Carlos Correa

Falvey Downplays Speculation Regarding Carlos Correa Trade

By Steve Adams | November 15, 2024 at 5:00pm CDT

With the Twins up for a potential sale and the front office facing payroll restrictions for a second straight offseason, there’s been a natural focus on the ways in which the club could look to reduce spending. Trades of Chris Paddack and Christian Vazquez have long been seen as a possibility, but more recently there’s been at least some national speculation about a more dramatic move. Joel Sherman of the New York Post recently opined that the Yankees or Mets should “test the waters” on the Twins’ willingness to move shortstop Carlos Correa, who has four years and $128MM in guaranteed money remaining on his contract (plus another four vesting/club options). Sherman opined last month that the Astros should explore a similar scenario.

Though there’s been no reporting to suggest that the Twins would actually consider such a move, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey apparently still sought to shut down any such speculation. Asking Correa (or any player) to waive a no-trade clause is “not something we’re focused on,” Falvey told Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The recently promoted top Twins exec also called Correa, Pablo Lopez and Byron Buxton “key” members of the roster. “I feel really confident those guys are going to be part of the ability for us to do what we want on the field,” Falvey added.

While Falvey, newly minted general manager Jeremy Zoll and the rest of the front office are clearly working on a tighter budget than they anticipated when signing Correa and extending Buxton (seven years, $100MM) and Lopez (four years, $73.5MM), that doesn’t mean the team is planning to step back or enter any sort of rebuild. Minnesota spent the majority of the season in possession of a playoff spot before an epic September collapse. Injuries to Paddack and Joe Ryan compromised the team’s starting depth, and the lineup went cold in conjunction. It was a disaster outcome, but not one the club feels is indicative of a need to tear things down.

Correa, 30, missed nearly half the 2024 season due to a bout of plantar fasciitis but played at a borderline MVP-caliber level when healthy. His .310/.388/.517 slash was 59% better than league average, by measure of wRC+, and Statcast felt his defense rebounded from a down 2023 showing in a major way. (Defensive Runs Saved was more bearish.) Correa’s 16.6% strikeout rate was a career-low, and he hit 14 homers in 367 plate appearances — just four fewer than he hit in 580 plate appearances during the 2023 season. His two-month absence from July 12 through Sept. 14 played a significant role in the Twins’ late-season deterioration.

Buxton, 31 next month, was limited by injuries once again — as has been the case in nearly every season of his career. Like Correa, he has a full no-trade clause. Also like Correa, he had one of the most productive seasons of his career when on the field in 2024. The former No. 2 overall pick slashed .279/.335/.524 — 42% better than average, per wRC+ — with 18 homers, seven steals and strong defense in 103 games/388 plate appearances. Buxton’s contract pays him $15MM annually through 2028, with a huge slate of incentives tied to playing time and MVP voting. He can earn up to $25.5MM in any given season, but if he ever actually reaches that figure, it’d be because he performed like one of the best players in the entire sport, at which point it’d be a bargain anyhow.

Lopez, 29 in March, is owed $21.75MM in each of the next three seasons. He doesn’t have trade protection in his contract but was listed by Falvey as one of the “key” players he’s not inclined to move even amid payroll constriction. Lopez got out to a rough start in 2024, pitching to an ERA near 5.00 through the season’s first three months before rebounding to more characteristic form down the stretch. Beginning with a dominant 14-strikeout performance in late June, Lopez logged a 2.91 ERA with a 25.7% strikeout rate and 5.3% walk rate in 105 1/3 innings across his final 17 starts.

AL Central Notes: Twins, Kwan, Olson

By Nick Deeds | September 14, 2024 at 9:34pm CDT

The Twins recently welcomed a pair of key players back from the injured list, returning both center fielder Byron Buxton and shortstop Carlos Correa to the starting lineup. Buxton was activated in advance of yesterday’s game after missing the past month with a hip injury, while Correa has been out for the past two months due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. The duo’s return to action is surely a relief for Twins fans. After all, only Matt Wallner’s 162 wRC+ surpasses Correa’s 152 and Buxton’s 142 figures among the club’s regulars, and the two stars also play key defensive roles at shortstop and center field respectively.

