John Bonnes

Chris Paddack's outing on Sunday is another good example of why to ignored spring training numbers. Image courtesy of © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Twins Daily’s Ultimate Guide to Twins Spring Training has some tips on YOUR perfect time to come to spring training, but I’ll need to update it for the nichiest of nichy interest groups: the starting pitching geeks. If you consider yourself one of that fraternity, the second week of spring training is made for you. If you do not consider yourself part of that group, you might want to try it because there’s never been a better time as a Twins fan. The Twins not only have a starting rotation that should compete to be among the best in the American League, but they also have so much depth that an MLB team wouldn’t be embarrassed to have the St. Paul Saints probable starting rotation. In the second week of spring training, the pitching geeks are often treated to a BOGO deal: watch one starting pitcher and see another one for free. On Sunday’s game, a 5-5 tie with the Rays, Chris Paddack and Simeon Woods Richardson, the Twins’ probable #4 and #5 starters “piggybacked.” That means Paddack threw the first three innings, and then Woods Richardson threw two more. We’ve already seen this a couple of times. Saturday, Baily Ober was followed by David Festa, who is positioned to be the first call-up from the Saints if the Twins need a start. Wednesday, we saw the tandem of Andrew Morris and Cody Lewis, both of whom could make their MLB debuts this year if things break their way. Sunday’s starters both have question marks heading into 2025, but for totally different reasons because they’re in totally different places in their careers. Chris Paddack is a 29-year-old veteran who has battled injuries throughout his career, including a forearm strain that cost him the latter half of 2024 and Tommy John surgery that cost him most of 2022 and 2023. His start provided a good example of the difference between a good spring training start versus a good regular season start. Giving up four runs in three innings would not be considered a good regular season start. But in this case, all four runs were due to back-to-back home runs by 21-year-old Junior Caminero. Paddack challenged him with his fastball twice, and he lost twice. It wasn’t that the fastball was bad - 14 of the 20 fastballs Paddack threw exceeded his 93.5 average velocity last year. The first one followed a swing where Caminero was fooled so badly on a 3-1 pitch that he sent his bat back to the backstop. On the second at-bat, Paddack revealed that catcher Ryan Jeffers had set up Caminero for different pitches, but Paddack shook him off to throw his fastball. That proved to be a mistake. “He humbled me a little bit,” said Paddack after the game. “In year seven, still learning. Still learning this game, man.” However, in terms of spring training starts, there were several good signs. At a most basic level, he threw 51 pitches, so he remains on track to build his pitch count up. Second, he’s working on a slider that started where he didn’t want it - around 80 mph - but by changing the pressure of his grip during the game, he got it to where he wanted it: 84-85 mph. He also relied on his curveball more than usual because it was so effective. “I was able to steal some strikes early,” he said, “and I thought I did a really good job executing that pitch with two strikes out of the zone.” But by far, the most important sign is that he is clearly focusing on pitching as opposed to staying healthy. At this time last year, Paddack was still recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the varying results and velocity through the first half of last season demonstrated that frustrating reality. None of that guarantees a healthy 2025. But at least a spring in which he’s focusing on new pitches, their velocity, and his pitch sequencing demonstrates that his health isn’t a distraction. Woods Richardson, on the other hand, is only 24 years old and coming off a breakthrough year. He also faded last year, but that’s because he threw a career number of innings. His bigger concern is whether his relatively weak 20.6% strikeout rate is a negative harbinger. The bad news is that he didn’t strike out anyone in his two innings and threw 39 pitches to get through them. On the other hand, his fastball velocity, largely attributed for the giant step forward he took last year, remained consistently at 93 and 94 mph. It was also clear that this outing focused on his slider - 16 of his 39 pitches were sliders - so he may be using spring training exactly what it should be used for: practice. He also built up his pitch count, and he’s starting this spring a little later than he has in the past since he needed to give his arm time to recover from all those innings last year. Both outings demonstrate why, in spring training, it’s dangerous to put the same stock in numbers that we would normally trust during the regular season. But they