Search the Community

Donovan Solano wasn't the first name most people thought of when looking for a platoon bat last offseason. But many of the names that did come to mind fared much, much worse than he did in 2023. It's going to be hard to find a replacement. Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Donovan Solano is a 35-year-old utility infielder with 32 career home runs. He signed for $2 million last offseason to be an emergency option at second or third base and play first base or DH against lefthanded starters for the Twins. Donovan Solano also was third in plate appearances and fourth in OPS among Twins in 2023. Solano was an afterthought coming into 2023. Although he was the National League’s Silver Slugger in the shortened 2020 season, he was never a renowned hitter and was merely league-average at the dish in 2021 and 2022. Furthermore, he was no longer considered a good defensive second baseman, mostly playing first base and designated hitter in 2022. Going into the 2023 season, one of the Twins’ top needs was a competent right-handed bat, primarily to platoon and play some corner position. Between Max Kepler, Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirilloff, Nick Gordon in Minnesota, and Edouard Julien in St. Paul, the Twins had more than enough lefties and needed a bit of salt to their pepper. The December signing of lefty Joey Gallo was not that salt. However, by the beginning of spring training, there still was no platoon bat to be found on the roster. It may have ended up being Kyle Garlick by default had Solano not signed for $2 million to no fanfare. It bears repeating that Solano was a top-5 hitter for the Twins. He played first base more than anyone else on the roster—a bat-first position—and he was an above-average hitter, right around the average OPS for first basemen and designated hitters in 2023 (Solano’s OPS was .760—10% above league average—compared to .775 and .756 for first basemen and designated hitters, respectively). With Solano’s contract expiring and him being 36 by the beginning of next season, it seems unlikely he will be back with the Twins in 2024, filling a similar role. Hence, it stands to reason that his role would need a replacement—some sort of right-handed corner bat who can platoon against lefties and tread water against righties if needed. Corner positions are the easiest to find competent bats, so logic would suggest that it shouldn’t take too much work to find someone to fill Solano’s shoes. The Twins themselves found him during spring training and committed 1.3% of the 2023 payroll to him. In theory, these bit players are a dime a dozen. In practice, however, finding the right player requires a bit more work. Now, this role player could already be in the system, as someone like Chris Williams or Michael Helman could be options there. Jose Miranda could regain his footing and take hold of that role as well. However, if the Twins feel more comfortable finding a veteran for that role, they must choose wisely. Let me show you. At the beginning of the season, I selected 10 Solano-adjacent players to follow through the year. They were each free agents coming into 2023 and comparable to Solano in some way, mostly in role, handedness, and salary Among right-handed first base or designated hitter types, I chose Nelson Cruz ($1 million salary), Luke Voit ($2 million with a $12 million team option for 2024), Yuli Gurriel ($1.25 million), Jesus Aguilar ($3.2 million), and Andrew McCutchen ($5 million). I included Mike Moustakas ($740,000) based on name recognition. I also selected right-handed or switch-hitting outfielders Wil Myers ($7 million), Jurickson Profar ($7.75 million), and AJ Pollack ($7 million), as well as third baseman Evan Longoria ($4 million). Had the Twins brought any of those guys to camp, the reaction would probably have been at least at the minimal level that Solano’s was. 2023 went well for Solano. It went poorly for almost every other name on that list. Only McCutchen had an above-average OPS (113 OPS+, compared to Solano’s 110). Longoria was the only player beyond McCutchen to be rated as better than replacement level, per Baseball Reference (1.5 rWAR for McCutchen, 0.5 rWAR for Longoria, 1.8 rWAR for Solano). The other eight players registered negative WAR. Three players had a season OPS that started with a five: Voit (.548), Myers (.541), and Pollock (.524). Gurriel, signed to be Miami’s everyday first baseman, joined McCutchen and Longoria as the only player to remain on the team’s roster all year. However, he played only 108 games and registered 329 plate appearances, compared to Solano’s 134 and 450 plate appearances. The other seven players didn’t make it through the year with their new teams. Colorado traded away Moustakas to the Angels and Profar to the Padres at the deadline. Profar in particular was a curious case, as he left Colorado with -1.7 WAR then only played 14 games for the Padres, but hit quite well in that short opportunity. Pollock was traded for a player to be named later from Seattle to San Francisco, where he had six plate appearances before being released. Cruz and Myers were released by San Diego and Cincinnati, respectively, in the middle of the year. Neither found a place to play out the rest of the season. Aguilar was released by the (with all due respect) opossum shelter that is the Oakland A’s. The Braves signed him but never played a game above AAA. Voit takes the cake for the released crowd, as Milwaukee released him not once but twice. After the second release, he signed with the Mets but didn’t play a game. His $12 million option will not be getting picked up. It’s easy to look at the value that Solano gave the Twins and assume that another affordable corner bat can be picked up easily, but the recent past suggests that finding that savvy veteran bat is more complicated than we might think. View full article

