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The Twins have made depth a priority over the last year. Would the club consider a reunion with any of these former Twins for next season? Image courtesy of Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports Some players leave an organization with fans hoping to see the player return at some point in their playing careers. Torii Hunter fit that mold for the Twins by playing seven years away from Minnesota before returning for his final season. Other players can leave on a sour note, and fans may hesitate to welcome them back into the fold. Each player below has a different skill set near the end of their career. Health has impacted all three former Twins in recent years, with two players failing to appear in a big-league game last season. Because of those concerns, none of the options would come at a significant cost, and there is potential to sign two of these players to minor league contracts. Here’s a rundown of the former Twins and what they have done in recent years. Jake Odorizzi, SP Odorizzi was last on the mound for the Twins during their playoff series versus the Houston Astros in 2020. In three years with the club, he posted a 107 ERA+ and was selected for the 2019 All-Star Game. Following the 2020 season, he signed a three-year, $29.5 million contract with the Astros. Houston kept him for a season and a half before dealing him to Atlanta. His stop in Atlanta was even shorter, as he was limited to 10 starts in a Braves uniform. Odorizzi spent the 2023 season in the Rangers organization but never appeared in a game. In April, he had an arthroscopic debridement procedure on his throwing shoulder. 2024 Twins Fit: The Twins love depth, especially starting pitching depth to begin the season. Odorizzi can likely be signed on a minor-league deal where he has to prove himself at Triple-A before getting an opportunity at the big-league level. Some of Odorizzi’s best seasons came in a Twins uniform, and he might want the opportunity to prove himself again on a team fighting for a division title. Aaron Hicks, OF Many viewed Hicks as the next great Twins center fielder, following a line from Kirby Puckett to Hunter. In three seasons with the Twins, he posted an 81 OPS+ before Minnesota traded him to the Yankees leading into the 2016 season. Hicks seemed to put it all together in New York with a 120 OPS+ from 2017-20, and the Yankees signed him to a 5-year, $49.43 million extension. His performance dropped off significantly over the last three seasons to the point where the Yankees released him with over $20 million left on his contract. He signed a veteran minimum contract with Baltimore and revitalized his career (127 OPS+ in 65 games) while helping the Orioles win the AL East. 2024 Twins Fit: It seems likely for the Orioles to want Hicks back after helping the team during the second half. He is a free agent, available to any team at age 34. In 2023, he posted a .970 OPS against left-handed pitching, one of the Twins’ biggest struggles. Would he like to continue his redemption story where it all started? Miguel Sano, 1B/DH Sano last played in the big leagues with the Twins in 2022 when he went 5-for-60 (.083 BA) with 25 strikeouts in 20 games. This past season, he held a showcase in February for interested teams, but it wasn’t clear that he was fully healthy. Sano remained unsigned and hasn’t had a professional at-bat since July 2022. He will likely need to sign a minor league deal with a spring training invite and earn a roster spot for next season. 2024 Twins Fit: The Twins currently have a giant question mark at first base for next season. Alex Kirilloff and Jose Miranda are recovering from shoulder injuries, and the club has hesitated to give Edouard Julien an extended look at first base. If healthy, Sano has shown the potential to be a right-handed power threat. However, there are probably too many bridges burned in Minnesota for a reunion to make sense for either side. Which player makes the most sense for next year’s roster? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Joey Gallo is in the middle of his second straight season where he is underperforming. Minnesota has yet to move on from him, and now he might be down to his last opportunity. Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports The Twins brought in Joey Gallo because he was available on a one-year deal and had some bounce-back potential. Minnesota also wanted to add depth at first base, and bench coach Jayce Tingler previously worked with Gallo and knew he could handle the position. Plenty of other left-handed hitters were on the Twins’ roster, but the front office felt like Gallo was a prime candidate to return to his previous form. Gallo’s early season performance pointed to him being back on track. During the season’s first month, he hit .236/.354/.709 (1.063) with three doubles, one triple, and seven home runs. His 22 strikeouts in 65 plate appearances were high, but he was hitting for plenty of power. The Twins were happy to take the good with the bad. Unfortunately, he’s been unable to sustain this early-season success while morphing into one of the league’s worst hitters. Since the calendar turned to May, Gallo has hit .161/.271/.361 (.632) with six doubles and 10 home runs in 65 games. He has struck out in 94 of his 180 at-bats during that stretch while being worth -1.08 WPA. His average exit velocity, hard hit %, and barrel % all rank in the 96th percentile or higher, with his BB% also being in the 90th percentile. The Twins would have gladly signed up for those numbers when agreeing to a deal with Gallo. Conversely, his contact has been few and far between, leading to terrible overall numbers. His xBA, K%, and Whiff% all rank in the 1st percentile. His xBA is 28 points lower than the next closest batter. Gallo has baseball’s worst Whiff%, and he’s among three players with a Whiff% higher than 40% (Jose Siri and Brent Rooker). There have been stretches where he bunched home runs in a week, but there have been long periods where he has been lost at the plate. Minnesota continues to use Gallo regularly, and he might get one final chance to prove he can provide value to the Twins. Gallo began the year as the Twins’ primary first baseman while. Alex