also demonstrate why this week can be one the best weeks to visit if you’re interested in the art of starting pitching. Buxton Swipes First Third Byton Buxton has stolen 93 bases in his major league career but has never stolen third base. In Sunday’s ballgame, he did. Twins’ manager Rocco Baldelli said he wasn’t aware until after that Buxton had yet to steal third in the majors. “If you’re going to implement it in the season, you might as well break it out,” said Baldelli. “He’s always looking to add something.” Pitch to Contact? The Twins pitchers have a new contest this year. Posted in the clubhouse yesterday was a list of which Twins pitchers had gotten through an inning with the fewest pitches this last week. The leader going into yesterday’s game was left-handed reliever Kody Funderburk, who needed only seven pitches to get through an inning versus the Tigers on Wednesday. “I think the whole principle of it all is to just encourage guys to pound the zone and get to the big part of the plate, said Funderburk before today’s game. “And then when you get to two strikes, obviously be a little bit more fine.” Funderburk had a chance to take over the top two spots as he made an appearance today, but it did not go as cleanly as Wednesday. He struggles with his control, and it took 22 pitches to get through the eighth. No matter. The contest ends tomorrow, and the Twins have an off day, so he’ll be the first week’s winner regardless. View full article

Is it ludicrous to suggest that the seventh, eighth, and ninth hitter in today’s game might be the key to the Twins season? Image courtesy of © Nick Wosika-Imagn Images The Twins played back-to-back home spring training games this wee, which gave manager Rocco Baldelli a chance to showcase his everyday players two days in a row. So Matt Wallner, Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach, and Royce Lewis batted first through fifth both days. Christian Vazquez and Ryan Jeffers, the veteran catchers, alternated starts, as is likely the plan for the season. But the other spots in the bottom half of the lineup all switched. Wednesday’s featured the veterans: Willi Castro, Harrison Bader, and Ty France. They’re all nearly guaranteed spots on the roster, though how significant their roles will be will likely depend on their performance. Thursday’s theme was “youth hoping to establish themselves as regulars.” Jose Miranda (26yo), Edouard Julien (25yo), and Brooks Lee (24yo) have all shown incredibe upside. Each also struggled at the end of last year as the Twins plummeted from a 90+% chance to make the postseason to watching October baseball from their couch. If they want to avoid that fate this year, those three players’ performances will be key to the team’s revival. At this time last year, Edouard Julien’s MLB career seemed assured. 2023 was his breakthrough season. Julien was called up on May 20th, and from that point on, he hit .267 with a 389 OBP and a 460 Slugging percentage in 378 plate appearances as a 24-year-old. There were some warts: he struck out 119 times, and his defense at second base was a little rough. But his combination of patience and power would play anywhere in the field if the latter didn’t improve. His 2024 was a disaster. Julien’s patience turned to passivity. He was sent down to St. Paul in early June when he was batting just .207 with a 676 OPS. He was recalled in late July when the Twins needed reinforcements, but he was even worse in the second half, hitting .186 with a 509 OPS. Julien attributes his sophomore slump to changes he made to his swing before the 2024 season that left him especially vulnerable to offspeed pitches. “I was uphill, and everything that was thrown, like sliders, curveball, everything going down in the zone, I wasn't able to connect with them,” said Julien when asked about last year. “I knew that was a problem, and I had to address it. And during the season, it was hard, because you don't really want to make some big changes.” Jose Miranda, on the other hand, had the bounceback season he was hoping for last year, up until he was sidelined by lower back stiffness in the middle of July. On July 8th, he looked like a middle-of-the-order bat for the next five years, posting a 908 OPS while batting .332. He returned from his trip to the Injured List before then end of July, but after that point, his production plunged, posting a 528 OPS with a .208 batting average. His struggles led the Twins to not only sign the free agent France last in the offseason, but to almost immediately name him the starting first baseman while simultaneously discussing how MIranda would need to earn his at-bats at first base, designated hitter, and third base. Finally, Brooks Lee, the 8th overall pick in the 2022 draft, raced through the minors, posting an 841 OPS while showcasing strong defensive infield work. He made his MLB debut and immediately showed fans glimpses of what they had heard about in the minors: he went 11-24 in his first week with the team. But