The Minnesota Twins continue to make their push to the postseason but if they want to get there, they’ll need more from their starting pitching. Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com, noted that Twins starters rank last in the American League with a 5.54 ERA since the All-Star Break and several hurlers including Bailey Ober, Connor Prielipp and Zebby Matthews have hit a wall down the final stretch of the regular season.
The return of Joe Ryan, who is working his way back from glute and back strains, should help the cause. But the Twins may be sitting on a wild card as Gleeman noted Kendry Rojas is stretching out for a starting role at Triple-A St. Paul.
Used as a multi-inning reliever for most of this season, Rojas’s control was a big reason he was sent back to the minors. But his early returns have been positive and could be the reinforcements the Twins need as they hold onto the final Wild Card spot in the American League.
Kendry Rojas could be the answer to the Twins’ starting pitching problems
The centerpiece of the maligned Louis Varland trade at last year’s deadline, Rojas has had a solid rookie season with the Twins. The 23-year-old has posted a 3.34 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 29.2 innings in the majors but his control has been a problem with 22 walks and a 16.9 percent walk rate. In addition, Rojas hasn’t gone more than four innings in any appearance this season, but the Twins seem to be building him up to take on more during his latest demotion.
Rojas has made three starts since heading back to St. Paul and while he hasn’t broken the four-inning mark, he’s pitched four innings in each of his past two starts. He also has brought the nasty stuff he’s shown at the major league level, posting a 0.82 ERA while striking out 11 batters but he has also improved his control with just two walks over 11 innings.
This is encouraging for a pitcher who has shown flashes all season. In addition to his traditional stats, hitters have had trouble squaring up against him with a 31.5 percent hard-hit rate and a 6.8 percent barrel rate according to Baseball Savant. Hitters also aren’t chasing as much as they should at 26.3 percent, but they’re not getting their bat on the ball with a 28.1 percent whiff rate.
The peripherals have made Rojas one of the top pitching prospects in the Twins system and the team may turn him loose to save their starting rotation.
The Twins’ playoff push could be the perfect time to unleash Kendry Rojas
Ryan was tremendous for the Twins in the first half, going 6-5 with a 2.85 ERA but he was a human tee after the All-Star break, allowing a 9.39 ERA and seven home runs in three starts before landing on the injured list. He will be the centerpiece of the Twins’ playoff dreams when he returns but they’ll need help behind him.
Bradley has been solid and Kremer has been a nice surprise since coming over from the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline. But Ober averaged just 87.2 mph on his four-seam fastball in his last start against the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 17 and Prielipp has soared past his career-high with 106.1 innings this season. With Matthews struggling, the Twins need someone who can provide stability and Rojas could do that if he adapts well to his new workload.
Such a move probably won’t bring a World Series championship to the Twin Cities. But it could make the Twins a hard team to kill as they push for a playoff spot and the chance to hang around when they get to October.
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