The Twins are looking to win the AL Central following a disappointing September and a tumultuous offseason.
The Minnesota Twins are coming off a tough 2022 season where an 11-22 finish in the final month left them with a 78-84 record. But in addition to introducing new uniforms, the Twins resigning their superstar with aims of getting back to the playoffs should lift the spirits of fans. A slight increase in performance could be good enough to win the eternally mediocre AL Central.
Additions
SP Pablo Lopez
C Christian Vasquez
SS Kyle Farmer
LF Joey Gallo
OF Michael A. Taylor
2B Donovan Solano
RP Jeff Hoffman (minors)
1B Tyler White (minors)
C Tony Wolters (minors)
SP Carlos Martinez (minors)
OF Andrew Stevenson (minors)
INF Hernan Perez (minors)
SS Willi Castro (minors)
SP Dereck Rodriguez (minors)
RP Danny Coulombe (minors)
C Chance Sisco (minors)
SP Jose De Leon (minors)
C Grayson Greiner (minors)
SP Locke St. John (minors)
RP Patrick Murphy (minors)
LF Ryan LaMarre (minors)
RP Sean Nolin (minors)
SS Elliot Soto (minors)
RP Parker Bugg (minors)
SS Jose Salas
SP Alejandro Hidalgo
OF Byron Chourio
Subtractions
INF Luis Arraez
3B Gio Urshela
RP Michael Fulmer
C Gary Sanchez
1B Miguel Sano
SP Chris Archer
OF Billy Hamilton
SP Dylan Bundy
C Sandy Leon
RP Evan Sisk
SP Casey Legumina
RP Steven Cruz
Offseason Grade: B-
The Twins made a number of logical moves to varying degrees of success. Trading for Taylor and Farmer and signing Solano are crucial to building up depth and cost very little. Vazquez is a multi-faceted catcher who will help on the field and in the clubhouse. Meanwhile, the Lopez/Arraez was the most divisive of the offseason. Some smart people love that deal for the Twins, but I think they are overvaluing Lopez while undervaluing Arraez. Minnesota also seems to be hoping for a Joey Gallo bounce back that will probably never happen.
The Superstar is Back
Carlos Correa has miraculously returned to the Land of 10,000 Lakes after a baffling offseason. He came to agreements with two other teams before signing with the Twins. The San Francisco Giants and New York Mets, two teams with much larger budgets, were both scared away by his physical and how his right leg would hold up over a long-term contract. Their loss is Minnesota’s gain, as the Twins managed to sign the shortstop for less than they initially offered him at the end of last season. Now his kids will grow up “Minnesota nice” and the team and player are better off together.
Even if Correa can’t move well a decade from now, he is still a premier hitter and defender for years to come. He is on a Hall of Fame path, and his OPS+ of 140 last year was the second highest of his career. He did not win any awards, but as recently as 2021 he finished fifth in MVP voting while taking home a Gold Glove. Correa is a safe bet to perform at a high level as long as he stays on the field.
Can the Twins Withstand Injuries?
The injury bug bites every team to some extent every year, but the Twins seem to suffer more than most teams. They are already onto plan B as Jorge Polanco and Alex Kirilloff will both start the season on the Injured List. The under-the-radar moves are already coming into play, as Donovan Solano will get more chances at first and second base. Minnesota has many utility players around, as Nick Gordon is a fine option off the bench, and top prospect Edouard Julien will soon share infield duties.
The other offseason moves are insurance in case of injury. Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa are two of the most talented players in baseball, but both are injury prone. Buxton has only played 100 games in a season once, while the Correa’s concerns are serious enough that the Giants and Mets both infamously broke their deals with him. The Twins are hoping both stay healthy, but Taylor and Farmer are around in case they don’t.
Can the Rotation Live Up to Expectations?
Regardless how you feel about the Pablo Lopez trade, he certainly makes their rotation look better. The Twins now have an enviable rotation made up entirely of trade acquisitions. Sonny Gray, Tyler Mahle, and Kenta Maeda have been above-average arms for many years, while Joe Ryan had a quietly successful rookie season in 2022. Lopez is the only one in the bunch who threw more than 150 innings last year, so the injury question is quite relevant on the pitching side, as well. Bailey Ober and Griffin Jax would be the next men up.
With a rotation capable of going toe-to-toe with the league’s best, Twins fans have higher expectations for the upcoming season. Minnesota had a rotation ERA of 4.11 last season, and a repeat figure would likely mean another losing season. If they can improve from 20th-best to at least the top half, they will be in good shape to win the AL Central.
Projected Opening Day Roster
Starting Lineup
1. CF Byron Buxton
2. SS Carlos Corea
3. RF Max Kepler
4. 3B Jose Miranda
5. LF Joey Gallo
6. C Christian Vazquez
7. 1B. Donovan Solano
8. DH Trevor Larnach
9. 2B Nick Gordon
Bench: Ryan Jeffers, Michael A. Taylor, Kyle Farmer, Willi Castro
Starting Rotation
1. Pablo Lopez
2. Sonny Gray
3. Kenta Maeda
4. Tyler Mahle
5. Joe Ryan
Bullpen
Bailey Ober
Griffin Jax
Jovani Moran
Caleb Thielbar
Jorge Alcala
Emilio Pagan
Jhoan Duran
Jorge Lopez
