Twins to Sign RHP Chris Archer to One-Year Deal

[Nick Nelson]

The Twins may have put the finishing touches on their rotation on Monday, agreeing to terms with veteran right-hander Chris Archer on a one-year deal.

Can the two-time All-Star rediscover his game?

Jeff Passan reports that the deal is worth $3.5 million in guaranteed money, with Archer being able to earn up to $6 million in incentives. There's a mutual option of $10 million for 2023.

Archer was once a dominant force for the Rays, named to the AL All-Star team in both 2015 and 2017, but of late he's been hampered by injuries and poor performance. After an unfulfilling run with the Pirates, he re-signed with Tampa last year but threw only 19.1 IP due to elbow issues.

The 33-year-old Archer is, much like Dylan Bundy, a bounce-back candidate and projected back-end starter. It's not the kind of splashy move most Twins fans were hoping for, but it doesn't fill out the final obvious opening in the rotation while adding a needed dash of veteran experience.

The structure of the deal creates plenty of motivation for Archer, who can nearly triple his base salary by reaching certain workload bonuses (games started or outings with nine or more outs recorded). He owns a career 3.87 ERA and 9.8 K/9 rate over nine MLB seasons.

We'll update with more details soon, so make sure to check back. In the meantime, what are your immediate thoughts on Archer to the Twins?

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[Vanimal46]

He has upside of more than a backend starter so I don’t mind the move. If he doesn’t find it, 1/$3.5 million is a drop in the bucket. 

[GKuehl]

At this point, it's better than nothing. My only worry is that this is the final move -- I'm still holding out hope for a top-tier starter via trade. But I wonder if teams are asking for the moon to part with their quality SP (aka Arraez, Martin, and Winder, or some similar package, for Montas). 

Edited March 28, 2022 by GKuehl
Spelling

[Brandon]

I guess now we can wait on trading for Montas and not be taken on a deal.  Also we can always trade later if need be.  I am not a fan of this move as it doesn’t look like a win now move. 

[Dman]

Can't say I am overly excited but I guess they needed to do something.  I think this is what most of us thought would happen when Oakland didn't make a deal with anyone.  Unless he has some success this feels like a place holder for the pitchers at AAA to prove which one gets the first shot at a rotation role.

[Vanimal46]

1 minute ago, GKuehl said:

At this point, it's better than nothing. My only worry is that this is the final move -- I'm still holding out hope for a top-tier starter via trade. But I wonder if teams are asking for the moon to part with their quality SP (aka Arraez, Martin, and Winder, or some similar package, for Montas). 

Sounds like the A’s are holding onto Montas until the trade deadline. Manaea could be had now but as a 1 year rental for a haul of prospects, I can see why a deal hasn’t been made. 

[USAFChief]

Worth a shot. 

[TheMatt]

I thought that this was what the Bundy signing was. Pretty big failure to address the rotation when all it costed in November was $$

[LewFordLives]

Someone is going to have to get cut from the 40-man. Vallimont?

[Dman]

6 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Sounds like the A’s are holding onto Montas until the trade deadline. Manaea could be had now but as a 1 year rental for a haul of prospects, I can see why a deal hasn’t been made. 

I think Beane can do well hanging onto Montas and Manea until the deadline.  Still there is risk there.  If one or both get hurt or don't have a good first half he will have lost a ton of value for both players.  He does have the advantage of that Oakland park suppressing home runs but still he could end up getting nothing in the end.  Will be interesting to see how it turns out.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

One of Bundy or Archer is fine, but both is a bad sign for this rotation. Yuck

[a-wan]

Just now, USAFChief said:

Worth a shot. 

Yup. Unless he stinks and they hold onto him and keep running him out there like Shoemaker.

[roger]

Assume he is slated into the #5 spot.  When is the first game they need the fifth guy?  Can’t believe he will be ready before late April.  

[lukeduke1980]

Higher upside than Shoemaker.  Probably hoping to get 12 starts out of him

[wsnydes]

Back end guy with potential to be a bit more for not a lot of cash.  Sounds like a Twins pitching acquisition...

That said, I don't mind the move.  He's probably got enough to keep the team from rushing a prospect, yet not enough dough invested to keep him around if he doesn't.

[Vanimal46]

Thorpe remains in the org but off the 40 man. 

[stringer bell]

Well, he's been an All-Star as often as Correa. I guess that shows that All-Star appearances aren't an exact indication of how good a player is. I see he had thoracic outlet surgery, same as Phil Hughes. How many pitchers have recovered and thrived after such a surgery?

