3 Immediate Priorities for the Twins Once the Lockout Ends

#1: Complete a Trade for a Starting Pitcher

I've heard rumblings that the Twins were deep into trade talks on multiple fronts before the lockout commenced. If true, hopefully this generates momentum for a deal to materialize quickly once a new CBA agreement is reached.

The upper tier of free agency is mostly picked over, leaving trades as really the only avenue for Minnesota to add the kind of difference-making rotation help it needs. Many possibilities exist. At The Athletic, Dan Hayes teamed up with writers from other beats to postulate Twins trade ideas, and they all seem appealing to me in their own ways. 

As I discussed recently when taking stock of the organization and its talent assets, the Twins have some clear areas of redundant value, giving them plenty of ammo to work with. I would say the likelihood of at least one trade for an established starting pitcher is extremely high, although their level of ambition with such a move is to be determined.

#2: Sign Yusei Kikuchi, Zack Greinke, or Michael Pineda

Their passive approach ahead of the shutdown means the Twins have basically missed out on their opportunity to target front-of-rotation upside in free agency. But they still have money to spend and minimal assurances. 

In my mind, signing one or more from the above trio is how you accomplish that. These are proven veteran commodities who can provide innings – potentially quality innings. 

Greinke is a horse, and basically hasn't missed a start in five years. He's topped 200 innings nine times in his career. His velocity and performance have tailed off in the past couple seasons, but the 38-year-old former Cy Young winner would bring tremendous experience and perspective to a young group.

Kikuchi could hardly be described as an "innings eater" (he hasn't thrown more than 162 in a season), but like Greinke, he takes the ball every fifth day. Outside of a brief stint on the COVID list last July, Kikuchi never missed a start in Seattle, and while his overall results haven't been great (4.97 ERA, 4.93 FIP), there may be untapped potential in the former NPB star. 

Pineda's name is not associated with "reliability" given the time he missed in Minnesota due to suspensions and injuries, but he's a steady veteran performer whose presence would make a world of difference for a Twins staff that is lacking certified credibility at the moment.

Dylan Bundy on his own is a very uninspiring pickup for the Twins rotation. Dylan Bundy in addition to one of the free agents above, plus a trade acquisition who's better than either of them? Now that's a solid offseason.

#3: Figure Out the Plan at Shortstop

Even though Minnesota's need at shortstop is glaring, I place it as a secondary priority behind pitching. Why? Two reasons.

First, because I don't find it quite as essential to the team's success. The Twins have enough quality and balance throughout their lineup that I trust the overall position player group, even without a major addition at shortstop. 

I can't say the same about the rotation. There's no real base to work with.

Secondly, the Twins have an in-house option available to solve the shortstop problem. While there's no player in the organization right now who you could look at and say, "Alright there's our #1 starting pitcher," they could turn back to Jorge Polanco at short and call it done. No one's saying that's an ideal course of action, but it's a reasonable one.

I doubt it's the direction this front office will go. They seem firmly committed to Polanco as a second baseman. But that means they will need to address their complete void at the shortstop position, and quickly, because external options have already thinned out. 

Carlos Correa is seeking upwards of $350 million, and likely off the Twins' radar. Trevor Story is a possibility, but not a strong one. That leaves the best remaining free agent options as José Iglesias and Andrelton Simmons, followed by a bunch of backup-caliber options. 

Will they make a splash on Story? Will they go back to Andrelton? Maybe gamble on Iglesias' late-season breakout in Boston? Whatever their plan, they better act on it fast, because the Twins aren't the only team with a need at shortstop, and the musical chairs are running out.

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