Twins take a flier on former Astros reliever with a 101 MPH fastball
It's not a major move, but at least the Twins are starting to think about making some additions.
Minnesota Twins fans are bundling up for what could be a cold winter as it seems unlikely that the hot stove will be heating up any time soon. It might for other teams, ones more serious about adding to a contending roster, but for the Twins all moves are being dictated by another season with an anemic payroll.
After the season it was revealed that ownership approved a payroll around $130 million, which seems decent until you realize almost all of it is already accounted for. Minnesota tendered every single eligible player at the deadline this year which will cost about $30 million in contracts if everyone gets what they're owed.
Not having much wiggle room with spending makes it incredibly hard for the front office to make moves, but it doesn't mean it's impossible.
Twins agree to deal with former Houston Astros reliever Alex Speas
Derek Falvey noted at the beginning of the offseason that the Twins would need to get creative in finding ways to make additions. This could mean using players like Willi Castro, Chris Paddack and Christian Vazquez as currency on the trade market but it also means making low wattage moves that could pay off later.
Castro was one of those a few years ago, as the Twins brought him in on a minor league deal in 2022 and he has since gone to the All-Star Game as a valuable piece of the lineup. That's an extreme case, but it shows that Minnesota knows how to mine talent for potential lottery tickets that will pay off.
That's the hope with Alex Speas, who the Twins signed to a minor league deal over the weekend. Star Tribune beat writer Bobby Nightengale was the first to report the move, one that is no doubt low wattage but has some potential upside.
Speas made just one appearance last year with the Astros, and it ironically came against the Twins. He's been brutal over the last stretch of his career, posting a 8.69 ERA in 58 career innings in Triple-A and a 23.05 percent walk rate that gives serious ick. What the Twins are buying is what everyone else as well, the fact that Speas can get his fastball into the 100 mph range which would be a nice flamethrower to have in the bullpen.
Of course, that's easier said than done and is another example of the Tobias Fünke 'but it might work for us' method of development. The Twins have managed to produce some good pitchers through the farm system, something we saw last year with the elevations of Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa, and Zebby Matthews, so there's hope that the right coaches are in place to help Speas.
It's a true lottery ticket move, though, one that perhaps signals that the Twins are getting an early start on potentially thinking about making other higher-level additions.
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