Minnesota Twins: 3 Final Offseason Moves the Twins should make
The offseason is drawing to a close, with all of the top free agents signed, most of the big trades completed, and new roster additions arriving at camp. The Minnesota Twins are no different from most teams, with most of their lineup complete and most of their rotation locked in.
All things considered though, there are a few more moves the team could make to be fully set to contend. After adding Carlos Correa, it’s clear the Twins are in win-now mode, and the pitching on this team could still use a little help before they’re considered true contenders.
There are a couple of players left on the free agent market who could really help the Minnesota Twins succeed, as well as one trade target the team should go after to feel really confident that they’re ready to give it their all in 2022.
Final Minnesota Twins Offseason Moves No. 1: Trade for LHP Sean Manaea
The Oakland Athletics are in full rebuild mode, and the Minnesota Twins have a chance to take advantage of this and add one of the team’s two starters that are available for trade. The Twins have already been linked to both Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, so imagining them trading for Sean Manaea isn’t far-fetched.
Both rotation options are absolutely stellar, but Frankie Montas is younger, has two seasons of control (compared to Manaea’s one), and he had a better year in 2021, so why should the Twins go after Manaea instead of his teammate?
For starters, Montas will be far more expensive. There are far more teams in on Montas than Manaea, and given that Manaea is a year older and will hit free agency in 2023, that makes sense. The Twins could get Manaea without having to give up Trevor Larnach, Jordan Balazovic, Royce Lewis, or Austin Martin, which should be the goal in these trade talks.
Manaea is also a left-handed pitcher, and given the fact that Sonny Gray, Dylan Bundy, Bailey Ober, and Joe Ryan are all righties, it would be nice to have at least one left-handed arm in the rotation.
Manaea is as consistent as they come and can go deep into games to avoid putting stress on a bullpen. Twins fans may want Montas, but if they end up with Manaea instead, that’s an excellent second starter for a playoff caliber team.
Final Minnesota Twins Offseason Moves No. 2: Sign RHP Johnny Cueto
The second final offseason move they should make is one that has long been reported to be in the works: the Twins coming to an agreement with Johnny Cueto. This is kind of a confusing signing for some people.
At 36, Cueto is nowhere near the pitcher he once was. At this stage in his career, he’s not going to spearhead a title run like he did for Kansas City in 2015. What he can offer you is a solid presence in the rotation and some consistency at the back end of a rotation.
After last year, the Twins are looking for arms that will hold up over the season and would fit well in the locker room. That’s Cueto. He won’t walk a lot of guys, and he’ll keep the team in enough games that the lineup can win with their bats.
In addition, he’s said to be a pretty solid locker room guy, and somebody the team can rely on. For a fifth starter that you can get on a bargain deal, that will be extremely helpful as the team tries to return to the postseason this year.
Final Minnesota Twins Offseason Moves No. 3: Sign RHP Richard Rodriguez.
The last move the Twins should make this offseason is to bring in a reliever with closing experience who would round out the bullpen well. With most of the top names off the board, seeing the Twins sneak in and sign Richard Rodriguez would be an excellent addition.
The 32-year-old Rodriguez was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ closer last season before being traded to Atlanta, where he continued to pitch well, even if it was outside of the closing role. In addition to having a solid ERA (3.28), his FIP and strikeout numbers aren’t too bad either.
I’m not saying that he would immediately come in and work as our closer, but adding another bullpen arm with late inning experience is a good thing and he could help the Twins tremendously in a playoff run. Similar to Cueto, he’d be an excellent bargain move at this point.
Even if the Twins don’t make these three moves, the team looks to be a strong contender in 2022. Their lineup is good enough to carry the weight and get this team to the postseason. If they make these moves as well, this team could be seen as a true contender.
Next. Analysis: Minnesota Twins and Carlos Correa are betting on themselves. dark