Cody Christie

Minnesota signed Chris Archer late this spring to add veteran depth to the rotation. As the Twins finish the season’s first third, Archer is becoming a liability for a first-place team. Minnesota’s front office knew what they were getting when they signed Chris Archer to fit into the team’s rotation. He was multiple years past his All-Star caliber seasons in Tampa, and injuries and ineffectiveness allowed the team to sign him for a $3.5 million contract. There was no reason to have high expectations, but the Twins hoped Archer could be effective in a back-of-the-rotation role. Archer has been largely ineffective in his nine starts for the Twins. He has posted a 4.19 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP and a 29-to-16 strikeout to walk ratio. Also, Archer is one of two pitchers to make over five starts and have an ERA+ of 90 or lower. For his career, he has a K/9 close to 10.0, but that total has dipped to 7.6 K/9 in 2022. His Statcast numbers are also well below the league average in virtually every category. Archer is being used similarly to a long-reliever that happens to be starting a game, but this might be the only option with his current skill set. Like a reliever, he relies heavily on two pitches as his slider and four-seam fastball are used more than 84% of the time. Unfortunately, batters have produced an .811 slugging percentage when facing his fastball, so he relies more on his secondary pitches. At this point, Minnesota’s coaches have to expect that the bullpen will pitch significant innings when Archer starts. In his Week in Review, Nick alluded that the bullpen has become a revolving door with players being shuffled back and forth from St. Paul. Luckily, the Twins’ bullpen has been relatively effective, but innings are starting to add up at this early juncture of the season. Minnesota ranks third among American League teams with over 200 innings pitched by relievers. According to Win Probability Added, the Twins’ bullpen has generated over two wins for the club, ranking in baseball’s top-5. However, the team’s fWAR is one of two clubs (Arizona) to have a negative value for the entire season. As innings continue to pile up, one has to wonder if the bullpen will be able to continue to carry this kind of load. Archer is hardly Minnesota’s biggest problem at this point in the season, but it’s hard to imagine the team will be able to continue to use him if he can’t pitch deeper into games. There also aren’t prospects knocking down the door to take his place at the big-league level. Top pitching prospects Jordan Balazovic and Cole Sands are at Triple-A, but neither has performed particularly well with the Saints. Simeon Woods-Richardson and Matt Canterino are performing well at Double-A, but neither is on the 40-man roster. For now, it seems likely for the Twins to continue to trot Archer out there, yet he continues to be a liability for the pitching staff. What have been your impressions of Archer so far in 2022? Can the team continue to use him in his current role? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Minnesota's offense hasn't lit the world on fire so far in 2022, but the team has done enough to stay in first place. Here are the four hitters who most helped the club over the last month. It may surprise some fans to learn how good the Twins' offense performed during May. Minnesota ranked second in the American League in wRC+, OPS, and OBP. Minnesota has been very effective at the plate, which has helped the club stretch its lead in the AL Central. Each player below played a role in helping the Twins win over the last calendar month. Honorable Mention #3: Gilberto Celestino Gilberto Celestino quietly had a tremendous month at the plate. In 62 plate appearances, he hit .364/.426/.418 (.844) with a 153 wRC+. Byron Buxton struggled throughout May, and Celestino was a worthy replacement in center field. Minnesota has been getting a ton of production from the bottom half of the line-up, and Celestino has provided some dynamic moments when he is on the field. He would likely have been named the team's best hitter in many other months, but Minnesota's line-up was firing on all cylinders. Honorable Mention #2: Carlos Correa Carlos Correa's first month with the Twins couldn't have gone much worse, as he ended April with a .633 OPS. Luckily, his bat began to turn it around in May. In 16 games, he hit .318/.384/.500 (.884) with a 159 wRC+. He was the only player on the team with over 60 plate appearances and a slugging percentage of .500 or higher. His entire slash line was higher than his career totals for the month, so the Twins are getting a better version of Correa than they could have expected. Unfortunately, he was hit by a pitch early in the month and spent time on the IL. Then COVID slowed him down at the month's end, or he might have been in the conversation for the top spot on this list. Honorable Mention #1: Trevor Larnach Since returning from the injured list, Trevor Larnach has been a man on a mission, and an actual argument can be made for him being the team's hitter of the month. In 50 plate appearances, he hit .333/.431/.646 (1.077) with a 209 wRC+. Those totals would lead the team, but he didn't appear in a game from May 6 to May 22. After struggling through much of his rookie season, he has rebounded nicely with a 162 OPS+. Larnach is developing into the type of hitter the team imagined when they drafted him in the first round out of Oregon State