DeSclafani only cost $4M. Starting pitchers you would actually want in your rotation get $12M.
Keuchel forced Varland out of the rotation, so he actually did.
DeSclafani was pitching depth. All teams need 8 starters to get through a season. They were willing to put the better pitcher in AAA (Varland) in order to stockpile depth at the beginning of the season. They did it the previous season with Ober. I see trading for DeSclafani the same as adding Keuchel down the stretch last season. Nobody expected Keuchel to contribute in the postseason but he ate innings and gave Ober and Ryan each a chance to rest and recover.
The Polanco trade was not a short-term move to improve the team in 2024. If Topa is a flash in the pan they're going to lose the trade. He was the 2nd most valuable asset.
You could have stopped after #1. All of these pitchers have to pass a physical to get traded in the first place. Is Duran an injured pitcher acquired in a trade now that he has had an injury?
Calm down. The Twins are the only team actually trying to win in their division. They also have lots of trade capital to acquire rental players if needed.
The Twins have Ober for the next 4 seasons, ages 28-31. That's pretty much ideal for a pitcher. Next season is his first arbitration year. That will be a good time to discuss a 3 year deal with an expensive team option for 2028.
It's weird that until Pablo Lopez the ONLY starting pitcher to get a long-term deal from this front office was Randy Dobnak.
Dobnak's best value for the Twins would be to offset a trade for a team paying the luxury tax. Dobnak's contract is off the books for luxury tax purposes so a team like the Mets could save millions if they trade a player with a similar salary back to the Twins.
Bryce Harper was impressed.
Bryce Harper praises Bailey Ober: 'Good luck to everyone in the Central' - Sports Illustrated Minnesota Twins News, Analysis and More
They usually do that when the players are in town for an event. The older players typically aren't interested in traveling with the team.
I really like the idea of switching the color analyst in the booth this often. Each player only has so many anecdotes to tell before they run out of stories.
Eddie Guardado would be a fun special guest. Ron Gardenhire isn't that busy. Torii Hunter has done well on TV. We'll get AJ Pierzynski for the nationally broadcast games.
Canterino hasn't proven anything yet. His walk rate in Double-A was terrible. He needs to show he is ready in the minor leagues before he earns a promotion. I wouldn't be surprised if he begins the season in Double-A again considering how full the rotation is in St. Paul.