Minnesota Twins Eddie Rosario Replacement No. 4: Jake Cave
This one may be a bit out of left field (See what I did there?), but Jake Cave has been a valuable utility outfielder for the Twins, giving Manager Rocco Baldelli a solid option to give outfielders a day off or fill in for a longer period of time if someone goes on the injured list.
What if he kept that role going? Cave might not light the world on fire, but in his three seasons in a Twins uniform, he’s hit a respectable .772 OPS and been a solid player with his glove, giving the lineup a bit of flexibility as someone you can put at the bottom of the order.
Let’s be real: he’s not a long term starter. Everyone knows that. He was miserable in a large role in 2020, and the Twins don’t have any expectations for him. That said, if the Twins want to be patient with guys like Kirilloff and/or Larnach, Cave is a decent stopgap.
If the team wants to spend money elsewhere, protect service time for Kirilloff and Larnach, and trusts LaMonte Wade wit the fourth outfielder role, Cave could be the guy who fills the Eddie Rosario role for the first month or two of the 2021 season.