Kirilloff was ramping up from off-season wrist surgery. At the end of July, the Twins placed Kirilloff on the 10-day injured list because of a right shoulder strain. It is incredibly disappointing since he was one of the team’s best offensive players last month. Minnesota also had an MRI earlier this week because his shoulder hadn’t improved as expected. The Twins might have wanted to part ways with Gallo, but now he will likely need to serve as the team’s primary first baseman during the season’s most critical games. Other power hitters have followed a similar path to Gallo, especially as baseball has evolved recently. Strikeout numbers continue to rise in the search for more power. Twins fans saw this with Miguel Sano near the end of his Twins tenure. Unfortunately, this all-or-nothing approach can decrease performance if the player isn’t drawing walks or making consistent contact. Gallo has likely been trying to adjust, but the results have failed to improve. After consecutive poor seasons, no team will give Gallo a long-term deal entering the 2024 season. He was likely hoping for a bounce-back year to secure a long-term deal. That contract is likely never going to happen for the 29-year-old. Even with a strong finish, he will likely need to sign a minor-league deal to prove he can be a big-league contributor. Can Gallo be a serviceable replacement for Kirilloff during the season’s final months? Leave a COMMENT and join the discussion. View full article

The Minnesota Twins have not been considered one of the most premier teams in baseball on a yearly basis for some time. However, the 2019 Bomba Squad holds the Major League Baseball record for most home runs by a team in a single season. With the Home Run Derby upon us, it’s worth looking back at some franchise performances. Image courtesy of Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports Despite the Minnesota Twins posting a Major League Baseball record 307 home runs, they did not have a single participant in the Home Run Derby that year. Nelson Cruz, Max Kepler, Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, and Mitch Garver all blasted more than 30 homers individually, but none of them competed in the longball event held at the Guardians Progressive Field. Over the years, Minnesota has had their fair share of Home Run Derby participants. With the next iteration of the event on tap, here are the top five performances in franchise history. 5. Brian Dozier 2014 Once a failed shortstop for Minnesota, Dozier turned himself into among the best offensive second basemen in all of baseball. He found a way to yank pitches out to left field, and his home run numbers went through the roof. Despite missing the All-Star Game in 2014, Dozier was invited to participate in the Home Run Derby. He was a hometown contestant with the event held at Target Field, and despite just hitting two dingers, his appearance fueled excitement. Yoenis Cespedes ultimately won the event, but Dozier would go on to blast 42 home runs just two seasons later. 4. Miguel Sano 2017 As a first-time all-star, Sano took his talents to South Beach and appeared in the Home Run Derby following a 25 dinger season the year prior. Hometown favorite Giancarlo Stanton was expected to win, but Sano drew a favorable bracket matchup with the Kansas City Royals Mike Moustakas opposing him. After knocking off the Royals third basemen, he also bested future teammate Gary Sanchez to find himself in the finals against Yankees star Aaron Judge. Sano came up one longball short, but his showing was beyond impressive and highlighted a story of player that had been clamored for since being a teenager. 3. Joe Mauer 2009 Through his first 561 career games Mauer had just 44 homers to his credit. Having won two batting titles already, the Minnesota-native began flipping baseballs into the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome seats. He finished 2009 with an MVP award and 28 homers. Invited to the derby that year in St. Louis, Mauer’s five first-round dingers forced a swing off with Albert Pujols and Carlos Pena. He wound up netting no more and went home quietly, but his season ended with some better hardware. 2. Tom Brunansky 1985 Competing in the first-ever iteration of the Home Run Derby, Brunansky represented the Twins with the event held at the Metrodome. He was a first-time all-star and his 32 dingers the season before was a career high. Parameters were obviously be shifted as the event drew popularity, but in its introduction, Dave Parker won, sending just six longballs into the seats. Brunansky finished second with four to his credit. He tied with all-time greats such as Carlton Fisk, Dale Murphy, Eddie Murray, and Jim Rice. 1. Justin Morneau 2008 Forever known as the Josh Hamilton derby, Morneau wound up winning in New York. Widely regarded as one of the best contests of all time, Morneau made it through the first round with eight homers to his credit. After Hamilton’s 28 blast barrage, he couldn’t keep things going in the final round. Morneau launched five homers in the final round to take the crown. The field was an interesting one with only Morneau, Hamilton, and Lance Berkman as true sluggers. More pure power hitters like Ryan Braun, Dan Uggla, and Chase Utley also filled out the competition. Which is your favorite Twins Home Run Derby performance of all time? View full article

