With some news coming in on the Twins' arbitration-eligible players, I think it'd make sense to start a discussion on the incoming moves. So far:

 

Rosario placed on outright waivers

 

 

 

According to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic, the Twins have agreed to a pre-arbitration deal with Caleb Thielbar worth around $700,000.
Thielbar gets a guaranteed major league contract after signing a minor league deal with Minnesota last winter and pitching to a 2.25 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 22/9 K/BB ratio over 20 innings of relief during the shortened 2020 season. The 33-year-old left-hander should be locked into a bullpen job with the Twins leading into 2021.

 

Thielbar looks like a lock to be in the pen again, though he does have one option remaining just in case.

I'm skeptical about Thielbar repeating his success into 2021, but $700k is a drop in the bucket. They can easily dump that contract if things go pear shaped.

 

And, on a positive note, if he’s anywhere near as effective in 2021 as he was in 2020, $700k is a steal.

 

 

Twins and RHP Tyler Duffey avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.2 million contract.

Duffey gets a nice boost in salary from the (prorated) $1.2 million figure he pulled in this past season. The 29-year-old registered a 1.88 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and 31/6 K/BB ratio over 24 innings of relief in 2020.

 

 

Hold the phone, Wisler was non-tendered? What?! Why? This makes zero sense.

 

 

Berrios will not have another arbitration debate this year. 

Hold the phone, Wisler was non-tendered? What?! Why? This makes zero sense.

They found immense success with changing his pitch mix to an absurd 84% slider rate IIRC. I can see them having concerns about him going pear shaped if the league adjusts to that pitch. What else is up his sleeve? He wasn’t this good using his FB or other pitches more frequently.

 

I’m actually more confident in the FO’s ability to re-create one pitch revelation projects just like Wisler in the future.

 

They found immense success with changing his pitch mix to an absurd 84% slider rate IIRC. I can see them having concerns about him going pear shaped if the league adjusts to that pitch. What else is up his sleeve? He wasn’t this good using his FB or other pitches more frequently.

I’m actually more confident in the FO’s ability to re-create one pitch revelation projects just like Wisler in the future.

I understand this and I get why it's a prime reason to expect regression, but everyone knew he was only throwing one pitch, and still had an incredible 1.07 ERA. He'd be super cheap to tender. I'd be more worried about regression for Thielbar than for Wisler.

 

Also, the bullpen as it currently stands:

 

Rogers

Duffey

Alcala

Thielbar

Stashak

others like Smeltzer/Thorpe

 

We don't really have any depth in the pen at the moment. I do expect a bunch of 1 year deals to eventually happen, but not after a lot of waiting.

 

I understand this and I get why it's a prime reason to expect regression, but everyone knew he was only throwing one pitch, and still had an incredible 1.07 ERA. He'd be super cheap to tender. I'd be more worried about regression for Thielbar than for Wisler.

 

Also, the bullpen as it currently stands:

 

Rogers

Duffey

Alcala

Thielbar

Stashak

others like Smeltzer/Thorpe

 

We don't really have any depth in the pen at the moment. I do expect a bunch of 1 year deals to eventually happen, but not after a lot of waiting.

Thorpe will have to stay, so he will be a rotation arm, a bullpen arm (hopefully long), or gone. 

 

Could the Twins go after Hand? I still would like to see a bonafide closer and let Rogers do set-up.

 

Colina is better poised for the bullpen.

 

Wisler would be a nice protection additions, as would a return of Clippard.

 

Picture the Twins adding one starter, 2-3 back-end bullpen arms from free-agency. That's it. 

 

I would like to see Cruz return, but am doubtful.