his dream week turned to a nightmare. He hit just .182 after that point, posting a 503 OPS, while also missing time with a sore shoulder in August. ”So, yeah, it sucked,” said Lee about the experience. “It was not as enjoyable as I would have thought it would have been.” His challenge is to show what the Twins saw in the minors and what fans saw in his first week is what he can do every day. “I would like to do that again, sustain it for a season, a whole career,” says Lee about the upcoming season. “So that's what I'm trying to do.” And that’s the case for all three of the players. Julien has shown the patience and power to be an outstanding leadoff hitter. Miranda’s first half would look great batting third. Lee’s .362 OBP throughout the minors could be an asset as a #2. But yesterday, they were batting 7-8-9, trying to show that they belong on the Opening Day Roster. They each singled in the second inning to score the Twins first run. Julien and Lee each had another hit, and Miranda had a sacrifice fly that scored the Twins' fifth run. The team lost 13-10 to the Orioles, but those three provided exactly the kind of production the Twins hope to see in 2025. Last year the Twins saw how good their team could be, when they were 17 games above .500 in mid-August. They also saw just how easily that can fall apart when they finished the season 12-27 in their last 39 games. Similarly, these three have already shown that they can be major league regulars or even MLB All-Stars. If they each take a couple of steps forward, they could lead the Twins lineup to a postseason run. But if they cannot turn those flashes into sustained success, they may do the same, but atop the St. Paul Saints' lineup. View full article

Aaron and John talk about billionaire Justin Ishbia pulling out of talks to buy the Twins and pivoting to the White Sox, Dave St. Peter officially stepping down as team president, good news on Brock Stewart, DaShawn Keirsey trying to impress, and the domino effects of ABS challenges. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. View full article

The Twins' lineup was the most interesting part of Wednesday’s 4-0 road victory over the Detroit Tigers. Image courtesy of © Chris Tilley-Imagn Images Virtually the entire lineup was filled with hopefuls; guys who could find themselves playing with the Twins or with St. Paul’s Saints for most of the season. It included eight players that are essentially batting for three roster spots. Leading off was Edouard Julien at first base, where he was playing for the first time this spring. He’s only played there five times in his MLB career, and only twenty-eight times in his minor league career. But manager Rocco Baldelli said before the game that Julien is likely to find himself playing first base nearly as much as he plays second base this spring. Ultimately, Julien’s bat is going to make or break his spot on the roster, but having some positional flexibility would provide a left-handed hitting option to pair with Ty France and Jose Miranda at first base. Batting second was Mickey Gasper, playing second base. Gasper has only played second base fourteen times: six times last year with the Red Sox, and eight times this winter with Criollos de Cagua in the Puerto Rican Winter League. He’s never played it in the minors, playing mostly first base. During the regular season, Baldelli would probably have Gasper and Julien switching spots. But this spring, the Twins need to see if Gasper can handle second base, since that flexibility might be needed for a bench role. Batting third was catcher Jair Camargo. The only thing that has kept Camargo off the Twins' roster the last two years is that Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vazquez have been unnaturally healthy for catchers, starting all 324 games over the last two seasons. He’s an IL-stint (or a cost-cutting trade) away from making the roster and seeing significant playing time. The cleanup hitter was Miranda, who is most likely to find himself playing for the Twins. “But Jose is going to be in a position where he’s going to go out there, earn his at-bats, earn his opportunities like many other guys on our roster.” Those aren’t my words, they’re Baldelli’s when asked about Miranda’s role last week. Miranda played third base in this game, a position the Twins would like to have Royce Lewis get 600 at-bats, if he can stay healthy. When talking about earning at-bats, Baldelli made it clear he wasn’t just talking about Miranda. “You could probably turn to two or three or four other players who have done some good things at the major-league level and ask a similar question and it would made sense,” he continued. Which brings us to the fifth batter today, Brooks Lee, who was playing shortstop. Like almost everyone above him in this lineup, that’s not the position the Twins would like to see him play - he’s probably competing for second base - but he needs to get time there in case something happens to Carlos Correa. Batting sixth