Cody Christie

Minnesota's starting pitching started the year strong, but some poor performances and injury concerns have raised questions about the rotation. Do the Twins need to look into available starting pitchers on the trade market? Earlier this week, Peter Gammons checked in on starting pitchers from multiple non-contending teams, and these teams are open for business if the right offer is on the table. Some of these players will take quite the package to acquire, so let's analyze the players available for trade. RHP Luis Castillo Free Agent: Following the 2023 Season Minnesota traded for one of Cincinnati's starting pitchers this winter, but it would take more than one prospect to acquire Castillo. He is under team control through next season, but he has a small body of work in 2022. He didn't make his season debut until May 10 after dealing with shoulder soreness during spring training. Teams interested in trading for Castillo will want a good look at his medicals before dealing away multiple top prospects to acquire him. It seems more likely for him to be dealt at the deadline if he can prove he is healthy over the next three months. RHP Tyler Mahle Free Agent: Following the 2023 Season Mahle is another Reds pitcher with a chance to be dealt, but he is a name that hasn't been frequently mentioned in trade talks. Like Castillo, he is under team control through the end of next season. In 2022, Mahle has a 6.46 ERA with a 1.57 WHIP and 32 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. From 2020-21, he posted a 128 ERA+ while posting a 10.7 K/9. Some of his Statcast numbers point to him turning it around as his Chase Rate and Barrel% are in the 68th percentile or higher. Teams trading for Mahle are hoping to get the version of Mahle from the previous two seasons instead of the one so far in 2022. LHP David Price Free Agent: Following the 2022 Season Gammons mentioned the Dodgers are willing to trade Price so he can start for another club. He has been limited to one start and five appearances this season because he tested positive for COVID-19. Last season, Price made 39 appearances, but only 11 were in a starting role. Can a team still utilize him as a starter, or is the 36-year-old only a bullpen option? He is also making $32 million this season, but the Red Sox are on the hook for half of that total. Maybe he has something left in the tank that can help a contending team, but he hasn't made 30 starts or more since the 2018 season. RHP Frankie Montas Free Agent: Following the 2023 Season Where's Frankie? Well, he's still waiting for a team to rescue him from Oakland's pitching staff. Gammons heard the Athletics are waiting until closer to the deadline to deal Montas because they feel like it will result in a bidding war. Last season, he finished in the top-10 for the AL Cy Young, and he is off to a strong start so far in 2022. Minnesota had conversations with multiple teams this offseason about starting pitching, so the Twins and A's have likely discussed Montas. Out of the players on this list, he is performing well, which likely means it will take a decent trade package to acquire him. Do the Twins need to trade for one of these players? Which player stands out to you? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Gilberto Celestino’s first taste of the big leagues couldn’t have gone much worse. Now, he is proving his value to a team contending for a division title. In June 2021, Minnesota’s outfield was in shambles, and the team needed another outfielder on the roster. Gilberto Celestino was on the 40-man roster, but he was 22-years-old and had yet to appear in a game above the Double-A level. All minor leaguers were coming off a non-existent 2020 season, which made it even harder to predict how players would perform. Celestino was not being put into a position to succeed, and the results were disastrous. During his first 23 games, Celestino went 8-for-59 (.136 BA) with 14 strikeouts and three walks. Five of his eight hits went for extra bases, so there were signs of the power he had shown throughout his professional career. Minnesota’s outfielders got healthy, and the Twins sent Celestino back to Triple-A, where he had yet to play a game. From that point forward, Celestino put himself back on the prospect map. He wound up playing 49 games with the Saints, where he was 4.5 years younger than the average age of the competition. Celestino hit .290/.384/.443 (.827) with 13 doubles, five home runs, and a 43-to-24 strikeout to walk ratio. He only faced a younger pitcher in one game for the season, which accounted for three of his plate appearances. He also showcased his defensive versatility as he played all three outfield positions. Celestino