Mike Rose

Carlos Correa slumped throughout April and the rotation is experiencing some early attrition. Learn about the fantasy baseball implications within. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Welcome back to Twins Fantasy Fix! The Twins are in first place in the AL Central, and while they’re playing well, this position is also partly by default. The Guardians have looked middle of the road, while the White Sox, Tigers and Royals have all been mostly terrible. From a fantasy perspective, this should give Minnesota players a boost the rest of the way if they can beat up on these subpar teams. Let’s look at some key injury updates, plus which Twins have their stock rising and falling from a fantasy perspective due to results from the past week. I’ll also take a look at the week ahead and highlight some matchups to target and avoid. And new this week: a prospect spotlight! Twins Injury Updates Kenta Maeda Expected return: Mid-May Maeda took a liner off his ankle in a recent start, and now he’s dealing with a triceps strain, which forced him to the injured list on Saturday. While he should be able to recover after some rest, the bigger story here is whether Bailey Ober, who was called up to replace Maeda on the roster, takes a rotation spot and runs with it. Ober was good this spring and looked sharp in a spot start last weekend against the Nationals. It’s very possible that Ober settles in as the team’s No. 5 starter, which would push Maeda into a long-relief role when he returns. Either way, Maeda’s fantasy stock is trending down and Ober's is trending up. Alex Kirilloff Expected return: Soon Kirilloff has been on a rehab assignment with the Saints and recently played consecutive nine-inning games for the first time, so his return to the majors should happen soon. The path to regular at-bats is a little bit complicated, however, with all of his positions occupied by productive players at the big-league level. The Twins optioned Kirilloff when he rehab stint concluded on Sunday, meaning he'll basically need to wait for an opportunity. Kyle Farmer Expected return: Mid-May Farmer is expected to begin a rehab assignment soon after suffering a scary injury via a pitch to the face in the White Sox series. While Farmer is progressing, his fantasy value looks to have taken a hit from the return of Jorge Polanco as well as the eventual return of Kiriloff. The Twins will have a crowded infield, so Farmer looks like nothing more than a bench option once he’s healthy. He should be an asset to Minnesota against lefties, but his playing time probably won’t be consistent enough to warrant consideration in most fantasy leagues. Tyler Mahle Expected return: TBD Mahle is dealing with right elbow impingement and will be shut down for at least four weeks, according to manager Rocco Baldelli. After that, it’s anyone’s guess, but with Mahle already dealing with a handful of arm ailments during his short time with the Twins, odds are the team exercises extreme caution here. With Ober filling in for Kenta Maeda, Louie Varland seems like the top candidate to replace Mahle. Like Ober, Varland has shown to be a more-than-capable MLB starter in a small sample, with strikeout stuff and good control. If he gets extended run in the rotation, he’s worth a look in fantasy leagues, and is probably more available in deep leagues at the moment than Ober. For Mahle, this is another disappointing development, and he probably is worth cutting unless you want to move him to an IL spot when the Twins likely do the same in the next day or two. Twins Fantasy Player Trends Stock Rising: Sonny Gray ESPN ownership: 89% In my league, Gray was available on waivers after the draft, but that is no longer the case. The veteran’s ownership rate is climbing, and for good reason, as he came out of Sunday’s start with a 0.77 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. Those figures are likely unsustainable, though Gray seems determined to prove that he can be a true ace, and there’s no reason to believe he can’t continue to have success. Part of the reason for optimism is that he’s missing bats, with 34 strikeouts across 29 innings so far.That’s a 10.6 K/9, which is up from the 8.8 K/9 he posted last season. Gray might not be a true top-tier fantasy pitcher, but his ceiling could be pretty close to that if he keeps pitching like this. Honorable mention: Polanco. The second baseman has raked since making his season debut on April 21. Congrats if you were able to acquire him while he was out. If he’s still available, he is a must-add. Injuries will remain an issue for Polanco, but when he’s playing, he is a key offensive cog for the Twins and an RBI machine. Stock Falling: Carlos Correa ESPN ownership: 87% Is it time to push the panic button? Correa came is batting .202 with a .634 OPS, and while he started slow last season before eventually heating up, this start has been even more frigid. There are some signs of struggle here that go beyond your typical slump. Correa isn't registering great batted-ball metrics, and he's really having a hard time pulling the ball which has been a key source of his power. You’re obviously not dropping the shortstop, but it might make sense to take a step back until he shows some signs of life. Someone like Jorge Mateo, Taylor Walls or Paul DeJong could be worth looking at on waivers in the short term, but Correa’s track record suggests he’ll get going at some point. Plan to ride this rough patch