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The Minnesota Twins have needed starting pitching virtually since the beginning of time. It’s been a refrain muttered by fans at least since Target Field opened its doors, and the Pohlad family opening up the pocketbook to make it happen has been a desire. With other free agent records having fallen, is this the time for the next one? Image courtesy of Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports Derek Falvey and Thad Levine took over as the heads of Minnesota’s front office back in the fall of 2016. During their tenure, the two most notable free agent signings have been hitters. Josh Donaldson’s $100 million deal was the largest given to a free agent in franchise history, and Carlos Correa’s $35.1 million average annual value was the highest ever paid in a season to an infielder. On the Donaldson deal, Minnesota opted to part ways with the brash veteran just halfway through the deal. On the Correa pact, the Twins gave out a contract where the star shortstop could leave after just one season looking for the payday that never came a year ago. To date, the club has never truly spent substantially on a starting pitcher. There's a good reason that a deal hasn’t been reached, and it’s probably not for lack of trying. This front office targeted Zack Wheeler, Yu Darvish, and Charlie Morton in recent seasons. Anything offered to them would’ve been in rarified air for this franchise. In those scenarios though, the Twins were fighting against the lack of market or weather, and probably were not the highest offer. Finding an ace in free agency is a crapshoot. You’re dealing with an arm that was ultimately passed on by their former club, and they’ve probably been through a previous extension to this point. Realistically, 28-year-old pitchers that could be an ace for any team in baseball simply don’t show up in free agency. It’s a dice roll to decide if the caution flags are worth ignoring to bring in the new star. This offseason represents a familiar landscape. Justin Verlander is an aging superstar that probably wants continuity. Jacob deGrom has had injuries and is 34. Clayton Kershaw has a declining back and is also the same age as the Mets star. The cream of the most likely crop is probably limited to Chris Sale, Chris Bassitt, Carlos Rodon, and Mike Clevinger. The former White Sox ace (Sale) has thrown just 48 1/3 innings since 2019. He’s great, but hasn’t been healthy, wore out his welcome in Boston, and isn’t young. Rodon put up a healthy season with the Giants, but injuries have plagued him in the past. Clevinger wasn’t good in 2022 and hasn’t been healthy for years either. That leaves Bassitt, who may lack the top tier to be worthy of a substantial price tag. No matter what though, available pitching with this ceiling is going to get paid. Terry Ryan spent more handsomely on starting pitching than Falvey and Levine have to this point. The $54 million Minnesota gave to Ervin Santana back in 2014 still is significantly more than anything we’ve seen handed out in recent seasons. Knowing they need to add at the top of the rotation, it will be interesting to see how Minnesota’s front office opts for a step forward at a position they’ve yet to take one. With the landscape at starting pitcher being what it is, are you ready for the Twins to spend big now? If so, what name are you wanting them all in on? View full article

The Minnesota Twins closed out a short two-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday afternoon. Despite poor weather conditions the night before and a game delayed into the wee hours of the morning, the afternoon tilt brought a pair of massive misses for Minnesota. Kirilloff and Kershaw were the narratives of the day. Krillioff Knocks Self from Lineup When Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli published his first lineup of the day, Alex Kirilloff was in it, starting in left field. That’s notable as he is a left-handed batter and was set to face off against first-ballot Hall of Famer lefty Clayton Kershaw. However, the bad news dropped not more than an hour after making that decision. The Twins up-and-coming star was headed back to the Injured List. No, this wasn’t for the knee injury that held him out of a Spring Training game, but instead, for the same wrist injury, he dealt with a season ago. That is the wrist he underwent surgery for in July, missed the rest of the season, and didn’t resume baseball activities until October. Immediately I thought of a quote that The Athletic’s Dan Hayes shared back in March. Kirilloff said, “I ramped up to where I was ready to hit a velocity machine, and it just didn’t feel right, so we shut it down for a month in November and then started ramping up in December again. That second time around, it felt better.” The comment caused some pause at the time as it wasn’t great that issues were still present. I tried to tuck it into the back of my mind, but it clearly