As important as both Correa and Buxton are to the Twins’ pursuit of an AL Wild Card spot and impending postseason push, however, they won’t be in the lineup every day down the stretch. As noted by Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic, manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters earlier today that both players will be in the lineup on a truly game-to-game basis, with the team’s medical staff evaluating them both after each game to determine whether or not they’ll be available to play in the club’s next game.

That aggressive management of the club’s two top players might seem counter-intuitive for a Twins club that’s clinging to a 2.5-game lead over Detroit for the final AL Wild Card spot, but it’s fairly understandable given the pair’s significant injury woes. After all, Buxton’s injury woes throughout his career have been extreme enough that the next game he takes the field for will mean he’s played more games in 2024 with 93 than he has in any season of his 10-year big league career except 2017. While Correa’s injury woes haven’t been quite that extreme, the shortstop has been limited to just 75 games this year by injury and is now attempting to play through plantar fasciitis for the second consecutive September. For a Twins club that hasn’t made it to the ALCS since 2002, keeping Correa and Buxton as healthy as possible for the playoffs is clearly a top priority.

For his part, Correa seems to be on board. The shortstop told reporters (as relayed by Gleeman) that “Realistically, [he’s] not going to play every game” before adding that he wants to be on the field for the Twins “as much as possible” going forward this season. When Correa and Buxton are unable to play, Brooks Lee appears to be the club’s primary backup at shortstop while Willi Castro is the top option in center field.

More from around the AL Central…

The Guardians are dealing with an injury scare regarding one of their top hitters, as club manager Stephen Vogt told reporters (including Mandy Bell of MLB.com) that outfielder Steven Kwan has been out of the lineup in recent days due to what he described as “back soreness.” While that diagnosis may seem fairly benign, it’s at least somewhat concerning that Vogt added Kwan has been sent for testing to determine the severity of the issue. While it’s nearly impossible for the Guardians to miss the playoffs at this point, the club holds a fairly tenuous three-game lead over the Royals for the AL Central crown, which is likely to come with a bye through the first round of the playoffs. The loss of Kwan, who has excelled as the club’s leadoff hitter with a .291/.364/.419 slash line this year, would surely complicate the club’s hopes of holding onto its present playoff positioning and an lengthy absence could even jeopardize Kwan’s availability in the early rounds of the playoffs. Will Brennan, Angel Martinez, and Daniel Schneemann are among the club’s options in left field while Kwan is unavailable.
The Tigers have been without Reese Olson for virtually the entire second half this year after the right-hander went on the IL back in July due to a shoulder strain. Fortunately, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic) this afternoon that the club hopes to activate Olson from the IL during the club’s upcoming series against the Royals early next week. A healthy and effective return from Olson would be a huge boost for a Detroit club that sits just 2.5 games back of Minnesota for the final AL Wild Card spot, as the 25-year-old righty was in the midst of a breakout season with a 3.23 ERA and 3.13 FIP in 19 starts before being sidelined.

Twins Activate Carlos Correa From 10-Day Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | September 14, 2024 at 10:29am CDT

10:29AM: The Twins have officially announced the moves.

9:14AM: The Twins will activate shortstop Carlos Correa from the 10-day injured list prior to today’s game with the Reds. Outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. will be optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move.

It has been over two months since Correa last appeared in Minnesota’s lineup, as the three-time All-Star has been sidelined by plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Correa played through a similar injury in his left foot last season and (not coincidentally) struggled through the worst full season of his 10 years in the majors, so both the shortstop and the Twins seemed intent on letting Correa fully heal up before getting back to action.

Though Correa initially stated that this current injury wasn’t as painful as his 2023 plantar fasciitis, the discomfort has continued to linger until this past week, when Correa told MLB.com and other media that a new treatment method had allowed him to walk and run on his right heel. He took part in a live batting practice session on Friday and emerged feeling good enough that the Twins are now comfortable in making a roster move.

After his down year in 2023, Correa rebounded in a big way with one of his best seasons. The shortstop has 13 home runs and a .308/.377/.520 slash line over 317 plate appearances, and had been named to the All-Star team before his plantar fasciitis prevented him from taking part in the Midsummer Classic. Among all players with 300 or more PA, only 11 players have a higher wRC+ than Correa’s 152 mark.

