3 Minnesota Twins who are in danger of losing playing time
By Josh Hill
Alex Kirilloff, OF
After a hot start to the season, things have cooled off rather significantly for Alex Kirilloff. He couldn't stop hitting triples and looked like an offensive force early on, but he's settled back into hitting .215 and has a -0.2 WAR that is the exact opposite of what the Twins need out of him.
There was some speculation that he could be the player sent down to make room for Royce Lewis to return to the 26-man roster, but Kirilloff was ultimately kept in the Majors. He can platoon in the outfield, which is a key reason to keep him around, and he has the ability to play first base as well.
With Lewis back, Jose Miranda figures to slide into a more meaningful role over at first with Carlos Santana which boxes Kirilloff out of a clear role there. He's battling Trevor Larnach for playing time in the outfield, but the rise of Emmanuel Rodriguez could complicate that even further. Lest we forget Austin Martin is bubbling under the MLB surface and Luke Keaschall could get converted to an outfielder as he continues to establish himself as a fast riser in the farm system (although that's a bit of a stretch).
Kirilloff has started to drop off as of late, which isn't exactly ideal given how tight the depth chart is at the positions he plays. He's not in danger of losing a roster spot, but he could be someone in danger of getting optioned if his offense continues to struggle and the need for guys like Edouard Julien, Brooks Lee, and other prospects rises.
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