5 offseason moves the Minnesota Twins need to make
3. Get aggressive on starting pitching
Jose Berrios is just fine as a budding ace. But after him there are questions for the Twins’ starting rotation looking to next year, mostly brought on via looming free agents (Jake Odorizzi, Kyle Gibson, Michael Pineda) and options that aren’t likely to be picked up (Martin Perez).
On that note, Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey spoke to an effort to target “impact pitching” during his 2019 postmortem with the media this week.
#Mntwins CBO Derek Falvey: “We’re going to target impact pitching. I think that’s going to be a big part of our focus, and whether we can get there. What that looks like, I can’t predict today.”
— Brian Murphy (@murphmedia_) October 9, 2019
Twins CBO Derek Falvey says he'll "target impact pitching" this winter. Notes: https://t.co/Bv8o1Zw8rc pic.twitter.com/cD2mONPEpF
— Derek Wetmore (@DerekWetmore) October 9, 2019
It’s known the Twins were in on Yu Darvish a couple of offseasons ago, before the Chicago Cubs presumably outdid them with their offer. Gerrit Cole is the big free agent starting pitcher fish this offseason, and there’s some chance the Twins see what the exact price of that poker chip will be. Stephen Strasburg, if he opts out, stands out as a good option and Cole Hamels could be on the radar, too. The trade market may bear some fruit as well, and Falvey along with general manager Thad Levine seem ready to pursue that.
This is not the Twins’ front office regime of the past, with payroll restrictions (real, self-imposed or simply perceived to come down from ownership) and paralysis when it comes to making notable moves. There are four rotation spots to fill one way or another, and a recognizable name or two may wind up filling them.