Byron Buxton also has a 142 wRC+ in 339 PA this season, and the slugger was just activated off Minnesota’s IL on Thursday. Needless to say, the returns of Buxton and Correa are an enormous boost to a struggling Twins club that has lost 16 of its last 24 games. Minnesota still holds a 2.5-game lead over the Tigers for the last AL wild card slot, and the Twins could revive their chances at the AL Central title when they visit the first-place Guardians for a big four-game series that begins on Monday.

Max Kepler might be activated from the injured list for that series in Cleveland, as Kepler (out since September 5 due to patellar tendinitis in his left knee) joined Correa in the live BP session on Friday. Some reinforcements could also be coming later in early October on the pitching side, as Chris Paddack had a 20-pitch bullpen session on Friday as he recovers from a left forearm strain. It has also been two months on the shelf for Paddack, but he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale Jr. and other reporters that he is aiming to be ready for relief work during the postseason.

Twins Activate Byron Buxton

By Steve Adams | September 12, 2024 at 12:29pm CDT

The Twins announced Thursday that they’ve reinstated Byron Buxton from the injured list and optioned infielder/outfielder Austin Martin to Triple-A St. Paul. Buxton wound up missing exactly one month with a hip injury.

Trips to the IL are nothing new for Buxton — one of the most talented but also most frequently injured players in the sport. He was on a heater for the ages at the time he landed on the shelf, batting .331/.394/.709 (205 wRC+) with 13 homers, 15 doubles and a triple in 165 trips to the plate over his prior two months of action.

Buxton went on a minor league rehab assignment last week but had that stint shut down just prior to his expected return, when he experienced continued pain in his hip. He played in Triple-A games on Sept. 2 and Sept. 4 but hasn’t taken another minor league rep since. The Twins will hope he can round back into form on the fly, rejoining the big league roster amid a pivotal late stretch that’ll see them try to fend off the Red Sox, Mariners and sizzling Tigers. Minnesota holds a three-game lead over Detroit for the final AL Wild Card spot and four-game leads over Boston and Seattle. They’re a game and a half behind Kansas City for the second Wild Card position and six back of the Guardians in the AL Central.

Manager Rocco Baldelli acknowledged that at a different point of the season, perhaps the team might’ve taken more time, writes Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. However, that’s not a luxury the club necessarily feels it can afford on the heels of a recent slump while Buxton, Carlos Correa, Max Kepler, Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack have all been out with injuries simultaneously. “There’s going to be urgency all the way through this,” Baldelli said. “We have to win.” Gleeman notes that Correa, who’s been taking live BP at Target Field this week, might not be far behind Buxton. He’s been out since July with plantar fasciitis in his foot but was in the midst of his best season as a Twin, hitting .308/.377/.520 with 13 homers in 317 plate appearances.

It’s also been a strong season all around for the 30-year-old Buxton, who’s hitting .275/.334/.528 in 90 games and 335 plate appearances. He’s scaled back his running on the bases in recent years in an effort to stay on the field more, but Buxton is still 6-for-8 in stolen base attempts in 2024. His center field defense remains a clear plus, though he’s likely no longer the game’s premier defensive player at his position.

The Twins are still strong favorites to reach the playoffs, but losing one-third of their starting line — including two of their three most talented hitters — and multiple starting pitchers has left them relying heavily on inexperienced talent down the stretch. That’s particularly true in the rotation, where rookies Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa and Zebby Matthews have all asked to take on significant roles.

Minnesota certainly isn’t likely to take the division at this point, though the Twins do have one final four-game set with the Guardians remaining on the schedule. They’d need to execute a sweep on the road to make things truly interesting, but that series next week will merit close monitoring regardless, as it’ll have clear ramifications in an AL Central where Cleveland, Kansas City and Minnesota are all currently in line to reach the playoffs and where Detroit isn’t far behind. For now, the Twins host a sub-.500 Reds club for three games this weekend before traveling to Cleveland for those four games and then to Boston for a three-game set. They’ll wrap up the season with six-game homestand: three versus Miami and finally three versus Baltimore.