The Twins offense struggled through different parts of the season, including the team's final two playoff games at Target Field. Jose Miranda was supposed to be a middle-of-the-order hitter in 2023, and here's how he can help the Twins next season. Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports Last week, the Twins announced that Alex Kirilloff would be undergoing surgery on his shoulder. The full extent of the injury and a recovery timeline won't be known until doctors put him under the knife. There's a chance he won't be ready for the start of the 2024 season, depending on the severity of the injury. His injury leaves the Twins looking for other first base options heading into the off-season. The Twins had multiple young players impact the roster during the 2023 campaign, but a different player was supposed to be in the middle of the order. Jose Miranda entered spring training with high expectations because of his tremendous rookie season, where he posted a 114 OPS+. The team traded away Gio Urshela to open a full-time spot at third base. However, a shoulder injury this spring slowed him down, and he played through the injury with some poor results (56 OPS+ in 40 games). Like Kirilloff, Miranda had shoulder surgery so both players will have something to prove next season. Miranda's 2023 campaign was a lost season, but there is still an opportunity for him to regain his previous form while shifting to first base. "There was a point during the season that I was going through a lot of pain," Miranda told reporters. "I was playing through a lot of pain, but I just wanted to keep playing. I was grinding. I don't know if it was the right thing, but you learn with everything that happens in your life. There were some points where I thought maybe surgery or something could have happened." In recent seasons, the Twins have struggled against left-handed pitching because many of their top batters are left-handed. Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton are supposed to lead the charge against southpaws, but both players saw their offensive production drop last year while dealing with injuries. Miranda might be one of the Twins' solutions to their left-handed pitching woes. His OPS for his career is nearly 140 points higher against lefty starters. Minnesota hopes Correa and Buxton return to form next season, but Miranda is another lefty-mashing option. Miranda has played nearly 80 games at first base during his big-league career with mixed results. During his rookie season, he posted a -6 DRS and a -4 OAA at first base. He had made 31 starts at first base during his minor league career after being used primarily as a third baseman. It can be challenging to adjust to a less familiar position at the big-league level, especially with the footwork involved at first base. One can hope that Miranda becomes more comfortable in the position as he gains more experience. The Twins roster also doesn't have a clear spot for a player with Miranda's skill set. Royce Lewis will likely be penciled in at third base, with Jorge Polanco at second and Edouard Julien getting time at first and second. Minnesota also needs to find playing time for Willi Castro and Kyle Farmer. Miranda has one option year remaining, so the Twins can make him prove himself at Triple-A before getting another shot at the big-league level. It's also logical for the Twins to consider trading Miranda if they feel he is superfluous on the roster. Unfortunately, his 2022 season likely means his trade value is at an all-time low. With his remaining option, it seems likely for the team to hold on to him for added depth unless another team blows them away with an offer. What role does Miranda fill on the 2024 Twins? Will the team consider trading him? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins hoped Byron Buxton could return to center field for the stretch run. However, his latest injury setback changed his role for October. Image courtesy of Brock Beauchamp & Twins Daily Byron Buxton made his first appearance in center field as part of a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on August 30th. During his next game, he was removed from action because of inflammation and irritation in his right knee. This type of reaction can be expected when a player is dealing with knee issues and attempting to ramp up after extended time off. As a procedural move, the Twins pulled him off his rehab assignment on September 5th so that they could reset his 20-day rehab window. Last week, head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta told reporters that he still anticipates that Buxton will appear in games for the Twins this season. Buxton received a cortisone injection to deal with his right knee issue, and he began rotational work on Thursday. The Saints have fewer than ten games remaining on their schedule, making it tough to ramp him up for the playoffs, but the Twins believe Buxton can still be ready to help the team. "We will make it happen," Paparesta said. "We're going to make it happen in the context of us being able to get him at-bats and get him prepared to play, yes." Minnesota also believes Buxton has a chance to play in center field even though he has yet to make an outfield appearance for the Twins this season. "My impression is for him to be able to play wherever he needs to be able to play for this team," Paparesta said. Twins fans are likely trepidatious when considering Buxton's previous injury history and the idea of him returning to center field in a season that is quickly closing. Minnesota has other center field options like Michael A. Taylor, Willi Castro, and Andrew Stevenson, who each offer different skill sets. However, Buxton is one of the game's best overall players when he is performing at the top of his game, which has yet to be something fans have seen much in 2023. Playoff baseball is on the horizon for the Twins, and the front office might need to get creative regarding Buxton's postseason role. There is room on the playoff roster for extra bench options to fill specific roles such as pinch runner, defensive replacement, or platoon bat. The team will need to consider multiple options if Buxton's knee can't handle regular outfield duties and they still want to have him on the October roster. A right-handed bench bat has been one of the Twins' most significant needs throughout the regular season. The club didn't address this need during the winter because they hoped Buxton would be joined in the middle of the line-up with other right-handed power bats like Carlos Correa and Jose Miranda. Injuries have impacted all three players this season, and the team's struggles against left-handed pitching have been well-documented. The trade deadline offered a new opportunity to add a right-handed bat, but the Twins didn't make any offensive additions. Instead, Minnesota turned to the waiver wire and selected Jordan Luplow to add power against lefties. In 24 games with the Twins, he has hit .250/.357/.438 (.795) with five extra-base hits and a 117 OPS+. Against lefties, he has posted an .838 OPS for the season, which will be challenging for the front office to ignore. The Twins have an opportunity to move Buxton to a bench bat role for the postseason so they can spot him against left-handed relievers. The Twins have few other options in the organization with as much power potential versus lefties, and it would allow Buxton to limit his time on the field. Buxton's streakiness against left-handed pitching makes it hard to know what to expect from him in a small sample size. In previous years, Buxton has shown an ability to return quickly from injuries and immediately impact the line-up. Minnesota can hope he represents a threat off the bench, especially versus some potentially strong left-handed relievers in October. Buxton's return will likely be messy, especially with a team already facing a roster crunch on the offensive side. Will Buxton be able to prepare for the rigors of center field? Or is it time to consider a bench bat role for a potential playoff run? