3 free agent pitchers the Minnesota Twins should sign this offseason
The offseason is underway, and the Minnesota Twins need to find starting and relief pitching. There are a lot of names the front office should target, but these three players are getable. It would be great to land the Justin Verlander and Jacob DeGrom’s of the world, but the players listed below would improve and help the Twins’ chances in 2023.
1. Carlos Rodón, SP
The Twins need to find a No. 1 pitcher this offseason if they want to be competitive next year. They have a lot of solid starting pitchers, but none that you’d feel comfortable starting in Game 1 of the playoffs.
Tyler Mahle is great, but where would he rank amongst other No. 1 starters in the postseason? Probably in the bottom three.
The Twins have had interest in Carlos Rodón in the past, so it’s safe to assume they will take a hard look at him this offseason.
The 29-year-old had an incredible year for the San Francisco Giants. He finished with a wins above replacement of 5.4 and an ERA of 2.88. He was also nominated to the All-Star Game for the second straight season.
He primarily used his fastball and slider to get batters out, and it was a lethal combo. Hitters were batting .213 against his FB and .193 against his slider.
Minnesota would have to pay a pretty penny to acquire his services, but it would be worth it. He’s a hard-throwing lefty that can go deep in ball games. That’s exactly what this team needs moving forward.
2. Andrew Chafin, LHP
The Twins acquired Michael Fulmer at the MLB Trade Deadline, but part of me wanted Andrew Chafin. Just look at him; he’s got the flow and a badass mustache.
The 32-year-old uses a three-pitch combo of a sinker, fastball and slider. He would benefit from removing the sinker from his arsenal because hitters recorded a batting average of .319. However, they only hit .085 on his slider and .241 off his fastball.
Look how filthy this slider is. Last year he finished with an ERA of 2.83 and a WHIP of 1.169. He also only gave up five home runs in 57.1 innings of work.
Minnesota could use his services out of the bullpen, and it never hurts to have another lefty on the roster.
3. Carlos Estéves, RHP
Carlos Estéves has the stuff to be a high-leverage weapon for the Twins out of the bullpen. The 29-year-old has a 98 MPH fastball, which ranks in the 95th percentile. He gave up six of his seven home runs off that pitch, but hitters recorded a batting average of .220.
He also utilizes his slider and changeup, and hitters went .160 and .206, respectively.
Last season, he finished with a WAR of 1.1, an ERA of 3.47 and a WHIP of 1.175. He also recorded two saves, so he does have experience pitching late in games.
The biggest concern is his command. Last year he finished with a BB/9 of 3.6 and a walk rate of 9.8 percent. It’s not awful, but it’s something to consider with a high-velocity throwing pitcher.
Estévez wouldn’t cost a lot, and for a team like the Twins, that’s music to their ears.
The Twins need to make drastic changes to their pitching staff this offseason if they want to be competitive. Signing any of these three players would improve their chances of making the postseason in 2023.
