Twins have traded for Michael Taylor from Royals

[AstrosTwins]

No details yet. Being reported by Jeff Passen.

[Squirrel]

Better not be for Josh Winder. I’d be pissed at that.

[lecroy24fan]

It's Evan Sisk and Steven Cruz going to KC.

[Squirrel]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com
 

Says for Evan Sisk and Steven Cruz

[I wish the twins were good]

Is this insurance for Buxton? They needed right handed bats but he can't hit. Great fielder but so is Kepler. They don't steal. Why they are bothering with this.

[AstrosTwins]

Pretty good deal to me as far as the trade is concerned, but man, we have too many outfielders. More moves coming!!!

[PseudoSABR]

Kepler and/or Celestino seem like excess, now.  More must be coming.

[raindog]

  On 1/24/2023 at 12:06 AM, I wish the twins were good said:

Is this insurance for Buxton? They needed right handed bats but he can't hit. Great fielder but so is Kepler. They don't steal. Why they are bothering with this.

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He’s a great CF, unlike Kepler who doesn’t play there anymore. And yes, insurance for Buxton is a very good idea. 

[Azviking101]

Royals went from asking for Winder to getting 2 relief “prospects”

[AstrosTwins]

I think at least 1 or 2 outfielders are going somewhere for a bullpen upgrade perhaps?? Bednar or Mantiply??

[I wish the twins were good]

  On 1/24/2023 at 12:09 AM, raindog said:

He’s a great CF, unlike Kepler who doesn’t play there anymore. And yes, insurance for Buxton is a very good idea. 

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Agreed, based on what they traded for him, ain't nothing but a roster spot so whatever.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I think this means we see Kepler dealt for prospects.

A fine trade that fills a need at the back of the roster. It raises the floor of the team as a whole. 

[AstrosTwins]

I know Buxton is an ELITE defender, but do you think this could possibly mean that Taylor will play center and Buxton mostly DH closer to full time in an effort to keep Byron healthy and in the lineup? Gallo plays right, Larnach plays left with Kirilloff at first base? Kepler then moved for something?

With the new bases and pickoff limitations, keeping Byron healthy and in the lineup are more important than ever before. If he plays a full season, he could steal 75 bases. I wonder if this is an effort to do this??

[Azviking101]

  On 1/24/2023 at 12:25 AM, AstrosTwins said:

I know Buxton is an ELITE defender, but do you think this could possibly mean that Taylor will play center and Buxton mostly DH in an effort to keep Byron healthy and in the lineup? Gallo plays right, Larnach plays left with Kirilloff at first base? Kepler then moved for something?

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I think buxton was going to play a quality amount of DH regardless. Taylor just gives them a true, quality center fielder as a backup. 

[Danchat]

Sure, why not. Sisk might turn out, but we didn't give him a shot last year and our relief prospects usually flame out, so it's no big loss. It's about time they find a real backup CF after pretending like Cave and Celestino/others were good enough backups to Buxton. 

It definitely feels like one OF is still going to be moved, I feel like Kepler is the odd man out. If Larnach is good to go I'd rather have his bat in the lineup, especially with plus defenders in Buxton, Gallo, and Taylor on the team.

[notoriousgod71]

Taylor, Gallo, and Buxton lead MLB in runs saved since 2020. One way to improve this pitching staff.

[Brock Beauchamp]

  On 1/24/2023 at 12:25 AM, AstrosTwins said:

I know Buxton is an ELITE defender, but do you think this could possibly mean that Taylor will play center and Buxton mostly DH closer to full time in an effort to keep Byron healthy and in the lineup? Gallo plays right, Larnach plays left with Kirilloff at first base? Kepler then moved for something?

With the new bases and pickoff limitations, keeping Byron healthy and in the lineup are more important than ever before. If he plays a full season, he could steal 75 bases. I wonder if this is an effort to do this??

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I think we’ll see Buxton DHed more but he’s a better defender than Taylor so he’ll still get plenty of reps in center. 

[CRF]

I'll take Taylor over Celestino any day of the week. That's a huge upgrade. There has to be more moves coming though.

[ashbury]

  On 1/24/2023 at 12:31 AM, Danchat said:

Sure, why not. Sisk might turn out, but we didn't give him a shot last year and our relief prospects usually flame out, so it's no big loss.