reared its head again today. Then there’s the frustration of what Kirilloff is really dealing with. Today, MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park tweeted that Kirilloff shared he’s never swung pain-free since the injury. That is a substantial problem, both for the player and the Twins. A season ago, Kirilloff was a prospect looking to establish himself as a big-league ballplayer. Up until his May 3 wrist sprain, he owned a .799 OPS, and it was backed by a seven-game stretch in which he slashed .321/.333/.857. After a cortisone shot and some rehab, Kirilloff returned to play another 47 games but posted just a .703 OPS with virtually non-existent power. At that point, combined with the Twins postseason prognosis, surgery was deemed favorable. Coming into this season, Kirilloff didn’t have anything guaranteed, but the left-field role was his for the taking. This is a Minnesota team looking at a postseason berth, and they were going to count on the former first-round pick to bolster the lineup in a big way. That was until it was discovered, a week into the season, that his wrist hadn’t been pain-free. It’s hard to fault an athlete for wanting to compete, but the 1-for-17 start indicated more than just tough luck. Being put in the lineup even on the day he was sent to the Injured List suggests this was news to everyone but the outfielder. Who knows what could have been done differently, how the roster could’ve been shaped, or how his health could’ve been prioritized before this point, but now the Twins are stuck in a waiting game that is the result of an ineffective surgery and a blindside. Kershaw Flirts With Perfection Watching the game from different spaces within Target Field, it was clear Minnesota had no answer for the Dodgers star southpaw today. Kershaw cruised through each inning with ease, never facing a deep count and with no real contact that threatened the production of a base runner. As the innings drew on and the strikeouts increased, the only thing hot at the ballpark was the future Hall of Famer. After completing his 7th inning of work, on just 80 pitches, Kershaw had thirteen strikeouts and had allowed zero baserunners. When he entered the dugout, manager Dave Roberts greeted him. They high-fived, and it seemed to signify that his day was done. Blake Treinen had been warming in the bullpen, and the Los Angeles manager seemed ready to lift his star six outs from a perfect game. Following the conclusion, Kershaw shared that “it was the right move…it was time.” That’s the response of a veteran not looking to undo his manager's decision, but it’s also the correct one. While it would’ve been amazing to see the legendary arm turn in baseball’s 24th perfect game, there are no guarantees it would happen. More than playing the “what if” game, though, there’s the levity of the situation. Last year Kershaw dealt with an injury down the stretch, and in the Postseason, for a Dodgers team looking at success solely through the lens of a World Series ring. He then didn’t ramp up his throwing program until January, later than usual, providing his body time to heal. Throw in a lockout-shortened Spring Training, and you have an arm that has yet to be stretched beyond 60-70 pitches. For fans, this was a 36-degree game in April. For the Dodgers (and hopefully the Twins), this was a game during the first week of a marathon to the World Series. Perfection certainly would’ve been amazing, and it would’ve kept me at the park for another six outs despite the 6-0 score. Still, there’s also the likely possibility the ramifications would’ve been felt far longer than a magical day in April. Wednesday was dominated by two K’s and maybe three if you attribute a third to Kershaw’s strikeout tally. Both were detrimental for the Twins, and only one of the two situations played out well. Better days ahead. View full article

There has been a flurry of free-agent signings with the looming lockout. Let’s revisit the top-five remaining free-agent starting pitcher options for the Twins. Minnesota’s current rotation is expected to include Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan. Other rotational options include Randy Dobnak, Griffin Jax, and Lewis Thorpe. Some of the team’s top prospects are also on the 40-man roster, including Jordan Balazovic, Cole Sands, Drew Strotman, Chis Vallimont, and Josh Winder. Each of the players below is still available with the looming lockout on the horizon. Included with each player is his projected salary, according to the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook. 5. RHP Michael Pineda TD Offseason Handbook Prediction: $8 million/season Twins fans are well familiar with Pineda, and he likely won’t get the fanbase excited about what he can bring to the rotation. He seems like an excellent candidate to be the team’s number three starter, but that would mean the Twins need to acquire two other arms to put ahead of him in the rotation. Pineda is a known quantity, and he has been a strong veteran presence during his time in Minnesota. He can add rotational depth, but he can’t be the team’s only offseason move. 4. LHP Yusei Kikuchi TD Offseason Handbook Prediction: $15 million/season Kikuchi was an All-Star last season, but he struggled mightily in the second half with an ERA close to 6.00. He surrendered the hardest average exit velocity in baseball last season because he leaves too many pitches over the middle of the plate. He will be a project for any team that signs him, but he’s left-handed and has a three-pitch mix, so that’s intriguing. 