The Minnesota Twins have been merely observers as the frigidness of winter as kept the hot stove rather cool. Waiting and watching has been the M.O. so far -- and really, historically.
It's rare for the Twins to jump to the front of the offseason line, so it's not entirely surprisingly that they've waited this long to make a deal. Minnesota made trades for Pablo Lopez, Sonny Gray, and Kenta Madea all after the New Year started, so for as frustrating as things have been it matches the pace of previous winters.
That hasn't made the offseason much fun, though. Without any concrete rumors we're left to speculate about what the future might hold.
So in the spirit of pure speculation here a few free agent pitchers that may appeal to the Twins payroll and rotation needs.
James Paxton
"The Big Maple" as he's dubbed was on an upward trajectory to big money when he became a free agent, signed with the Yankees for a 2 year $21 million deal in 2019. Unfortunately his elbow became wonky in 2020 and the past 3 years he's been working to get back. 2023 was his first full season back and it came with a 7-5 mark. He still has good strike out stuff and Target Field would suit his style. The tall lefty may be a good fit for the Twins back end if the price is right and remains in the $7 million range.
Alex Wood
A big money contract didn't come with the success the Giants were hoping for in 2022 and 2023 who ended up in and out of the rotation last season. He comes with past successes, especially with the Dodgers, and could potentially slip through the big spenders in free agency. He comes with some question marks but for the right price he has some Sonny Gray type upside and may be worth signing.
Jakob Junis
He's the quintessential back end veteran the Twins like to get mileage out of. He can both start and relieve which may play into his appeal for the front office. His price tag should be right in the Twins slot and not be much above $4 million. He's not lights out but has shown he can get outs in MLB as the dual threat.
Domingo German
German has shown flashes of brilliance with a perfect game in 2023, but has some major baggage that comes with him. He's been busted for steroids and his off field issues include alcohol abuse and domestic issues. As a result his stock may be down a bit and it could be the type of reclamation project the Twins may take a chance on. His WHIP was a career low of 1.077 in 2023 and with an average of 9K's per 9 the talent is still there. If the Twins want to try to catch lightning in a bottle, this may be the guy.
The Twins off season remains a wait and see lesson in patience. For now we have some speculation to keep us warm.