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Might the Polar Bear soon call home to a land more suited to his arctic preferences? Image courtesy of Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports Dan Szymborski of Fangraphs recently penned a piece in which he pondered a reality in which the Mets dealt their slugging 1st baseman. New York has been a mess in 2023. They already partook in a mass exodus of notable talent—with the future Hall-of-Famers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander as the most prominent names. Even Mark Canha got the boot. Pete Alonso, however, stayed put. The team offered his name around—Steve Cohen had already bought some great prospects, why not get some more—but no deal materialized, and Alonso was forced to stay put, perhaps leading the "Get to Know Each Other" introductions the clubhouse soon held (this did not happen). With the Mets planning on not competing until 2025, finding a new team for a player soon to be a free agent appears inevitable. Let's see how the Twins could fit into this. Alonso is already a Twin in many ways; the righty appears to fit the slugging/OBP/who cares about batting average/why are we striking out so much mold the team has targeted in recent years. That isn't entirely fair. Alonso whiffs at a rate around league average and takes enough walks to buoy his on-base ability to be above your standard MLB first baseman. But who cares about all that? You're trading for Alonso because he hits dingers—a lot. Since debuting in 2019, he's first in all of MLB in long balls—19 above second-place Matt Olson. Part of that is his prodigious power. Alonso has also been remarkably healthy, only hitting the IL twice since breaking into the majors; his 656 games played since 2019 trail just three position players. Alonso plays first base and DHs—he has no positional flexibility. That could cause significant problems for the Twins if they need to run back the Byron Buxton Never Sees the Field show, but otherwise, the fit can work. They'll need to shuffle hitters, ensuring that Matt Wallner, Royce Lewis, Jorge Polanco, Edouard Julien, Alex Kirilloff, and Alonso can't all be in the lineup, but, come on, when have the Twins ever been that healthy? If that's too much, the obvious answer is to deal Polanco, who should be attractive with a vested 2024 option and a cheap 2025 club option. As you may remember from a few paragraphs before, Alonso is a free agent after 2024. Signing recently-acquired players to an extension isn't impossible—just as the Cardinals with Paul Goldschmidt, the Dodgers with Mookie Betts, and the Braves with *gestures broadly*—but it would place pressure on the team to ensure they aren't hemorrhaging prospects for rentals. The future payroll isn't too dirty, as Carlos Correa and Pablo López are the only players set to earn more than $20 million. What would such a trade look like? Baseball Trade Values isn't perfect, but it's helpful to at least get close to finding somewhat even deals; no packaging Nick Gordon and Brent Rooker for stars. I've prepared three deals: The first is a package of two near-big-leaguers and Trevor Larnach. Trade deadline rumors pegged the Mets intrigued by Larnach, so let's give them what they want. Tanner Schobel and Marco Raya give them two quality prospects already at AA—in line with New York's plan to ammo up for a run after next season. I think the site has Raya and Schobel underrated, given that Raya is a 45+/50 FV guy, and Schobel is probably one step behind him, so only one of them may be needed in this deal. The second is a combo of buy-low guys. New York can give Josh Winder a shot in the rotation, something the Twins probably can't/won't do given their need to be competitive; they can't suffer his inevitable lumps if they want to win next year. Jose Miranda muddies the Mets' infielders-in-name-only situation, but as long as his bat rebounds, New York would not mind too much. The third is a precarious long-shot deal. Who knows, though? Steve Cohen may be a fan of lotto tickets. Yasser Mercedes gives them a chance at finding a future dynamic outfield star, while Connor Prielipp could recover on the East Coast, offering a cheap chance at ace upside. This deal could quickly turn into a "we dealt Alonso for two burnouts" trade, but if Cohen wants to roll the dice, this deal offers tremendous upside. It's unlikely that the Twins would acquire Alonso, but it was also twice as unlikely that Correa would sign with them. Minnesota has flipped the popular narrative several times over the last few years. If they want a big bat—and if the Mets are willing to play—bringing Alonso to the Midwest could be the play. View full article

Just as quickly as he splashed onto the scene and entrenched himself as a central figure in the Minnesota Twins' plans, José Miranda has written his way out of them. Even if he can rebound from this disastrous age-25 season, how might Miranda fit in going forward with so many young infielders passing him by? Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports It's kind of wild now to go back and look at pictures from the unveiling of the new Twins branding back in November. The vision for the team's future was so different then from what it turned out to be, as illustrated by Luis Arraez and Jose Miranda bookending the five-player uniform showcase that also featured Jorge Polanco, Joe Ryan and Byron Buxton. Arraez and Miranda had established themselves as foundational to the Twins lineup, which might help explain why the team's offense was so foundationally dysfunctional in the first half, searching for an identity in their absence. Arraez is gone this year and that's largely true of Miranda as well, except not quite: he was worse than gone. Miranda produced a negative-0.6 fWAR in 40 games before going on the injured list, damaging the Twins with both his bat and glove. He was bad at third base and abysmal at the plate, producing a 56 OPS+ in 152 plate appearances. Going forward, Arraez obviously will not be a part of the franchise's plans, due to a strategic decision that so far looks pretty good. Will the same be true of Miranda, who is now very much at risk of getting lost in the shuffle? It's tricky to see a path forward for the 25-year-old, whose future here looked so promising so recently. Miranda was placed on the 60-day injured list last week, and with a lack of status