as none of the national outlets included him in their top-100 prospects for the first time in two years. Woods Richardson has been able to put a lot of doubts behind him in 2022. Minnesota had him repeat Double-A, where he is still very young for the level. In 16 appearances, he posted a 3.18 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP and 9.8 K/9. His prospect stock has risen to the point where he is considered the Twins' best pitching prospect in the upper minors. Minnesota recently promoted him to Triple-A, where he will look to cap off his tremendous age-21 season. Like Woods Richardson, Berrios spent his age-21 season pitching at Double- and Triple-A. Some signs point to Woods Richardson having a leg-up on Berrios at this point in their development. Woods Richardson has posted an 11.1 K/9 while Berrios had a 9.6 K/9 in six minor league seasons. Berrios also allowed more H/9 and a similar amount of HR/9. Stylistically, there are differences between these two pitchers, but there is potential for Woods Richardson to fit nicely into the team's rotation for years to come. Berrios is the best pitcher to come through the Twins system in quite some time. Woods Richardson has the potential to be a similar pitcher to Berrios, but there can be challenges with the transition to Triple-A and the big leagues. Woods Richardson isn't expected to be the next Berrios, but Twins fans should be more than pleased if he reaches his potential ceiling. How high is Wood Richardson's ceiling? Can he be better than Berrios? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins farm system continues to drop in national rankings, so should fans be concerned about the organization's future? Here are three reasons why the system continues to drop. National rankings of a team's farm systems can be taken with a grain of salt. A lot of hope and high expectations are tied to the team's top prospects, but most fans will focus on whether or not the big-league team is consistently winning. Front offices must find a balance between building homegrown talent and trading for pieces that can help the current roster. Baseball America updated its farm system rankings based on changes from this year's draft and the trade deadline. Minnesota's system ranked 25th, the team's lowest ranking since 2017. Baseball American and MLB Pipeline have three Twins prospects in their top 100, including Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis, and Emmanuel Rodriguez. So, why did the Twins drop so much? Trades Minnesota was active at the 2022 trade deadline by dealing away some of the organization's most improved prospects. Spencer Steer, Cade Povich, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Steven Hajjar were all top-30 prospects in the system. Last winter, the Twins also traded Chase Petty, the team's 2021 first-round pick, to acquire Sonny Gray. Losing that kind of talent will hurt any organization's farm system ranking. Luckily, there are some obvious reasons why Minnesota's ranking dropped. Under 25 Big-League Players When looking at the health of an organization, it's essential to look at young players that are no longer prospects but are impacting the big-league roster. The Twins have gotten plenty of production this season from players that are 25 years old or younger. During his rookie campaign, Jose Miranda emerged as a middle-of-the-order bat. On the pitching side, Jhoan Duran completely altered how the team approaches late-inning pitching situations. However, the list of players that are 25 or younger doesn't stop there. Gilberto Celestino, a 23-year-old, has allowed the Twins to give Byron Buxton more regular days off from center field. Cole Sands, Josh Winder, and Jovani Moran have impacted the team's rotation and bullpen. Trevor Larnach and Alex Kirilloff have shown how good their bats can be when they are healthy. Even regulars like Ryan Jeffers and Luis Arraez are in their age-25 season. Obviously, the Twins will need to continue to see continued development from these players while they help the team win. Injuries and Underperformance Injuries to key prospects are another reason the team's ranking continues to drop. Royce Lewis, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Matt Canterino are all out for the year. Lewis was already impacting the big-league roster before undergoing his second ACL surgery in the last two seasons. Rodriguez had a breakout season before suffering a knee injury on a slide. Canterino's elbow health has been an issue throughout his professional career, and the hope is that Tommy John surgery will get him back on track. All three players should return at some point during the 2023 season. Multiple top prospects have also underperformed during the 2022 campaign. Austin Martin was widely considered one of the organization's top prospects after he was acquired as part of the Jose Berrios trade. In 65 Double-A games, he is hitting .244/.372/.306 (.678) with 11 extra-base hits. Minnesota added Jordan Balazovic to the 40-man roster last winter, but he has struggled throughout the 2022 season. In 15 Triple-A appearances, he has a 9.26 ERA with a 2.17 WHIP across 45 2/3 innings. Both of these players have seen their prospect stock drop significantly. Luckily, the Twins are keeping their winning window open despite the perceived talent drop in the farm system. Minnesota's trades have added controllable talent to the big-league roster, and the team has plenty of young talent up-and-down the roster. Are you concerned about the farm system's drop in national rankings? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Jose Miranda is proving that his breakout 2021 season wasn’t a fluke. So, should the Twins try and work out a long-term extension with their rookie slugger? When a top prospect reaches the majors, it can be exciting for fans to watch a player start to unlock his full potential. The Twins have seen Jose Miranda emerge on the big-league scene with a 127 OPS+ in his first 78 games. According to FanGraphs, he has been worth $9.3 million in 2022. He also ranks fourth among Twins hitters in Win Probability Added as he trails only Luis Arraez, Byron Buxton, and Jorge Polanco. It has been a tremendous start to his career, but have the Twins seen enough to sign him long-term On Tuesday, the Atlanta Braves agreed to a long-term extension with their own power-hitting rookie. Outfielder Michael Harris agreed to an eight-year, $72 million extension that will keep him in Atlanta through the 2030 season. The deal also includes team options for 2031 ($15 million) and 2032 ($20 million). The Braves are buying out his pre-arbitration and arbitration seasons so they can control his first two free agent seasons. Since Harris is 21 years old, he will still be able to reach free agency in his early 30s. Even though Miranda and Harris are both rookies, they aren’t exactly the same type of player. Harris is a dynamic centerfielder that provides value on both sides of the ball, while most of Miranda’s value is tied to his bat. Harris is also three years younger than Miranda and was a consensus top-100 prospect entering the season. In 2022, Miranda has played seven more games than Harris, but Harris has compiled 1.8 more WAR than Miranda. Three years ago, the Twins signed Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler to team-friendly extensions that bought out some of their free agent seasons. Polanco signed a five-year, $25.75 million deal with team options for 2024-25. Kepler’s deal was for five years, $32.12 million, with a team option for 2024. Since signing their extensions, Polanco has provided $76.8 million of value, while Kepler has been worth $68.1 million. Both players were roughly the same age as Miranda at the time of their extension. Minnesota doesn’t need to rush into a contract extension with Miranda since the team will have control of him throughout his 20s. It likely wouldn’t take a Harris-level deal to sign Miranda long-term and buy out some of his free agent seasons. The Twins have gotten tremendous value from the Polanco and Kepler extensions, so the team may want to find a middle ground to keep Miranda in Minnesota long-term. It will likely take a seven or eight year deal for $50 million or more to make an extension work for both sides. Miranda has the potential to be a middle-of-the-order bat for a long time, and that has tremendous value. Do you think the Twins should look to sign Miranda to a long-term extension? How much would you be willing to pay him? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article