out, but if you can hedge with a hot pickup, that would make sense. Prospect Spotlight Brooks Lee (Current team: Double-A Wichita) Lee got in two games for Wichita last year, so this is his first extended run at the level. The infielder is batting .278 with two home runs across 19 games. Those are respectable numbers for the 22-year-old, and it was always assumed that Lee could be a fast riser through Minnesota’s system after coming out as a fairly polished college hitter. Lee could move up to Triple-A later this season, and while he won’t supplant a healthy Correa or Polanco, he could be useful depth in case of injuries or if the team needs a jolt at DH or if Jose Miranda keeps scuffling at third. Upcoming Week Matchup Notes 3 Games at White Sox (Michael Kopech, Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito) 3 Games at Guardians (Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac, Logan Allen) It’s a critical week for the Twins on the road in the AL Central, with three more games against the White Sox and their first three games of the year against Cleveland. Chicago’s pitching has been terrible this season, so Minnesota hitters look favorable there. Meanwhile, the Guardians have been better on the mound but they don’t score a ton. Ober, Gray and Joe Ryan are slated to start in the series, and all three should be able to find some success against an offense scoring under four runs per game. Two-Start Starting Pitchers Ryan is slated to start on Tuesday and again on Sunday. His perfect 5-0 record and 2.81 ERA have him sitting as the No. 3 ranked starter in ESPN leagues at the moment. You’re starting him with confidence in both games. Twins Fantasy Hitters to Watch As noted above, the White Sox have struggled to limit their opponents’ offense. They’ve allowed 174 runs through 28 games coming into Sunday, which is second worst in the AL behind Oakland. Kopech looks the most vulnerable with a 7.01 ERA and 1.71 WHIP,. Cease and Giolito have also mostly been good against Minnesota in their careers, but if you’re looking for a matchup to target, Max Kepler is heating up, and is 10-for-36 all time against Giolito with three home runs. Offense may be a bit harder to come by in the Cleveland series. Bieber remains the staff ace and has a solid 3.11 ERA this season, so avoiding him is understandable. However, the next two pitchers may be more exploitable. Plesac is struggling this season with a 7.59 ERA and 1.97 WHIP. If Willi Castro finds his way into the lineup for that matchup, he could be a smart bargain play in daily formats, as he’s 9-for-18 in his career against Plesac with a home run. Allen, meanwhile, has just one MLB start under his belt entering Sunday. That came a week ago, and he looked good by allowing just one earned run across six innings, but rookie starters are often known to be a bit up and down. Targeting Minnesota hitters makes sense if you think he’s due for a “down” outing. Where do you think Correa goes from here? Let me know in the COMMENTS, plus share your thoughts on the matchups this week. View full article

Learn about the Twins pitchers and hitters that fantasy players should have an eye on as the team tries to bounce back from a tough week. Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports Welcome back to Twins Fantasy Fix! The Twins are in their first true rough patch of the season. After a promising start in New York, they lost the last two games of that series before losing two out of three in Boston. They then lost the first two at home against the Nationals as of this writing. Even with the struggles, there have been some noteworthy fantasy developments, including the long-awaited return of Jorge Polanco. Let’s look at some key injury updates, plus which Twins have their stock rising and falling from a fantasy perspective due to results from the past week. I’ll also take a look at the week ahead and highlight some matchups to target and avoid. Twins Injury Updates Kenta Maeda Expected return: Wednesday Maeda took a liner off his ankle in his last start Thursday and left the game after only two innings. He’s set to test the ankle on Monday but the team is cautiously lining him up for Wednesday's start against the Yankees. He's probably not a great match-up there anyway. Bailey Ober was called up to make his season debut on Sunday but so long as Maeda tracks to stay in the rotation it's probably just a spot start ... for now. Ober has proven to be a capable MLB starter, so he could merit fantasy attention if he can find himself a full-time spot. Alex Kirilloff Expected return: May Kiriloff has been on a rehab assignment in St. Paul and has looked good at the plate. He’s eligible to come off the injured list next week, but it sounds like the Twins may choose to option him to the minors and keep him in Triple-A for a while. Hard to imagine that lasting long if their offense continues to scuffle. Keep a close eye on Kirilloff's production in St. Paul and be ready to jump if he gets promoted because he'll likely immediately land in a run-producing lineup spot. Twins Fantasy Player Trends Stock Rising: Jorge Lopez ESPN ownership: 32% Lopez only has one save in the early going but that doesn’t tell the story of his fantasy impact. The righty has logged 8 ⅔ scoreless frames with eight strikeouts across nine appearances so far. He’s also recorded a win and four holds. The Twins seem willing to use him in high-leverage spots at different points in the game, and