One trade, one signing Twins should make

After successful their first playoff sequence in additional than 20 years, the Minnesota Twins have had a tough offseason dropping 2023 Cy Younger Award finalist pitcher Sonny Grey and one other piece of their beginning rotation in pitcher Kenta Maeda. Serving to lead the Twins to the sixth-best ERA within the MLB final season at 3.87, the Twins might want to look outdoors the group to replenish the underside of the rotation.

Their offense closely relied on the lengthy ball as they have been tied for third place within the MLB with 233 house runs whereas main the MLB with 1,654 strikeouts. With a lot of the offense returning, the Twins might want to work out who suits the long-term plans offensively and make some offers accordingly as spring coaching inches nearer. 

Here is one commerce and one signing the Twins ought to make this offseason. 

Commerce: Deal second baseman Jorge Polanco to the Toronto Blue Jays

With rookie second baseman Edouard Julien breaking onto the scene in 2023 and proving to be greater than able to dealing with MLB, he has made veteran second baseman Jorge Polanco expendable.

After having a profession yr in 2021, Polanco is coming off of back-to-back injury-riddled seasons which have restricted him to a .244/.341/.427 slash line with 64 extra-base hits and 104 RBI in 184 video games performed.

Resulting from make $10.5M this season and a membership possibility for $12M in 2025, Polanco is prone to be the odd man out in Minnesota’s infield. 

Buying and selling Polanco to the Blue Jays for a bundle centered round a pitcher like Nate Pearson and utility man Cavan Biggio is a deal that advantages each groups. 

The Blue Jays get a switch-hitting center infielder so as to add to their lineup in Polanco, and the Twins obtain a former high pitching prospect who might probably see work as a starter or out of the bullpen in Pearson, and a hitter who can play virtually each place in Biggio for a fraction of the worth.

Signing: Add rotation depth by signing beginning pitcher Mike Clevinger

With Grey and Maeda each leaving this offseason, the Twins have three beginning pitchers left from final yr’s playoff squad and some others who’re main query marks health-wise like pitcher Chris Paddack.

Whereas they’ll possible will not discover somebody to switch Grey’s manufacturing, they’ll discover an arm who is aware of the division whereas additionally coming off a stable season in 2023 in pitcher Mike Clevinger.

Clevinger went 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 110 strikeouts in 131.1 innings pitched for the Chicago White Sox final season. 

The Twins noticed loads of him when he was with the Cleveland Guardians. From 2017 to 2019, he was among the finest pitchers within the American League, placing up a 38-18 document with a 2.96 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 513 strikeouts in 447.2 innings pitched.

Clevinger has two seasons underneath his belt since recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure in 2021 and has proven that he can nonetheless be a reliable pitcher. 

Becoming a member of a rotation with pitchers Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober, he will not be anticipated to shoulder the load and will thrive as a fourth possibility.

Spotrac’s calculated market worth has Clevinger valued at a contract of round $14M a season.