in 2018. If he continues to hit this well, Larnach will need to start moving up the team's line-up. Hitter of the Month: Luis Arraez Fans have envisioned a scenario where Luis Arraez would be fighting for a batting title since he made his big-league debut in 2019. It's hard to fathom what Arraez was able to accomplish during May. He got on base over 48% of the time. Let that sink in for a minute. His batting average was close to .380, and his OPS only trailed Larnach for the team lead. Out of players with more than 60 plate appearances, his 187 wRC+ ranks seventh in the AL for May. Also, he ended the month with baseball's best OBP. He rarely strikes out, and he's putting up numbers that haven't been seen in a Twins uniform in quite some time. Arraez or Larnach? That's a tough decision. By OPS and power production, Larnach might be the choice, but Arraez had 80% more plate appearances and a great on-base percentage Do you agree with the rankings? Should someone else have been an honorable mention? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

One month ago, the Twins were the lone AL Central team with a record above .500. Minnesota has stretched its division lead over the last month, and the pitchers below played a role in the team's success. At the season's start, questions swirled about whether or not the Twins starting rotation had enough to compete in the AL Central. Minnesota sits atop the division two months into the season thanks to multiple pitchers producing at a higher level than anticipated. As the calendar turns to June, here are the pitchers that provided the most value to the team over the last month. Honorable Mention #3: Jhoan Duran Minnesota’s bullpen struggled through different parts of May, but Jhoan Duran continues to be a bright spot. In 10 appearances during May, he posted a 1.59 ERA with a 11.1 K/9 and a 1.6 BB/9. He leads all Twins pitchers in Win Probability Added for the month as his 0.87 WPA is 13 points higher than the next closest pitcher. It’s amazing to think about what condition the Twins bullpen would be in if not for Duran’s dominance. He is transitioning from starter to reliever and he is doing it for a first-place team that desperately needs him. Honorable Mention #2: Devin Smeltzer Last month, Devin Smeltzer wasn't a candidate for this honor because he was pitching in the Saints rotation. In fact, the team outrighted Smeltzer off the 40-man roster in November, so he had to earn his way back to the big leagues. He pitched well enough in spring training for the team to consider him for the bullpen, but he went to Triple-A and posted a 3.86 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP. Since being recalled, Smeltzer has been a shot in the arm for the Twins rotation. He's made four starts and pitched into the fifth inning or later in every appearance. On May 26th against Kansas City, Smeltzer was masterful as he pitched seven shutout innings with six strikeouts and only two hits allowed. He ended the month with a 1.50 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP, proving the team should continue giving him a more extended look. Honorable Mention #1: Joe Ryan Joe Ryan was named the TD April Pitcher of the Month, so he has been near the top of this list for the entire year. Ryan made four starts in May and posted a 3.54 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP. For the month, his strikeout numbers decreased, and his walks increased, but his overall performance still puts him among the team's best. He pitched into the fifth inning in all four starts, and he has pitched into the sixth inning in five of his eight starts this season. His lone poor start this month came at the hands of the potent Astro's line-up. He surrendered four earned runs on four hits in that outing and allowed a career-high five walks. Out of Twins players, Baseball-Reference still has him valued at a 1.4 WAR for the season, which is over half of a win higher than any other pitcher. Pitcher of the Month: Sonny Gray Sonny Gray has been everything the Twins hoped he could be when they dealt Chase Petty for him this spring. He led the team in nearly every pitching category during April, including innings pitched, wins, games started, and WAR. In five starts (27 1/3 IP), he posted a 1.65 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP and a 34-to-7 strikeout to walk ratio. His 11.2 K/9 for the month is 2.5 strikeouts higher than his career mark. In four of his five starts, he pitched into the fifth inning or longer, with the lone exception being his first start back off the injured list. Over his final three starts, he averaged over six innings per appearance, and he didn't allow more than two earned runs in any May outing. Among qualified starters, he had the AL's fourth-lowest ERA and the fourth-best K/9. Not only was he the Twins' best pitcher over the last month, but he was also one of the best pitchers in the entire league. Do you agree with the rankings? Should someone else have been an honorable mention? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Minnesota’s shortstop depth chart took a hit this week, with Carlos Correa placed on the COVID restricted list and Royce Lewis placed on the injured list. Jermaine Palacios became the next man up and will make his big-league debut in Detroit. Minnesota originally signed Jermaine Palacios back in 2013 as a teenager from Venezuela. In 2014, he made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .270/.404/.399 (.803) with 11 doubles and six triples. He stole 14 bases and walked 35 times in 49 games. There were plenty of positive signs for a 17-year-old that was young for his level. During the 2015 season, Palacios made his stateside debut and posted a 1.061 OPS in 26 games for the GCL Twins. He continued to hit well after being promoted to Low-A. In 31 games, he hit .336/.345/.507 (.852) with 18 extra-base hits in 31 games. His 2016 season was the first time he struggled as injuries limited him to 71 games, and his bat could never get going. For Cedar Rapids, he hit .222/.276/.287 (.564) with 12 extra-base hits. After a rough 2016, Palacios set multiple career highs in 2017 thanks to a relatively healthy campaign. He split time between Low- and High-A, where he was still younger than the competition at each level. In 62 games for Cedar Rapids, Palacios posted a .907 OPS with 30 extra-base hits. His numbers dipped in Fort Myers (.662 OPS), but he was nearly three years younger than the average age of the competition in the FSL. Leading into the 2018 season, the Twins traded Palacios to the Tampa Bay Rays for RHP Jake Odorizzi. During his Twins tenure, Odorizzi pitched three seasons with a 107 ERA+, and he was named an All-Star. Palacios struggled in his first season in the Rays organization with a .575 OPS in 118 High- and Double-A games. His performance didn’t improve in 2019, as his OPS dropped over 30 points, and he was limited to 75 games. He never made it past Double-A in the Rays organization before becoming a minor league free agent. Minnesota re-signed Palacios before the 2021 season, and he played the entire season at Double-A. He hit .259/.341/.439 (.780) with 17 doubles and 19 home runs in 110 games. Also, he went 18-for-26 in stolen base attempts. Last offseason, he played in the Venezuelan Winter League, and he posted a .987 OPS in 42 games. Entering his age-25 season, Palacios wasn’t viewed as a top-20 prospect in the organization, but he had reestablished some value with his 2021 campaign. Palacios reached Triple-A for the first time in 2021 as he has played the entire season in St. Paul. In 39 games, he has hit .262/.325/.376 (.701) with eight doubles and three home runs. On the bases, he has gone 6-for-8 in stolen base attempts. Defensively, he has been used all over the diamond, including every infield position and both corner outfield spots. His versatility will help him at the big-league level, but the Twins have a clear hole at shortstop that he needs to fill. What do you remember most about his minor league career? What can he bring to the Twins in the absence of Correa and Lewis? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Minnesota’s roster is littered with potential candidates for the AL Rookie of the Year. As May comes to a close, here are how the top-5 candidates rank so far in 2022. 5. Josh Winder, SP/RP Winder looked like he had an inside track for a spot in the team’s rotation during spring training. Minnesota’s signing of Chris Archer pushed Winder out of the rotation, but the team decided they couldn’t leave him in the minors. So far this season, Winder has provided the team value, whether as a reliever or starter. Last Saturday, he was placed on the IL with a right shoulder impingement. Winder was placed on the Triple-A injured list on August 7th last year with a similar injury, and he did not pitch the rest of the minor league season. Minnesota hopes he won’t need that much time to recover this season. 4. Royce Lewis, SS Lewis made quite the impression in his first taste of the big leagues, even though he only played 11 games. In 39 at-bats, he went 12-for-29 (.308 BA) with four doubles and two home runs. Even in such a small sample size, he ranks among the team’s best rookies in WAR. Since being demoted, he has played multiple defensive positions, and he has continued to hit well at Triple-A. Now, only a few questions remain. When will he be back in the big leagues, and will he stay at that level for the remainder of his career? 3. Gilberto Celestino, OF Celestino has been a blessing in disguise for the Twins as Byron Buxton has needed time off or days at designated hitter. During May, FanGraphs has him ranked as one of the team’s most valuable hitters, ahead of Luis Arraez, Carlos Correa, and Byron Buxton. He’s also providing tremendous defensive value as he ranks in the 90th percentile for Outs Above Average. Many might be surprised at how good Celestino has been this season, but his Triple-A performance in 2021 pointed to him breaking out. 2. Jhoan Duran, RP Minnesota’s bullpen picture would look significantly different without Duran’s emergence as a dominant late-inning option. His appearances have turned into must-see moments, with him constantly breaking the team’s record for the fastest pitch. Duran’s splinker also keeps batters off-balance as they have to speed up their swing for triple-digit heat. There’s no question that Duran is one of the reasons behind Minnesota’s success in close games, and by the season’s end, he should establish himself as one of baseball’s most dominant relievers. 1. Joe Ryan, SP Ryan has a legitimate case to be in the running for AL Rookie of the Year as he’d likely be a top-3 finalist among all candidates. Currently, he’d be competing against players like Houston’s Tony Pena and Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez. Ryan has posted a 2.28 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP in eight starts this season. He has a 159 ERA+ with a 42-to-14 strikeout to walk ratio over 43 1/3 innings. If the playoffs started today, Ryan should get the nod as the team’s Game 1 starter. Ryan will need to continue to pitch at an unbelievably high level to win the AL ROY. How would you rank these players? How will these rankings change as the season progresses? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Minnesota's much-touted pitching pipeline has provided dividends this year, but farm systems must continue to stockpile talent. One 2021 draft pick is already making his mark on the Twins system. Minnesota selected David Festa in the 13th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Seton Hall University. He posted a 3.49 ERA in three collegiate seasons with a 1.27 WHIP and 8.9 K/9. There were some positive signs from his junior year, where he posted career-best totals with a 2.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and two shutouts. He struck out 67 batters in 72 innings, but he showed positive strides toward being an effective pitcher. The Twins hoped to get Festa into the system and build on his collegiate improvements. Shortly after signing, Festa made his professional debut for the FCL Twins. In two starts, he was nearly unhittable as he struck out 8-of-16 batters he faced and didn't walk a batter. Minnesota promoted him to Fort Myers, where he allowed four earned runs in 3 1/3 innings. Festa was nearly a year younger than the average age of the competition at Low-A, and it was a small sample size. The Twins sent Festa back to Fort Myers to start the 2022 season, and he was one of the best pitchers in the Florida State League. Through five starts, Festa had a 1.50 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP in 24 innings while striking out 33 and walking six. He was named the FSL Pitcher of the Week after pitching six no-hit innings with 11 strikeouts. Minnesota rewarded Festa's strong start to the season with a promotion to Cedar Rapids. On Sunday, Festa made his first appearance for the Kernels as Cedar Rapids scheduled him to follow Brent Headrick's start. He allowed one earned run on three hits with no walks and six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. The only run he allowed came in the ninth inning when his team was up by six runs. It was a tremendous High-A debut for a Twins pitcher putting himself on the Twins prospect map. Players drafted in the 13th round usually end up being organizational depth, but Festa is emerging as a legitimate top-30 prospect in the Twins organization. So far in 2022, batters are hitting .152/.208/.182 (.389) while striking out in nearly 40% of their at-bats. Festa has faced younger batters in two-thirds of his at-bats, but he has held them to a .334 OPS. Now that he is at High-A, he is over a year younger than the average age of the competition, so he will start facing older competition on a more regular basis. Festa has struck out more than 12 batters per nine innings throughout his professional career. Baseball America didn't rank Festa among the Top-30 Twins prospects entering the 2022 season, but they recently updated their list, and he is now ranked 29th. If he continues to perform this well, it's clear that Festa will establish himself as a pitching prospect to keep an eye on in the years to come. What has impressed you most about Festa so far? Do you think he should be ranked higher in the Twins system? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins signed baseball's biggest free agent, and the team is on pace to win well over 90-games. Even with these factors, there are reasons Target Field attendance continues to be sparse. So far in 2022, the Twins rank 22nd in baseball attendance, with an average of 17,869 fans per game. This total ranks Minnesota just ahead of non-contending teams like Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Kansas City. Last season, the Twins averaged 16,377 fans, which ranked 19th in baseball. There were some attendance restrictions to start 2021, so the 2019 season paints a better attendance picture. The Bomba-Squad Twins won the AL Central in 2019 and averaged 28,322 fans per game (15th in baseball). Minnesota has hope that attendance will improve in the months ahead. Here are three reasons for optimism. Maybe you have more ideas. Why do you think that attendance has been slow to start the season? Summer Starting Now Memorial Day Weekend tends to mark the unofficial start of summer. College students have wrapped up their semester, and many high schools celebrate their graduation in the coming days. Families from across the Twin Cities can start planning summer trips to Target Field. Local families can start bringing younger students to evening games because school is done for the year. College students can meet up downtown and attend a game together as they return home for the summer. Attendance tends to improve in the months ahead, especially if the weather cooperates and the team continues winning. Cold Weather Cold weather has plagued baseball throughout this spring, keeping fans away from the ballpark. Cold weather is also considered one of the reasons offense is down across baseball. In fact, the leaguewide batting average of .231 was the lowest through April in MLB history, and the .675 OPS was the lowest since 1968, which was The Year of the Pitcher. Offensive numbers tend to improve as the weather warms up throughout the season. Minnesota's .717 OPS currently ranks as MLB's