updates, it seems all but understood his season is over. A spring shoulder injury that was deemed mild at the time has ended up derailing his season and casting a major cloud over Miranda's major-league future. While he's been sidelined, some major developments have taken place around him. Royce Lewis returned to the fold and has taken a star turn at third base, powering the offense as a rookie in a way that makes Miranda's 2022 campaign pale by comparison. Meanwhile, last year's first-round pick Brooks Lee is already on the doorstep of the majors. He's playing a mix of short and third in Triple-A, but with Carlos Correa entrenched as shortstop it appears Lee's future is at the hot corner, which always profiled as his best defensive position anyway. That means Lewis will eventually need to relocate – possibly to second base or the outfield. Needless to say, there's a good bit of a lot of competition at third base within the emerging core and Miranda has put himself squarely behind multiple players in that race. His days at the position might've already been numbered, given how bad he's looked defensively at third. Will the Twins even bother trying to bring him back there next year? Miranda's clearest path to returning to the picture, it seems, is first base or designated hitter. But these spots are also well staked in Minnesota's young nucleus, with Alex Kirilloff looking like the (hopeful) long-term fixture at first, and a multitude of quality bats vying for designated hitter time – Edouard Julien, Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach among them. Notably, those players are all left-handed hitters, which affords them an edge given the vastly higher number of righty pitchers in the league. Miranda faces a pretty high bar as a right-handed hitter with a spotty track record and unexceptional defensive chops. To understand how readily available this player type is, look no further than Donovan Solano, who was available on a $2 million deal in late February. To be clear, the version of Miranda we saw for a brilliant stretch of summer 2022 – seemingly backing up his monster 2021 campaign in the minors – is worth making room for. From May 20th to the end of July last year, a rookie Miranda slashed .335/.374/.571 in 50 games, launching 20 extra-base hits and driving in 37. He did so in pretty convincing fashion during that altogether brief period of time, too. Miranda would never be confused by anyone for a disciplined hitter, but he made consistently made hard contact while showing an ability to drive the ball oppo. His spray chart via Statcast illustrates an inclination for pull power with an ability to dump singles and doubles the other way on outside pitches. Usually, that's a pretty safe formula for success, so it's easy to see why Minnesota started looking at Miranda as a building block type. Unfortunately, the success evaporated this season, as he was overcome by the same limitation that kept him on the fringes of the prospect radar for years: too much soft, useless contact. Getting the bat on everything isn't helpful if you're producing easy outs, and that was the story of Miranda's 2023 season up until he was shut down in July. The combination of anemic offense and rough defense made him one of the least valuable players in the league. So that's what Miranda is working back from, at a time where the Twins are ushering a historic rookie class with numerous players solidifying their own places in the franchise's future. In short, it's hard to imagine how this season could've gone worse for José Miranda. And as a result, it's now hard to envision how he finds his way back into the team's plans going forward, barring some significant injury to another building block type. As Twins fans know, that's hardly a long-shot. Kirilloff specifically has struggled to stay off the injured list, and the system's depth at first base behind him is relatively sparse. That position seemingly holds the best chance to create another opening for Miranda, but again – even IN the depressing scenario where AK is continually sidetracked by injuries – Miranda still needs to turn around his own narrative as a poor fielder whose hitting prowess appears flatlined. It'll be very interesting to see how Miranda is viewed and handled heading into the 2024 season. For those who recall how impactful he was at his best, in the not-so-distant past, Miranda will be an intriguing wild-card factor in the franchise's bright overall outlook. View full article

There have been some baserunning blunders for the Twins in recent weeks. So, who are the team's worst base runners so far in 2023? Image courtesy of Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports Like many teams, the Twins focused on improving base running this spring, including bringing in former manager Paul Molitor to provide instruction. It would be great if coaching and strategy could help a team improve on the base paths, but a team can't make giant strides without the appropriate personnel. Slow baserunners will continue to be slow baserunners, which has held true for Minnesota this season. Last week, FanGraphs ran through the players who get the least from their base running, and the Twins were featured prominently in the piece. The site uses a metric called Base Running (BsR) that includes stolen bases, caught stealing, and other base running plays (taking extra bases, being thrown out on the bases, etc.) into runs above and below average. The Twins have multiple players who rank poorly on the base paths, including some that may be surprising. Here are the team's five worst base runners. 5. Jose Miranda, 3B Base Running: -1.5 The Twins expected Miranda to play a pivotal role during the 2023 campaign, but a shoulder injury limited him to 40 games. Even in limited action, Miranda's poor base running was in full effect. Last season, he finished with a -4.5 BsR, ranking fourth worst on the Twins. He would rank significantly higher on this list if he played more games this season. Minnesota moved Miranda to the 60-day IL over the last week, so he won't get to improve his baserunning until the 2024 campaign. 4. Donovan Solano, UTL Base Running: -2.4 Solano has been integral to the Twins' line-up this season, hitting .294/.379/.411 (.790) with 24 doubles and five home runs. His 117 OPS+ is the second-highest total of his career. Despite a solid offensive season, Solano is among the team's worst base runners. Last season, he posted a -2.0 BsR in 80 games for the Reds, and his 2023 BsR total is the second lowest of his career. 