Although still an early season, fans might be curious to see how and where some recent Twins are finding themselves for this new season. Here’s some of the stories worth tracking. Image courtesy of Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports Luis Arraez Crushing in Miami Obviously Twins fans seeing a lack of hits so far this season might feel frustrated to have loss Luis Arraez, even if Pablo Lopez has more than out performed his potential so far. And yet, few should be surprised to see Arraez back again at the top of the batting leaderboard. He is once again defying three true outcomes with a dominant slash line of .438/.493/.578. And despite being player rarely known for power, he has smashed a slew of extra base hits to make him in the Top 3 in OPS for qualified batters. Many of those came earlier this week when he hit the first ever cycle in Marlins history against the Philadelphia Phillies. So far, Arraez is actually increasing his plate discipline, swinging at 8% less pitches outside the zone. Not to mention, the drip has certainly improved. Archer and Pineda On the Cusp of Security While not every player will see their career develop as they should, the recent fights for minor league unionization is a reminder that every player deserve security when the day comes to hang up the glove and stow away the bat. Two former Twins pitchers are stuck on the cusp of that security: Chris Archer and Michael Pineda. Both remain unsigned after disappointing years (Pineda played with the Tigers with a 5.79 ERA), but only need a handful of days to ensure their ten year service. The difference of making it is huge—particularly guaranteed pension and retirement. Even for players who have invested their earnings intelligently, the ten year mark is also one of respect. Obviously this early in the season, most teams may be looking to win than make room on a roster, but hopefully some mid-season teams with some injuries may take a flyer on these guys and get them to their deserved career milestones. Sánchez A Likely Giant This Year Gary Sánchez remained something of an enigma in his one year with the Twins: though his defensive statistics notably improved during his year, full-time catching duties did little to suit him. More so, it became notable how effuse pitchers were in their praise for trade deadline replacement Sandy Leon, suggesting some animosity toward Sánchez's ability to call the game. The former Yankee-turned-Twin went unsigned all offseason where he played in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic. However, earlier this month he signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants. Sánchez is still considered in ramp up mode to ensure he's in good shape, but it is more than likely he'll soon make an appearance. The Giants called up Austin Wynns as a back up after a the season-ending injury of Roberto Pérez while Joey Bart was on the IL. Bart is back now, but Wynns has taken a major league deal with the Dodgers, making Sanchez officially the #3 man after Bart and Blake Sabol. Talking to Susan Slusser for the San Francisco Chronicle, Sánchez explained his hopes for a bounce back. “I think what happens is that a lot of people tend to just remember what I’ve done in the past, and I do agree that I had issues defensively. “However, they don’t look at what I’ve done in the last couple of years.” Cave Adds to the Vibes Jake Cave accepted a minor-league deal last year with the Twins before becoming a key reinforcement for a sinking ship in the final months of the season. Cave still remained an underperformer, but became a particularly clutch hitter in the stretch. The center fielder remains one of the most essential defenders in the league, however, and quickly found a place on the World Series runner up Phillies. As has been well reported, the Phillies perhaps leaned too much into building their 2022 team through players best suited to the DH, and Cave (along with trade deadline pickup and designated Wet Guy Brandon Marsh) has fit snuggly into a platoon position. Cave's hitting has not exactly picked up—save for a surprising dinger off Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara—but Cave will likely continue to fit into a team built entirely on vibes. Sanó Still an Unknown Though his 2022 season did not go as planned, I doubt that even Twins fans expected that no team would take a look at signing former first baseman Miguel Sanó. The Twins made their parting when they opted for Sanó’s equivalent in Joey Gallo, but surely other teams could have used a strong bat with the kind of power he can deliver. Sanó has had an odd off season. He held a workout in February for teams though to little fanfare. More so, Sanó’s father was murdered in the Dominican Republic that same month, though the two were not close. Some have circulated that Sano might find a place on the Phillies given they are down both Rhys Hoskins and Derrick Hall. View full article

The Minnesota Twins have had a strong start to their season, and they have a series victory against the Houston Astros along with a split with the New York Yankees in New York. Although Byron Buxton isn’t yet playing in the field, he’s been consistently in the lineup as the designated hitter. Unfortunately, his approach has been less than ideal. Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports For years, the Minnesota Twins operated as though Byron Buxton was a slap hitter with the ability to get on base only by putting the ball on the ground. Utilizing his otherworldly speed, it seemed the goal was to bunt or put the ball in play and then hope his quickness would translate to miscues by the defense. Since 2019, we have seen Buxton become among the best hitters in baseball. In maturing as a player, he retooled his swing and distanced himself from a process that left so many of his skills going to waste. From the Bomba Squad year up until last season, Buxton owned an .874 OPS which translated to a 136 OPS+. The only problem is that his on-base abilities have never taken off. For years it has seemed like Buxton was more of a gap and power hitter than he was truly a singles and stolen base guy. As much speed as he possesses, there is no denying that the thump brought by his bat can be powerful. On a per-162 game basis, Buxton’s home run numbers rival those of Aaron Judge and Mike Trout. With power traditionally comes strikeouts though, and while they represent an out just like any other, drawing walks to even things out is a must. When the Twins signed Joey Gallo this offseason the immediate sentiment was another Miguel Sano type player being brought into the fold. That’s not necessarily wrong in and of itself, but the reality is that Gallo has consistently produced strong on-base skills to go with his power. Sano only flashed that in small bursts, and had he been able to continue, there is less of a chance he’d be unemployed right now. Unfortunately for Buxton, he not only isn’t a great average hitter (which is fine), but he has failed to consistently deliver in the on-base category (which is not). Buxton’s slash line is so heavily skewed toward his slugging percentage that any time he goes through