Twins Video
Boston had been mentioned as a possible destination for Ervin Santana, who suddenly carries intriguing trade value, but is now off the board for starting pitching. And yet, one position where the Red Sox, along with many other contenders, could still use help is catcher. It's a source of offensive weakness across the league. American League catchers collectively have a .671 OPS, which is 60 points lower than the next-worst position (left field).
This makes the timing of Kurt Suzuki's astonishing evolution with the bat quite fortuitous. It's difficult to comprehend, but after his scorching last six weeks Suzuki suddenly leads all AL catchers in batting average and ranks third in OPS.
Given the generally subpar level of play that we've seen from him over the past two years, it's tempting to pass this off as a fluke. But Suzuki's torrid streak has sustained for quite a while and shows no signs of dissipating.
What triggered this shocking turnaround? Optimal health at last? A new bat type? Plain and simple adjustments?
Who knows, but this much is clear: Terry Ryan now stands at a point of great leverage.
The Case For Trading Suzuki
Boston's willingness to surrender Anderson Espinoza, one of the most highly regarded young arms in the minors, for Pomeranz signals that we're looking at a seller's market. The addition of a second wild-card slot means that 19 MLB teams are realistically in the postseason race, and looking for an edge.
Picking up a catcher who is in the zone like Suzuki would provide just that. Some teams are flat-out desperate for any kind of offensive threat behind the plate. The Indians, who currently lead the AL Central, have had no choice but to stick with Yan Gomes as their regular despite his .166 average and .516 OPS. The Tigers are chasing them with James McCann – owner of a .208 average and .563 OPS – as their majority backstop. The third-place White Sox are trotting out Dioner Navarro, who is also batting .208. And that's just in this division.
The aforementioned Red Sox, who have demonstrated an all-in type of aggressiveness, may fancy the idea of bringing in a well respected and red-hot veteran like Suzuki to bang liners off the Green Monster.
He's inexpensive this year. He has a very reasonable $6 million option attached to his contract for next year. His unceasing toughness sets a good example, and pitchers love working with him. It isn't difficult to envision a scenario in which Suzuki garners some significant offers, especially if he keeps raking for a couple more weeks. Can the Twins, now thrust back into rebuilding mode, afford to pass them up?
The Case For Keeping Suzuki
The problem with giving up Suzuki is that the cupboard is completely bare for 2017. John Ryan Murphy is batting .208 with a .558 OPS in Triple-A, and he qualifies as the next most credible option in the organization as a starting catcher.
If the Twins have aspirations of bouncing back and returning to contention next year – and it's not that far-fetched – they either need keep Suzuki and activate his option, or enter the offseason frantically searching for an answer. Are they ready to get into a high-stakes bidding war for Wilson Ramos or Matt Wieters, given the number of clubs seeking such players? Not likely.
This team has stuck with Suzuki through some lean times. He stayed in the lineup steadily last year even while posting terrible numbers, and during the offseason, the front office brought in more of a caddy/protege than replacement. Now that he's finally playing up to his potential, and the organization is bereft of contingency plans, it won't be easy to pry Suzuki away.
It all comes down to getting an offer that can't be refused. With 17 days remaining until the deadline, we'll see it if comes.
MORE FROM TWINS DAILY
— Latest Twins coverage from our writers
— Recent Twins discussion in our forums
— Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email
— Become a Twins Daily Caretaker
Recommended Comments
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.