was Austin Martin, playing center field. Martin didn’t look great in center field last year, and the Twins should have both Byron Buxton and Harrison Bader above him on the depth chart. But the Twins are convinced Martin can be an excellent defensive outfielder if he gets more time there, so we’ll see him there a lot this spring. His more likely role during the season would be a corner outfield spot, perhaps starting versus left-handed pitchers over left-handed hitting Matt Wallner or Trevor Larnach. The eighth batter, left-handed hitting DaShawn Keirsey Jr, is somewhat blocked on the roster by the same four players as Martin, which is too bad because he’s had a pretty outstanding 24+ hours. Tuesday, he made a fantastic catch against the right field wall to preserve a tie versus the Yankees and then followed it with a game-winning hit. Wednesday, he made a diving catch in the right-field gap and started the Twins scoring with a home run to left field. Finally, in between those two, batting seventh, was Mike Ford , getting at-bats at designated hitter. Like Julien, the left-handed hitting first baseman would also need to find his way on the roster as a left-handed hitting option for France or Miranda. This was a lineup full of players that are guaranteed nothing this year. They almost all played positions where they are being tested, or where the team hopes they won’t have to play. They also traveled 2.5 hours each way on a bus to get at-bats to face Tarik Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young winner who showed off a 100+ mph pitch in the first inning. But it is also a lineup filled with promise, much of it young promise, that could determine the fate of the Twins offense this year. View full article

Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon” played on the Hammond Stadium speaker as Twins outdielder Harrison Bader walked up to the plate. Is that his walkup music? “No, it’s not,” Bader said after the game. “But I appreciated it.” Image courtesy of © Chris Tilley-Imagn Images Maybe that’s because he appreciates smooth crooners, but more likely it was because he sent a slider from Yankees right-hander Allan Winans to the moon—or at least beyond the left field wall. It might as well have been to the moon. The Twins and Yankees hit plenty of home runs Tuesday, but all except Bader’s took the easy route, to right field, where wind gusts exceeding 20 mph were carrying the ball. Harrison Bader’’s shot was into the teeth of that same wind. The solo shot, paired with an earlier home run by fellow Twins newcomer Ty France, gave the Twins a 2-1 lead over the Yankees in the third inning. The team lost that lead when Michael Tonkin yielded three runs in the fifth inning, but tied it up again at 4-4 on a home run by Matt Wallner, and won the game in the ninth thanks to a walkoff hit by DaShawn Keirsey Jr. The moonshots were fun to see, especially because manager Rocco Baldelli revealed after the game that Wallner and France were only in the lineup because yesterday’s game was rained out and the skipper wanted to get them some at-bats. But do they matter? Considering the three guys involved, maybe. Wallner had a miserable spring training last year that led into a miserable April, which led to a demotion to St. Paul. France had a miserable midseason that led to him bouncing around the league and being stuck with a non-guaranteed contract. And Bader went from starting center fielder on the Mets to searching for backup jobs on the free-agent market. So yeah, a jolt of early success might matter quite a bit to these guys. Or maybe it was just about a windy day in Fort Myers. Or a classical banger of a song played at the right time. Could it play a future role for him? “I’m looking for [a permanent walkup song],” said Bader. “We’ll see.” We Saw Simeon Wood Richardson’s Velocity Simeon Woods Richardson started his 2025 season where he left his 2024 season, mixing pitches, being effective, and throwing in the mid-90s. Last year, Wood Richardson averaged 93.1 on his four-seam fastball, and he already averaged a tick over 92.5 with the twelve he threw in yesterday’s start. He also went through his full repertoire of pitches, though he gave up a home run on a wind-aided fly ball in the second inning. Unlike last year, Woods Richardson didn’t come to training camp a month early this year, needing his body to recover from a career-high 127 innings he threw last year between Triple A and the majors. He was pretty clearly gassed by the end of the season, posting a 5.91 ERA after Jul. 23 after posting a 3.27 ERA up to that point. So what should we expect this year? “Refine, revamp, and keep it going,” said Woods Richardson when asked his goals for training camp earlier this week. “Nothing really changes on the prep part. No real changes on the mechanical part. It’s just kind of just revamp and rego this year.” So far, so good. We Did Not See Jhoan Duran’s Velocity (Yet?) It is not unusual for pitchers to have something less than their