Who will save the day for each MLB team?

Minnesota Twins: Lance Lynn

The Minnesota Twins had an excellent offseason. They added some power to an already solid lineup when they signed Logan Morrison, who 38 home runs in 2017. They also traded with the Tampa Bay Rays for starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi.

The Twins were another surprise team in the MLB last season, reaching the AL Wild Card game after eclipsing 100 losses in 2016. To cap off their offseason, they finished addressing their biggest need–pitching. They signed former Cardinal Lance Lynn to a one-year, $12 million deal.

Lynn isn’t an ace, but he’s as good as you could hope to get from the three spot in a rotation. With the St. Louis Cardinals, he went 72-47 with a 3.38 ERA in 161 starts.

He missed the entire 2016 season while he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Teams are always more cautious with pitchers who have had the popular surgery, but Lynn looked sharp in 2017. He proved he was still a durable and effective starter, going 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA over 186 1/3 innings pitched. He hasn’t lost much velocity since undergoing Tommy John surgery, either.

The Twins made a wise investment. They got a lot better this winter. Minnesota likely won’t catch the Indians for the top spot in the AL Central, but they’re in even better shape than last year to reach the AL Wild Card game again.