Twins sign former standout Cardinals closer to minor-league rebound deal
The Minnesota Twins' bullpen has been a bright spot in 2024 and one of the big reasons why the Twins have been able to hang around in the AL Central despite a lack of moves at the deadline. Minnesota's relievers rank seventh in all of baseball by fWAR at 3.4 and fourth in FIP at 3.66 while coming in at a slightly disappointing 12th in ERA at 3.84.
However, the production from the Twins' bullpen has been decidedly top heavy. Jhoan Duran has been good enough, despite a dip in his fastball velocity, to close most games out, despite a little bit of drama between himself and the coaching staff. Other relievers like Griffin Jax, Cole Sands, and Jorge Alcala have had strong seasons to help anchor the bullpen. Beyond that, though, and you start having to squint your eyes to find reliever depth Minnesota can trust.
Clearly the team agrees, and despite the fact that the trade deadline has already passed, Minnesota is still looking for opportunities to bolster their bullpen. They may have done just that this week with the word that the Twins signed reliever Giovanny Gallegos to a minor-league deal.
The Twins signed RP Giovanny Gallegos to a minor league deal and assigned him to St Paul
— Brandon Warne (@Brandon_Warne) August 6, 2024
Twins News: Minnesota signed Giovanny Gallegos to low risk, high reward deal
It wasn't that long ago that Gallegos was a pretty good reliever. From 2019 to 2022 with the Cardinals, he posted a 2.84 ERA in 212 appearances with a very solid strikeout rate, demonstrating the ability to pound the zone. While closing opportunities were limited for him in St. Louis, given some of their other options, he was generally trusted in late, high-leverage situations.
Unfortunately, things started going off the rails in 2023 when his strikeout rate dipped and he only managed a 4.42 ERA before a rotator cuff injury ended his season. After posting a 6.53 ERA in 21 appearances this season, the Cardinals ultimately decided to designate him for assignment before the trade deadline.
For Minnesota, Gallegos is strictly a lottery ticket. Basically all of his pitch metrics have cratered the last two years, and given his shoulder injury last year and the fact that he is 33 years old, it is fair to wonder if he will ever be the guy he was again. However, there is little risk for the Twins here given that this is a minor-league deal.
If Gallegos is truly washed, then they lose a little bit of money and nothing else. However, if Gallegos can regain his former form in the minors, he could end up being an absolute steal for the Twins and could fortify the bullpen for the 2024 stretch run for pennies on the dollar.
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