Puckett's Pond
Fansided

Minnesota Twins: Starting pitchers on the mend

By John Geiger II

PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 28: New baseballs are delivered to the home plate umpire prior to a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals at Maryvale Baseball Park on February 28, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 28: New baseballs are delivered to the home plate umpire prior to a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals at Maryvale Baseball Park on February 28, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Finally, some good news for the Minnesota Twins on the starting pitching front. Well, good may be a bit of an overstatement. However, it’s not bad news so it’s a start.

Minnesota Twins ace Ervin Santana has finally been cleared to throw a baseball. It has taken a little longer than expected for him to rehab from his finger surgery. However, he is on the mend and getting closer to a return.

Before we get too excited, Santana is at least a month away from joining the rotation. The Twins need Santana to be healthy for the long run, so there is no need to rush him back too soon. Minnesota can ill afford Santana experiencing a setback while trying to come back too quickly.

As good as Santana has been for the Twins, when healthy, Minnesota may have a new ace in their rotation already. Jose Berrios has been opening a lot of eyes through the first few weeks of the season and is undoubtedly the future of this rotation.

That being said, if Minnesota expects to contend this season, they will need a solid contribution from Santana. When Santana returns from injury, the Twins will have a formidable starting rotation. There is a lot to be excited about in the Twin Cities as this season moves along.

Another pitcher even closer to a return

Phil Hughes has a very good chance to return to the rotation today. Today is the day that the Minnesota Twins will need their fifth starter for the first time this season. They won’t need to use the fifth starter again until towards the end of the month so it’s crucial Hughes can make the start today.

However, if Hughes is unable to take the mound Minnesota has plenty of other options available to them. One name to keep an eye on is top prospect Fernando Romero. Romero has the potential to be a top of the rotation pitcher down the line and he should make his Major League debut for the Twins during the 2018 season. However, it’s still too early in the season to use a minor league option on this future star for him to make possibly only one start.

The logical choice would be to call up Adalberto Mejia and let him make the spot start. Mejia showed promise with a 7.8 K/9 in 98 innings pitched for the Twins during the 2017 season and deserves the first crack at starting. Hughes will be given the chance to be Minnesota’s fifth starter as long as he is healthy. However, Hughes isn’t the same pitcher he was a few years ago an it may be time for the Twins to move on.

Next: Who else is in the fifth starter conversation?

This is a make-or-break season for Phil Hughes in determining how the rest of his career will play out. As I stated earlier, he is not the same pitcher he was when Minnesota signed him in 2012. However, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that could prove vital to the Twins success.

Home/Minnesota Twins News