Jhoan Duran remains the primary closer, so his opportunities for saves may be sporadic. However, Lopez could continue to rack up some wins and holds. If he does that and maintains solid ratios, he’ll be a strong fantasy asset. Lopez is the 11th-rated reliever in ESPN leagues at the moment, so his ownership percentage should likely be higher. Stock Falling: Edouard Julien ESPN ownership: 2% This is stock falling purely from a current fantasy perspective. Julien remains a strong prospect for the Twins and a good target in dynasty formats. However, he was optioned to Triple-A with the return of Polanco on Friday. With Kirilloff likely also returning in the near future, the Twins infield will be a bit more crowded, and DH is unavailable as long as Byron Buxton is occupying it. Julien should do well with the Saints and may get called up again down the road, but there's just no room for him at the moment, so for now his fantasy value takes a hit. Upcoming Week Matchup Notes 3 Games vs New York Yankees (Jhony Brito, Nestor Cortes, Domingo German) 4 Games vs Kansas City Royals (Zack Greinke, Jordan Lyles, Brad Keller, Brady Singer) It’s another full week for the Twins and an interesting rematch against the Yankees. Brito started Minnesota’s most memorable game to date when they scored nine times in the first inning en route to an 11-2 win. German also started during the series and ran into controversy for having some rosin on his hand, though he ultimately wasn’t ejected while Rocco Baldelli was. After the New York series, the Royals come to town, and all four matchups look inviting. Two-Start Starting Pitchers Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan are both set for two starts, which is music to the ears of fantasy managers. They’ve both been very good this season and should continue to keep rolling. Plug them in with confidence. Twins Fantasy Hitters to Watch The Brito matchup has my attention after the rout last week. A number of Twins hitters were impactful in that contest, but Carlos Correa and Michael A. Taylor stand out with home runs. Christian Vazquez also had three hits in the game. It’s fair to avoid Cortes in daily formats if you want, but German could be worth targeting, particularly if you think the Twins will be playing with any added motivation to send him packing early. Polanco, who wasn’t active for the last matchup, has a home run against German in six career at-bats. The four-game set against Kansas City seems like a get-right series for the Twins. The Royals are scoring a tick above three runs per game and allowing nearly six runs per game. Of the probable starters, Singer has been the worst this season with an 8.14 ERA and .306 batting average against. He’s also allowed five home runs in only 21 innings. Greinke has allowed five long balls as well, while Lyles has given up four home runs. You could target any of the matchups in daily leagues, but if you want to go after the struggling Singer, both Polanco and Max Kepler have two career home runs against him. Singer has also allowed single home runs to Byron Buxton, Willi Castro, Joey Gallo, Nick Gordon and Trevor Larnach. In short, Minnesota hitters have crushed him to the tune of a 1.041 OPS across 101 total at-bats. How are we feeling about the Twins from a fantasy perspective? Let me know in the COMMENTS, plus share your thoughts on the matchups this week. View full article

Learn about the Twins pitchers and hitters that fantasy players should have an eye on, including a hot shortstop. Image courtesy of Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports Welcome back to Twins Fantasy Fix! The Twins held their own in a tough week, winning two of three against the White Sox before starting the series at Yankee Stadium with consecutive wins, including an offensive outburst on Thursday. Let’s look at some key injury updates, plus which Twins have their stock rising and falling from a fantasy perspective due to results from the past week. I’ll also take a look at the week ahead and highlight some matchups to target and avoid. Twins Injury Updates Kyle Farmer Expected return: TBD Farmer suffered a scary-looking injury when he took a Lucas Giolito fastball to the face Wednesday. He underwent surgery to repair a laceration as well as some damage to his lips and teeth. It’s a tough blow to Minnesota’s depth, though from a fantasy perspective, Farmer wasn’t really moving the needle due to his inconsistent playing time. If you had him on your roster, you likely already cut ties or should do so soon. Jorge Polanco Expected return: Later this month Polanco began a rehab assignment April 6 and is eligible to return at any time, but he’s yet to suit up for the Twins in 2023. The team is being understandably cautious as the infielder works his way back from a knee injury that sidelined him this spring. Edouard Julien should continue to see regular playing time at second base in the meantime. Alex Kirilloff Expected return: Early May Kirilloff began his own rehab assignment on April 11, and again, the club is being cautious after he works his way back following wrist surgery last summer. Donovan Solano and others continue to see time at first, but Kiriloff should eventually take over there. Joey Gallo Expected return: Next week Gallo hit the injured list on Tuesday with an intercostal strain, though it’s expected to be a brief absence. He should rejoin the team during the upcoming series in Boston and slot back into a regular