slumps the lack of production will be massively felt. He’s not quite a three true outcomes player, but he is much more closely tied than anyone with his abilities should be. In 2023 the Twins have seen Buxton strike out a league-high 25 times across just 16 games. He has drawn just six walks to offset that output. While Buxton was named an All-Star last year he struck out in a whopping 30.4% of his at bats. That’s just north of his career average, and has jumped all the way to 35.7% in the early going of 2023. With a process resulting in that much whiffing, it’s not surprising the contact isn’t ideal either. Buxton’s 23.7% hard hit rate is a career-low, and well off the 40% he has tallied each of the past two seasons. He is actually chasing similar to previous seasons at 32.7%, but any time he swings out of the zone it has resulted in just a 55.8% contact rate. There hasn’t been a substantial change in the way pitchers have attacked Buxton when he steps in this year either. He’s seeing a similar number of fastballs and offspeed offerings, but the usage of curveballs against him has doubled. That could be reflective of intention, or simply the repertoire carried by those arms he has faced. At any rate, strikeouts have long been an issue for Buxton, and maybe not stated to the degree of a Sano or current teammate Gallo. Both of those players have career OBP numbers north of .325. Since Buxton broke out in 2019, he has generated just a .316 OBP and he falls off a cliff entirely when the slugging output is not there. For 2023 Buxton has a paltry .300 OBP, and his .687 OPS makes him a 94 OPS+ hitter. That might be fine if he was also providing elite outfield defense. As a top-of-the-order designated hitter, it isn’t what the Twins can handle at all. This is still a relatively small sample size for 2023, but the trend is a concerning one that has gone on for years. Buxton needs to strike out less, or find a way to generate more walks. Being an all or nothing guy that misses time and doesn’t regularly play defense isn’t good for anyone involved. View full article

FORT MYERS - The Twins' lineup has been brutal versus left-handed pitching for the last three years. Here's how that should change. Image courtesy of Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports In 2020, as we impatiently waited for the shortened season to start, we knew one thing about the Twins: they would crush left-handed pitchers. Any southpaw that had to negotiate a lineup filled with right-handed power like Nelson Cruz, Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Mitch Garver, and new addition Josh Donaldson would need to pack a lunch. We had seen it the year before, when the Twins as a team had posted an 872 OPS versus left-handers, the best mark in MLB. Then this happened: YEAR OPS RANK 2019 872 1 2020 658 27 2021 725 22 2022 701 20 Not only did they slide from first to 27th in 2020, but even when we got back to playing full seasons of baseball, they continued to languish in the lower third of the league. There have been two problems, one weird and one common. The weird first problem is that Twins’ right-hander batters didn’t crush left-handers the way we expected. Here are all the right-handed hitting and switch-hitting Twins who had at least 100 plate appearances versus southpaws over the last three years. Player OPS▼ Nelson Cruz 1.142 Carlos Correa 0.945 Byron Buxton 0.927 Josh Donaldson 0.912 Kyle Garlick 0.837 Jose Miranda 0.821 Ryan Jeffers 0.794 Gio Urshela 0.775 Mitch Garver 0.754 Jorge Polanco 0.734 Andrelton Simmons 0.635 Miguel Sanó 0.630 Gary Sanchez 0.554 Gilberto Celestino 0.533 Some of those names I mentioned earlier continued to mash, but Garver was suddenly human, and Sano batted like he went up their hitting left-handed. Even Gary Sanchez had problems with what should have been his bread and butter. I’ve also highlighted the players that are still with the organization this year. The only regular that isn’t in the top half of that list is Jorge Polanco, who is a switch-hitter, but hitting left-handed is his strong side of the plate. That could make him a candidate to sit versus left-handers, though there is no indication that is coming soon. Which brings us to the second problem. Most teams face the second problem: their left-handed batters just don’t hit left-handed pitchers very well. This is easily illustrated by taking a look at the two most potent left-handed bats in the lineup from 2020 through 2022, Luis Arraez and Max Kepler. Arraez, who was the AL Batting Champion last year, has hit just .256 versus left-handers over the last three years. Read that last sentence again. That's a stark discrepancy, but Kepler has been quite a bit worse. 420 MLB players have had at least 100 plate appearances versus left-handed pitchers over the last three years. Kepler’s 552 OPS (not a typo) ranks him 385th on that list. Yet the Twins have invested 301 plate appearances in that futility. It doesn’t look like they’ll be doing so this year, or at least not as often, because one of the themes of the offseason was gathering veteran right-handed bench bats. The offseason started with them trading for Kyle Farmer, and the offensive skill on which he has built his career is hitting left-handers hard. Over the last three years he has posted a 880 OPS against southpaws. The last move they made was signing infielder Donovan Solano to one-year deal. Solano has hit .313 versus left-handers over the last three years, posting a 815 OPS. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like either of those guys will play much in a corner outfield spot, and that’s where Kepler and left-handed hitting Joey Gallo play. Gallo has posted just a 664 OPS versus left-handers the last three years. That’s better than Kepler, but still provides an opportunity for an upgrade. Enter Michael A. Taylor , who the Twins acquired from the Royals late this offseason. Taylor is known more for his defense than his offense (career OPS of 677), but he has continued to do damage versus left-handers over the last three years, posting a 722 OPS. With their revamped bench, the Twins can trot out guys who can swing from the right side of the plate in eight of their nine spots in the lineup – and still have one extra guy on the bench. Plus they will likely have right-handed outfield thumper Kyle Garlick stowed away in AAA-St Paul in case of an emergency. The Twins haven’s said publicly that fortifying their lineup versus left-handed pitching was a priority this offseason, so maybe this wasn’t purposeful; maybe it was just fortunate. Whatever. Manager Rocco Baldelli appears to have the chess pieces to respond when a southpaw is on the mound, either as a reliever or a starter. Soon we’ll see if all that preparation fixes the three-year-old problem. View full article