midseason velocity in their first couple outings of the spring. But Durán’s reduced velocity last year was a story, and there were reports earlier this camp that he was showing big velocity in some early sessions. But we didn’t see it Tuesday. Duran threw 14 pitches in a scorelss inning, and six of them were his four-seam fastball, which averaged 100.5 mph last year. Objectively, that’s wonderful, except that it averaged 101.8 mph in 2023. Today, the fastest was 99.6 mph. Don’t hit the panic button. Just like we suggested not to hit the panic button just because Justin Topa gave up a run in Saturday’s game. Especially because… Topa Had A Clean Outing Three batters faced, one strikeout, no hits, no walks and his velocity was as expected. But what might matter is that the sweeper that he relied on to get out of his last outing got two outs, one on a swinging strike. We’ll keep an eye on that. View full article

Let's get a head start on the season with a preseason meetup. Step up to the plate this Friday (2/28) from 7-10 PM for Twins Daily’s Beers with the Beat Writers! A quintet of Twins spring training beat writers—John Bonnes (Twins Daily), Dan Hayes (The Athletic), Matthew Leach (MLB.com), and Phil Miller & Bobby Nightengale (Star Tribune)—will be at Palm City Brewing to talk Twins after a long and boring offseason. You can also take advantage of special prices! Enjoy $5 pours of the brand new Twins D-ALE-y Pale Ale and special pricing on one of Phil Miller’s favorite Palm City hazy IPAs, Subtropic. With plenty of Palm City’s other great beers on tap, it's the perfect evening to socialize with the beat writers and other Twins fans. Join us at Palm City Brewing at 7887 Drew Circle, Suite 130, Fort Myers, FL 33967, and make it a night to remember! View full article

It’s great to have baseball back, but our excitement often means reading too much into spring training’s game results. That said, there are things to notice beyond the box score, so here are some observations from the Twins' 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday afternoon. Zebby Matthews’ Velocity Twins fans who don’t know the full story of Twins pitcher Zebby Matthews might view the 6.69 ERA he posted in his rookie year as disappointing. They are overlooking his meteoric rise – from Eighth round draft pick to the majors in two years, which was fueled by an increase in velocity. Apparently, he’s not done yet. Last year, Matthews’ four-seam fastball averaged 94.9 mph. In yesterday’s first spring outing – where velocities are usually lower – he threw 14 four-seam fastballs. The slowest was 95.4 mph. The fastest was 97.3 mph and the average of those pitches was 96.5 mph. He did all this while registering 19 strikes in the 29 pitches he threw. It was not unexpected. “So far this spring, I've been sitting around 95, 97. So, can't really complain too much about that,” said Matthews after the game. “Feel like we're in a good spot.” “We” includes the Twins, since they will likely have him stashed in St. Paul as the #2 option if the Twins need to swap out a member of their starting rotation. That depth is something the team lacked last year when they rushed him to the majors. It’s also something that can come in handy if the team needs to make some deals during the season or at the trade deadline to aid their pursuit of regaining the AL Central crown. Automatic Balls Strikes (ABS) In the first inning, Matthews gave up a lead-off double, but got out of the inning thanks to catcher Christian Vazquez challenging a “ball” call by the umpire. The call was changed to a strike upon further review, and that third strike call ended the inning. Matthews was not so sure. “I was like, I might be away a little bit,” said Matthews. “But no, we clipped the zone. So that was cool to see.” MLB is using spring training games as a testing ground for a “challenge” system for Automatic Balls & Strikes or ABS. Within seconds after the umpire’s call, the catcher, batter, or pitcher may challenge it. The challenge is announced, and almost immediately, the pitch is put on the scoreboard, allowing fans to see it from various angles and zoom in on it to see if it edges the zone. In the case of Matthews’ pitch, the edge of the ball touched the strike zone. That’s a strike. Last year in Triple-A, the average challenge took 17 seconds, and yesterday’s crowd cheered for the dramatic result. Matthews’ reaction also shows another aspect: that pitchers might not be in the best position to challenge. Twins’ manager Rocco Baldelli talked earlier this week about how the team might handle these when they come to real MLB games. “You’re going to see the catchers using opportunities to challenge behind the players, and the hitters should do it,” said Baldelli. “The pitchers are not in a position to do this as well as those other guys. They’re just not. It’s been proven that’s the case.” The team worked with the system starting on Thursday in live BP. Everyone was encouraged to try it to gain experience. In