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Minnesota Twins: 8 free agents the team should try to sign this offseason

By Matt Smith

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Kelvin Herrera #40 of the Washington Nationals throws to a Baltimore Orioles batter in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park on June 21, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Kelvin Herrera #40 of the Washington Nationals throws to a Baltimore Orioles batter in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park on June 21, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Minnesota Twins
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 27: Pitcher Joe Kelly #56 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in relief in the seventh inning of Game Four of the 2018 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Joe Kelly

Finally, I give you Joe Kelly. Now, I will admit that like many others, part of the reason I’m excited about Kelly is because of what he did in the World Series. It sure was worth getting excited about, though- He finished the Series with a perfect 0.00 ERA in 6.0 innings, and finished the entire 2018 postseason with a stellar 0.79 ERA after allowing just 1 earned run in 11.1 innings. It’s fair to look at those numbers, and then look at his 2018 regular season ERA of 4.39, and say that he’s getting more attention than he probably deserves due to a few good innings this postseason. And that’s probably right. But Kelly is still a very exciting option this offseason.

Kelly has 5 pitches, highlighted by a 99 mph fastball. His curve and sliders have a lot of bite, and when everything’s working, he’s incredibly hard to hit. See his postseason stats this year. He finished the season with a 4.39 ERA over 65.2 innings, but he sure shut teams down when it mattered. He has some history of success as well, with a 2.79 ERA in 58 innings in 2017.

Regardless of his historical stats, his shutdown performances this past postseason will make him a popular target for many teams. Kelly actually voiced a desire to stay in Boston several days ago, and it’s easy to see why. Still, those desires can change once a player starts getting numerous offers. Either way, the Twins would be smart to make a play at signing Kelly. He has some raw, real talent and would be an exciting addition to the bullpen.

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