The Twins sat atop the AL Central for over 100 days during the 2022 season, but injuries and poor roster construction were the team’s downfall. Last season’s roster flaws are even more evident as the 2023 season begins. Image courtesy of Darren Yamashita (Archer), Kiyoshi Mio (Bundy), David Richard (Sano)-USA TODAY Sports One year ago, the Twins began the 2022 season with high hopes of bouncing back from a terrible 2021 campaign. Minnesota added veteran pitchers like Chris Archer, Dylan Bundy, and Joe Smith to fill out the pitching staff. The team also cleared Josh Donaldson off their books by dealing him to the Yankees for Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela. As the 2023 season begins, all four players are still searching for big-league opportunities. Chris Archer, SP 2022 Stats: 25 G, 102 2/3 IP, 4.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 84 K, 48 BB, 85 ERA+ Minnesota signed Archer to a one-year, $3.5 million contract late last offseason after the end of the lockout. The hope was he would add depth to the rotation, but he was coming off two seasons where he had pitched limited innings. Before signing, Archer sent data to prospective teams to show he was ready for the season, and the Twins liked that he was close to ready to start the season. Minnesota hoped Archer could continue to build up his innings throughout the season, but that never came to fruition. He pitched five innings or fewer in every appearance. His name has recently been tied to the Toronto Blue Jays, but he had yet to sign when this story was written. Dylan Bundy, SP 2022 Stats: 29 G, 140 IP, 4.89 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 94 K, 28 BB, 79 ERA+ Minnesota had plenty of rotation spots to fill in 2022, and Bundy became the first veteran signing before the lockout. The Twins signed him to a one-year, $4 million option worth an extra $1 million when they bought out his club option this winter. Bundy’s 2022 performance was underwhelming, but he made the most starts on the Twins last season. The Twins needed someone to cover innings, and Bundy could take the ball every fifth day, even if the results were subpar. Like Archer, his name has been tied to the Blue Jays, but he has yet to sign a deal. Gary Sanchez, C 2022 Stats: 128 G, .205/.282/.377 (.659), 24 2B, 16 HR, 89 OPS+ After trading Mitch Garver, the Twins needed catching depth to pair with Ryan Jeffers. Sanchez took on a more full-time role when Jeffers suffered a fractured thumb. The Twins worked to improve Sanchez’s defense, and he saw marginal improvements. He played with the Dominican Republic during the World Baseball Classic and went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and a walk. The 2019 season was the last time he had an above-average OPS+. Sanchez is one of few free-agent catchers remaining on the market, and Oakland or Boston might be a potential landing spot for the backstop. Miguel Sano, 1B/DH 2022 Stats: 20 G, .083/.211/.133 (.345), 1 HR, 3 OPS+ Sano’s Twins tenure ended on a sour note after missing time with a pair of right knee injuries. He didn’t appear in a game after July 29th. There were up and down moments throughout Sano’s professional career as he tried to live up to his billing as a top-100 prospect. He struck out 119 times or more in every full season and led baseball with 90 strikeouts in 2020. Sano had some highs with the Twins, including an All-Star Game appearance, four seasons with 25+ home runs, and a 116 OPS+ for his career. In early February, he held a workout for interested clubs but remains unsigned. When healthy, he will likely need to accept a minor league contract to prove he is 100% or head to a foreign league for the 2023 season. Will any of these four players return to the big leagues this season? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Minnesota Twins will kick off actual baseball action down in Fort Myers this week, and with pitchers and catchers reporting today, the offseason has officially come to an end. That doesn’t mean their won’t be additional changes to the roster, but Major League Baseball’s calendar has flipped to 2023. Image courtesy of Amanda Inscore/The News-Press USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK For the Minnesota Twins, 2023 represents an opportunity to right the ship. Rocco Baldelli got off to a great start in his managerial career, but since the 2019 Bomba Squad, things haven’t been the same. Despite a postseason berth in 2020, the Twins have missed playoff baseball each of the past two years. This roster looks the part of being the best we’ve seen in some time, and the front office now wants to see it matter on the field. While we are still a bit away from seeing the Twins in game action, there is plenty to catch up on from the offseason. Who’s Out From the Opening Day roster last year, just 14 players currently remain in the system. Notably, starting catcher Gary Sanchez is gone, and so too are starting infielders Luis Arraez and Gio Urshela. Minnesota flipped the arbitration-eligible Urshela to the Los Angeles Angels for prospect Alejandro Hidalgo, while Arraez’s departure brought in Jorge Lopez (along with Jose Salas and Byron Chourio). The rotation will no longer see Dylan Bundy or Chris Archer among it, and longstanding organizational piece Miguel Sano remains unemployed at the moment. For Minnesota, this roster is one of renewed belief. Although Arraez was beloved by fans, his deal brought in much-needed pitching help. It will be weird to see Sano in a different uniform if and when he ever surfaces again, but not being in the organization has removed a vein for storylines. The rotation a season ago was largely pieced together, and with both departures for the Twins still being unemployed, it’s