3. Max Kepler, OF Base Running: -4.4 Kepler looks the part of a player who would be a strong base runner, including having a sprint speed in the 54th percentile. However, Baseball Savant ranks him in the 10th percentile for baserunning value, which is worth -2 runs. Kepler has yet to steal a base this season, and he's had limited opportunities to take an extra base. In previous seasons, Kepler has been an above-average runner, so his early season leg injuries might have hampered his overall numbers. 2. Christian Vazquez, C Base Running: -4.1 Catchers typically fill up the rankings of baseball's worst base runners, and Vazquez is no exception. Over the last two seasons, Vazquez has been baseball's least valuable baserunner by accumulating -14.0 BsR. According to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the second percentile for baserunning value and in the fifth percentile, which has cost the Twins three runs this season. His sprint speed is in the ninth percentile, so few runners are slower than Vazquez on the base paths. 1. Carlos Correa, SS Base Running: -7.7 Over the weekend, Carlos Correa set the team record by hitting into the most double plays in one season. He's been the team's worst base runner during the 2023 season, and only Vazquez has ranked worse than Correa over the last two seasons. Correa has dealt with plantar fasciitis throughout the season, which might have added to his poor baserunning. He has also been very aware of how slow he has been this season when talking to reporters. Correa has been undeniably slow, impacting the team throughout the season. How would you rank the Twins' worst baserunners? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

A champ on the 2019 Nationals toasted AAA enough to earn a promotion to the Twins. Image courtesy of Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports As reported by Do-Hyoung Park, the Twins have called up outfielder Andrew Stevenson as part of September’s roster expansion. In his first season with the Twins organization, Stevenson played in 106 games with the St. Paul Saints, slashing .317/.394/.522 (.916) with 16 homers, 91 runs, and 44 stolen bases. That last number may be the most pertinent; the Twins are stagnant on the bases outside of Willi Castro and Michael A. Taylor, so adding Stevenson deepens their pinch-running pockets, allowing the team to be a little more aggressive later in ballgames. Stevenson’s glove is also considered plus, according to Eric Longenhagen’s 2018 prospect report on him. Stevenson, 29, has 248 MLB games under his belt, all with the Washington Nationals. Most of his playing time came in 2021, when he hit .229/.294/.339 (.633) in 213 plate appearances. He was, though, on the 2019 roster when the Nationals won the World Series, giving the Twins yet another former player from that team (Taylor). Stevenson didn’t factor into the postseason much; his lone appearance came during the infamous Wild Card game vs the Brewers, when he pinch-ran and scored on Juan Soto’s single late in the game. The move leaves Austin Martin out in the cold. Martin crushed AAA pitching in August with a .329/.460/.544 (1.004) slash line and more walks than homers, leading to hushed murmurs on a potential promotion. That will likely have to wait. Although the team could add him if a relevant player is injured, the move signifies a preference for veteran assurance over seeing what the youngster Martin could do. To make room for Stevenson on the 40-man roster, the Twins placed infielder Jose Miranda on the 60-Day Injured List. The other September call-up is left-handed pitcher Brent Headrick. View full article

Prospect lists can be flawed in the fact that there are players that have lost prospect eligibility but are still young. Let's explore the Twins' top players in their age-25 season or younger. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports The Twins have developed a solid young core carrying the team's offense throughout the 2023 season. Each player below is in their age-25 season or younger while playing in the upper level of the minors. Some players no longer qualify for the organization's top prospect list; others have yet to make their big-league debut. Players not eligible for the list include Ryan Jeffers, Trevor Larnach, and Willi Castro, who are all in their age-26 season. 10. Austin Martin, IF/OF Age: 24 Martin was considered the top prospect the Twins received as part of the Jose Berrios trade, but he's struggled since the trade. During the 2022 season, he posted a .683 OPS at Double-A. During spring training, Martin sustained a sprained ligament in his right elbow. Thankfully, he has been able to avoid surgery. In 26 Triple-A games, he has hit .261/.374/.364 (.737) with six doubles and one home run. It will be interesting to see if his performance improves with an entire off-season to recover from his elbow injury. 9. Jose Miranda, 3B/1B Age: 25 Miranda would have easily been in the top-5 of this list at the season's start, but his performance has struggled in 2023. He suffered a shoulder injury during spring training and tried to play through the injury. In 40 big-league games, he posted a 56 OPS+ with seven extra-base hits and 24 strikeouts. Miranda is currently on the IL because of his shoulder issue. When healthy, Miranda is an elite hitter, and the Twins hope this version of Miranda returns for the 2024 campaign. 8. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP Age: 22 It's easy to forget that Woods Richardson is this young, especially after making his big-league debut during the 2022 campaign. He's pitched at Triple-A for nearly the entire 2023 season, where he is over five years younger than the average age of the competition. In 18 appearances, he has a 5.56 ERA with a 1.61 WHIP and 7.4 K/9. Luckily, he still has plenty of time to improve his performance and will be in the conversation for the Twins' 2024 starting rotation. 7. Louie Varland, RHP Age: 25 Varland might seem like the organization's forgotten starting pitching prospect, but he's won back-to-back Minor League Pitcher of the Year. He split time between the Triple-A and MLB levels in 2023 with results that don't match his previous performance. In 12 Triple-A starts, he has a 4.53 ERA with a 1.41 WHIP and 10.6 K/9. The Twins might still need Varland during the 2023 season, but his performance has yet to warrant the team promoting him. He is still part of the team's long-term plans and projects to be in the Twins' rotation for 2024 and beyond. 6. Alex Kirilloff, 1B/OF Age: 25 Kirilloff would rank higher on this list for many teams, but he has struggled to stay healthy for multiple seasons. His wrist impacted his performance over the last two seasons, so the Twins ramped him up slowly to start the 2023 campaign. He looked like one of the team's best hitters for a stretch, including winning the AL Player of the Week. However, a shoulder injury has him back in the IL. An argument can be made for Kirilloff to be in the top-5, but he needs to prove he can stay healthy and productive at the big-league level. How would you rank these players? Which player will have the most significant long-term impact on the club? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins have struggled mightily against left-handed pitchers in recent years. There are multiple reasons for those struggles, but Byron Buxton's streakiness is the main culprit. Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports In 2019, the Twins mashed their way to the home run record by blitzing starting pitchers and compiling substantial offensive numbers. Obviously, there have been multiple changes to the Twins since that season, but one growing issue is the team's inability to hit left-handed pitching. Byron Buxton has been one of the team's most critical right-handed hitters over the last three seasons. Multiple factors have impacted his performance, including knee and back issues that have plagued him in 2023. Let's look back over the last three seasons to see how the team fared against lefties, what right-handed hitters should have been producing, and how Buxton's streakiness tied to the team's output. 2021 Season Only two AL teams had a lower OPS against left-handed pitchers than the Twins during the 2021 season. Minnesota's team OPS was nearly 20 points lower against lefties than righties. Besides Buxton, the Twins had multiple right-handed bats that should have done damage against lefties, including Miguel Sano, Josh Donaldson, Jorge Polanco, and Nelson Cruz. Sano struggled against lefties with an OPS over 100 points lower than his career mark. Donaldson and Cruz destroyed Southpaws as both posted an OPS above .900 in their final season with the Twins. Polanco is better at batting from the left side, but he posted an .803 OPS against lefties. Buxton was limited to 61 games during the 2021 season but still finished second on the team, according to rWAR. He played three total games between May 7th and August 26th. He ended the year with a .997 OPS against left-handed pitchers, but he was unavailable for a large chunk of the season while the team struggled to a last-place finish. Minnesota's overall numbers would look better if injuries hadn't sidelined Buxton for most of the season. 2022 Season Minnesota added Carlos Correa, a powerful right-handed bat, leading into the 2022 season, and the club saw some offensive improvement. Correa started slowly but continued to hit well against lefties and finished the season with a .945 OPS. Jose Miranda compiled substantial numbers during his rookie season and posted a .512 SLG against Southpaws. As a team, the Twins finished with the fifth-lowest OPS against left-handed pitchers while ranking 17th overall in wRC+. Buxton was one of baseball's best hitters in the first half on the way to being selected to his first All-Star Game. He posted an .824 OPS in the first half with 11 doubles, three triples, and 23 home runs. Buxton was also among the team's best hitters against lefties with a .917 OPS in 114 PA. Unfortunately, he was limited to 19 games in the second half while the Twins fell out of contention in the AL Central. 2023 Season Entering the season, the Twins hoped Correa, Buxton, and Miranda would build off their 2022 success to form a trio of lefty killers in the middle of the line-up. Miranda has been ineffective because of a shoulder injury that has bothered him since spring training. Correa and Buxton have also yet to live up to their high expectations. Evaluators expected Correa to be among the AL's leaders in WAR, but he finished a disappointing first half as a candidate for Least Valuable Player. Minnesota has reached a new low against lefties this season, with the non-contending Rockies being the only club with a lower wRC+ and OPS. The Twins shifted Buxton to DH this season in hopes of having him available more regularly. He is on pace to play over 100 games for the second time in his big-league career, but his performance has continued to struggle. He has hit .162/.244/.338 (.582) with seven extra-base hits and a 28-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 86 PA versus lefties. There have been long stretches where Buxton has looked lost at the plate, and the team's lefty struggles have increased while his bat has gone cold. Do you feel like Buxton's streakiness is to blame? Will the Twins be able to solve their offensive woes against lefties? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Carlos Correa has done well since taking over as Minnesota’s leadoff hitter and could be poised for a strong second half. Image courtesy of Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports The Twins started their post-break schedule with two wins over the struggling Oakland Athletics, bringing their record to 47-46 with 69 games left. As far as opponents go, this is about par for the course in the second half. According to Tankathon’s calculations, the teams left on Minnesota’s schedule have a combined .471 winning percentage. That’s the second easiest in MLB. Now could be a time to get some players right for fantasy purposes, particularly on offense. After wrapping up against Oakland, the Twins head to Seattle. The Mariners pitch pretty well, sitting fifth in team ERA, but Minnesota also faces the White Sox (25th in team ERA) and Royals (28th) this month. Then, the Twins will get St. Louis (24th) and Detroit (22nd) in early August. Minnesota hitters have been inconsistent all season, but these matchups could be just what the doctor ordered. The Twins have scored 15 runs in two games after finishing the first half with five total runs during a three-game sweep against Baltimore. Let’s now 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 and a prospect to keep an eye on. I’ll also look at the week ahead and highlight some matchups to target and avoid. Twins Injury Updates Jose Miranda Expected return: TBD Miranda was in the initial lineup Friday before getting scratched due to shoulder soreness and sent to the 10-day injured list. It remains to be seen how long he’ll be out, but his absence has opened up a spot for Matt Wallner (more on him below). Royce Lewis Expected return: Mid-August or later Lewis continues to recover from a Grade 2 oblique strain. He should return sometime next month and take over again at third base. Brock Stewart Expected return: Mid-July Stewart is dealing with right elbow tendinitis and was expected back soon after the break, so he should be able to rejoin the club in the next few days. Jorge Polanco Expected return: Late July Polanco will begin an extended rehab assignment on July 16 as he slowly returns from a hamstring strain. The Twins will surely be cautious here, but when Polanco can return, they’ll have an interesting dilemma with Edouard Julien at second base. Stock Rising: Carlos Correa ESPN Ownership: 74% Correa started batting leadoff on June 30 and has taken off in the new role. In 11 games since then, he’s batting .364 with a .871 OPS. He’s yet to hit a leadoff home run, but if the power comes and the batting average stays up, a big second half could be in order. I already mentioned the soft pitching Minnesota will face in the near term, which only further boosts Correa’s outlook. He’s available on the waiver wire in some shallower leagues, and in the leagues where he’s owned, his trade value remains decreased due to his subpar first half. I’ve been banging the drum for taking a flier on the shortstop, and I’ll bang the drum even louder now. Stock Falling: Jose Miranda ESPN Ownership: 35% Any thought of Miranda picking up steam with his latest opportunity in the majors likely ended when he hit the injured list. He’ll be out for at least ten days and possibly longer, and Lewis is expected back sometime next month. In the meantime, the Twins will rotate the likes of Willi Castro, Kyle Farmer, and Donovan Solano at the hot corner, with Wallner and Joey Gallo likely seeing the bulk of the playing time in left field. If Wallner performs well when called upon, Miranda may stay in the minors, even if he’s ready to go before Lewis. Prospect Spotlight: Matt Wallner (Current team: Minnesota) As noted above, Miranda’s absence has opened the door for Wallner. The 25-year-old has a .927 OPS across 67 games in Triple-A and 1.099 OPS over 11 games with the Twins earlier in the year, so he could be an offensive weapon if the playing time materializes. Wallner continues to strike out a fair amount, but the power is real. Consider taking a flier on the young outfielder if he gets hot, or at the very least look his way in daily formats when he’s in the lineup, as he should be pretty affordable. Upcoming Week Matchup Notes 4 Games at Seattle (Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, Luis Castillo, George Kirby) 3 Games vs White Sox (Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito) I mentioned that Seattle is a tough pitching matchup, and the Twins are set to face All-Stars in Castillo and Kirby. The Mariners have been more middling on offense, as they sit 17th in the league in runs scored. The White Sox have some good starters on paper but own a 4.59 ERA as a team. On offense, they’re 23rd in runs scored. Two-Start Starting Pitchers Sonny Gray and Bailey Ober are both lined up to start twice. I like both Minnesota starters, with neither the Mariners nor the White Sox being particularly imposing offensively. Based on their performance so far, they should be locked into lineups. Twins Fantasy Hitters to Watch As noted above, I’m pushing my chips in on Correa, though a few of the matchups look tricky. He hasn’t faced the two Seattle aces and has struggled against each of the Chicago starters, batting .200 or lower versus all three. Still, I trust his recent form and think he can still have a good week. Gallo hit a big home run Friday, but I’ll watch how playing time shakes out in the next week or so. If Wallner starts to overtake the veteran in left, it will change the fantasy prospects of booths players. Third base is the other place to monitor in the near term. It seems like the Twins will rotate a few players, but if someone gets hot and grabs hold of a more significant role, they could be worth picking up in deeper leagues or using in a DFS stack. Speaking of stacks, Lynn looks like the pitcher to target this week with his 6.06 ERA. Woo is the least experienced starter the Twins will face, though the youngster has pitched well lately. Lynn, meanwhile, allowed four earned runs or more in two of his last three starts. He’s mostly done well against Minnesota hitters, though Castro has taken him deep twice in 10 career at-bats. Do you believe in Correa the leadoff hitter? Let me know in the COMMENTS, plus post your thoughts on the matchups this week. View full article

One year ago, Jose Miranda was in the midst of a strong rookie campaign. It made it easier to deal away another third-base prospect, but now that decision looks like a mistake. Image courtesy of David Richard-USA TODAY Sports Entering the 2023 season, the Twins expected Jose Miranda to be part of the club's long-term plans. He was the team's minor league player of the year in 2021 and showed some solid offensive skills in his rookie season. Unfortunately, the season's start couldn't have gone much worse for Miranda. He struggled mightily on both sides of the ball before being demoted to Triple-A. In 35 games, he hit .220/.275/.318 (.593) with four doubles and three home runs. It was a disastrous start for a club lacking offensive production up and down the line-up. Miranda struggled initially following the demotion by going 8-for-54 (.148 BA) without an extra-base hit. It can be easy for players to struggle when demoted, especially with the expectations surrounding Miranda entering the season. However, he started making more consistent contact and drawing a few walks. In his next 26 games, he slashed .308/.378/.467 (.846) with a 17-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His power numbers were lower than what he produced in the past, but Royce Lewis' injury put him back in the big leagues. Miranda was the only infield option on the 40-man roster, so he gets the next couple of months to prove he can contribute to the Twins this season. Trading away prospects is a complicated endeavor. Some young players can never put it all together at the big-league level, while others obtain instant levels of success. Teams must trade away pieces of value to obtain other players with perceived value. Spencer Steer saw his prospect stock rose significantly last season, but now it's hard for fans not to imagine what he would mean to the Twins line-up. The Twins traded Steer to the Reds at last year's trade deadline as part of the package for Tyler Mahle. He got his feet wet in the big leagues at the end of last season (72 OPS+), but the team thought highly enough of him to hand him the starting third base job in 2023. His season didn't start ideally, but he's figured it out offensively after a slow start. In his first 37 games, he posted a respectable .758 OPS, but over his next 47 games, he combined for a .977 OPS. During that stretch, he is tied for 17th among MLB hitters in fWAR, with Willi Castro being the highest-ranked Twins hitter (54th). Steer has yet to carry the Reds' offense, but his value is impossible to ignore for a club sitting near the top of the NL Central. Miranda recently turned 25, which is when many players either make it or break it. He needs to produce strong offensive numbers to provide the team value because his defensive value is minimal. The Twins have Alex Kirilloff and Byron