role, at least against right-handed pitching. Twins Fantasy Player Trends Stock Rising: Carlos Correa ESPN ownership: 91% Correa shouldn’t be available in your league (I’m not sure what those 9% of ESPN leagues are doing), so this is more about return on investment. The star shortstop didn’t look worth the price – for the Twins or fantasy managers – in the early going, and some time spent sidelined due to back spasms early last week raised alarms, but a trip to New York seemingly got him right. He started the series with consecutive multi-hit efforts with a home run in each game as well. Correa’s overall numbers are still below his usual standards, however, so there might still be a small buy-low window here. If you think you can acquire Correa at a discount via trade, go for it. We already remember what happened after he clicked in Minnesota last year. Stock Falling: Kenta Maeda ESPN ownership: 9% Maeda has pitched well enough with 12 strikeouts, a 4.09 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 11 innings in two starts, but the concern here is availability. The Twins skipped his turn in the rotation over the weekend, and Rocco Baldelli indicated he’ll likely take this same approach at different times throughout the season to help manage Maeda’s workload in his return from Tommy John surgery. It makes perfect sense from a real-world perspective, but from a fantasy perspective, it limits the righty’s upside. He’s probably best viewed as a matchup-based streamer play who doesn’t need to sit on fantasy benches. Maeda may also not always go particularly deep into games, so you’re hoping for at least five innings, solid ratios and the chance at a win. It’s a fine strategy against the Tigers and Royals, but trickier lineups can be avoided. Upcoming Week Matchup Notes 3 Games at Boston Red Sox (Chris Sale, Corey Kluber, Nick Pivetta) 3 Games vs Washington Nationals (Trevor Williams, Chad Kuhl, Patrick Corbin) The matchups this week look promising. Boston has allowed 83 runs in 15 games (by comparison, the Twins have allowed 43 runs in the same amount of games). At Fenway Park, Minnesota hitters look like great targets. Meanwhile, Washington has been a bit better with 76 runs allowed in 15 games, but the Nationals have only scored 55 runs. For context, that’s in line with Detroit’s feeble offense. Maeda, Pablo Lopez and Sonny Gray are tentatively set to start those three games, and all three are worth deploying. Two-Start Starting Pitchers Gray is set to start Tuesday against the Red Sox and then again Sunday against the Nationals. As noted above, the second matchup figures to be the easier one, but Gray has been rolling with a 0.53 ERA and 19 strikeouts over his first 17 innings, so it makes sense to give him a shot against Boston as well. If he struggles at all in that start and his price drops a little in daily formats, Sunday looks like a great bounceback opportunity. Twins Fantasy Hitters to Watch There are a ton of matchups to target this week. Sale has an 11.25 ERA and is allowing righties to hit .300 this season. No Twin has noteworthy career numbers against the lefty, but the likes of Correa, Byron Buxton and Jose Miranda should be favorable plays. Kluber isn’t much better with a 6.92 ERA. Again, he actually has a pretty good track record against Minnesota hitters in his career, but recent results suggest he’s a fine pitcher to exploit. Pivetta has been the best of the trio with a 4.50 ERA this year, though with a career 5.01 ERA, he’s not an ace by any means. Michael A. Taylor is 7-for-16 lifetime against Pivetta with a home run. The matchups against Washington might be even better for Minnesota hitters. In particular, I’m looking at the last two. Kuhl has an 8.59 ERA and has allowed four home runs in 14.2 innings. Meanwhile, Corbin has become a favorite target for daily fantasy players looking to build stacks the past few years. The lefty has a 7.71 ERA this season and was above 5.00 in 2021 and 2022. In the past three years, righties are hitting a robust .315 against him. As an NL guy, Corbin hasn’t seen a ton of the Twins, but I’d definitely explore a Minnesota stack in this contest. Of particular interest would be any bargain-priced, right-handed bats who might enter the lineup on a Sunday. A healthy Farmer would likely have fit this bill, but Taylor and Ryan Jeffers also come to mind. Depending on how the Twins line up that day, grabbing one or two bargain players plus a few big boppers makes a lot of sense and should give you flexibility elsewhere in your build. Which Twins players have been the biggest fantasy surprises, good and bad? Let me know in the COMMENTS, plus share your thoughts on the matchups this week. View full article

He's been playing in extended spring training games but no rehab games on tap yet. So probably a little ways away until the team says otherwise. In certain fantasy formats (i.e. ones with a lot of IL spots), he may be worth stashing, but you can probably wait to pick him up until he's back in action and looking healthy.

Contract could go south no doubt, but I don't know about the "doesn't hit well under pressure" thing. Correa has a career .849 OPS in the playoffs vs. .833 OPS in the regular season. To me, that defines "pressure" in the majors, and he's excelled. From a fantasy perspective, he's typically a slow starter (career .795 OPS in April and March), but I think when the dust settles, he'll finish as one of the better players at his position.

