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Twins Say No To Nick Punto, For Now

By Ted Schwerzler |

The Minnesota Twins have continued to monitor the free agent market, but it appears that a reunion with a very familiar middle infielder is not immediately on the horizon. Former Minnesota Twins player, Nick Punto, was recently designated for assignment by the Oakland Athletics.

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Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN has done some digging on the former Twins player, and at this time, no traction has been made in regards to Punto reuniting with the Twins.

We will address Brian Wilson in a minute, but for the time being, leaving Punto on the market is the best move for the Twins. Currently, Eduardo Escobar is slotted in as a utility infielder for the Twins, with both Brian Dozier and Danny Santana ready to play up the middle. Joe Mauer has a firm grasp on first base, with Trevor Plouffe holding down third while Miguel Sano prepares to take over.

Nick Punto is still a solid defensive fielder, and he is a luxury for a team that could find themselves in the hunt down the stretch. Unfortunately for the Twins, they aren’t quite in that category just yet. With Escobar already being a serviceable backup, there’s no need to take up a spot on the 25 man roster with another defensive minded player.

As far as Brian Wilson entering the Twins fold, the fit doesn’t look to be realistic in any sense. Casey Fien has been respectable in a setup role, with Glen Perkins locked in as the Twins closer. After being drafted by the Twins last season, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Nick Burdi figure into the back end of the bullpen at some point in 2015 as well. Wilson is a big name, but not one that will likely gain traction with the Twins.

Look for Minnesota to continue to monitor the free agent market as the calendar continues to barrel on towards spring training.

Next: Projecting Your Minnesota Twins Opening Day Lineup

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