Buxton penciled in at first base and DH, so Miranda needs to produce enough to stick at the hot corner. Injuries can always change the line-up equation, but Miranda is beginning to have more limited opportunities. Miranda's outlook has changed significantly over the last 12 months, and things aren't going to get easier in the future. Looking to the future, it's hard to see where Miranda fits into the team's long-term plans. Royce Lewis already passed him on the organization's third base depth chart, and Brooks Lee is just a little behind. Miranda must find a way to consistently produce power numbers that make him impossible to keep out of the line-up. Otherwise, the Twins will need to go in a different direction. Steer was an unproven commodity at the time of the trade, and Miranda was thriving at the big-league level. The front office knew Steer had the potential to be a solid performer, but the Twins thought Miranda's production would match Steer's or be even better. The Twins made the decision that looked right at the time by trading from a position of depth for a position of need. Unfortunately, it looks like the team picked the wrong third baseman. What can Miranda do over the next two months to help his long-term value? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Last week we posed the question as to whether or not the Twins would still have a season worth watching after their three-game series in Baltimore. This week the Twins still lead their division by two games, and are looking to expand upon that as they head into the All-Star Break and trade deadline parts of the season. Here's how this weekend's series sets up. Image courtesy of Tommy Gilligan, USA Today The Twins took two of three against the Orioles last week in Baltimore, and only surrendered three runs total in the process. Had the offense shown up at all in the finale, the Twins could easily be looking to take their third series sweep in a row. For the Twins, Max Kepler comes into the series red hot, going 6-for-12 with three runs scored and five RBI in his last four games. Edouard Julien's power is returning, and he went 2-for-4 with two solo homeruns in the Kansas City series. The "platoon" method continues to restrict Julien's at-bats, and with a lefty starting Friday night's game Julien will have to probably wait for his opportunities. Jose Miranda might be running out of opportunities. His questionable defense at third, mixed with going 0-7 since his return to the lineup with no walks, makes Miranda tough to put in the lineup night in and night out. Can he find his swing again against this Orioles staff? Here is a refresher of the familiar faces that abound on the Orioles roster (Thanks to Seth Stohs @sethtweets for his Twins Almanac skills): RP Yennier Cano, SP Kyle Gibson, SP Tyler Wells, RP Danny Coulombe, and CF Aaron Hicks. Hicks in particular has regained some of his dynamic form since being released from the beard-care rules of the Yankees organization, although cooling down of late during this recent Orioles rough patch. Gibson leads a rotation in the way that the Twins always hoped he would, although he's struggled of late as well. Cano and Coulombe would look nice in our bullpen right now. And I didn't even remember Wells, but now I'm sad about how that all went down (see Game 2 below). Not to mention Minnesota area connections with Terrin Vavra (Currently on the IL, but son of coach Joe Vavra and a former Gopher has played 2B, 3B, LF and RF this year), RP Mike Baumann (From Mahtomedi), and backup catcher Anthony Bemboom (from Sauk Rapids). Bemboom, along with former Twins prospect Chris Vallimont (who was called up after the Twins series, pitched in one game), was DFAd a couple of days ago. The Orioles are led offensively by their outfielders, Austin Hays, Hicks, Anthony Santander, and Cedric Mullins, who are all posting an OPS over .800 with the O's this year. Catcher Adley Rutschman is living up the hype of a first pick, and as the Twins witnessed a week ago, the Orioles have their own lights-out closer in Felix Bautista (3-1, 1.13 ERA) who is averaging two strike outs per inning! The Orioles have lost six of their last eight games, however, and come into Target Field having just survived a four-game series at Yankee Stadium that didn't conclude until late Thursday evening. Hays still is suffering from the hip injury that he suffered after colliding with Donovan Solano at first base last week. Rookie prospect Colton Cowser got the call-up to be in left field, and should see action against the Twins this weekend. Weather Factor: Gorgeous. Beautiful. No excuse to not pack the stadium type of weather. low to mid-80's with sunny skies and a light breeze that only blows out when the Twins are batting. Seriously, you can't dream up better weather for baseball. Pitching Probables Game 1 – Friday, July 7th, 2023 – 7:10 pm CDT – Twins RHP Bailey Ober (5-4, 2.70 ERA) looks to make another dominant start against the Orioles in the series opener, after allowing only two hits and zero runs in seven innings against them last week. The Orioles counter with LHP Cole Irvin (1-3, 6.32 ERA) who also had success against the Twins in his start last week, allowing only one run over five innings in the game that the Orioles eventually won. Game 2 – Saturday, July 8th, 2023 – 1:10 pm CDT - RHP Sonny Gray (4-2, 2.50 ERA) will try to go deeper into the game than he did last Sunday versus the Orioles, when he was able to complete six innings of shutout work only to have Jhoan Duran and the bullpen run out of gas to lose the game. The Orioles send RHP Tyler Wells (6-4, 3.19 ERA) to the mound. Wells was taken in the 15th round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Twins, only to be developed and lost in the Rule 5 draft before the 2021 season, where he made his debut with the Orioles. Wells got a no-decision in his last start against the Yankees. Game 3 - Sunday, July 9th, 2023 – 1:10 pm CDT - The series finale pits Twins RHP Joe Ryan (8-5, 3.43 ERA) and his 276 career innings pitched against Orioles RHP Kyle Gibson (8-6, 4.73) and his 1,606 career innings pitched. We all know that Gibson served in the Twins system and rotation for many seasons, and he appears to have re-gained some success with Baltimore after bouncing between the Rangers and Phillies in the past few seasons. The pitch clock and Gibson were never meant to co-exist, so it will be interesting to watch this version of his approach up close. Prediction Time! The wheels are back on the Twins bandwagon! Right? How do you think the Twins will handle the pitching matchups in this series? Can the Twins sweep their way into the break, or could they realistically get swept back into second place in the AL Central? Leave your thoughts in the comments. View full article