3. LHP Clayton Kershaw TD Offseason Handbook Prediction: $18 million/season Kershaw is a future inner-circle Hall of Fame member, so it seems unlikely for him to sign with a Twins team coming off a last-place finish. In the twilight of his career, Kershaw can pick the right destination for him and his family. That destination won’t be in Minnesota. 2. LHP Carlos Rodon TD Offseason Handbook Prediction: $18 million/season Earlier this week, KSTP reported that the Twins were taking a serious run at Carlos Rodon, an intriguing name. He was one of the American League’s best starters last season, but shoulder issues kept him out near the season’s end. Another item to consider is the White Sox didn’t make him a qualifying offer. Chicago knows Rodon’s health better than anyone, and they may believe his injury will continue to linger. 1. RHP Marcus Stroman TD Offseason Handbook Prediction: $20 million/season Stroman is one of the last men standing out of the tier one starting pitchers. Twins fans may be suspicious of another pitch-to-contact arm at the top of the team’s rotation. He doesn’t have some of the injury question marks surrounding some of the other top names on this list. Also, his market is likely more extensive than the beginning of the offseason because the supply of top-tier pitchers is running low. Stroman seems like an excellent fit for the Twins, but will they outbid other teams to get an ace. There isn’t much left on the shelf for the Twins to spend money on this winter. Likely, this points to the team needing to make multiple trades to fill numerous rotation spots. Do you think the Twins will be able to add any of these starters? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

There’s no secret that the Minnesota Twins chief focus this offseason will be finding pitching help. With the rotation currently consisting of only Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober, there’s a need for at least three arms. Should the front office target a veteran ace even if there are big question marks? Yesterday was the deadline for teams to decide whether they’d hand out a qualifying offer to impending free agents. The player then chooses to accept a one-year deal worth $18.4 million or enter free agency with draft pick compensation being awarded to their former team should they leave. A handful of players were tagged with qualifying offers, but two stand out to me. Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw. Two aces. Two veterans. Two entirely different situations. Of these two, only Verlander was given a qualifying offer. Kershaw is a part of this story because he DID NOT receive a qualifying offer. Verlander, the former Astros ace, will be 39-years-old in 2022 and has not pitched since one game in 2020 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Kershaw will be 34-years-old next season but bowed out in October with an elbow issue that cost him three months during the 2021 season. In assessing what the Twins involvement should be regarding either player, I think it’s first worth looking at how their respective teams view the former aces. Verlander being slapped with a qualifying offer suggests the Astros believe he’s near-ready to go and has been on a good path when it comes to his recovery. If they thought he wouldn’t be a significant contributor in 2022, it’s hard to imagine they’d swallow nearly $20 million on an arm that won’t be available. Maybe they don’t want him for multiple years as he’s aging, but they’ll gladly take him back to bolster a rotation that was beyond depleted in the postseason. On the flip side, Los Angeles decided to walk away from Kershaw at this point. He’s spent all 14 years of his Major League career there, but the Dodgers didn’t feel an $18.4 million gamble was worthwhile given his injury situation. Kershaw already had to miss significant time for Dave Roberts’ club during the year. Going under the knife would seem like a genuine possibility if the problem doesn’t resolve itself through rest this offseason. In that scenario, Los Angeles would need at least a two-year deal to recoup any on-field production. With Dustin May returning from Tommy John surgery and Trevor Bauer potentially being reinstated after opting into his 2022 contract, there are already enough internal hurdles for them to deal with. So, where does that leave the Twins in