AL Notes: Buxton, Correa, Lorenzen, Cortes

By Mark Polishuk | September 8, 2024 at 11:23pm CDT

Byron Buxton was feeling discomfort in his hip as recently as Wednesday, and Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes that this setback scuttled the Twins’ plans for Buxton to begin a minor league rehab assignment this weekend. Right hip inflammation has kept Buxton on the injured list since the middle of August, depriving the Twins lineup of a big bat with 16 homers and a .275/.334/.528 slash line over 335 plate appearances. While Minnesota has dealt with a number of injuries this season, losing Buxton seems to have been a particular blow to the roster, as the Twins are only 6-14 over their last 20 games.

Reinforcements are needed, yet there’s no word on when either Buxton or Carlos Correa might be able to start a rehab assignment, as manager Rocco Baldelli told Helfand and other reporters today. Correa hasn’t played since July 12 due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot, and the shortstop has been feeling good while taking part in running drills. This is “some level of significant, but we still have a ways to go,” Baldelli said. “We’ll see if we can build on that and keep moving in a positive direction.”

Some other items from around the American League….

While Minnesota is struggling, the Royals rebounded from a seven-game losing streak with a three-game sweep of the Twins this weekend. Kansas City is also getting healthier, as manager Matt Quartaro told MLB.com’s Anne Rogers and other reporters that Michael Lorenzen is slated to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Tuesday. Lorezen was placed on the 15-day IL on August 28 due to a left hamstring strain, so the right-hander looks like he shouldn’t miss much time beyond the 15-day minimum. Acquired from the Rangers in a deadline trade, Lorenzen had great results in his first five starts as a Royal, delivering a 1.85 ERA in 24 1/3 innings.
The returns of Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt gave the Yankees a rotation surplus, relegating Nestor Cortes to a relief role as a piggyback pitcher behind Schmidt on Saturday. “I’m never going to leave my teammates out to dry. You’re always going to get my best effort, no matter if I’m happy or not,” Cortes told ESPN and other media, yet the left-hander also made it clear that he was “upset” over the role change. “I felt like I’ve been, amongst all the starters, the workhorse here,” Cortes said. “Once [Gerrit] Cole went down, they picked me to be the Opening Day starter — not necessarily the No. 1, but the Opening Day starter. I had to switch my routine there. Now they do this.” After an injury-plagued 2023 season, Cortes has a 3.97 ERA over 163 1/3 innings this year, with an unimpressive set of Statcast metrics except for an excellent walk rate. Cortes will return to starting duty when the Yankees adopt a six-man staff for the next turn through the rotation, yet it remains to be seen how New York deploys Cortes, Cole, Gil, Schmidt, Carlos Rodon, and Marcus Stroman for the remainder of the regular season and into the playoffs.

AL Central Notes: Baez, Gray, Correa, Twins, Moncada, Soroka

By Mark Polishuk | August 24, 2024 at 2:55pm CDT

The Tigers placed shortstop Javier Baez on the 10-day injured list yesterday, calling up Ryan Kriedler from Triple-A to fill the void in the infield. It is the second time this season that Baez has been sent to the IL due to lumbar inflammation, though this latest placement also involves inflammation in his right hip. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press) that “we haven’t gotten the full diagnosis” on Baez’s injuries yet, but the team should shortly “know a little bit more about what the next month looks like and what, if any, baseball activity he’ll be able to do.”

That doesn’t sound like it bodes well for Baez’s chances of returning in 2024, as the Tigers have only the faintest hopes of a wild card berth and might just choose to shut Baez down to get him ready for next year. While injuries have contributed to Baez’s struggles this season, his .184/.221/.294 slash line over 289 plate appearances marks the third straight disastrous year for Baez since coming to Detroit on a six-year, $140MM free agent deal in the 2021-22 offseason. With $73MM still owed to Baez over the 2025-27 seasons, the contract is already an albatross, and it remains to be seen exactly how much longer the Tigers still stick with Baez as a regular part of their lineup (or whether they could release him altogether).

Twins Place Carlos Correa, Chris Paddack On Injured List

By Nick Deeds | July 20, 2024 at 4:22pm CDT

The Twins announced this afternoon that they’ve placed shortstop Carlos Correa and right-hander Chris Paddack on the injured list. Correa heads to the 10-day IL due to right plantar fasciitis, retroactive to July 16. Paddack, meanwhile is heading to the 15-day IL (retroactive to July 17) with a right forearm strain. In corresponding moves, second baseman Edouard Julien has been recalled from Triple-A, while utility bat Austin Martin has been activated from the IL.

