3 moves Twins need to make after Shohei Ohtani signs with Dodgers
By Josh Hill
Add depth at first base
Last year the Twins pulled off a trade for Pablo Lopez but had to give up their best hitter in the process. While things worked out in the end, it created a vortex at first base as Minnesota not only lost offensive fire power but suddenly lacked depth it badly needed.
It's a new offseason with the same old problem at first base.
Alex Kirilloff is coming off an injury and there's a chance he won't be ready for Opening Day. Even if Kirilloff does end up being healthy enough to start the season, the Twins need to add depth behind him to avoid potential lineup nightmares if something happens down the road.
The ideal situation is Kirilloff being Minnesota's everyday first baseman next year, but even in that scenario the Twins will need someone to stand in on his days off. Last season Donovan Solano ended up being a Micael A. Taylor-esqe godsend in that regard, filling in for Kirilloff pretty decently.
Solano is a free agent, so bringing him back might be the easiest path forward since everyone knows what they're getting. Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer are intriguing candidates as well, with Brandon Belt presenting an interesting veteran option along the lines of Solano.
One name that checks a ton of boxes is Joey Votto. The Twins have shown an affinity for bringing in aged veterans to see if they have anything left in the tank -- think Nelson Cruz and Joey Gallo. Votto fits that bill and might also come cheap enough that the Twins can add depth at a price that doesn't make too big of an impact the payroll.