Better to have someone than no one, but I have my doubt how well he will do. I'm guessing they thought he has more in the tank than Cueto. I am wondering who gets taken off the 40-man roster to make room for Archer.

[GNess]

Suboptimal move for sure, but Archer has known some legit success. Can he approach that level again - doubtful. Given his experience can he outperform for some part of the season most of the young, perceived to be talented prospects awaiting their shot - possibly.

The Twins aren't necessarily finished making moves if the FO stays focused on improving the team, which I think they may well do.

 

[a-wan]

2 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Thorpe will resurface somewhere. He’s left handed and breathing, after all. 

Hopefully he helps St. Paul. But how bad is he viewed throughout MLB if he already cleared waivers and was outrighted?

[BD57]

hope they've kicked the tires & gotten good medical reports . . . in the absence of that, it's a "the plan is to win the lottery" move.

[PseudoSABR]

27 minutes ago, GKuehl said:

At this point, it's better than nothing. My only worry is that this is the final move -- I'm still holding out hope for a top-tier starter via trade. But I wonder if teams are asking for the moon to part with their quality SP (aka Arraez, Martin, and Winder, or some similar package, for Montas). 

There will be plenty of arms available at the deadline (think A's,O's,Red's,Marlins); this buys time to get there, to get our upper minor arms ready, and for those arms to rebuild value in anticipation of trade.  

But this will be it for the offseason.

[Squirrel]

2 minutes ago, BD57 said:

hope they've kicked the tires & gotten good medical reports . . . in the absence of that, it's a "the plan is to win the lottery" move.

Yes, he's already passed his medicals and is already in camp

 

[HerbieFan]

To this point, the FO has mortgaged basically none of its future to put together this roster.  I'm cool with that, but still think this canNOT be the final move.  The trade DEADLINE is July 30....let's hope there is a trade before then.  If the A's are asking the moon for Montas and plan to wait til the deadline, then I'd like to see the FO move on to another option...I've been on the Alcantara wagon for a long time...

[LewFordLives]

7 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Thorpe remains in the org but off the 40 man. 

I thought he was out of options. Didn't he have to clear waivers?

[tony&rodney]

Oakland is squeezing the market. It may pay off. Bassitt is better than Manaea and Oakland should have been fine with a Sands, Strotman, Rooker deal. On the other hand, the Twins may not be willing to go that high for Manaea. I really like Montas, but he does not have the pedigree of a Berrios or even a Gray. Montas has good stuff and one year of success. I was/am hoping for Montas but a package equal to Berrios would be just wrong. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

13 hours ago, LewFordLives said:

I thought he was out of options. Didn't he have to clear waivers?

He already did clear waivers, that’s what “outrighted” means. He cleared outright assignment waivers and stayed with the team

Edited March 29, 2022 by Sconnie
I reviewed the AZ roster rules and found I missed an important detail

[LA VIkes Fan]

I like it in the sense that we now have at least some cover if Bundy, Ober or Ryan flame out early. Sounds like Winder starts the season in AAA and is the first call up in the case of injury or ineffectiveness.  Prevents us from having to have 3 guys who are basically rookies in the top 5. There will be plenty of opportunities for Winder, Balazovic and Duran this season with innings limitations, ineffectiveness, and injury. Those 3 can start out in AAA and sort themselves out in order in the Minors.

Besides, there is some potential upside here. Archer is 3 years away from being an effective MLB starter, with 2018 the last last decent year. He lost most of 2019 to a shoulder injury, and then part of 2020 and all of 2021 to a hip injury (likely because he changed his motion due to the shoulder issue). IF that's now all ok, a big IF, maybe he rebounds to a 3.75-4.25 ERA, 130-150 IP performance like he used to have before the injury. Not great, but plenty good enough for a #5 starter.   

[Sam Morley]

Does anyone think the rotation as is can get us to the trade deadline in contention?

[tony&rodney]

3 minutes ago, HerbieFan said:

.I've been on the Alcantara wagon for a long time...

I hoped against all hope that the Twins could pry Alcantara away from the Marlins in November of 2020. Miami signed him to a favorable contract. He would cost the about farm right now: Lewis, Kirilloff, Martin, and Balazovic. That is a no and the Marlins are going to hold tight to their young pitching.

[PseudoSABR]

1 minute ago, Sam Morley said:

Does anyone think the rotation as is can get us to the trade deadline in contention?

As long as you're not benching the lineup, yes.  Prior to this move, prediction sites have us as a competitive team.