not shocking that the new group shows more promise. Who’s In Most importantly, Carlos Correa is back. Although it took some weird twists and turns to happen, Correa is with the organization at least for another six years, meaning that his deal lines up perfectly with Byron Buxton’s. A true superstar shortstop, Twins fans could watch C4 trend towards an eventual Hall of Fame enshrinement due to his exploits in the new Minnesota threads. The shortstop is also joined by a new backstop in Christian Vazquez. He is expected to start the bulk of Minnesota’s games, and will push Ryan Jeffers into more of a reserve role than he saw a season ago. The outfield grabbed an addition in Joey Gallo, and while he’ll need to bounce back from a down season with the Dodgers and Yankees, he adds defensive talent that could make Minnesota’s outfield the best in baseball. The rotation brings back Kenta Maeda at 100% after missing last season due to Tommy John surgery, and the aforementioned Lopez should be expected to contribute in a big way as well. The bullpen has largely gone unaddressed, but that could be an area Minnesota looks to tweak before Opening Day. Kyle Farmer was added as a fallback option, and now immediately slots in as a high-level utility player. What Are We Watching For This season is one for the youth. Jose Miranda is going to start at the hot corner and be expected to contribute immediately. Plenty of promise has followed Alex Kirilloff, and it’s up to his wrist as to whether he can be the regular at first base. Trevor Larnach has looked the part of a true impact bat, but injuries have kept him off the field. He was solid in left field last season, but will need to show he can remain healthy. That was the major downfall last year, health, and Nick Paparesta’s addition to the organization can hopefully make a quiet impact. Seeing the likes of Buxton, Tyler Mahle, Jeffers, Jorge Polanco, and any number of other players remain available should only enhance Minnesota’s chances. Which Twins player will breakout in 2023? We have seen Louie Varland win the Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year each of the past two seasons (2021, 2022). Royce Lewis made his big league debut in 2022 and should be back this summer. Simeon Woods Richardson showed up for one start at the end of the year as well. Does Austin Martin or Brooks Lee get the call? Maybe David Festa forces his way into big league action. Although the Twins may not have the top end talent of some other organizations, their prospect depth is plenty exciting. Many of Minnesota’s regulars will remain in camp with the organization. There are a few others that will play for their native countries in the World Baseball Classic this spring. Checking out a few of them in action during more meaningful games could give fans a glimpse of how ready they are for the regular season to start. With Cleveland having made just minor upgrades in Josh Bell and Mike Zunino, their top spot is ripe for the picking. Andrew Benintendi is a nice get for Chicago, but expecting Mike Clevinger to contribute there any time soon isn’t a good bet. The division is again right there for the taking, and it starts this week. View full article

Arguably the most disappointing decision of Terry Ryan’s career as a general manager was non-tendering David Ortiz. When you release a player that becomes a Hall of Fame talent, it’s hard to overcome. Since then, two players were always discussed in the same breath as Ortiz. Because of their size and strength, Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas were often compared to Ortiz. Image courtesy of Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports Obviously neither Kennys Vargas or Miguel Sano were ever going to become the next David Ortiz, but both were lazily compared at every juncture. As big-time sluggers that failed to realize much of their potential for Minnesota, it was low hanging fruit to bring up that suggestion. Their careers are not at all the same, and Sano’s tenure with the Twins only ended last season. Entering 2023 though, both find themselves at a crossroads. On Thursday, the Cincinnati Reds signed Vargas to a minor-league deal. He received an invitation to big-league Spring Training, and it’s the first step on his path toward a return to the big leagues. The former Minnesota prospect hasn’t played in the majors since 2017, and after a stop overseas, he has spent time in the Dominican, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Playing 85 games last year in Mexico, Vargas put up gaudy numbers. His .324/.462/.566 slash line was punctuated with 17 home runs and 17 doubles. He played another 50 games during both the Venezuelan and Mexican winter leagues, in which he recorded 10 homers and a pair of triples. Vargas spent all of 2018 at Triple-A Rochester for Minnesota. He posted just a .752 OPS, and while the power numbers played he whiffed plenty. After being part of the 2014 Futures Game at Target Field alongside teammate Jose Berrios, Vargas never really produced more than an average big leaguer. His career 102 OPS+ was compiled across 236 games. That Futures Game also included Joey Gallo, Jorge Lopez, Michael A. Taylor, and Alex Meyer. It remains improbable that a 32-year-old Vargas is now the best version of himself, but the Reds should hardly have an impossible roster to crack. On the flip side, you have Sano, who was in the big leagues as recently as 2022. Unfortunately, he was so terrible that in just 29 games, Sano generated -0.9 fWAR. He tore his meniscus and tried to return later in the year, but the knee was not in playing shape and ultimately he was shut down. A source indicated that Sano may potentially need more time yet to recover from his injury and that a mid-season signing could be likely. He has been training down in Tampa, Florida this winter, and a workout is now on the horizon. Darren Wolfson reports that Sano will host scouts next week. It is somewhat shocking that Sano couldn’t find a deal for 2023 before the likes of Vargas, but that is solely a reflection of where his knee is physically. Sano may be looking for a guaranteed Major League deal as well, but even with a universal designated hitter, his health and production of late have not been good at all. Sano has shown an ability to hit at the Major League level, and he did own a 112 OPS+ in 2021. He was an All-Star back in 2017 and posted a 139 OPS+ along with 34 homers for the Bomba Squad in 2019. Despite racking up strikeouts in droves, his bugaboo has largely been facing velocity. Maybe a team believes in his plate discipline enough to give him a shot, but they’ll need to see a good showing next week. At the end of the day, neither slugger is or was ever going to come close to Ortiz. It is shocking to see Sano the one still out in the cold heading into 2023, but he also has a reputation that may precede him. View full article