regards to either arm? This offseason should be fascinating when it comes to reading the tea leaves from the front office. Minnesota’s brass has said they intend to compete, and the lineup is mainly in place to do just that. If a bunch of one-year pacts are handed out, though, it would seem to be more of a toe-dip into the water, allowing further assessment of what is there. That route seems to favor Verlander. At 39, Verlander is nearing the end of his Major League run. He’s likely seeking a two-year deal but could have a tough time finding that coming off an injury. I’m not sure that Minnesota should be parting with a draft pick on a one-year agreement. While Verlander does have divisional familiarity, he represents a whole lot of expensive risk for a team that should be looking to squeeze more upside out of any potential deals. Kershaw is interesting given his age, but the mileage on his arm causes reason for pause. Despite being five years younger than Verlander, he’s thrown just 500 fewer innings. Having already endured plenty of back problems, Kershaw undergoing an arm procedure would be less than ideal. However, not being saddled to a qualifying offer, Minnesota may find themselves in a similar situation as to where they are with superstar centerfielder Byron Buxton. The only reason Kershaw may have a diminished price tag is due to health concerns. If the Twins want to embark on a longer-term deal knowing they may not have his services out of the gate, that could be an excellent asset a year from now. This winter's pitching landscape is fascinating, as there are more than a handful of big names on the free-agent market and plenty available by way of trades. If I’m Derek Falvey looking at these two former aces, though, it’s Kershaw’s medicals I’m most intrigued by. If he can be had at a reasonable amount for three years, that’s a risk Minnesota might be willing to make. Unfortunately, it doesn’t immediately supplement the rotation, but if the goal is sustained competitiveness, that could work in their favor. Twins fans have clamored for a true ace over the years, and now here’s two the organization can consider. Are you out on both, or is their one that provides a level of intrigue even with the surrounding question marks? What would you do? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

After unloading Jose Berrios at the trade deadline, watching Kenta Maeda go under the knife, and seeing Michael Pineda hit free agency, the Twins starting rotation is bare. Who is the top choice to bolster it? As of right now you’d have to bank on either Bailey Ober or Joe Ryan being the Opening Day starter in 2022 for Rocco Baldelli. Both showed well in their rookie seasons, but if that’s the top of the rotation, there’s cause for concern in the year ahead. Minnesota failed tremendously on the mound, and depth was exposed quickly as both J.A. Happ and Matt Shoemaker flopped. For the Twins to make a turnaround in the year ahead, the focus must be on a resurgence from the bump. Similarly to the 2021 season, the hope is that Minnesota will see graduations from the farm. Top arms like Jordan Balazovic, Jhoan Duran, and Matt Canterino all posted mixed results with injuries sprinkled in. Another year back from the cancelled 2020 season, and the hope would be that a clean bill of health is parlayed into peak effectiveness. Before banking on the youth though, the Twins need to give Wes Johnson some workable ammunition for a group that is essentially bare. The free agent crop this offseason is a who’s who of big names, and while not all may make it to the open market, there should be one or two that fit to Minnesota’s liking. Here’s how I’d categorize the options: The Injured - Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander There’s a known commodity and a more unknown question here. Kershaw represents the unknown as he’s dealing with an elbow injury that cost him multiple months this season. He is avoiding surgery for the time being but could be ticketed for a much longer time on the shelf if he goes under the knife. The career-Dodger will be 34 next season but has a ton of miles on his arm. Production has never been the issue and if he can avoid back and elbow concerns for the next year or so, there’s reason to like him on a short term deal. On the flip side you’ve got a guy in Verlander who will be returning from Tommy John surgery having last pitched in 2020. He’ll be 39 next season and has thrown just six innings since 2019. There’s hardly been a time in which you’ve questioned his ability though, and a clean elbow could have him looking like an appetizing option on a one-year deal. The Astros will likely give him a qualifying offer should that still exist, but Verlander definitely has familiarity with the AL Central. The Aging - Max Scherzer and Zack Greinke Having just turned 37, that’s about the only reason to define Scherzer as aging. He’s still every bit the dominant pitcher he has been over