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Minnesota Twins: Which players are free agents this offseason?

By Chris Schad

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 10: Sergio Romo #54 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning of the interleague game at Target Field on September 10, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Nationals 5-0. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 10: Sergio Romo #54 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning of the interleague game at Target Field on September 10, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Nationals 5-0. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 29: Starting pitcher Martin Perez #33 of the Minnesota Twins warms up before pitching against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 29: Starting pitcher Martin Perez #33 of the Minnesota Twins warms up before pitching against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

Martin Perez

2019 stats: 10-7, 5.12 ERA, 135 K, 67 BB, 1.51 WHIP in 165 1/3 IP (32 G, 29 GS)

Through the first couple months of the season, the Twins looked like they had struck gold with Martin Perez. After signing with the Twins for a modest salary of $4 million, Perez went nuts after being freed from his piggyback reliever role with Michael Pineda, going 7-1 with a 2.95 ERA in his first eight starts with the Twins.

As the season went on however, the pitch that was helping change his appearance at the plate was becoming his downfall. As hitters got used to Perez’s new cutter, the left-hander didn’t adapt well and still wound up throwing it 30 percent of the time. As a result, Perez went 3-6 with a 6.29 ERA in his final 21 starts.

With opponents teeing off of Perez to the tune of a .838 OPS during that stretch, the Twins would ultimately decide that they had gotten the chips they needed off this gamble by leaving Perez off the ALDS roster. That seems to be writing on the wall for his 2020 option and Minnesota will likely try to find another (perhaps higher floor) reclamation project to fill out their rotation this winter.

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