was part of the front office’s long-term plans, even if it wasn’t evident as the offseason began. As the front office made a plan for the 2022 roster, it was clear that pitching and shortstop needed to be a focus. Another area to consider was which players would contend for the fourth outfielder spot. Players like Jake Cave, Brent Rooker, and Kyle Garlick joined Celestino as potential bench players, but there were other things to consider with Celestino. He is still only 23-years-old with development ahead of him, while the other players are not viewed as prospects. Did it make sense to have him on the roster if he wasn’t guaranteed to play regularly? Celestino has answered that question with a resounding, “YES!” Minnesota’s injury issues have played a role in getting him more regular playing time, but he has taken advantage of every opportunity. He went 1-for-12 (.083 BA) through his first ten games with a walk and four strikeouts. Over his last nine games, he has gone 12-for-27 (.444 BA) with three doubles and two walks. His hot hitting has helped his offensive value, but his defensive skills have also been on display. MLB Statcast data has him among baseball’s best in various defensive metrics. Celestino currently ranks in the 92nd percentile for Outs Above Average (OAA), and he is also in the 60th percentile or higher when it comes to Outfielder Jump and Sprint Speed. Last season, his OAA was negative for his time in centerfield, and this season he has posted a positive OAA at both outfield positions he has played. Moving forward, it seems likely for the Twins to continue to give Celestino regular time at multiple outfield positions. He may not get 500 plate appearances this year, but he can provide value while getting 300-350 plate appearances. His prospect stock isn’t necessarily on the rise, but Celestino is the type of player that can be a role player for multiple years. What do you think Celestino’s role will be for the remainder of 2022? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins are closing in on 1,000 home runs at Target Field and plenty of memorable players have helped them reach this milestone. Here are the players that cracked the back-half of the top-10 and their biggest hits. 10. Jorge Polanco: 30 HR Polanco has become one of Minnesota's most valuable contributors, and he is one of 22 second basemen to hit more than 30 home runs in a season. During the 2019 season, Minnesota coughed up a ninth-inning lead only to have Polanco hit a walk-off in the tenth inning. 9. Joe Mauer: 32 HR Mauer wasn't known for his home run prowess and his best home run season came at the Metrodome. His first walk-off home run was worth the wait as it came in his 14th big-league season. 8. Josh Willingham: 33 HR Willingham's home run prowess gets a little lost because he played on some bad Twins teams. However, he hit one of the most valuable home runs in Target Field history. With the Twins down to their final out, Willingham sent the fans home happy. 7. Nelson Cruz: 36 HR What is left to say about Cruz? His Twins tenure was full of remarkable moments, and he seemed to be the glue behind Minnesota's record-breaking home run season. The Twins don't have a lot of good memories against the Yankees, but his walk-off home run against Aroldis Chapman has to be one of the best. 6. Byron Buxton: 38 HR Buxton's long-term deal means he will continue to move up this list in the years ahead. However, he already hit a memorable home run during the 2022 season. His 469-foot moonshot was the longest walk-off home run in the StatCast era. Which one of these home runs stands out most to you? How high will Buxton get on this list before the end of his career? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. PREVIOUS POSTS IN THE SERIES -Home Run Hitters: 11-15 View full article

As we countdown the days to Target Fields's 1000th home run, let's countdown the Twins who made it happen. Here are the 11th through 15th best home run hitters in Target Field history and their biggest hits. 15: Jim Thome: 21 HR Thome became a home run legend during his Hall of Fame career. He hit the first walk-off home run in Target Field history, and it is still one of the best moments in Minnesota Twins history. 13. Oswaldo Arcia/ Kennys Vargas: 22 HR Arcia and Vargas were supposed to be part of the first wave of prospects that helped the Twins turn things around at the big-league level in the 2010s. That didn't come to fruition, but they each were known for their power in their prospect careers. 12. Mitch Garver: 27 HR During the Bomba Squad season, Garver had multiple important home runs. He broke Earl Battey's Twins single-season home run record, which stood since 1963. He also hit the home run that broke the season home run record. 