games, a team can challenge calls until they miss two; then, they cannot challenge calls for the rest of the game. But in spring training games, Baldelli isn’t worried about the penalties for challenging too many. These games don’t count, and he feels it’s important for players to become comfortable with the process by using it. Justin Topa Gives Up A Run But…. Justin Topa pitched the third inning of Saturday’s game and gave up the Twins only run on three singles to his first four batters. Twins fans didn’t see Topa much last year due to a knee injury and other setbacks, so I expect I’ll get some questions about today’s performance. Here’s what I saw. One of the singles was hard hit. One was a soft hit. The three singles came on three different pitch types: cutter, sinker, and changeup. His sinker and cutter had about the same velocity as they had in 2023 when he was with Seattle. And he got out of the inning by relying on a sweeper for six of the last eight pitches he threw. The results weren’t great, but I also didn’t see any red flags. Luke Keaschall is Already Hitting Like Matthews, Twins infield prospect Luke Keaschall launched himself up the prospect charts last year (landing at #3 on Twins Daily’s list) before having to shut down his season for Tommy John surgery. We likely won’t see him ready to play in the field until mid-March, but driving in two runs off the first pitch he sees this spring is encouraging. Because, also like Matthews, he could end up having a role on the team before the end of the year. View full article

Aaron and John talk about the early Twins tidbits from spring training involving Ty France, Jose Miranda, Brock Stewart, Louie Varland, Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, Chris Paddack, Harrison Bader, and more. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. View full article

FORT MYERS - Ty France is looking for a simple fix and a simple fit. He thinks he found it with the Twins. Image courtesy of © Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK For the first time in his career, Ty France navigated the free agency process. The resulting contract – a non-guaranteed deal worth $1M – reflects the ups and downs that free agency holds for the majority of MLB players. But long before he signed on the dotted line, the 30-year-old first baseman felt early on that the Minnesota Twins were the right fit. “They run a lot of different lineups out and play a lot of matchups,” France explained. “They had Carlos [Santana] here last year, who did a great job, and lost him in free agency. Saw an opening there.” Finding the right fit was important because France is trying to rebound from back-to-back difficult seasons. The easy explanation for his 2024 numbers—a triple slash of .234/.305/.365—is a hairline fracture in his heel that he suffered early in June last year. Before the injury, his OPS was 734. Following that, he posted a 621. “I don’t want to put all the blame on that,” said France. “There was a lot that went into it.” Instead, France focuses on a more self-inflicted problem. After struggling in 2023, he tried a swing overhaul heading into 2024. It didn’t work, and he admitted he let panic dictate his adjustments. “So my first four years in the big leagues had really, really good, strong seasons. Then in ’23, numbers dipped a little bit, and I shouldn't have, but I panicked a little because I wasn't used to that, you know, kind of production,” reflected France. “So I was like, ‘Okay, how can I get back to being my old self’ … and kind of got lost.” France dove into mechanics and analytics but soon realized that wasn’t his style. “There was a lot of it - the analytical side - where I tried to tap into, that I shouldn't tap into,” he said. “I should just worry about being a baseball player and hitting the ball.” Determined to rediscover his natural approach, France worked this offseason with former Twins infielder Denny Hocking. He also reflected on lessons from his youth when he worked with “Coach Gwynn.” That is Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. “He was very big on simplifying things,” France said. “When I’m at my best, I’m not focused on analytics. I’m just simplifying hitting.” This can lead to another lesson that Gwynn taught him that France had to relearn: baseball should be fun. “One of the things that I think kind of got lost the last year or two was he always preached, ‘This is a game, you’ve got to have fun,’” France said. “And the last year or two hasn’t been fun baseball for me. I think my time in Cincinnati last year, having that reset, I found that joy again.” Towards that end, France insists he will not put extra pressure on himself, even though he’s playing on a non-guaranteed contract. “I’m not going to go out here and try and be something I’m not,” he said. “I’m going to go out and play my game. And if it aligns, great. If it doesn’t, it is what it is.” The way Twins manager Rocco Baldelli talks about him, France need not worry about being