Over the past handful of years we have seen front offices re-evaluate how they go about paying sluggers. While the designated hitter has become universal, and there are some players truly not fit to play in the field, most boppers must now possess more than just power potential. This trend is working against two ex-Twins who provided explosive power for the Twins' 2019 Bomba Squad. Image courtesy of © Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports We rarely see players like Chris Davis, Khris Davis, or Chris Carter on the baseball diamond anymore. The Baltimore Orioles immediately looked questionable when giving Chris Davis a bloated deal as analytics began to weigh on-base percentages differently. Both Miguel Sano and Nelson Cruz have shown a better approach than some of the aforementioned names, but as each heads elsewhere you have to wonder what either have left. Recently the San Diego Padres signed Cruz for just $1 million. That is his lowest yearly salary since he was 29-years-old back in 2010. Expected to get plenty of designated hitter at bats for the Padres, there was very little evidence that the aging process had not have caught up to Cruz a season ago. Playing 124 games with the Washington Nationals, Cruz posted a paltry .651 OPS and 90 OPS+. His 148 OPS+ with the Twins in 2021 was all but gone, and he began a steep decline with the Tampa Bay Rays after he was traded midseason. Cruz still hit ten homers last year, but his .313 OBP was a far-cry from the .344 mark he has put up over the course of his career. Cruz rebounded from the .283 OBP he posted with the Rays in 55 games last year, but his slugging percentage dropping to .337 really limits what the potential upside is. Of course, the Padres aren’t making a significant financial commitment by any means, but Steamer projections have him tabbed for just 0.2 fWAR a .714 OPS and nine home runs. It’s hard to see how that type of output lasts in the lineup all year. Then there is Sano. Playing in only 20 games for Minnesota last year, he posted an unfathomably bad -0.9 fWAR. By the end of the season he was all but asked to leave the team, and there doesn’t appear to be a reunion tour coming. While Jeremy Nygaard wrote a great piece on Sano, it would be shocking to see Minnesota reopen that door. What I do think remains possible is that Sano finds himself still being a productive slugger. A season ago Sano was hurt. Injuring his meniscus and then having rehab go both slowly and poorly, he never worked himself back into shape. That has been part of the bugaboo his whole career, and tapping into a newfound work ethic probably isn’t something that a new team be able to rely upon. Sano at his baseline though can still get it done in stretches. During 2021, the Twins saw Sano post a 112 OPS+ and blast 30 home runs. His .819 OPS and 119 OPS+ excluding last year is a better offensive profile than Joey Gallo, and Sano has always shown a solid ability to draw walks and command the strike zone. He has rarely been a free-swinger, struggling more with whiffs on velocity than anything, and there has never been a doubt about his immense power. What should be notable here is that perception of personality matters. A 42-year-old Nelson Cruz is getting a chance because he brings a great clubhouse presence. The Padres can afford to jettison him if he is truly cooked. Miguel Sano is still looking for his next gig, and while it most likely will need to be a minor league deal, his suitors are not as plentiful given the track record he has accumulated. There is probably a path for Sano to have a better season than Cruz, and even by a substantial margin. The question is who will bite the bullet on allowing it to play out? View full article

There’s little doubt that anything suggesting the Twins should bring Miguel Sanó will be met with eye rolls (at best) or emphatic statements that include some expletives (at worst), but at least hear me out. Miguel Sanó was one of the best prospects in baseball; one of the most highly-touted prospects the Twins have ever had in their organization. Miguel Sanó is one of the biggest Twins disappointments in club history; a global top prospect who never lived up to his billing. Image courtesy of Matt Blewitt, USA Today The Twins paid Miguel Sano over $9 million for only one home run among five hits in 60 at-bats in 2022. And then paid him another $3 million to simply go away. Much has been made of Sanó’s inability to stay healthy or in shape or, simply, not show up a few dozen pounds overweight. Everything above is completely true. So true, in fact, that even those who look for silver linings aren’t going to have much of an argument to make. But I still think the Twins should consider bringing him back into the fold. The expectations surrounding Sanó were sky-high well before he made his major-league debut as a 22-year-old in the summer of 2015. And despite striking out in over a third of his plate appearance, he still managed to hit 18 home runs in 80 games, reach base over 38% of the time and put up an OPS of .916. He rarely played in the field as he was coming off missing the 204 season because of Tommy John surgery, but the vision of being the third baseman of the future was still bright. Of course, we all know what happened the next year: someone got the wise idea that Miguel Sanó could be a right-fielder (while literally every not-as-smart person knew he couldn’t) and Sanó was back to playing third base exclusively by July 1. Getting jerked around caused him to struggle offensively, but still he managed 25 home runs and bounced back to be an All-Star in the 2017 season. The 2018 and 2020 seasons