Learn about the Twins pitchers and hitters that fantasy players should have an eye on, including a key player who could return soon. Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports Welcome back to Twins Fantasy Fix! The season is underway and the Twins have gotten off to a good start, which includes a thrilling walk-off win in the home opener thanks to newcomer Kyle Farmer. The team looks like a goldmine for fantasy pitching but there are still some questions about the offense. Let’s look at which Twins have their stock rising and falling from a fantasy perspective due to results from the past week. I’ll also take a look at the week ahead and highlight some matchups to target and avoid. Twins Injury Updates Jorge Polanco Expected return: Mid-April Polanco missed most of spring training with a left knee issue, and the Twins are being understandably cautious with their second baseman. He played into the seventh inning of his second rehab game Saturday with Low-A Fort Myers, going 1-for-2 with a double and two walks while he was in there. Polanco is eligible to be reinstated from the injured list at any time, but it remains to be seen if he plays in a few more rehab games. He’ll be the regular second baseman when he returns and has proven to be a strong fantasy performer in the past, though Nick Gordon (more on him in a bit) and Farmer should continue to see playing time to allow Polanco some rest days as he eases back into action. Max Kepler Expected return: TBD Kepler hit the 10-day injured list Saturday due to right knee tendinitis. He was considered day-to-day heading into the game, so he might only be out for the minimum amount of time, though more details should emerge next week. Matt Wallner was called up from Triple-A, and he had been crushing the ball for the Saints, so he could be a nice short-term fantasy play. On top of that, Joey Gallo was removed from Friday’s game and sat out Saturday and Sunday due to right side soreness, which could give Wallner another pathway to playing time. Twins Fantasy Player Trends Stock Rising: Trevor Larnach ESPN ownership: 8% I went with Pablo Lopez in this space last week and could have done the same again this week, but in the interest of mixing things up, I decided to highlight Larnach. There are some positive signs here from a fantasy perspective. He’s started every game so far, which included a tough matchup against Miami lefty Jesus Luzardo on Wednesday. Not only has Larnach started every game, he’s also regularly been placed in a prominent lineup spot. He’s batted fourth or higher in eight of those nine games. Larnach has parlayed that into solid production with a .975 OPS, a home run, five runs scored and seven RBI entering Sunday. He might drop in the order when Polanco and Alex Kiriloff return, but it seems like the Twins view Larnach as one of their key offensive pieces. There’s a good chance he’s available in your league, and he won’t break the bank in daily formats, either. Now might be a good time to pick Larnach up before anyone else in your league does – he has the tools to put together a breakout campaign. Stock Falling: Nick Gordon ESPN ownership: 3% This is connected to the potential return of Polanco, as it looks like Gordon’s role will shrink. He started all of the Twins’ first five games, with four of those starts coming at second base. However, Rocco Baldelli was already working Farmer into the mix as a bench bat against lefties, and Polanco should resume an everyday role at some point, assuming his knee is healthy. Gordon wasn’t doing much with the bat anyways, and now his days as the top option at second are coming to an end, so any small amount of fantasy appeal is waning. Gordon could see more time in the outfield moving forward like he did last season, though the Twins now have Gallo, Michael A. Taylor and a healthy Larnach in the fold. Byron Buxton will also likely play in center in the near future. That makes the Minnesota outfield look fairly crowded as well. There might be a short-term boost for Gordon with Kepler and Gallo dealing with issues, but don’t count on Gordon for much more value moving forward. Upcoming Week Matchup Notes 3 Games vs Chicago White Sox (Dylan Cease, Lance Lynn, Lucas Giolito) 4 Games at New York Yankees (Jhony Brito, Nester Cortes, Domingo German, Gerrit Cole) Buckle up, Twins fans. It’s a full week for your favorite team, and the dreaded trip to Yankee Stadium is coming up. From a fantasy perspective, Twins hitters have some added appeal due to playing every day, though some of the pitching matchups look tricky. Two-Start Starting Pitchers Kenta Maeda and Pablo Lopez are both set to start twice. The matchups could be challenging, as the White Sox and Yankees are each scoring five runs per game at the moment. Of course, Maeda and Lopez have also looked sharp in the early going, particularly Lopez, who has a 0.73 ERA across two starts with 16 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. Trusting a pitcher at Yankee Stadium can always be a bit scary, but with the way Minnesota starters have opened this season, it’s hard not to keep rolling with them. Lopez is already owned in most leagues, but if Maeda is available, I think rolling the dice on his two starts makes sense. Twins Fantasy Hitters to Watch Just like last week, when the Twins had to face Luzardo and Sandy Alcantara in Miami, this week opens with