11. Eduardo Escobar: 28 HR Escobar became a beloved figure in Twins history, and he has gone on to have a solid big-league career. His most valuable home run at Target Field came with the Twins trailing by two in the bottom of the eighth inning. Which home run do you remember the most? Which player do you think hits Minnesota's 1,000th home run at Target Field? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Yennier Cano's path to the big-league level is undoubtedly unique. Here is what he has accomplished so far in his professional career. Minnesota signed Yennier Cano back in June 2019 as an international free agent. He was a 25-year-old Cuban native who had pitched multiple years in the Cuban National Series. From age 19-to-21, he made 76 relief appearances in the CNS and posted a 2.12 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP. During those outings, he pitched over 161 innings, so his team used him for multiple innings. Cano posted a 5.0 K/9, but he was over 5.5 years younger than the average age of the competition in the CNS. His international experience was one of the traits that intrigued teams interested in signing him. He pitched in the Caribbean World Series, Pan Am Games, and Premier 12. Cano helped his team win the championship in the Serie Nacional 54 as he amassed six saves on the way to the title. It was clear that he was a reliever, but he had the potential to be a fast riser in any organization. Cano made his first affiliated appearances during the 2019 season with the GCL Twins before moving up to Fort Myers. He made eight appearances (13.0 IP) with the Miracle and posted a 2.77 ERA with a 1.46 WHIP. One of the most promising signs was his increase in strikeout rate as he struck out a batter per inning. His walk rate was too high (8.4 BB/9), but it was a small sample size. He had the opportunity for the 2020 season to push himself closer to the big leagues. Unfortunately, the pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor league season. Cano's next time on the mound was in the Puerto Rican Winter League, where he made seven appearances. He posted a 1.08 ERA with a 0.60 WHIP and an 11-to-2 strikeout to walk ratio. From there, Cano could transition those successes to the Double-A level. Cano started the 2022 campaign at Triple-A, where he pitched 12 innings. He has yet to allow an earned run, and he has cut his walk rate from 5.1 BB/9 to 3.0 BB/9. He struck out 14 batters and posted an excellent 0.83 WHIP. Injuries are certainly one of the reasons Cano is getting a big-league chance, but his 2022 performance has also warranted this opportunity. As far as a scouting report, Cano has four pitches, including a fastball, changeup, slider, and a splitter. His fastball sits in the mid-90s, but he can rear back and hit the upper-90s. His fastball also has a lot of sink to it, but his splitter is the pitch that generates the most swings and misses. His slider is his highest-graded secondary pitch, which FanGraphs ranks as a 50 currently and a 55 future grade. His low-slot angle will provide a unique look for batters, especially with the amount of velocity he can generate. Cano may get an extended look at the big-league level depending on Minnesota's injuries. What are your expectations for Cano? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Derek Falvey and Thad Levine should rightfully get credit for the team's current success, but eleven players on the current 40-man roster were acquired under the previous regime. So, which players are tied to Bill Smith and Terry Ryan's front offices? Bill Smith Contributions (2007-2011) Smith faced a challenging time in Twins history as he took over the GM role. Torii Hunter was on his way out the door, and the team needed to trade Johan Santana. The Twins lost a Game 163 (2008) and won the division twice (2009-10) during his tenure. Despite these positive results, Smith couldn’t survive the 2011 campaign as the Twins lost 99 games. It was one of the most disappointing seasons in Twins history, but he helped sign three core pieces to the current roster. Smith’s lasting legacy with the Twins connects to the 2009 international signing class, which was tremendous in retrospect. Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, and Max Kepler signed as part of this class. These players have combined for 37.3 total WAR and two All-Star appearances in their big-league careers. Sano’s Twins tenure may conclude in 2022, but Kepler and Polanco are under team control for multiple more seasons. Terry Ryan Contributions (2012-2016) Ryan served as GM for two different stints, so it makes sense for his fingerprints to be all over the Twins organization over the last decade. When taking over from Smith, Ryan got the opportunity to pick the second overall pick, and the organization decided on Byron Buxton. Multiple pitchers were in the conversation for Minnesota, but Buxton has accumulated the fourth-most WAR among players from the 2012 first round. He is now the face of the franchise, and he will be in a Twins uniform for over a decade after Ryan was fired. Minnesota signed Luis Arraez as an international free agent during the 2013 signing class. He has been worth 5.9 WAR in his career while hitting .312/.374/.400 (.748) with a 130 OPS+. Nick Gordon was a top-5 draft pick under the Ryan regime. His professional career hasn’t progressed perfectly, but he has shown the club the value he can provide over the last two seasons. These players look like they will be part of the team’s roster for multiple seasons moving forward. Minnesota’s bullpen picture is also covered with players acquired by Ryan. Tyler Duffey was a fifth-round pick in 2012, and he has been one of the team’s best relievers since 2019. Cody Stashak, a 13th-round pick in 2015, has been terrific to start the 2022 season, and he has yet to become arbitration-eligible. The Twins took Griffin Jax in the 3rd round of the 2016 MLB Draft, Ryan’s last with the organization. This season, he is transitioning to the bullpen, and signs point to him fitting well into his new role. Other prospects on the 40-man roster were also acquired under the Ryan regime. Jovani Moran was a seventh-round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, and he has the potential to be a dominant late-inning reliever. His change-up is a dominant pitch, and it has helped him post a 13.4 K/9 in his minor league career. Jordan Balazovic was a fifth-round pick in 2016, and he currently ranks as Twins Daily’s fifth overall prospect. Entering the season, Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus each had him in the back-half of their top-100 prospects. He recently made his Triple-A debut, so there is a good chance his big-league debut will be in 2022. Smith and Ryan might not be regarded highly because of how each left the organization. However, their impact will be felt years after their departure. Besides Buxton, which of these players will provide the most long-term value to the Twins? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Joe Smith has appeared in over 840 big-league games, which gives him a tremendous body of work. However, there are three ways he is better than advertised during his Twins' tenure. One of Minnesota's most significant needs this winter was bullpen depth, but the team's biggest free-agent acquisition was a veteran pitcher with 14-years of big-league experience. Like many relievers, Joe Smith has gone through some volatility, but there are some signs that his 2022 performance is sustainable. Limiting Runners At the end of 2021, Smith posted some impressive numbers with Seattle as he posted a 2.00 ERA with a 0.89 WHIP. While those numbers are great, he has improved on them to start the 2022 campaign. His WHIP has dropped to 0.68, and he has yet to allow an earned run in 12 appearances. Smith also has a .155 WOBA, which ranks in the top 2% of the league. He has surrendered two walks, and one of them was intentional. Batters haven't been able to make consistent contact against him. Right-handed batters have gone 2-for-23 (.087 BA) with a 5-to-0 strikeout to walk ratio and a .130 SLG. Lefties have hit 3-for-12 (.250 BA) without allowing an extra-base hit. Both walks he has allowed have come against southpaws, and he only has one strikeout versus lefties. Obviously, these numbers are likely not sustainable throughout an entire season, but some other signs indicate him having more success in 2022. Chase Rate Smith doesn't have the velocity many associate with chasing pitches, but he is among baseball's best at inducing swings at these pitches. So far in 2022, he has a chase rate that ranks in the 94th percentile. If batters are chasing pitches out of the zone, it is unlikely for them to make consistent contact, which is tied to his pitch usage (see below). While this is a great outcome, he has struggled to get swings and misses on pitches in the zone. Smith is not getting strikeouts, which can be problematic for a reliever. His K% is 7% lower than his career mark, and his Whiff% is in the 28th percentile. Over his last three seasons, he has averaged 8.3 K/9, but that total has dropped to 5.2 K/9. However, his slider and sinker have resulted in a 25 Whiff%, which is an increase over 2021. Change in Pitch Usage Minnesota has done an excellent job with relievers and helping them identify the best pitch mix to maximize