left off the roster. Baldelli talks about him as if he’s already the everyday first baseman. “He’s going to play a lot,” Baldelli said Saturday afternoon. “That’s really the best way of saying it. The kind of hitter that he is, yeah, this isn’t a platoon situation. I think he’s going to play.” For that reason, regardless of the amount or the terms of the contract they offered him, the Twins seem to be a great fit. Now he needs to show he’s a great fit for them as they try to recover from last season’s collapse. He knows just how he’s going to do it. “When I simplify hitting and get back to being myself, I’m a pretty good hitter,” he said. “I’m just going to go out this year and play baseball instead of worrying about all the mechanical stuff.” View full article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins signing Harrison Bader and Danny Coulombe just before the start of spring training, which roster battles to watch during camp, why adding anyone else might mean trading away someone like Willi Castro, and the latest details on the new TV setup. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. View full article

Congratulations to this year's winner of the Byron Buxton's Injury History MLB Outfielder Fellowship. Image courtesy of © Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins have agreed to sign center fielder Harrison Bader per Jon Heyman. Bader adds another useful skill set for the team, bringing in a right-handed hitting veteran outfielder known for his defense and speed. Bader, 30, was available this late in free agency partially because he held out for a full-time starting opportunity much longer than the market gave him reason to. Coming off a difficult season in which he batted .236/.284/.373 for the Mets, he was never likely to find an everyday job. His 143 games played were a career-high, but in many of those contests, he was a pinch-hitter or a late-game defensive sub; he started only 108 games, all in center field. He hit 12 home runs and stole 17 bases, but the skills didn’t quite match the tools. As a complementary piece and a fourth outfielder, though, he still has considerable value. When he first came up with the Cardinals, he was one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball. In 2019 and 2021, he was worth 15 and 18 Defensive Runs Saved, respectively. He’s thickly built and has already lost a step out there, such that he’s closer to average in center these days, but he’s still a plus in either corner. He retains above-average speed and a plus arm. That’s perfect for the Twins, because in addition to being ballast against a Byron Buxton injury, Bader could be a platoon partner for either of Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner. He’s a career .249/.315/.461 hitter against left-handed pitchers, so he would provide the same kind of right-handed power the Twins could have gotten from the likes of Randal Grichuk and Ramón Laureano, each of whom signed Tuesday for very similar amounts in other places. Unlike either of them, though, Bader offers that ability to play center field without becoming a glaring problem. He’s been less reliable against righties. Throughout his career, Bader has been a streaky hitter, struggling against right-handed pitching (.669 career OPS) but occasionally running into enough power to be playable against them, anyway. He also stole 17 bases in 2022, 20 in 2023 and 17 last year, so he brings a speed weapon the team has been lacking, as well. The Twins had a league-low 65 steals in 2024; they need this infusion of sheer athleticism. Injuries have often limited his production, but in 2024, he managed to stay on the field for a full season. In the past, he’s been sidelined by groin, hamstring, and oblique strains, a hairline fracture in his ribcage, and plantar fasciitis, so the risk is that he’s shelved at the very time when he’s needed to fill in for a downed Buxton. It’s reassuring, though, that he put together his most durable season to date in his most recent one. The Mets gave Bader 437 plate appearances last year; the Twins can probably offer a little less than that for 2025. This move dramatically raises their floor, because it shields them against either Buxton’s prolonged absence or regression and platoon vulnerability from Larnach or Wallner. He’s a clear upgrade, for this role, over Austin Martin. The only lingering question is whether this move will force the team to cut money elsewhere. If adding Bader is the difference between being able to keep Christian Vázquez or Willi Castro and not being able to, it changes the equation. For now, though, it’s a savvy pickup. UPDATE: According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, the deal is worth $6.25 million in total, with incentives that can take it considerably higher. A chunk of that will be pushed out to 2026 as the buyout on that mutual option—a reminder, those are hardly ever exercised by both parties—but this is a substantial investment in Bader by a team still operating under some level of payroll constraint. It's a show of real faith. Matthew Trueblood contributed to this story. View full article

