It may not really feel prefer it as a result of the flurry of exercise hasn’t but picked up, however the countdown to the Aug. 1 Commerce Deadline has reached single digits — and there are particular wants on the Minnesota roster because the Twins attempt to lastly construct a cushion atop the American League Central.
The Twins even have motive to be measured of their aggression, as a result of their farm system, frankly, may not be capable to stand up to something too loopy.
Right here’s a listing of prospects who’ve exited the group up to now two years: Chase Petty, Cade Povich, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer, Steve Hajjar, Sawyer Gipson-Lengthy and Casey Legumina (and Yennier Cano, if you wish to depend him as a prospect). Steer and Cano are already productive large leaguers, and Encarnacion-Strand was lately promoted by the Reds.
The Twins’ subsequent younger core is beginning to arrive (Royce Lewis, Alex Kirilloff and Edouard Julien will play key roles down the stretch) and, for the primary time in a very long time, they’ve sufficient beginning pitching. What, then, ought to they be in search of?
1. A purposeful right-handed hitter
MLB hitters this season have a .738 OPS towards left-handed pitching. The Twins have a league-worst .666 OPS towards southpaws, and just one common — Joey Gallo, of all individuals — has an above-average OPS towards lefties.
That’s positively not one thing one expects from a crew led by Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton, who each want to select up their efficiency. The best-handed hitters behind them have been the likes of Donovan Solano, Kyle Farmer and Willi Castro, who’re stable gamers, however not, ideally, main run-producers for a championship-hopeful crew.
This doesn’t must be a star-level participant, and it doesn’t even must be an on a regular basis participant, since left-handed hitters reminiscent of Julien, Kirilloff, Matt Wallner, Gallo and Max Kepler will play towards righties. However there simply must be one other significant risk towards left-handed pitching, even when Correa and Buxton decide issues up and each Jorge Polanco and Lewis return from damage.
“I feel the crux of it’s the overwhelming majority of the manufacturing goes to come back from a lot of the 26 you have already got in that room,” president of baseball operations Derek Falvey stated earlier than the All-Star break. “Can we add and complement that? Certain. However I feel these guys are going to should carry out and be the engine that we constructed for the crew.”
2. A high-leverage reliever
Contenders are all the time seeking dependable bullpen assist, and the Twins are not any completely different. Jorge López has had a tough yr and, at this level, the Twins are relying on each Brock Stewart and Caleb Thielbar to step in seamlessly upon their returns from damage — and the previous had no observe report, and the latter is 36 years previous and coming off a recurring indirect damage.
The Twins have made do with Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax and Jovani Moran, however they want extra assist. With out it, they’ll should anticipate an excessive amount of extra out of Moran, Emilio Pagán or Jordan Balazovic or rely too closely on the 2 coming back from accidents.
Rental relievers are a dime a dozen on the Deadline, and the Twins must be out there for at the very least one — and left-handed depth may make sense.
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Revealed : 2023-07-23 18:56:17