their value. Smith continues to use his sinker nearly 40% of the time, which matches his recent track record. However, he has flipped how much he is using his slider and his fastball. Last season, he used his slider nearly 35% of the time, but he is using it 22% this season. His fastball usage jumped from 23.4% last year to 38.1% in 2022. Both his sinker and four-seamer have produced a .125 SLG, while his slider was responsible for the only extra-base hit he has allowed. Overall, his velocity has dropped on all of his pitches, but he has increased the active spin% to keep hitters off-balanced. His fastball and slider have declined by 1.8 mph, and his slider has declined by 0.5 MPH. Smith has been able to use his change in pitch mix to coax hitters into making poor contact. They have posted a 48.3 topped %, which is 10% higher than what he produced in 2021. Some of these topped pitches may find holes, but the results have been successful so far this season. Do you think Smith will be able to continue these trends? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Nick Gordon was once a top prospect, but his career has taken on a different path. What has he proven to the Twins as he closes in on 100 big-league games? Nick Gordon faced plenty of hurdles on his path to the big leagues. For four consecutive seasons (2015-2018), he was a consensus top-100 prospect after the Twins took him with the fifth overall pick in 2014. It was clear that Gordon had the pedigree and the tools one would expect from a top prospect, but things didn't go perfectly from there. In 2018, the 22-year-old spent 70% of the season at Triple-A, where he was 4.5 years younger than the average age of the competition. He compiled a .906 OPS at Double-A before being promoted, but then he hit .212/.262/.283 (.544) with 82 strikeouts in 99 games. Out of his 544 at-bats that season, only 29 came versus younger pitchers, so there was still hope for him to put it all together. Things went worse from there as he was limited to 70-games in 2019 with a stomach ailment, and then his season ended early after being hit in the knee with a pitch. Gordon did well in limited action by hitting .298/.342/.459 (.801) with 29 doubles, three triples, and four home runs. It was easy to see how he may be able to impact the big-league roster in the years ahead, but 2020 took a toll on Gordon in more ways than one. Gordon missed time during spring training in 2020 with a similar stomach ailment, and then he tested positive for COVID. He missed the entire season when he had an opportunity to work at the team's alternate site and possibly make his big-league debut. Gordon's debut moved to the 2021 season while the Twins were struggling on the field. In his first 20 big-league games, he hit .308/.333/.404 (.737) with three extra-base hits. His BABIP during that stretch was .366, so there was bound to be some regression. From there until the end of August (29 games), his OPS dropped to .487, and he struck out 26 times in 84 plate appearances. Gordon turned things around in September when he started getting more regular playing time. In 24 games, he hit .264/.308/.444 (.752) with four doubles and three home runs. While many had turned away from a miserable Twins season, it looked like Gordon was starting to figure it out at the big-league level. As the 2022 campaign began, Gordon seemed like a natural fit in a utility role for the Twins. Throughout his big-league tenure, he has made starts at four different defensive positions (CF, 2B, SS, LF) and has time at third base and in right field, as well. In 22 games, he has hit .229/.275/.292 (.567) with two extra-base hits and a 17-to-3 strikeout to walk ratio. Major League Baseball's depleted offensive numbers this season don't help Gordon's OPS+ as he is seven points under his total from last year and well below the league average. Now in his age-26 season, Gordon may not live up to what evaluators thought of him early in his professional career. However, he has built out a niche at the big-league level on a team that continues to win. Also, Minnesota's injured list continues to grow, so that the team will need depth from other players on the 40-man roster. This may allow him to get more regular playing time, and that's when he had the most success in his big-league career. The Twins don't need him to be an All-Star caliber player, but they can benefit from his defensive versatility and other intangibles he brings to the roster. Do you think NIck Gordon has proven his worth to the Twins? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