No longer can anyone say the Minnesota Twins haven't spent money this winter. They have a lefty in the bullpen and a fully guaranteed big-league deal on the books, and look, it's even a familiar face. Image courtesy of © Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images The Twins signed left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe to a one-year, $2.5-million deal Tuesday, multiple sources told Twins Daily. It's a move to balance the bullpen, and it does little or nothing to deepen whatever pressure the team already felt to clear some salary this winter. Our sweet southpaw baby has returned home! Coulombe originally signed with the Twins as a 30-year-old free agent way back in December of 2019, and despite limited appearances in the majors, kept re-signing with the team annually through 2022. He was generally effective with the team from 2020 through 2022 but also dealt with injuries, such as a torn labrum in his left hip that limited him to just 10 games in that last season. He appeared healthy and effective in spring training of 2023 but was crowded out of the bullpen. (“We have to keep a spot open for Emilio Pagan. This will be the year he turns it around!”) Since he had no options left, the Twins traded him to Baltimore - where he became their best left-handed reliever. (Meanwhile, Jovani Moran appeared in 43 games for the Twins with a 5.31 ERA.) In his two years with the Orioles, he pitched 81 innings with a 2.56 ERA, though he did miss a good chunk of the latter half of last year with yet more injury issues; this time he had bone chips removed from his elbow. But he returned before the end of the year and made five scoreless appearances—six, if you also count an appearance in the playoffs. It was somewhat surprising, then, that the Orioles declined a $4-million option they had on Coulombe, which made him a free agent. Or, maybe it wasn’t a surprise, given the contract he received from the Twins is for less. The fascinating question here will be whether the Twins let Coulombe continue with the same pitch mix that brought him so much success in Baltimore. While with Minnesota, he did what Twins pitchers do, basically, leading with a four-seam fastball rather than his sinker: When he got to Baltimore, though, the Orioles raised his arm slot, gave him a cutter, committed him to his nascent sweeper at the expense of his tighter slider, scrapped the change, and voila! He got more ground balls, was around the zone more, and generally got better at everything. Given that he only threw 91 in the first place, it made all kinds of sense to keep hitters on the defensive with two other flavors of fastball—only, the Twins don't really do that. They're very four-seam-focused. Does this reunion with a remade old friend signal an openness to a different way of mixing pitches and attacking hitters? And even if so, can the 35-year-old Coulombe stay healthy pitching this way? His arm angle was around 50° during his time with the Twins; the O's cranked it up to an exceptionally overhand 56°. There are no guarantees here, except the $2.5 million and a roster spot for Coulombe. He does give them upside from the left side, after they traded Morán and let Caleb Thielbar walk as a free agent this winter, but physical and performance question marks loom. His arrival probably also makes the right-handed portion of the bullpen that much more crowded, as some combination of the following are fighting for the remaining seven spots after Coulombe's: Griffin Jax, Jhoan Durán, Cole Sands, Brock Stewart, Jorge Alcalá, Justin Topa, Louie Varland, Michael Tonkin, and Rule 5 pick Eiberson Castellano. I’ll save you some finger-counting: that’s nine names. This team already had lots of depth. Now, they also have better balance, and the warm, fuzzy feeling of having spent some of the Pohlad family's money, after all. UPDATE: Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports the deal as being worth $3 million, rather than $2.5 million. As he indicates, too, we've heard there are performance bonuses involved in the deal, so maybe the difference is more semantic than anything. We'll continue to check into the details as they emerge, but either way, the deal leaves the team some room to navigate from here—as long as they turn around after signing Coulombe and clear some of the deadweight payroll they've been shopping around all winter. View full article

Aaron and John host Twins Daily's 2025 Winter Meltdown and interview Minnesota Twins players Ryan Jeffers and Simeon Woods Richardson, and Twins TV play-by-play announcer Cory Provus. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. Ryan Jeffers, Simeon Woods Richardson and Cory Provus were great guests for the Twins Daily Winter Meltdown. Hear what they had to tell Gleeman, The Geek, and the hundreds of Twins fans on Saturday night. View full article