That Correa is dealing with a bout of plantar fasciitis in his right foot isn’t news, as it was announced prior to the All-Star Break that the shortstop would not participate in the All-Star game due to the issue. It seems he’ll need additional time to rest his ailing foot, however, as he’s now shelved until at least July 26. Plantar fasciitis is generally considered to be a matter of pain tolerance, so it’s unlikely that Correa will remain shelved until it’s fully healed. Even so, it’s not necessarily a surprise that he and the Twins are taking the issue seriously given his struggles while playing through the issue in his left foot last year. While Correa played in 135 games last year, he posted a below-average 96 wRC+ while defensive metrics suggested that his typically excellent defense at shortstop slipped.

That decline in performance while playing through the injury clearly suggested to the Twins and Correa that it would be best for everyone if he took additional time to rest his ailing foot before returning to the lineup, though it’s worth noting that manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters (including The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman) that Correa’s absence isn’t expected to require “several weeks to a month,” with the club anticipating his return sooner than that. For now, however, Correa has received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his foot and will look to recover while Gleeman relays that Willi Castro will get the majority of reps at shortstop in his absence.

With Castro handling shortstop on a regular basis and Brooks Lee covering for the injured Royce Lewis at third base, the Twins are calling on Julien to take back over at the keystone. The 25-year-old posted a pedestrian 97 wRC+ in his sophomore season across 58 games before being optioned down to the minors, where he has subsequently impressed with a 114 wRC+ and an eye-popping 21.2% walk rate. Julien will be joined by Martin, who can provide a right-handed complement to him at second base while also backing up the club’s outfield mix.

As for Paddack, the right-hander’s first full season back from his second Tommy John surgery has been a difficult one. He’s battled injury issues to make 17 starts this season, although even when healthy enough to take the mound he’s struggled to a 4.99 ERA despite solid peripherals such as a 4.19 FIP and a 4.09 SIERA. In spite of those peripherals, however, Paddack’s performance has seen him strike out a career-low 20.6% of batters faced while generating less grounders than ever before, a clip of just 37.3%. While forearm issues are somewhat alarming for a pitcher who has already gone under the knife for Tommy John surgery twice, Baldelli suggested to reporters (including Gleeman) that the club isn’t particularly concerned, believing that the problem is a muscle strain that will heal up with rest.

Even if Paddack is back in action in relatively short order, however, the news only exacerbates Minnesota’s obvious need for help in the starting rotation. While Joe Ryan has impressed as a front-of-the-rotation option and Bailey Ober’s typical mid-rotation production is as steady as ever, Pablo Lopez has surprisingly struggled after entering the season as the club’s ace following the departure of Sonny Gray over the winter while Louie Varland struggled enough in the fifth starter role to be demoted to Triple-A. Simeon Woods-Richardson has done well in Varland’s place, but with the likes of Varland and rookie Dave Festa as the best options to step into Paddack’s rotation spot, it’s easy to see why the Twins are reportedly looking into rental starters ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.

Carlos Correa Dealing With Plantar Fasciitis, Will Skip All-Star Game

By Mark Polishuk | July 14, 2024 at 7:34pm CDT

7:34PM: Correa won’t participate in the All-Star Game. The Rangers announced that Corey Seager has been named to the AL All-Star squad as Correa’s replacement.

4:15PM: Carlos Correa wasn’t in the Twins lineup yesterday or today due to what was initially described as a bruised right heel. However, Correa and Minnesota manger Rocco Baldelli told reporters (including The Athletic’s Dan Hayes) that the shortstop is dealing with a case of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, as was revealed in an MRI taken last night.

This is the second consecutive year that plantar fasciitis has emerged as an issue for Correa, though last season’s injury was located in his left foot. Correa described his current issue as not “as bad as last year. Last year I played through a lot of pain. The first game I played here was discomfort.” A trip to the injured list doesn’t appear to be in the works for now, as Correa didn’t even entirely rule out playing in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, though he noted that the All-Star break will be helpful in managing his foot problem.

“We’re taking the precautions that we need to take right now before it gets worse,” Correa said. “We kind of know how to manage it, all the info we have from last year. I think I’ll be ready for the second half.”