One key injury and Lewis's hot start at Triple-A has the team's top prospect ready to make his big-league debut tonight. Here is a look back at his professional career up to this point. After missing two seasons, Royce Lewis probably didn't imagine making it to the big leagues at the beginning of May. Minnesota had few other options on the 40-man roster. While it appears Carlos Correa has avoided an IL-stint, Lewis still has been promoted to play shortstop while Correa is out and Luis Arraez is on the Covid IL. Lewis's professional career has included some bumps in the road, so let's look back at his time in the Twins organization. Minnesota selected Lewis as the number one overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. At the time, there were a handful of other players in the mix for the top pick, including Hunter Greene, MacKenzie Gore, Brendan McKay, and Kyle Wright. Out of the top five picks, Lewis is the lone player yet to make his big-league debut, and four players from that first round have accumulated 1.6 WAR or more in their careers. Shortly after signing, Lewis made his professional debut in the GCL, where he hit .271/.390/.414 (.803) with 11 extra-base hits in 36 games. Minnesota was aggressive and moved him to Low-A for the season's final 18 games, where he was over three years younger than the average age of the competition. He raised his batting average by 25 points after the promotion and still got on base over 36% of the time. It was a solid professional debut for the 18-year-old, and he was a consensus top-30 prospect on all three national top-100 lists. During the 2018 season, Lewis split time between Low- and High-A. In 121 games, he hit .292/.352/.451 (.803) with 29 doubles, three triples, and 14 home runs. Some of his best numbers came in clutch spots as he also posted a .903 OPS with two outs and runners in scoring position. While these numbers are strong, it's essential to consider that he was 19-years old. Only two of his plate appearances came against younger pitchers. Lewis dealt with on-field struggles for the first time as his OPS dropped to .661, and he struck out 123 times in 127 games. He also committed 20 errors at shortstop. However, Lewis was over 3.5 years younger than the competition at Double-A. Minnesota sent Lewis to the Arizona Fall League following the season, where he performed very well. In 22 games, he hit .353/.411/.565 (.975) with nine doubles and three home runs. Only five months past his 20th birthday, the league managers voted Lewis as the AFL MVP. COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 season for all minor league players, but Lewis was part of the group of players that was able to work at the alternate site. Minnesota spoke highly of his development on both sides of the ball during the shutdown. "Offensively, it's been a lot of work on his lower half, and his lower half direction," Twins assistant general manager Jeremy Zoll said. "He performed well with the opportunities he had, and he's poised for a big step forward." Unfortunately, Lewis wasn't able to showcase that step forward in 2021. Entering the 2021 season, his intake physical revealed a torn ACL in his right knee that required surgery. Lewis showed maturity beyond his years when facing the adversity involved with major surgery. He built strength in all parts of his body during the rehab process, but he was clear on the goal. "2022 is going to be scary and spooky, man," Lewis said. "Just watch out. It's truly amazing what Lewis has been able to do in his return to the field during the 2022 campaign. In 23 games for the Saints, he hit .310/.427/.560 (.987) with 14 extra-base hits. He is over three years younger than the average age of the competition at Triple-A, and he is showing no signs of rust that may be associated with missing multiple seasons. His prediction about the 2022 season was correct, but now he will need to translate that success to the big-league level. Congratulations to Lewis on the big-league promotion. What will you remember most about his minor league career? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

There were questions surrounding Austin Martin when the Twins acquired him. Many of those questions remain, so is it time to start worrying about Austin Martin? When the Blue Jays drafted Austin Martin fifth overall, some evaluators considered him the best player in the 2020 MLB Draft. His collegiate career was nothing short of amazing as he hit .368/.474/.532 (1.007). Martin also played multiple positions in college, so there was hope his athleticism would translate to his professional career and make him a versatile player. Because of the pandemic, Martin couldn’t make his pro debut until the 2021 season, but this didn’t stop the Blue Jays from being aggressive. Martin debuted in Double-A, where he hit .281/.424/.383 (.807) with 14 extra-base hits before being traded. When Martin joined the Twins organization, his OPS dropped to .779, but he was still getting on base nearly 40% of the time. He’s back in Wichita to start 2022, and he is hitting .244/.375/.321 (.696) through the season’s first 20 games. Martin’s pro career hasn’t lived up to his pre-draft expectations, but he is still over a year younger than the average age of the competition at his level. Baseball America updated their top-100 prospect list following the season’s first month, and Austin Martin dropped significantly in their eyes. Here at Twins Daily, the writers also updated their top prospect lists, and Royce Lewis took over the top spot from Martin. It’s clear his stock has dropped, but what are the reasons behind his struggles? One of Martin’s most significant concerns has been his lack of power since leaving college. In 93 games last season, he combined for 25 extra-base hits. So far in 2022, he has been limited to six doubles in 78 at-bats. On the positive side, he has shown the ability to make contact and use the entire field, but he has over 500 minor league plate appearances, and his power is still absent. “We do think there’s some untapped power potential in there,” Twins player development director Alex Hassan said. “We tried to get him to catch the ball a little more out front and be comfortable using the big part of the field and use the pull side a little more.” Martin dealt with a hand issue last season, which may have been one of the reasons for his lack of power. He also tended to crouch and stride toward the plate, which gave him more coverage but took away from his power. If Minnesota can fix this, he has the potential to unlock more power. There are also questions about Martin’s eventual defensive home. In college, he played time at shortstop and third base, but there have been some throwing issues in the past. Since turning pro, he has split time between shortstop and center field. Second base might be his eventual defensive home, and he has made starts at that position during the 2022 campaign. It’s interesting to consider that he has yet to play a pro game at third base, which was the position he played most often in college. However, he’d need to showcase more power if he wanted to move to the hot corner. Power is the key to unlocking Martin’s full potential. Luckily, he is only 23-years-old, and there is no reason to rush him through the upper levels of the minors. He’s played fewer than 65 games in the Twins organization, so there is time for him to continue to develop under the tutelage of Minnesota’s coaches. Are you worried about Martin’s falling stock? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Miguel Sanó and Alex Kirilloff’s injuries have forced the Twins to be creative when it comes to first base. Should fans be concerned with Minnesota’s first base depth? Depth is critical when building a big-league roster, especially if a team is in contention. Minnesota planned on two players getting the bulk of the time at first base, but that plan has already needed to shift. Let’s examine what the Twins can do at first base if injuries continue to impact the roster. Injuries: Miguel Sanó, Alex Kirilloff Minnesota’s plan entering the season was to rotate through Sanó and Kirilloff at first base. Sanó was one of the AL’s worst defenders at first base last season, but his height helps him pull in errant throws. Sanó isn’t in the line-up for his defensive ability, as he has posted an OPS+ of 105 or higher in six of his seven big-league seasons. His recent knee injury pushed him to the IL, and this might be a good time for him to reset as he has a .379 OPS in 2022. If surgery is required, he may miss a significant chunk of the season. Kirilloff is currently rehabbing a wrist injury in St. Paul, but there is no timeline on when he will return to the team. It was clear that he wasn’t 100% healthy at the season’s start, as he went 1-for-17 before being put on the IL. Even with his rehab starts, Kirilloff has yet to collect an extra-base hit this season. Last season, he ranked very well on the defensive side of the ball at first base, but he needs to prove he is healthy before taking over a starting role. Plan B: Luis Arraez Minnesota shifted to Plan B, with Sano and Kirilloff out of the picture. Luis Arraez has taken over the everyday starting first base role even though he doesn’t fit the prototypical first baseman mold. Entering the 2022 season, Arraez had minimal professional experience at first base, but injuries have allowed him to shift from a utility role to a starter. He is below average at other defensive positions, so moving to first may help hide some of his defensive