some potentially tricky matchups. Cease in particular looks daunting, as he’s carrying a 1.59 ERA and has 18 strikeouts across 11 1/3 innings. Lynn and Giolito are talented pitchers but both have struggled in the early going with matching ERAs of 9.00. Your exposure against them depends on how soon you think they get back on track. Both have mostly done well against Twins hitters historically, though they’re currently allowing lefties to hit better than .400 in the early going, so the likes of Larnach and Gallo (if fully healthy) could be primed for big games. In New York, the matchups against Cortes and Cole are the scariest, but there could be opportunities in the other two games. Brito just made his MLB debut on April 2, and while he looked good, young pitchers are known to be volatile. German, meanwhile, has a 7.71 ERA in the early going and has surrendered two home runs across 4 2/3 innings. He allowed 11 home runs in only 72 1/3 innings last season, so this could be a spot for Minnesota’s power hitters to thrive, especially at a ballpark that is friendly to home-run hitters. This also feels like a Carlos Correa week to me. The shortstop is off to a slow start, and his advanced hitting metrics including hard-hit rate are down. However, his track record suggests things should turn around in a big way, it’s just a matter of when. Correa also has six career home runs at Yankee Stadium in only 18 games there. Don’t panic in season-long leagues, and in daily formats, I love the idea of buying while his salary is low. The breakout will come. Who has been Minnesota’s fantasy MVP so far? Let me know in the COMMENTS, plus share your thoughts on fantasy baseball in general. View full article

Learn about the Twins pitchers and hitters that fantasy players should have an eye on in the first full week of the 2023 MLB season. Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports Welcome to the first regular-season edition of Twins Fantasy Fix! Now that games are underway, I'll look at which Twins have their stock rising and falling from a fantasy perspective due to results from the past week. I’ll also take a look at the week ahead and highlight some matchups to target and avoid. If you're a fantasy baseball player looking for an edge, we'll have you covered from an insider Twins perspective. Twins Fantasy Player Trends Stock Rising: Pablo Lopez ESPN ownership: 94% The Twins obviously paid a hefty price to acquire Lopez in the offseason, shipping away fan-favorite Luis Arraez, but the righty looked great in his first Minnesota start. Lopez tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings on Opening Day, working around two hits and three walks while striking out eight. He has the look of a staff ace, and assuming Rocco Baldelli allows him to work a bit deeper into games moving forward, Lopez could really take off from a fantasy perspective. He’s perhaps not a top-tier fantasy starting pitcher, but Lopez can definitely help your team, especially if the newfound sweeper continues to generate whiffs. Honorable mention to Joey Gallo, who hit two home runs on Sunday. Stock Falling: Max Kepler ESPN ownership: 5% My pick of Kepler as a fantasy sleeper this year is off to a rough start. Kepler hit leadoff in the first three games of the season but went 0-for-13 with a walk. It remains to be seen how long Baldelli might stick with Kepler atop the order. At this rate, the Twins will have to move him down, which would decrease his fantasy value due to fewer run-scoring and run-producing opportunities, and just fewer at-bats in general. The eventual return of Alex Kirilloff could squeeze Kepler out of the lineup altogether if the Twins decide to move Gallo to right field most days. Kepler should have a little bit of a cushion, but he’ll want to get going soon to maintain his grip on regular playing time. Fantasy players don’t need him in their lineups at the moment. Also, a quick mention here of Edouard Julien, who’s off to a 1-for-12 start with the Saints, though that one hit is a home run. Twins fans have been clamoring for Julien, especially with Jorge Polanco out, but it may be worth pumping the brakes a bit for the moment. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on Julien, though it doesn’t look like he’ll be making an immediate impact this season. Upcoming Week Matchup Notes 3 Games at Miami (Johnny Cueto, Sergio Alcantara, Jesus Luzardo) 3 Games vs Houston (Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy, Hunter Brown) Lopez could line up pretty well in his second start of the season, as he’s set to face the Miami Marlins on the road Wednesday. Not only is it a potential “revenge game,” it’s also coming at a pitcher-friendly ballpark. Lopez may be a good target in daily contests, though it’s worth noting that he’ll be opposed by tough lefty Jesus Luzardo, so the Twins may not offer a ton of run support. Two-Start Starting Pitchers Tyler Mahle is set for two starts in the week: Monday against the Marlins and Sunday against Houston. The Miami matchup looks inviting, but Mahle is a risky play against a strong Astros lineup. He’s only faced Jose Abreu, Alex Bregman and Mauricio Dubon among current Houston players, however, so perhaps unfamiliarity could work in Mahle’s favor. Twins Fantasy Hitters to Watch For Minnesota hitters, it may be a tough week. In addition to facing Luzardo, they’ll also see reigning NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, along with Houston’s Luis Garcia and Jose Urquidy. Monday’s matchup with Johnny Cueto looks like one of the most favorable spots of the week, as the veteran lacks overpowering stuff. Byron Buxton is off to a great start after the first weekend and he’s also 3-for-8 in his career against Cueto with a triple and a home run. His price should continue to rise in daily formats, but he’s worth a ticket while he’s hot, and his first home run should come soon. Houston youngster Hunter Brown faces the Twins on Sunday, and while he’s inexperienced, he has shown elite ability so far during his time in the majors. He’s never faced the Twins, though, and if you think the 24-year-old might struggle on the road against a new opponent, you could consider targeting a few Minnesota hitters. It’s worth noting that the righty Brown has actually struggled more with right-handed hitters than left-handed hitters so far in his young career (.310 batting average allowed to righties, .136 to lefties). That could mean decent days for Buxton, Carlos Correa and Jose Miranda if you want to roll out a Twins stack. Is your fantasy season off to a good start? Let me know in the COMMENTS, plus share your early thoughts on how the Twins look from a fantasy perspective. View full article

That's fair to a degree...if he struggled this spring, I'd be less inclined to list him. But I think the new shift rules are the key here. And because Kepler is basically an afterthought in drafts right now, even modest production would be welcome. He's a guy who could see his ownership climb if he gets off to a good start with a few dingers mixed in.

In a new offering for Twins Daily readers, Twins Fantasy Fix will focus on Minnesota Twins players and some opponents with an eye on helping your fantasy team. Not everyone plays fantasy sports, but even if you don't, you will still enjoy these articles . Image courtesy of William Parmeter Playing fantasy baseball is fun. Know what’s even more fun? Playing – and winning – fantasy baseball with Minnesota Twins on your team! That’s the idea behind Twins Fantasy Fix. This new weekly series will feature fantasy analysis through the lens of your favorite MLB squad. That means looking at how Twins players are doing throughout the season, whether that’s stars like Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton or sleepers who are ready to surprise (think 2019 Randy Dobnak. Or maybe 2023 Randy Dobnak, if you’re ready to believe again). I’ll mix in some streaming advice and MLB-wide fantasy thoughts here and there as well. Before we dive in, a few housekeeping notes first: I’ll gear these columns toward roto-style leagues as opposed to points formats, and I’ll use ESPN for items such as average draft position (ADP) and ownership rate, though hopefully you’ll find value in these articles no matter your format. I’ll also plan on working in some daily fantasy flavor. Because the season isn’t quite here (soon!), I’ll use this first installment to offer some year-long outlooks. Without further ado, it’s time for your Twins Fantasy Fix! Offensive MVP: Byron Buxton Buxton is the fourth Twin off the board on average, behind Correa, Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan. And that’s understandable, given Buxton’s well-documented injury history. However, none of those players offer quite the upside that Buxton does. In only 92 games last season, he blasted 28 home runs. Over the last three years, his per-162 average would be 51 home runs, 93 RBI, 110 runs scored and 14 stolen bases to boot. Of course, he’s unlikely to play anywhere close to 162 games, but this prediction is based on the (wishful?) belief that Buxton will stay on the field more this year. The offseason addition of Michael A. Taylor gives the Twins a great insurance plan in center field, and Rocco Baldelli has already indicated that Buxton will see a lot of time at DH in the early going. Twins fans may prefer to see Buck in center, but fantasy managers don’t care much about defense. A healthy Buxton has the potential to be a fantasy star, this year and every year. Pitching MVP: Jhoan Duran There are a handful of Minnesota starters who could get the nod here, but without a true ace to pick, I decided to go with the upside of Duran. Last year, the flamethrower posted an elite 1.86 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across 67 2/3 innings while also racking up 89 strikeouts. Duran also recorded eight saves, and that is the stat most fantasy managers are interested in. Baldelli has traditionally played matchups rather than deploy a traditional closer, so Duran, Jorge Lopez, and possibly others could all see save opportunities this year. However, Duran is the team’s best reliever, so it’s reasonable to expect his save number to go up, particularly if the Twins are more competitive in 2023. Even if Duran doesn’t see a huge spike in saves, he should be a strong asset in roto leagues due to his positive contributions in ERA, WHIP and strikeouts. For managers who punt saves and want to target ratios, Duran is a great option. And if he gets closer to 15 or 20 saves (or more), the ceiling will only go higher. Sleeper: Max Kepler The reasoning here is that the only way to go is up. Kepler had a brutal 2022, posting a .666 OPS, nine home runs and 43 RBI across 115 games. His breakout 2019 