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Minnesota Twins: Projecting the Twins’ ALDS roster

By Chris Schad

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 28: Manager Rocco Baldelli #5 of the Minnesota Twins looks on during the eighth inning of the Opening Day game against the Cleveland Indians on March 28, 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Indians 2-0. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 28: Manager Rocco Baldelli #5 of the Minnesota Twins looks on during the eighth inning of the Opening Day game against the Cleveland Indians on March 28, 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Indians 2-0. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 21: Jose Berrios #17 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning of the game at Target Field on September 21, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 21: Jose Berrios #17 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning of the game at Target Field on September 21, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

Starters

Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, Randy Dobnak (3)

Another interesting tidbit from Baldelli’s Tuesday press conference is that the Twins will not reveal their Game 1 starter until right before game time on Friday. While we won’t know who will be starting for the Twins until we see them warming up, we do know that the Twins have three options that they’ll rely on.

Berrios was solid through the first couple months of the season but had tailed off in the final two months of the season. Regardless, Berrios had been making a revival in the last month as he turned in five quality starts in his last six outings.

Odorizzi follows up as the other All-Star in the Twins rotation and might be the most consistent pitcher heading into the postseason. While he won’t get past the sixth inning in most starts, he’ll at least give the Twins a good shot to get to their bullpen, which has been much better in the second half of the season.

The final option is Dobnak, who could be a starter or be a key member of the bullpen. Dobnak’s rise from High-A Fort Myers at the beginning of the season to a potential postseason starter is almost legendary, but so are his road numbers as he’s posted a 0.56 ERA in 16 innings away from Target Field.

The Twins could also go in a different direction by using Martin Perez or even Kyle Gibson as an option to get two or three innings, but this trio will likely handle the bulk of innings for the Twins this postseason.

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