Plantar fasciitis is ultimately a pain-tolerance type of injury, so theoretically, Correa could be able to stay on the field as long as he is able to handle what can be a very painful case of inflammation in the foot and heel area. Of course, playing and playing well are two different things, as Correa’s attempts to largely try and play the pain in his left foot in 2023 resulted in subpar performance. Correa hit .230/.312/.399 over 580 plate appearances and also had below-average defensive metrics at shortstop, and he held off an IL trip until late September after Minnesota had clinched a playoff berth.

Correa made it clear that he doesn’t want a repeat of 2023, as “I don’t just want to be a body on the field….Last year, one thing I learned is people don’t care if you go out there and play hurt. They’re always going to talk about your performance and that only. I’m just going to make sure that when I’m on the field, I’m not just somebody that’s just standing there. I’m going to be Carlos Correa.”

Though Correa missed a couple of weeks in April with a minor oblique strain, he has certainly returned to his usual form this season. Correa is hitting .308/.377/.520 with 13 homers over 317 PA, with his 152 wRC+ is on pace to be a personal best of a full season. His performance is a big reason why the Twins find themselves again in a postseason position heading into the All-Star break, though Minnesota is in a wild card slot, and entered today’s action 4.5 games behind the Guardians for first place in the AL Central.

A tight pennant race will again make Correa eager to play as often as possible, so he and the Twins will have to be careful about how they manage his playing time in order to keep him both healthy and effective. The overall health of the Twins’ infield is another issue, as Royce Lewis, Jose Miranda, Alex Kirilloff, Austin Martin, and Kyle Farmer are all on the 10-day IL, leaving Minnesota quite thin on depth options.

Twins Notes: Correa, Martin, Duran, Sands

By Steve Adams | April 29, 2024 at 3:06pm CDT

The Twins announced Monday that they’ve reinstated shortstop Carlos Correa from the 10-day injured list. Infielder/outfielder Austin Martin was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. Correa wound up missing just over two weeks with what was originally announced a a likely oblique strain but was reclassified as a more mild intercostal strain after he underwent an MRI.

It’s a boon for an already-surging Twins lineup that has rattled off seven straight wins. Strength of schedule has been a big part of that, as the Twins are coming off sweeps of the White Sox and Angels (and are now in Chicago for another three-game set against the South Siders). Correa hit .306/.432/.444 with a homer and two doubles in 44 trips to the plate before sustaining the injury. He’ll reclaim his everyday shortstop role and a slot near the heart of the Twins’ batting order.

Correa’s return brings an end to the first big league stint for the 25-year-old Martin, who handled himself well for a couple weeks before falling into a 3-for-21 slump that dragged his batting line down to .226/.294/.371. The former No. 5 overall pick showed strong contact skills (17.6% strikeout rate) and defensive versatility with time at each of second base, left field and center field.

Martin is in the first of three option years and figures to be back in the big leagues before too long. He’s outplayed struggling veterans Kyle Farmer and Manuel Margot, but both have lengthy track records that will earn them some more leash to right the ship. Jettisoning either instead of Martin would surely have depleted the organization’s depth, as both could reject minor league assignments and become free agents once their contracts cleared waivers.

Correa isn’t the only key piece expected to return to the Twins before long. Closer Jhoan Duran has made a pair of rehab outings in St. Paul and was sharp in his most recent one. Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that Minnesota’s flamethrowing righty tossed a clean inning with two strikeouts and induced whiffs on six of eight swings against him Saturday, topping out at 102.9 mph with his heater.

Duran, 26, has established himself as one of the game’s premier relievers since debuting in 2022. He’s been on the injured list all season due to an oblique strain but touts a 2.15 ERA 33.2% strikeout rate, 7.9% walk rate and 63.4% ground-ball rate in 130 big league innings. He’s saved 35 games for the Twins and picked up another 19 holds since cracking the Opening Day roster as a rookie back in ’22.

Duran’s return will only strengthen a Minnesota bullpen that ranks third in MLB with a 2.62 earned run average. Twins relievers are also second in strikeout rate at 29.8%, 12th in walk rate at 9.2%, fourth in FIP at 3.40 and second in SIERA at 2.98. Former starter Cole Sands has been a big part of that, turning in 13 1/3 innings (second among Twins relievers) with a 1.35 ERA, 36.5% strikeout rate and 3.8% walk rate.

