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Minnesota Twins Free Agent Options: Left Handed Reliever

By Michael McKee

Sep 30, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Neal Cotts (55) delivers in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 30, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Neal Cotts (55) delivers in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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What free agent lefty relievers are still available to the Minnesota Twins?

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Over the past few weeks we’ve highlighted a few lefty reliever options for the Minnesota Twins. Those relievers we’ve felt offer value over other options available, fit the bill of what the Twins are looking for or have been specifically mentioned in a reliable rumor. Today we’ll give a rundown of all the major league lefty relievers available. This will help place the relievers we’ve chosen to highlight in context. Perhaps you’ll see value in arms that we haven’t.

As per MLBTR’s free agent tracker, here are all the lefty reliever options available:

Antonio BastardoRP
Joe BeimelRP
Craig BreslowRP
Chris CapuanoRP/ SP
Randy ChoateRP
Neal CottsRP
Brian DuensingRP
Cesar JimenezRP
Sean MarshallRP
Franklin MoralesRP
Eric O’FlahertyRP
Manny ParraRP
Eric StultsRP/ SP
Matt ThorntonRP

We’ve profiled Bastardo here, Parra here, Choate here, Beimel here, Breslow here, and Morales here. Interest in Cotts and Thornton has been mentioned here.

Bastardo and Thornton were profiled due to reliable rumors. They are almost certainly too expensive for the Twins.

Here are our reasons why we did not profile the others:

  • Duensing- Management has made it pretty clear that he won’t be back.
  • Capuano- He’s posted a -1.7 bWAR mark over the past three seasons. 7.97 ERA in 2015
  • O’Flaherty- 8.10 ERA in 2015. -0.2 fWAR in 2014 and 2013
  • Marshall- Didn’t play at all in 2015 due to injury. Threw just 24.1 IP in 2014/2013
  • Stults- Mainly a starter. -1.1 bWAR over the last two years.

Any of those 5 would work as minor league signings—there’s no risk in that. We just would prefer the relievers we profiled. The saying goes that there is no such thing as a bad minor league signing but there is a limit at some point. Pitchers won’t want to sign a MiLB deal if there’s not enough opportunity available. You also need to leave enough spots on your minor league rosters for your prospects to develop.

If we had to rank the realistic options we’ve profiled, it would go something like:

Morales, Parra, Choate, Cotts, Beimel, Breslow.

Next: Monday Musings

Check back here tomorrow for a rundown of available minor league free agent lefty relievers.

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