were both really bad, but sandwiched around a 34-home run year in 2019 where Sanó post a career-high .923 OPS. You could take the 2020 season for what it was - short with a lack of time to prepare - add it to the 30 home run season in 2021 and think maybe, just maybe, Miguel Sanó could get back on track in 2022. But that train derailed before even leaving the station. A torn meniscus on April 26 and more knee issues almost immediately after returning in July caused an abrupt end to a short, disappointing season. The Twins paid Sanó more than $34 million as a major leaguer and watched him strike out over 1000(!) times. And when his Twins career ended unceremoniously when they bought out his contract, many were happy to wipe their hands off him. And that’s fine. But as you look at the current construction of the Twins roster, you can’t help but wonder about the health and depth of first base. Luis Arraez - all 5’ 10” of him - is expected to be the Opening Day starter. Arreaz was fantastic in 2021 and led the league in hitting, but is not your prototypical first baseman… and he’s not exactly a model of healthy knees. Jose Miranda played a lot of first base last year… but with Gio Urshela getting traded, Miranda is the primary third baseman. Alex Kirilloff is a solution… if he recovers from having his arm shortened after battling wrist that cut short his last two seasons. Max Kepler and Joey Gallo are both options in the sense that they’re bigger targets, but neither has played a lot of first base recently. But that’s an easy fix. Tell ‘em Wash. And there’s where Sanó should enter the conversation. On a minor-league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. If he shows up overweight and out of shape, you can cut him. If he shows up a little overweight and in a shape other than completely round, you can send him to St. Paul to hit bombs and be a call away if the questionable depth fails in front of him. Miguel Sanó doesn’t have to be the #3 hitter. There doesn’t have to be the expectations of being an All-Star or hitting 30 home runs. But any gas that might still be in his almost-30-year-old tank sure beats the idea of rostering the likes of the Curtis Terrys, Roy Moraleses and Tim Beckhams of the world. It does for me anyway. View full article

Miguel Sano has likely played his last game in Minnesota, which leaves behind a cloudy Twins legacy. Is he the biggest disappointment of the last 30 years? Image courtesy of Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports Miguel Sano has been a member of the Twins organization since he was a teenager. Minnesota declined his option earlier this week, meaning he will be a free agent for the first time in his career. Sano has been a polarizing figure throughout his Twins' tenure for various reasons. That being said, he is far from being the biggest disappointment of the last three decades. Over at Bring Me the News, the site attempted to rank the biggest disappointments since the Twins' last World Series title in 1991. For a franchise that has lost 18-straight playoff games, there is plenty of blame to go around. Failed top prospects made the list, like Tyler Jay, Kohl Stewart, and Adam Johnson, along with signings like Byung-Ho Park, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, and Josh Donaldson. Frustrations followed many of these players, but none of them had an impact quite like Miguel Sano. Sano dominated the minor leagues on the way to making his big-league debut. In 504 games in the minors, he posted a .938 OPS with some dominant home run totals. In 2011, he hit 20 home runs in 66 games for Elizabethton. Over the next two seasons, he averaged more than 30 homers per year as he climbed up to Double-A. All three national top-100 lists had him in their top-15 prospects entering the 2014 season, but he missed that entire season with Tommy John surgery. Expectations were high, and he began to fulfill those lofty projections in 2015. During his rookie season, Sano hit .269/.385/.530 (.916) with 17 doubles and 18 home runs in 80 games. At the season's end, he finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor. Over the next two seasons, he settled into a big-league role by averaging 26 home runs per season with a 117 OPS+. Sano became a first-time All-Star in 2017 and finished runner-up in the Home Run Derby. It looked like a solid start to his career. Sano had up-and-down moments over the next five seasons. He hit 30 or more home runs in two seasons and had a 116 OPS+ for his career. Since the franchise moved to Minnesota, only Harmon Killebrew and Justin Morneau have a higher slugging percentage. His average exit velocity and max exit velocity routinely ranked among baseball's sixth percentile or higher. Few players in Twins history have slugged the ball like Sano. Fans are going to remember some of the lows throughout Sano's career. During the 2018 season, Sano struggled so much that the organization sent him to Fort Myers to rebuild his swing. If that wasn't the low point in his career, the 2022 season added to fan frustration. His final Twins season saw him go 5-for-60 (.083 BA) with 25 strikeouts. Recency bias means that his 2022 failures are the likely memory that will stick with fans long-term. Sano didn't develop into the next Miguel Cabrera, but that doesn't mean his Twins tenure was a total loss. Players of his skill set are limited in the value they can provide. He was never going to provide a lot of value on the defensive side of the ball, so he needed to be above average at the plate. His powerful swing produced mammoth home runs, and there were moments in nearly every season where he was the hottest-hitting bat in the Twins line-up. Did he fulfill his projections as one of baseball's top-10 prospects? No, but sustained success at the big-league level is challenging for many players. Sano still has a powerful swing that can help a team to win games, especially with the addition of the designated hitter in the National League. His career is far from over, and there have been far more disappointing players over the last three decades. Were you disappointed with Sano's Twins' tenure? Have other players been more disappointing over the last thirty years? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article