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Sisk's splits last year at AA and AAA label him to me as a LOOGY. Right handed batters OPSed .677 against him, which might look serviceable in a bullpen until you factor in that major league hitters will probably be .100 points better than that, making him below par against the majority of batters out there.  LOOGYs sometimes carve out long careers but the rules were changed recently to stack the odds against one-batter relievers, so I concur on your view that he's a pretty cheap asset to have moved.

[twins_89]

I'm guessing Alexy is the guy who gets dropped from the 40-man roster. The Twins are running out of players they can drop from the 40-man without pain (meaning someone would likely claim them off waivers).

[I wish the twins were good]

  On 1/24/2023 at 12:31 AM, Danchat said:

Sure, why not. Sisk might turn out, but we didn't give him a shot last year and our relief prospects usually flame out, so it's no big loss. It's about time they find a real backup CF after pretending like Cave and Celestino/others were good enough backups to Buxton. 

It definitely feels like one OF is still going to be moved, I feel like Kepler is the odd man out. If Larnach is good to go I'd rather have his bat in the lineup, especially with plus defenders in Buxton, Gallo, and Taylor on the team.

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Considering what Kepler will be paid, 8ish MM, he's going to be about dead even value wise, so won't be surprised if they don't get anything back for him. He's certainly a "change of scenery" type. Good luck, sir....er, auf wiedersehen or whatever. Now some other team can enjoy hearing the ballet backstory retold by literally every bored away announcer at least once a series any time they play anywhere else outside the AL Central.

[howeda7]

RIP back-up CF'er Joey Gallo.

[Mike Sixel]

  On 1/24/2023 at 1:45 AM, howeda7 said:

RIP back-up CF'er Joey Gallo.

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? He's the starting LFer.....

[howeda7]

  On 1/24/2023 at 1:49 AM, Mike Sixel said:

? He's the starting LFer.....

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Perhaps but weren't they claiming he would shift over to CF whenever needed?

[August J Gloop]

Another strong trade. I was comfortably uncomfortable with letting Winder go for MAT, so this is groovy. 

[Twodogs]

  On 1/24/2023 at 12:25 AM, AstrosTwins said:

I know Buxton is an ELITE defender, but do you think this could possibly mean that Taylor will play center and Buxton mostly DH closer to full time in an effort to keep Byron healthy and in the lineup? Gallo plays right, Larnach plays left with Kirilloff at first base? Kepler then moved for something?

With the new bases and pickoff limitations, keeping Byron healthy and in the lineup are more important than ever before. If he plays a full season, he could steal 75 bases. I wonder if this is an effort to do this??

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Personally, I don't think stolen bases are on the Twins radar at all.  Not until teams start doing it to them.  The Twins seem very reactive not necessarily proactive over the last few years.

[AstrosTwins]

  On 1/24/2023 at 2:10 AM, Twodogs said:

Personally, I don't think stolen bases are on the Twins radar at all.  Not until teams start doing it to them.  The Twins seem very reactive not necessarily proactive over the last few years.

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You might be right, but if you are, it will be a poor organizational decision by the front office. I think you’re going to be surprised. The moves this team has made already signals a different organizational direction. They are getting aggressive. With the new base size and pick off limitation rules, any team that isn’t trying to run more, is going to be significantly behind the sport. I’m hoping the Twins will get out in front.

[USAFChief]

  On 1/24/2023 at 2:17 AM, AstrosTwins said:

You might be right, but if you are, it will be a poor organizational decision by the front office. I think you’re going to be surprised. The moves this team has made already signals a different organizational direction. They are getting aggressive. With the new base size and pick off limitation rules, any team that isn’t trying to run more, is going to be significantly behind the sport. I’m hoping the Twins will get out in front.

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I'd love to see the Twins steal more. But it won't be Buxton. The Twins don't let Buxton run, in the misguided belief it helps keep him on the field.

[Mike Sixel]

  On 1/24/2023 at 1:50 AM, howeda7 said:

Perhaps but weren't they claiming he would shift over to CF whenever needed?

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Things change. Who cares? Some people just look for things to rip them for no matter what. 

[strumdatjag]

If they wanted a speedy, CF defender, they could have resigned Billy Hamilton.  I’m kidding - sort of.   The Pale Hose signed him to Minor League deal.  This is a real ho-hum trade.