flaws. Plus, the Twins want his bat in the line-up as much as possible because he has posted his highest OPS+ since his rookie season. Arraez has dealt with knee issues in the past, so where would the team turn if he gets hurt? Other Options: Gio Urshela, Gary Sanchez, Jose Miranda Twins manager Rocco Baldelli mentioned that other first base options include Urshela and Sanchez. Both players have combined for 10.0 defensive innings at first base during their big-league careers. It seems unlikely for Sanchez to make regular appearances at first since rosters dropped to 26-men, and the team is only carrying two catchers. Miranda might be the most likely player to see time at first as he has played 270 innings at first base throughout his minor league career. He’s one of the team’s best prospects, and this might be a way for him to play every day at the big-league level. Another name to watch at St. Paul is Curtis Terry, who the team signed to a minor league deal this winter. Terry made his big-league debut last season with the Rangers and went 4-for-45 with two doubles and 15 strikeouts. So far this season, he is hitting .261/.378/.464 (.842) with five doubles and three home runs. He is not on the 40-man roster, so it would likely take a long-term injury for him to get an opportunity. Do you feel the Twins need to worry about their first base depth? Can Arraez handle the position? Should Miranda take over at first? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Joe Ryan just finished a fantastic month of April, where he ranks near the top of the AL in multiple pitching categories. Where does his first month rank against other terrific starts in Twins history? April can be challenging for batters and pitchers with cold weather and other adverse conditions. These pitchers posted impressive numbers even if those numbers didn't translate to the rest of the season. Here are the top-4 Aprils for starting pitchers in Twins history. 4. Bill Krueger (1992): 4 GS, 32.0 IP, 0.84 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 16 K, 4 BB, 0.99 WPA Bill Krueger is probably a very unfamiliar name to younger Twins fans, but he got off to a tremendous start to the 1992 season. Minnesota was coming off a World Series title, and they wanted to start the season on the right foot. During his first four starts, batters hit .165/.195/.220 (.415) against him as he pounded the strike zone. He picked up the win in all four appearances, but his fifth win didn't come until May 24. He'd pitch closer to his career totals over the next few months, and in August, the Twins traded him to the Montreal Expos for outfielder Darren Reed. 3. Francisco Liriano (2010): 4 GS, 29.0 IP, 0.93 ERA, 0.97 WHP, 27 K, 10 BB, 1.02 WPA The 2010 season was a special time in Minnesota as Target Field opened, and the Twins played to packed home crowds that entire season. Liriano got out of the gate quickly as he averaged more than seven innings per start that month and his three earned runs all came in his first start. He collected over 200 strikeouts by season's end while leading the AL in HR/9. After the calendar turned to May, his ERA quickly started going in the wrong direction, but he pitched close to 200 innings and helped the Twins win the AL Central title. 2. Joe Ryan (2022): 4 GS, 23.0 IP, 1.17 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 25 K, 6 BB, 0.92 WPA Starting pitching continues to evolve, and Ryan is one of the biggest success stories of the current regime. His 0.6 fWAR ranks in the top-20 among all starters, and he leads all of baseball in H/9. All of the runs scored against him have come off two home runs in his first two outings. He's also showing he can rely less on his fastball as he used it over 65% of the time last season, and he is down to 52% in 2022. It's doubtful for Ryan to keep these numbers for an entire season, but his performance level is far above what one would expect from a rookie. 1. Ervin Santana (2017): 5 GS, 35.0 IP, 0.77 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, 26 K, 10 BB, 1.44 WPA Santana's tenure with the Twins didn't end ideally, so fans may forget how dominant he was at the beginning of the 2017 season. He averaged seven innings per start and pitched a complete game shutout in his third appearance of the year. Even though this is only five seasons ago, it seems like a lifetime when looking at Santana averaging 100 pitches per start. Later in the season, he was named to his second and final All-Star team. He led all baseball with five complete games and three shutouts, and he finished seventh in the AL Cy Young voting. How would you rank these players' April performances? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article