tenth best, and only three AL teams rank ahead of the Twins. Scoring more runs can be exciting and bring more people out to the ballpark. Rebounding from 2020 and 2021 Fans didn't get to attend games in 2020, and the Twins were out of contention before the calendar turned to May during the 2021 season. Attendance tends to lag behind a team's on-field performance. Season ticket totals and renewals corollate to how well a team did the previous year. Minnesota suffered one of the club's most disappointing seasons in recent memory in 2021, so it makes sense that attendance reflects a team on the rebound. The hype around signing Carlos Correa helped sell tickets before the season, but one player can only draw so many fans. If the team continues to play well, attendance will improve, and next year's numbers should look even better. Overall, fans likely won't care about how many people are in the stands at any given home game. Shorter lines for food and bathrooms can be positive with fewer people in attendance. However, more fans in the stands can be a benefit to provide a home-field advantage for a team fighting for playoff contention. Luckily, the team's sparse attendance should begin to improve in the weeks ahead. Do you think fans should be worried about early season attendance? Will crowds come back this summer? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Major League Baseball front offices continue to find unique approaches to keep a team relevant in an ultra-competitive baseball landscape. Twins fans are getting an up-close view of a unique approach that some call “an experiment in action.” Earlier this week, ESPN’s baseball writing team identified the most watchable teams and players so far this season. The article featured Twins in multiple spots, including being named one of the must-see teams. Minnesota was identified as a team to watch “if you love seeing an experiment in action.” Overall, the premise is the Twins decided not to rebuild after a last-place finish and began rebuilding a competitive roster. Here are four experiments that have worked out well for the Twins. The Superstar Experiment Minnesota was never supposed to be in the market for Carlos Correa, but many pieces fell into place this winter. The Twins used the money saved from the Josh Donaldson trade to sign Correa to a unique contract. Both players bring vastly different personalities to the clubhouse, and those differences may be helping the team’s clubhouse chemistry this season. Twins fans are well aware that Correa can opt out of his contract at the season’s end, and that’s another part of this Twins experiment. Can a superstar player help a team win even without previous or future ties to the organization? The Closer Experiment Taylor Rogers was entering his final year of team control, and the Twins front office traded him just hours before Opening Day. One can debate whether or not that was the right decision, especially now that Chris Paddack underwent his second Tommy John surgery. However, the Twins received Emilio Pagan to add to the bullpen, and the team had a secret weapon in waiting. ESPN named Jhoan Duran one of their pitchers to watch because of his unique splinker. When added with his triple-digit fastball, Duran is one of baseball’s most dominant arms. Minnesota has been careful with his transition to the bullpen, so it will be interesting to see how his role changes throughout the year. The First Base Experiment The Twins started the year with a plan to use Miguel Sano and Alex Kirilloff at first base . Unfortunately, Minnesota got little to no production out of this position as both players dealt with injuries and poor play. So, the front office had to get creative and try another experiment. Players that are 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds aren’t supposed to handle first base, especially when that player averages less than five home runs per season. Luis Arraez hasn’t fit the typical mold for most of his professional career, but it’s clear the Twins are a better team when he is in the lineup regularly. He entered the season with a 114 OPS+, but he’s raised that by over 40 points this season, even in baseball’s muted offensive environment. The Pitching Pipeline Experiment Many Twins fans were clamoring for the team to spend money on starting pitching this winter. That didn’t happen as the team trusted that their young pitching would continue to develop, which has looked like the right bet. Joe Ryan doesn’t fit the mold of a typical ace, but his start to the 2022 season puts him in the AL Rookie of the Year conversation. Bailey Ober, a former 12th-round pick, is proving he can be more than organizational depth. Minnesota decided it couldn’t leave Josh Winder off the roster, and he has been successful as a starter and a reliever. Other top-pitching prospects are also getting closer to the big leagues, so replacements can be ready when the need arises. Minnesota is clearly experimenting with a variety of roster components this year, but everything seems to be mixing together quite nicely. Do you think these experiments can last the entire season? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Former Twin Josh Donaldson had his name in the news for all the wrong reasons this weekend. Even with his on-field successes, it’s clear that the Twins were correct in moving on from Donaldson. Over the weekend, Josh Donaldson was involved in an altercation with Chicago's Tim Anderson. Donaldson allegedly called Anderson "Jackie," a reference to Jackie Robinson, that he thought was an inside joke between the two players. Major League Baseball investigated the incident, which involves multiple layers, and suspended Donaldson for one game. During his Twins tenure, Donaldson made headlines for multiple incidents, including calling out Gerrit Cole for his use of sticky substances and an ejection after hitting a home run. Originally, the Twins signed Donaldson as a veteran presence on a team in the middle of their winning window. Across two seasons, he hit .243/.355/.474 (.829) with a 129 OPS+ in 163 games. During the playoffs following the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Donaldson wasn't available, and the Twins were terrible in 2021. He was entering his age-36 season, and the front office found a way to get out from under his contract. On March 13, the Twins finalized a deal that sent Donaldson to the Yankees along with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt. In return, Minnesota received Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela. All five players projected to be in each team's plans for the entire 2022 season, but baseball doesn't always work out that way. Yankees Acquisitions: Donaldson (1.6 WAR), Kiner-Falefa (0.3 WAR), Rortvedt (60-day IL) When making a trade, teams usually don't like to surrender the best player involved in the deal. Minnesota clearly did that as Donaldson is having a tremendous season as the Yankees sit five games up in the AL East. Age doesn't seem to be catching up to Donaldson, as he has a 126 OPS+ for the fourth consecutive season. Defensively, he is also having a resurgence as he ranks in the 81st percentile for Outs Above Average (OAA). Even with this kind of production, Donaldson has other baggage that some teams want to avoid. It remains to be seen if he can keep up this production through a 162-game schedule. Kiner-Falefa never appeared in a game for the Twins after being acquired from the Rangers as part of the Mitch Garver trade. So far this season, he has hit .264/.317/.312 (.629) with an 88 OPS+, which is seven points higher than his career mark. His Whiff% is in the 95th percentile, and his OAA (6th percentile) is one of the lowest marks among shortstops. Rortvedt underwent arthroscopic left knee surgery and may not be available until after the All-Star break. Twins Acquisitions: Sánchez (0.4 WAR), Urshela (0.1 WAR) A couple of weeks ago, Ted examined Minnesota's acquisitions from the Donaldson trade. Both players had yet to make a significant mark on the team, but those results may slowly change in the Twins' favor. Sánchez has surprised in multiple ways as he has an OPS+ of over 110 for the first time since he was an All-Star in 2019. He has also improved his framing metrics as he ranks in the 64th percentile, his highest mark since 2018. According to Win Probability Added, Sánchez ranks fourth on the Twins hitters behind Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, and Luis Arraez. In 2019 and 2020, Urshela hit .310/.359/.523 (.881) with a 134 OPS+, and that's the player the Twins were hoping to unlock. So far in 2022, he has been closer to the 2021 version of Urshela that posted a 96 OPS+ in 116 games. His K% is in the 91st percentile, and he provides little defensive value with an OAA in the 11th percentile. Over his last 100 plate appearances, his xwOBA has been above the league average, so there may still be hope for him breaking out of his offensive slump. At the end of the day, it's clear the Twins wanted to be "out of the Josh Donaldson business." His on-the-field performance outweighs the value the Twins got in return, but his other antics can rub a clubhouse the wrong way. Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa provide a different kind of leadership for the Twins, and Minnesota is better off with him off the roster. What are your thoughts as you look back on the Donaldson trade? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Minnesota’s pitching staff has started the year off strongly, but multiple unexpected arms have contributed this season. Devin Smeltzer is on the road back to prove he belongs at the MLB level. Minnesota acquired Devin Smeltzer as part of the Brian Dozier trade back in 2018. At the time of the trade, he was a middling prospect who had yet to post a sub-4.00 ERA in any professional season. Smeltzer made some adjustments with the Twins and became one of the team’s biggest surprises during the 2019 season. At Double- and Triple-A, the 23-year-old combined for a 2.76 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP and 104 strikeouts in 104 1/3 innings. His first taste of the big leagues went well as he posted 118 ERA+ with a 1.27 WHIP. One of the most significant issues in his rookie campaign was that he allowed eight home runs in 11 games, but he limited other damage, and it looked like he might fit into the team’s future plans. The 2020 season was strange for many reasons, and Smeltzer’s numbers in seven appearances don’t tell the whole story. He allowed five earned runs on six hits in two innings of work in his first outing. Five of the six outs he recorded were on strikeouts, but he surrendered two home runs. It was a disastrous start to his season, but he made six more appearances and never allowed more than two earned runs in any outing. Smeltzer also didn’t allow a home run during that stretch. All of 2020 was a small sample size, but there were positives