Thursday, August 1, 2019

Most of what they needed

My wish list for the Twins in the midseason trade period was a couple of bullpen arms to help Taylor Rogers in the late innings.

They got that in Sergio Romo (on July 27) and Sam Dyson (on Wednesday).

Neither is left-handed, so that box went unchecked. And the Twins were apparently fishing in starting-pitcher waters as well but came up empty there.

I'm fine with that. The 2019 Twins aren't in need of a back-of-the-rotation starter, and at most three starters good enough to push Kyle Gibson down in the playoff rotation moved -- Zack Greinke, Trevor Bauer and Marcus Stroman. Greinke had the Twins on his no-trade clause, and I can't imagine Cleveland trading Bauer to the team they're chasing. That leaves Stroman, and I'm not convinced he's better than Gibson.

A deal for a controllable starter would have given the front office a head start on rebuilding the 2020 rotation, but they'll have to deal with that problem in the off season.

For here and now, the Twins have a stiffer bullpen than they had coming out of the All-Star break.



This Fangraphs piece calls Dyson the best reliever moved at the deadline this year.  He's not a big name (like Craig Kimbrel), but he's also not a ego trip who wants to be used only in one-inning save situations (like Kimbrel). He and Romo are an upgrade over the departed Blake Parker as right-handed complements to Rogers.

I view the Twins bullpen as three groups:


  • The late-inning guys: Dyson, Rogers, Romo
  • The middle men: Tyler Duffey, Ryne Harper, Trevor May
  • The kids: Lewis Thorpe and Cody Stashak (I'm assuming Sean Poppen will be demoted today to make room for Dyson).
I'm good with that bullpen. I'll be even more satisfied if Thorpe emerges as a second lefty weapon.




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