Have the Minnesota Twins done enough to improve the starting rotation?
The Minnesota Twins starting rotation fell apart by the end of the 2021 season, but have they revamped it enough to stay competitive next year?
The Twins opening day rotation:
Here’s what it looked like at the end of the season:
- Bailey Ober
- Joe Ryan
- Griffin Jax
- Pineda
- Bullpen (whoever was available)
You can see why Minnesota lost as many games as they did. Sure, they dealt with some injuries, but their slow start to the year didn’t help. When it comes down to it, Minnesota must improve its pitching if they want to stay competitive.
The offense will have some minor changes, but for the most part, it’ll be a lot of familiar faces. A lot of the players the Twins could have signed in free agency have already found a new home. The MLB is still in a lockout with no end in sight, and that means Minnesota can’t address this area of need for a while.
The front office signed one free agent before the lockout and that was Dylan Bundy. He should add some depth towards the backend of the rotation, but I don’t expect him to provide much value.
Last season he finished with a record of 2-9 and an ERA of 6.06.
However, that was far and away the worst season of his career. Maybe last year was a fluke, but I wouldn’t bet on a massive turnaround.
That leaves the Twins with:
- Ober
- Ryan
- Jax
- Bundy
- Randy Dobnak
Maeda will likely miss the season, and if he were to come back, it wouldn’t be till late. Minnesota may look at this season as a wash, and potentially develop some of their younger prospects. We could potentially see Drew Strotman, Josh Winder, Jhoan Duran and Jordan Balazovic as soon as this year.
If that’s the case, they wouldn’t necessarily have to go out and sign free agents. There’s not much left on the market, and if you don’t think you’ll be competing next season, then you might as well wait.
Minnesota isn’t a free agent market, which means they need to give their prospects an opportunity to thrive.
I would suggest trading for starting pitching, but only if they have multiple years of team control.
They should re-sign Pineda because he gives you a chance to win anytime he steps on the mound. Minnesota didn’t trade him at the deadline, and I’m sure they could have received a nice haul in return.
Pineda gives the impression that he wants to remain in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but it takes two to tango.
The 2023 MLB free-agent class is a lot better, and if the Twins play their cards right, they could potentially sign two solid starters. By not falling under the pressure of signing someone for the sake of it, they will have more money to throw at free agents next offseason.
Minnesota hasn’t done enough to improve their starting rotation, but if they believe they won’t be competing next year, then they should stand pat. This allows the organization to target better free agents in 2023 and improve their prospects next season.
