Minnesota Twins: 5 Things that need to go right for 2018 success
By Nate Palmer
The Minnesota Twins have positioned themselves well to compete in 2018. There are still some things that need to break just right for a championship.
The Minnesota Twins have been hard at work this offseason to put their team in a place to be serious contenders in 2018. The Twins may have missed out on two of the big names they pursued heavily in Yu Darvish and Shohei Ohtani, but the Twins didn’t give up there. The front office was still able to come away with a roster that has added valuable pieces to an already strong core of players.
At the front end of the offseason was the bullpen makeover. The Twins signed their top three relievers as free agents this offseason as they signed Zach Duke, Fernando Rodney, and Addison Reed. That is a solid trio to add to last year’s emerging duo of Trevor Hildenberger and Taylor Rogers.
The Twins already were projected to have an exciting lineup. As the offseason went on and free agent prices did strange things, the Twins capitalized. That allowed the Twins to add Logan Morrison who should take a bulk of the DH at-bats this season. A considerable upgrade over the likes of Robbie Grossman and Kennys Vargas.
Lastly, the Twins starting rotation remained a huge question mark for much of the offseason. The trade for Jake Odorizzi and then the signing of Lance Lynn have helped build a solid rotation for the Twins. There is still some concern surrounding Ervin Santana as he makes his way back from a finger injury. Even lacking a true ace, the Twins rotation looks like one that is ready to compete in the American League in 2018.
As much as any team prepares in the offseason, the reality is you still need some things to break just right when it comes to the regular season and playoffs. Dare I say, teams that win championships need to encounter a little “good luck.” Last year, we can point to the Houston Astros seeing big performances from Alex Bregman and George Springer. As well as the ability to acquire top end starter Justin Verlander in August that ended up being pieces that broke right for the Twins.
As we look at the 2018 Twins, a deep playoff run is certainly the goal. What needs to break just right for the team in order for them to be in the World Series in October? That is exactly what we will take a look at.