We're in the thick of the MLB offseason as the Winter Meetings are right around the corner and the chaos of Hot Stove SZN is about to heat up. Minnesota Twins fans have grown immune to that excitement, though, as the team has historically ope'd their way to the back of the line when it comes to making moves.
Outside of the Carlos Correa contract in 2023, which remains a stunning move for a team that never spends, the Twins have opted to either wait until Spring Training to make moves or skip the fun entirely. Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda were acquired after January and Pablo Lopez wasn't traded for until a month after the Winter Meetings had ended.
Still, there are obvious holes on the roster the Twins need to fill if they want to take a serious step toward returning to contention. That might mean spending a little in free agency, something that some MLB experts think might be a good idea.
Twins listed as a 'best fit' for All-Star reliever Kirby Yates
The Athletic put together its list of top free agents and where they might land, listing the Minnesota Twins as a potential landing spot for All-Star reliever Kirby Yates. It's a move that makes a ton of sense in theory, even if in practice the frugalness of ownership makes it unlikely to happen.
Yates is a clear fit, though, and would be the kind of signing a serious franchise makes if it wants to compete for a World Series. Minnesota's bullpen started the year as a top unit in the league but cratered hard as the team crashed out in September. Outside of Griffin Jax and Cole Sands the Twins had no reliable arms, as Jhoan Duran was volatile and Brock Stewart suffered a season-ending injury.
Meanwhile, Yates posted a 1.17 ERA and a 3.3 WAR, finishing the season behind only Emmanuel Clase in WPA while being named an All-Star for the Rangers.
He's exactly the type of pitcher the Twins need in their bullpen, especially if this cockamamie idea of converting Jax into a starter comes to pass. If the Twins keep things as they are, then Yates would be the boost to the bullpen the team needs, and could be an arm that comes in handy not only late in the season but in October during another run in the playoffs.
Of course, every plan that gets tossed out needs to be caveated with a reminder that the Pohlads don't spend money. A reduced payroll last season sunk the team in more ways than one and it seems no lessons were learned from that disaster. Minnesota is once again set to have almost not spending room in free agency which frustratingly lowers their chances of making a meaingful move this winter.
Yates is projected for around $10 million next season, which is rich but not much more than the Twins spent to bring back Kyle Farmer last year. Minnesota doesn't need to go nuts with adding to the payroll, but a move like bringing in Yates feels like it makes too much sense to at least not have a serious discussion about.
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