We're less than a month away from Opening Day arriving, which means the next few weeks will be crucial for the Minnesota Twins putting the final roster together.
Most of the 26-man roster seems to be set, although there's still some potential for movement either due to injuries or someone making an undeniable case for themselves. For the most part, Minnesota will be running back the same lineup as last year with a few notable changes.
Carlos Santana and Manuel Margot are new additions to the field, as the veterans are expected to serve as meaningful depth pieces at key areas. There are also new faces all over the bullpen like Jay Jackson, Josh Staumont, Steven Okert, and Justin Topa -- all of whom figure to play a big role in what is already being called the best bullpen on paper in the league.
The Twins still have a few weeks of Spring Training action to sort out the finer details, but it's time to start looking at how things are shaping up as Opening Day approaches.
Minnesota Twins 2024 Opening Day roster projection 2.0
Twins Opening Day starting rotation
Pitcher | Throws |
|---|---|
Pablo Lopez | RHP |
Joe Ryan | RHP |
Bailey Ober | RHP |
Chris Paddack | RHP |
Anthony DeSclafani | RHP |
If there's one spot on the roster that is likely already locked in, it's the starting rotation.
Pablo López, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober will be the team's top three starters, while Chris Paddack settles into the No. 4 role as he continues to find his groove again. Anthony DeSclafani seems like a lock for the final spot in the rotation, with Louie Varland potentially giving him a run for his money over the last month of Spring Training.
The starting rotation seems to be set, though, and any changes that happen will likely occur after the season has started and be a result of someone getting injured. That might be DeSclafani, who comes to Minnesota with a ton of upside but a lot of potential health concerns. He missed most of the 2022 after undergoing right ankle surgery and only made it to the end of July last season before being shut down with a right elbow flexor strain.
He's already been delayed in getting going down in Fort Myers, although he still appears to be on track to be healthy on Opening Day. If he ends up on the IL for some reason, Varland looks to be the next-man-up with the Simeon Woods Richardson potentially being in the mix too.
On the bubble:
- Louie Varland
- Simeon Woods Richardson
- David Festa
- Matt Canterino
David Festa and Matt Canterino are two prospects to keep an eye on. Neither figures to leapfrog Varland or Woods Richardson for a roster spot early in the year, but they're candidates for mid-to-late season promotions.