to improve upon for 2021. Unfortunately, Smeltzer couldn’t build off those successes during the 2021 season. During spring training, he lost feeling in three fingers on his pitching hand, which impacted his control. He was limited to one appearance for the Twins in April, but multiple injuries kept him out for the remainder of the year. By season’s end, he dealt with elbow inflammation, a herniated disc, and long-term side effects from his childhood chemotherapy. In November, the Twins removed him from the 40-man roster. Now 26-years old, Smeltzer entered spring training this year with a clear goal of making it back onto the team’s roster. He made four appearances and didn’t allow a run in 11 innings. His velocity was back into the 90s, and his command and control were back to his pre-injury form. Smeltzer didn’t crack the Opening Day roster, so he went to St. Paul with something to prove. In his first four starts (19 IP), Smeltzer posted a 1.42 ERA and limited batters to hitting .194/.260/.254 (.514). In his last Triple-A appearance, he allowed six earned runs on eight hits in two innings. It was his first hiccup since spring training started, but the Twins needed another arm at the big-league level, and the team added him back to the 40-man roster. Earlier this week, Smeltzer made his first MLB start since August 7, 2020. He pitched five innings and limited the Guardians to one earned run on three hits. In that start, he showcased a pitch mix change similar to his breakout 2019 campaign. Smeltzer used his fastball over 46% of the time, with his curveball (31.2%) being used the most out of his secondary pitches. It’s only one spot start, but it was a long journey back to the big-league level for Smeltzer. In the last week, Chris Archer and Dylan Bundy returned from the injured list, and Bailey Ober is nearing a return. Some assumed Smeltzer was out of minor league options, but his demotions in 2020 were too short to count. As the rotation starts to look crowded, the Twins need to decide the best role for Smeltzer. Following Thursday's off-day, Minnesota is entering a portion of their schedule with 18 games in 17 days. This schedule quirk includes a scheduled doubleheader in Detroit and no off-day until June 6. The Twins will need plenty of pitching depth to make it through the upcoming weeks, and Smeltzer deserves the opportunity to keep pitching at the big-league level. Can Smeltzer provide value out of the MLB bullpen, or should he continue to start games at Triple-A? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Minnesota entered the season as a clear underdog in the AL Central, but other teams have struggled to start the year. Where can the Twins make the biggest improvement to help separate themselves in the standings? Every contending team looks to make improvements throughout the season. Sometimes those changes come from within the farm system and other times the front office must supplement the roster with talent from other organizations. With nearly a fourth of the schedule complete, here are the three biggest weaknesses on the Twins roster. First Base No team has gotten less production out of first base than the Minnesota Twins. According to fWAR, Minnesota’s -1.5 WAR at first base is baseball’s lowest total. Miguel Sanó’s well-documented poor start played a role in the team’s lack of production. However, Alex Kirilloff’s wrist injury and poor production are also tied to the position. Luis Arraez continues to get opportunities at first, but he doesn’t fit the mold of prototypical first basemen. Improvement Options: Earlier in the week, MLB.com claimed the Twins need to find a player similar to Daniel Vogelbach, because power-hitting first basemen/DH are easy to find. For the Twins, it seems most likely for the team to continue to use Arraez at the position until a better option presents itself. Left Field Unlike first base, left field hasn’t been a black hole in the Twins lineup, but there is room for improvement. Alex Kirilloff was the Opening Day starter, but he was demoted earlier this week to try and rediscover his swing at Triple-A. Trevor Larnach was swinging the bat well before a groin strain put him on the injured list. Nick Gordon has played the most games in left field this season, but his value is in being used in a utility role. Improvement Options: Larnach should return from injury in the coming days, and the team hopes he can pick up where he left off at the plate. However, Royce Lewis is back at Triple-A to work on other defensive positions and left field might be his best shot at a big-league role. Starting Pitching Minnesota’s front office bet on the organization’s young pitchers this winter and so far, that decision has worked out in the team’s favor. Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober have proven they are more than capable of holding down a big-league role. The Twins pitching staff ranks in the top-10 in multiple statistical categories, but it is still early in the season. Unfortunately, injuries and illness have hit the starting pitcher group with Dylan Bundy, Bailey Ober, and Chris Paddock all missing time. It doesn’t seem as though Minnesota’s current pitching core is built for October success. Improvement Options: Even with strong early-season numbers, the Twins are going to have to make some additions to the big-league roster. At least four veteran starting pitchers will be available before the trade deadline, but there are questions surrounding all of these players. Jordan Balazovic, one of Minnesota’s top pitching prospects, is in the Triple-A rotation, so he can be a second-half call-up. There are plenty of games left to be played before the trade deadline, but more flaws tend to present themselves throughout the season. Which of these weaknesses do you feel most needs to be addressed? Are there other internal options to fix the team’s flaws? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Carlos Correa is set to return, but Royce Lewis has been playing well. So, here are three options for what the Twins can do with Lewis when Correa returns. Royce Lewis is off to a tremendous start to his big-league career. In nine games, he has gone 9-for-32 (.281 BA) with two doubles and a home run. His first home run was a memorable one as he cranked a grand slam that helped the Twins win over the weekend. Minnesota signed Carlos Correa to be the team’s shortstop for the 2022 campaign, and now the Twins are facing a decision about what to do with Lewis. Option 1: Send Him to Triple-A Obviously, this isn’t the ideal answer with how well Lewis has performed so far. However, this option ensures he plays everyday, and more importantly that he continues to get reps at shortstop. Correa is the AL’s reigning Platinum Glove winner, so the team is going to continue to play him at that position. However, Lewis has been better than advertised at shortstop, and the front office may want him to continue to develop in the minors. Sending him back to Triple-A may be the best option if the team wants to be comfortable with him taking over the full-time shortstop role to start the 2023 campaign. Option 2: Split Time at Shortstop Hand injuries can be tricky, so there are no guarantees that Correa returns and can play every day. Correa will likely need regular rest when he returns and that’s where Lewis comes into the picture. Keeping Lewis on the big-league roster would allow him to get reps at shortstop on Correa’s off days. Unfortunately, there isn’t a natural platoon with the two players both being right-handed hitters. This scenario hurts Lewis from the perspective that he wouldn’t be playing every day and he has missed two season’s of in-game at-bats. It seems unlikely for the Twins to pick this option, but there may be ways to use him at multiple other positions in the line-up. Option 3: Shift to Third Base or Left Field Another option is to try and find Lewis at-bats at other positions. Gio Urshela has provided some strong defensive plays, but he has a 91 OPS+ in 30 games. Minnesota’s left field situation is also in flux as Trevor Larnach and Alex Kirilloff have both missed time with injury. Over the weekend, Kirilloff was demoted to Triple-A to try and solve his hitting woes as he continues to deal with wrist issues. In his first 69 plate appearances, he has yet to record an extra-base hit. For Lewis, he has very little professional experience at either of these defensive positions. He has never played left field and he has just over 100 innings at third base. The Twins likely have confidence in his athleticism to be able to handle both of these defensive spots if necessary. Minnesota’s offense has struggled through different parts of the 2022 campaign, and Lewis is a dangerous hitter to pencil into the back-half of the line-up. Even with Correa’s return, it’s hard to imagine the team sending Lewis back to the minors. He needs to play everyday, and he can be a vital contributor on a contending team. Which option do you think the Twins pick? Will they combine a couple of the options mentioned above? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins are closing in on 1,000 team home runs at Target Field. Here are the top-five home runs hitters at the park since it opened in 2010 and some of their most memorable dingers. 5. Trevor Plouffe: 55 HR Plouffe hit the first Target Field home run during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He also hit a milestone home run during Target Field's third season as he collected the 300th home run hit at the park. 4. Max Kepler: 64 HR Kepler has a chance to move up this list during the 2022 campaign. At the end of April, he clocked two home runs in one game against Detroit. His first career home run was one he likely will never forget as he walked off the Red Sox. 3. Eddie Rosario: 67 HR Rosario had a flair for the dramatic, and he was part of the team's Bomba Squad dramatics in 2019. He helped the Twins set a record for most players with 30 home runs in a season. One of his most significant home runs from that 2019 season was a pinch-hit homer that gave the Twins a late-inning lead. 2. Miguel Sanó: 76 HR Sanó can be a free agent at season's end, but that still gives him a chance to take over the top spot on this list. However, his cold start and recent injury may leave him searching for at-bats when he returns. There's no question that he has been one of the best power hitters for Minnesota in the Target Field era. 1. Brian Dozier: 80 HR Dozier has the most Twins home runs in Target Field history. He was also responsible for one of the Target Field's best moments. In July 2015, he smacked a walk-off home run that capped a seven-run ninth inning to give the Twins the win. Do any of these names surprise you? Which of the top-5 players has the most memorable home run? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. PREVIOUS POSTS IN THE SERIES -Home Run Hitters: 11-15 -Home Run Hitters: 6-10 View full article