Two weeks in the past, 25 of 26 spots on the Minnesota Twins’ season-opening roster appeared set, with only a single bullpen job actually up for grabs. However accidents have a means of fixing plans, and on the tail finish of camp the Twins misplaced nearer Jhoan Duran, setup arms Caleb Thielbar, Justin Topa and Josh Staumont and starter Anthony DeSclafani to the injured record, shaking up the pitching employees.
This isn’t the group the Twins anticipated to be taking to Kansas Metropolis, however right here’s the 26-man Opening Day roster they introduced on Thursday, together with some ideas on who did or didn’t make the reduce and all the anticipated roles.
Beginning pitchers (5): Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack, Louie Varland
DeSclafani’s elbow damage opened the door for Varland to be the No. 5 starter, however he might find yourself pitching the fourth recreation on the schedule, Tuesday at Milwaukee, so the Twins can start managing Paddack’s season-long workload getting back from his second Tommy John surgical procedure. Getting Paddack additional time between begins when attainable is smart, however the Twins doubtless don’t need to skip his first flip.
Varland ought to be prepared for his first large probability and there’s so much using on him, as a result of DeSclafani could also be headed for season-ending surgical procedure earlier than throwing a pitch for the Twins and the next-in-line rotation choices are untested prospects David Festa, Simeon Woods Richardson and Brent Headrick. That is one space the place possession’s payroll cuts clearly damage the Twins’ capability to construct depth.
Sonny Grey and Kenta Maeda left as free brokers, and DeSclafani might not assist substitute them, however FanGraphs nonetheless tasks the Twins to have the No. 2 rotation within the American League. López is projected because the AL’s second-best starter whereas Ryan (No. 13), Ober (No. 26) and Paddack (No. 28) are projected as top-30 starters in a 15-team league. If wholesome, that might be a powerful rotation.
Aid pitchers (8): Brock Stewart, Griffin Jax, Jay Jackson, Steven Okert, Jorge Alcala, Kody Funderburk, Daniel Duarte, Cole Sands
FanGraphs nonetheless tasks the Twins to have the No. 1 bullpen within the AL regardless of the accidents to Duran, Thielbar and Topa, however that’s a season-long view and never consultant of the relievers obtainable straight away. If, as anticipated, Thielbar and Topa are again by mid-April, and Duran can return by early Could, the Twins might be high quality within the large image, however issues may very well be shaky within the meantime.
Stewart and Jax (or Jax and Stewart) are a extremely succesful closer-setup duo, however elevating them within the bullpen pecking order leaves key outs to get within the sixth and seventh innings. That’s the place Thielbar and Topa would have are available in, however now that medium-leverage work will doubtless go to Jackson, a 36-year-old right-hander signed for $1.5 million, and Okert, the commerce return for Nick Gordon.
Alcala might be requested to fill a significant position means before anticipated coming off back-to-back injury-wrecked seasons. Funderburk replaces Thielbar on the roster and can function the No. 2 left-hander, with Okert transferring as much as No. 1. Sands, who crammed an up-and-down position the previous two seasons, was chosen to eat a number of innings in lengthy reduction.
Duarte, a February waiver pickup, is the lone participant to make the staff after not being on the 40-man roster when camp began. Profession-long management points have beforehand stored the 27-year-old righty from sticking within the majors, however Duarte impressed the Twins with a 12-to-0 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 12 1/3 innings this spring, throwing way more strikes with out sacrificing his high-octane uncooked stuff.
Catchers (2): Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vázquez
No surprises right here, as Jeffers and Vázquez each made it by way of spring coaching wholesome and can share time behind the plate for the second straight yr. Jeffers led AL catchers in OPS final season whereas Vázquez struggled, however the Twins really feel strongly concerning the significance of limiting catcher workloads. Jeffers is the No. 1 catcher, however a 60-40 or 55-45 break up is probably going early on.
Infielders (6): Carlos Santana, Edouard Julien, Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Alex Kirilloff, Kyle Farmer
Correa and Lewis would be the on a regular basis left aspect of the infield and the Twins additionally appear inclined to make use of the 37-year-old Santana as a virtually on a regular basis first baseman. They worth Santana’s switch-hitting capability and plate self-discipline sufficient to make him the leadoff decide in opposition to lefties, and think about him as a significantly better fielder than Kirilloff, who will doubtless be used largely at designated hitter.
Julien will begin at second base and lead off versus righties, with Farmer taking on for him at second base in opposition to most lefties in the identical logical platoon the Twins typically used final yr. Farmer will even be the first backup at shortstop, third base and second base, and probably even play some first base. Willi Castro is listed under as an outfielder, however he’ll even be a part of the infield combine at instances.
Outfielders (5): Matt Wallner, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Manuel Margot, Willi Castro
There was a way of renewed optimism about Buxton’s well being standing when he reported to camp six weeks in the past and that grew even stronger as he performed heart discipline usually, ran effectively and hit .314/.368/.600. Buxton might be beginning in heart discipline on Opening Day, a welcome sight after he missed all of spring coaching final yr and was restricted to a DH-only position earlier than being shut down in August.
Left-handed hitters Kepler and Wallner would be the beginning nook outfielders, however Wallner and maybe Kepler will sit versus many lefties in favor of the right-handed-hitting Margot and switch-hitting Castro. Margot, who came to visit in a late-February commerce, will even substitute Michael A. Taylor as the required Buxton backup/insurance coverage in heart discipline.
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(High picture of Daniel Duarte: Brace Hemmelgarn / Minnesota Twins / Getty Pictures)