campaign, when he hit 36 home runs and tallied 90 RBI, seems like a distant memory. It also seemed like the Twins were going to trade the outfielder in the offseason, but Kepler is still around, and that means he should still start most days in right field, where he’s a plus defender. As a pull hitter, Kepler figures to benefit from the new rule limiting the shift. This could go south in a hurry, and the team may still decide to trade him at some point, but he’s at least had a promising spring. Kepler is owned in only about five percent of ESPN leagues, so the acquisition cost is quite low on this lottery ticket. Just don’t hesitate to cut bait. Super sleeper: Edouard Julien Twins Daily readers are familiar with Julien by now, but for fantasy managers in many redraft leagues, he’s not a household name. Julien will begin the season at Triple-A, though he could push to make his MLB debut at some point after batting .303 with a .934 OPS in Double-A last year. The key with Julien will be Jorge Polanco’s health moving forward, as he’s set to start the year on the injured list due to his balky knee. The likes of Nick Gordon, Donovan Solano and Kyle Farmer are all short-term replacement options, but if Polanco continues to have issues throughout the season, the team will likely give Julien a shot. If that happens, it’s not out of the question that the youngster breaks out like Jose Miranda did in 2022. That would provide a huge jolt to savvy fantasy managers. Those four are a good start to any fantasy baseball team. Which Twins are you picking for big fantasy seasons? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the COMMENTS below. Please also share what you’d like to see covered here in the future, or post your fantasy baseball questions, Twins-centric or otherwise. View full article

My only real complaint is that we haven't seen Gonsalves or Romero. They were aggressive with Jorge (with decent results), and I don't see why they wouldn't do the same with either of these two guys. Gonsalves needs to be on the 40-man after the season anyways, and I'd be A-OK with cutting ties with Santiago for good to make that happen. Romero already on the 40. I'd rather see these guys in MLB games than Melville, Turley, etc.

Is Puig + De Leon asking for too much? I like the idea of getting pitching in return for Dozier (rotation still the biggest weakness of this team by far), but why not also take a flier on a guy like Puig? Dodgers seemed to want to get rid of him last year, so they probably would eat some of his costs. But he's undoubtedly got talent, and maybe getting out of LA would be good for him. Worst case: Twins scrap Puig in a few years, but still have De Leon to build around. Best case: Twins get the Puig we saw a few years ago, plus they build around De Leon. De Leon is the centerpiece, but Puig is the flier.

You know, it wouldn't be illegal to have dual "closers" next year, with Perk used if tough lefties are coming up and Storen used for righties. The whole idea of a single "closer" is pretty antiquated anyways...a smart manager should use his bullpen based on matchups and game situations. A 'pen featuring May (possibly, unless he starts again), Jepsen, Perk and Storen offers some intriguing end-of-game options. As long as Storen would be OK sharing the role (in Washington, there was no talk of sharing...Papelbon took the role outright), I think the Twins could have a pretty solid group for innings 7-9, with Perk and Storen each getting maybe 15-25 saves, and Jepsen possibly getting a few, too.

Agree with pretty much everything posted here regarding mismanagement. I'd like to add a larger point that goes beyond just the Twins, and that's the strict adherence to a reliever not being available, pitch counts and the like. It gets talked about all the time, and it's pretty much been ingrained that starters don't go past 100 pitches, relievers can only go so many days in a row, etc. I'm not suggesting that Molitor should go Dusty Baker on the bit and overwork everybody, but if you're going to at least pretend to be in a Wild Card race, you don't make half your pen unavailable for a crucial (and winable) game at Yankee Stadium and/or you let your starter go past 104 pitches. One, we all know the Twins have had their issues with the Yankees, and I have to imagine that this had a psychological effect on players, coaches and management. Last night is just one game, but when you have a chance to exorcise at least a few demons by beating the Yanks in their stadium (with a clutch HR from your star rookie, no less), you have to go for it 100%. Instead, we're left with one more nightmare and more doubt that we can hang with a team like the Yankees. Two, getting past all the psychological stuff, the Twins are (hypothetically) chasing the Yankees and a host of others for a playoff spot. What kind of message does it send to everyone on the team that, hey, we're going to sorta try to win this game, but we're not going to use any of our best relievers or let Pelfrey go a bit longer? The look on Dozier's face in the dugout after the game caught by FSN cameras said it all...he looked disappointed and disgusted. That's how the fans should feel too. If you're not serious about really pushing for the Wild Card, fine, but then at least jettison some of these placeholder vets, go full youth movement, and prepare for next year. Last night was a disgrace