Twins

Jon Heyman has reported the Minnesota Twins have acquired relief pitcher Michael Fulmer from the Detroit Tigers. Fulmer has served as primarily as the Tigers 8th inning set-up man, recording 39K in 39 IP, and posting a 3.20 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. In return, the Twins drafted Double-A RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long. 

The Minnesota Twins used a franchise record 37 pitchers at the Major League level this season. With plenty of short starts causing a level of scrutiny, the goal is in developing better arms that can go deeper into ballgames. There’s no better place to do that than within your own system.

New Minnesota Twins shortstop Kyle Farmer is not a star. That fact is inescapable, and it’s made his acquisition a source of some confusion, and even frustration. View it through the right lens, though, and Farmer’s arrival not only makes sense, but reveals much about what the front office wants, what they value, and what they might do next.

With the trade of Luis Arraez to the Marlins, the Twins are taking a risk by swapping a critical bat in their line up in the hope of pitching depth. But as many analysts here have shown, the trade leaves quite a few questions. So is it possible the Twins know something about the health of their players that we currently do not?

The third base position has undergone an interesting journey for the Twins of late, from Josh Donaldson to Gio Urshela to José Miranda. Can the latter show enough defensive chops at the hot corner to halt the carousel?

Across the baseball landscape, teams have turned more regularly to openers and bullpen games to cover innings in a 162-game season. Do the Twins have a perfect pitcher to fit the opener role?

The Twins still haven’t acquired another starting pitcher as Opening Day nears. With only a few fringe free-agent options even available to fill the fifth rotation spot, fans have called for adding yet another rookie to the rotation when the season begins. This may be a mistake.

The AL Champion Astros are in town, proving again that The Baseball Gods answer prayers. They've been fielding* the same invocation from Twins fans: are the first place Twins for real? Like for real, for real? This series should give a hint.

Aaron and John discuss how the Twins can "Find a Reliever", Byron Buxton's knee injury, and more about the "drunken bar fight" series versus Cleveland. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. 

There’s no denying that the Minnesota Twins cycled through pitchers like crazy in 2022. Needing a franchise-record 37 to get through the season, more than a handful of players saw their first opportunity. Knowing the farm has some options is also a great reality.

For Twins fans who buy into analytics, as the front office does, Jose Abreu presents a paradox. 

He's an aging slugger with no defensive value – major red flags for a free agency pursuit. At the same time, there's plenty of (statistical!) evidence to suggest Abreu can provide exactly what Minnesota was missing in 2022.

The Luis Arraez for Pablo Lopez (plus prospects) trade is one that entirely makes sense on paper. For Twins fans, it seems destined to be unpopular. It isn’t that Twins fans do not understand the point; instead, the question is: what makes for good baseball?