It’s an incredible turnaround for Sands, who entered the year with a 4.99 ERA in 52 1/3 big league frames. He’s seen his average fastball climb from 93.7 mph last year to 95 mph in 2024, and his newly implemented cutter has been excellent. Opponents don’t yet have a hit against Sands’ four-seamer this season.

Sands’ success, history as a starter and the current state of the rotation — Anthony DeSclafani out for the season, Louie Varland optioned to Triple-A after struggling — prompted Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic to ask president of baseball ops Derek Falvey and manager Rocco Baldelli about the possibility of stretching Sands back out as a starter. Neither wholly discounted the possibility, though Falvey noted how well Sands has been pitching in a relief capacity and emphasized that if things reach that point, the Twins will need to “do it thoughtfully” because midseason role changes can be particularly tricky.

As things stand, the Twins are going with Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack and rookie Simeon Woods Richardson in the rotation. Ober and Paddack have each had one nightmare start where they were tagged for eight runs but have been otherwise sharp. Woods Richardson has made just two starts but flashed improved velocity while holding the Tigers and White Sox to a combined three runs in 11 innings with an 11-to-2 K/BB ratio.

The Twins are without DeSclafani and minor league lefty Brent Headrick, their likely next man up on the rotation depth chart, as he’s on the minor league 60-day IL due to a forearm strain. Further injuries could push them to more strongly consider a starting role for Sands, but Minnesota could also look outside the organization at some point if the depth continues to be tested. Falvey downplayed that possibility to Gleeman, but it’s worth mentioning that the Twins went that route with Dallas Keuchel last year and wound up getting six starts out of him down the stretch.

Twins Notes: Wallner, Larnach, Correa, Duran

By Anthony Franco | April 16, 2024 at 10:54pm CDT

The Twins shuffled their outfield mix this afternoon, optioning Matt Wallner to Triple-A St. Paul while recalling Trevor Larnach.(Declan Goff of SKOR North was first to report the move.) Larnach got the nod in left field for tonight’s loss to the Orioles, going 1-4 in his season debut.

Wallner has started the season in a massive slump, striking out in 17 of his first 33 trips to the plate. The Southern Miss product was a productive left-handed bat for the Twins last year, turning in a .249/.370/.507 line with 14 homers through 254 plate appearances. That came with a fair share of whiffs, but last season’s 31.5% strikeout rate is still well lower than the clip at which Wallner has fanned through this year’s first couple weeks.

Between Wallner’s frigid start and Max Kepler’s injured list stint, Larnach could get another chance to carve out a spot in the Minnesota outfield. The former first-round pick has gotten scattered MLB looks going back to 2021. Elevated strikeout rates have prevented him from truly establishing himself. Larnach hit at a roughly league average level (.222/.315/.385) in nearly 700 trips between 2021-23. He nevertheless could be in line for looks against right-handed pitching as a lefty complement to right-handed hitters Austin Martin and Manuel Margot.

Kepler is one of a trio of key lineup pieces on the injured list. The Twins have been without Royce Lewis since Opening Day, while Carlos Correa landed on the shelf late last week. Minnesota initially announced Correa’s injury as an oblique strain before revising the diagnosis to a right intercostal strain. In an appearance on MLB Network radio this afternoon (X link), manager Rocco Baldelli said the Twins would wait for Correa’s symptoms to abate before formulating a specific timeline for his return. Baldelli reiterated that the strain is mild, although he noted that could still lead to an absence of a few weeks.. Willi Castro and Kyle Farmer are handling shortstop with Correa on the shelf.

Injuries have also been a factor on the pitching side, particularly in the bullpen. The Twins have been without star closer Jhoan Duran thus far as he works back from a Spring Training oblique issue. The power righty is making progress toward a return. As reflected on the MLB.com injury tracker, Duran has worked through a pair of bullpen sessions in recent days and is slated to throw to hitters for the first time on Friday.

Duran has been among the most dominant pitchers in the sport since making his 2022 debut. He owns a 2.15 ERA in 130 big league innings, pairing a stellar 33.2% strikeout rate with an otherworldly 63.4% grounder percentage. The 26-year-old has as electrifying an arsenal as anyone, backing a triple-digit heater with an elite curve and an absurd power splitter that averaged north of 98 MPH last season.

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