the course of his career, and he’s attempting to carry a Dodgers staff through the Postseason. Of the options available, I think he’s probably the most likely to be retained by the current team, and while I wouldn’t expect Los Angeles to give him a long extension, they certainly have the money to persuade him to stay. With the Astros having rotational issues this Postseason it’s clear they have work to do in that department. I’m not sure they hang onto a guy in Greinke that has hit somewhat of a decline. His 4.16 ERA was the highest mark since 2016 and he’s clearly struggled down the stretch. If another team believes they can work through the current ineffectiveness, this is probably the best bet for a good starter on a one-year deal. He seems like a fit for Minnesota but comes with plenty of uncertainties. The Youth - Marcus Stroman and Kevin Gausman If you want to secure a long-term pact with a rotation anchor this is where you’re turning. Starting with Stroman, you’ve got a guy in the midst of his prime and coming off a very strong season. Not a big strikeout guy, Stroman needs to be backed by a good infield as he’s a ground ball maestro. Someone that appears to be a very good leader and clubhouse presence, this is a personality that could mesh well with the Twins plans for quite some time. The breakout finally happened for Gausman, and it came in a big way. With the Giants being baseball’s best team, the 30-year-old posted a career best 2.81 ERA. He racks up strikeouts, limits walks, and looks every bit the ace you’d hope for. 2020 is where things seemed to click for the former Orioles pitcher, so you’ll need to make sure there’s a belief in the results going forward, but nothing he’s put up recently is anything an organization would want to avoid. A positive this winter is that pitching options are plentiful. Those above just barely scratch the surface considering names like Syndergaard, Bundy, and even Pineda are all available. The Twins need to find a path forward, and for a transitional time it might make sense to focus on short term deals. There should be any number of options that are within their wheelhouse, and while the big names are there as always, this might be an opportunity to land the right fit without breaking the bank. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

There is plenty of hope at the dawning of a new season. Every team starts with an equal playing field. No batters have struck out. Pitchers have a perfect ERA. There are 162 games to separate the contenders from the pretenders. It’s an exciting time for every fan. The beginning of a new season also means players want to focus on the season. A lot of players and agents don’t want to be bogged down in contract negotiations. For Brian Dozier and the Minnesota Twins, this seems like the situation they are facing.Jerry Crasnick, one of ESPN’s national baseball writers, is reporting that contract talks between Brian Dozier and the Minnesota Twins have come to a halt. For those following the Twins this spring, it seemed like Dozier was destined for free agency. When he signed his current contract with Minnesota, the deal only bought out his remaining arbitration eligible seasons. For Dozier, it provided him some financial stability. At the same time, it allowed the Twins to have some cost certainty. Dozier and his agency took a gamble on Dozier being able to produce in his late 20s to set him up for free agency for his age-32 season. This is typically the time when players start to decline but Dozier has been one of the best hitting second basemen over the last two seasons. Barring an injury, Dozier might be headed for a big pay day. Next year’s free agent class looks stacked. Dozier will join a free agent class including Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, Dallas Keuchel, Craig Kimbrel, Charlie Blackmon, Andrew Miller, Daniel Murphy, Cody Allen, Adam Jones, and Andrew McCutchen. Other players like Clayton Kershaw and David Price could be free agents if they opt out of their current contracts. After this year’s cool free agent market, it will be interesting to see how much money will be thrown around next season. Bryce Harper and Manny Machado could get record-breaking deals. Heck, Harper could be headed for the richest contract of all time. For teams that miss out on the top tier free agents, there will be other options like Dozier waiting in the wings. As I wrote about this spring, Minnesota has a multiple top prospects in the middle infield. Nick Gordon will be knocking on the door of the big leagues this season. Other top prospects like Royce Lewis and Wander Javier also play up the middle. If Dozier signs with another organization, one of these players could take over at second base next year. What are your thoughts on a possible Dozier extension? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Earlier this week, we introduced you to Vadim Balan, the first player from the Republic of Moldova to sign a contract with a Major League organization. Today, we will learn more about the second player signed out of Moldova. His name is Petru Balan, and yes, he is the brother of Vadim Balan.Like his older brother, Petru grew up playing soccer. It is the sport most kids around Europe play. Petru started playing baseball in his third year of school. He didn’t know the sport. It wasn’t at all developed in the country. “Coaches made for us a presentation of this sport. It seemed very unusual and interesting.” Along with four years of soccer, he also played football as a youth. However, at some point, he was pushed to make a decision. “In the end, I had to chose between two sports, soccer and baseball. I’ve been playing baseball now for 12 years.” He continued to throw the javelin. His coach was Alexander Moiseenko. “I was a javelin thrower for four years, until I was 17 years old. I had the one coach in both the javelin and baseball. He is still my coach. One of the best coaches ever. He taught me everything since I was a kid.” Like his brother, Petru spent his formative years learning the game and representing his country in various international competitions. “We represented the Moldova National Team in the European Championships in Poland in 2007, 2008 and 2009.” His brother did a lot of the research, but Petru traveled and participated in the MLB tryouts too. “When I was 16 years old, we went to the MLB tryout in the Czech Republic. It was my first competition in front of a lot of pro scouts. I hit 89 mph. After the tryout, five pro teams took my personal information. They were interested in me.” After the tryout, he returned home to Moldova, unsigned. “Two or three weeks later, scouts came to Moldova to see our games.” They received their invitation to the MLB academy in 2012 in Italy. “51 of the best European players were invited. That is three weeks of camp. We were coached by MLB coaches and players. And, we were playing against each other. There were a lot of scouts coming to watch, looking to sign contracts.” Over the next few years, Petru was invited to the MLB academies three times. He went to Germany in 2014 and The Netherlands in 2015. “Twins scout Glenn Godwin was looking at us. I started pitching in the Czech Extra League for the season. Glenn came to Ostrava and offered our contracts. Vadim signed, but I didn’t.” He had an offer to sign a professional contract. It would have allowed him to sign with the same team as his brother. So, why didn’t he sign? “I decided that I needed more game practice before I signed.” That brings us to 2016. He was invited to be part of the European All-Star team. The team would travel a lot and play all over. “In March, we went to the MLB tour to St. Petersburg, Florida. I did very good there. The Twins were still interested in me.” When that camp was complete, he flew to the Czech Republic for another season. In October, he was selected for the World Select team. It consisted of 29 players from four continents and included a one-month trip to the States. They spent two weeks in Tennessee and two weeks at the Arizona Fall League. “There I also did well. After that, the Twins offered to sign me again.” This time, he agreed to the terms and became a professional baseball player, a member of the Minnesota Twins organization. Like Vadim, Petru is now living his dream. “It was so important to be together with my brother. We support each other, and we can help each other any time as we move forward.” He joined his brother at spring training this year. And he has learned a lot about himself already, and he’s made several adjustments. “There have been many changes, both on the field and off the field. Full-scale training process, work regimen, sleep, nutrition. This is what we need to observe daily to be better every day.” Petru Balan throws a four-seam fastball, a slider, a curveball and a changeup, and sometimes a two-seam fastball. “What makes me successful? Well, every time when I’m on the baseball field, it makes me happy. Most of that when I am on the mound. Every day, I try to get better. That is my mindset.” Balan uses the following motto to drive him. “You are what you think about and how you manage your thoughts” Petru has some solid goals and high expectations for himself. “My goal for 2017 is to get better every day, and as soon as possible, to play in the Major Leagues.” When asked his favorite team? “My favorite team is the Minnesota Twins!” Good answer. As for which pitchers he enjoys watching, he clearly knows who the right guys to watch. “I have favorite pitchers, like Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner and Aroldis Chapman. I’m trying to find for myself something from them.” This 21-year-old southpaw has a live arm, but he’s still raw. It will be interesting to see how he develops over the next couple of years. But like his brother, his arm makes is worth taking a shot and seeing what happens. Click here to view the article