3:56pm: Minnesota’s “expected” to sign Colome, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets.
1:32pm: In addition to Colome, the Twins have shown interest in re-signing Clippard and in signing lefty Justin Wilson, Hayes further reports. Minnesota has also at least gauged the price tags of Shane Greene, Mark Melancon, Joakim Soria and Trevor Rosenthal, though the latter two could be seeking more than the Twins are comfortable committing to them, Hayes adds. It’s a wide slate of candidates, but the Twins could sign multiple relievers to bolster their relief corps.
9:07am: It’s been a busy couple of weeks for the Twins, but they’re still pursuing upgrades after finally agreeing to a new deal with designated hitter Nelson Cruz last night. Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports that the Twins have interest in adding Alex Colome to their bullpen and are still looking at options to fill out their rotation. Twins fans hoping to see the club roll the dice on a Mike Foltynewicz rebound after watching his recent showcase may not get their wish, though, as SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson tweets that a signing is “more unlikely than likely.” Wolfson does suggest that the Twins have a current offer out to a reliever.
This isn’t the first time the Twins have been tied to Colome. However, in the month since that initial link, they’ve spent a combined $31.5MM on Cruz, Andrelton Simmons and J.A. Happ, so maintained interest in one of the better relievers remaining on the market wasn’t necessarily a given. The Twins currently project to open the season with a payroll in the $123MM range, but they’d have been north of $130MM last year prior to prorated salaries.
Owner Jim Pohlad recently voiced a vastly different mindset than many of his counterparts throughout the league, telling reporters he’s not looking at ways to “make up” for lost revenue from the 2020 season by slashing payroll (link via La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune).
“We don’t really think of it like that,” Pohlad said in a Zoom call. “I’m not sure if we can ever make up for it. None of our objective includes trying to make up for what happened in 2020. It was significant. It was devastating. And you have to accept that as a loss going forward and not make it a goal to recover those losses either from fans or by affecting our payroll. That’s not the mind-set we have been in at all.”
The Twins’ recent activity reflects that outlook, and a deal with Colome would only further illustrate that stance. The 32-year-old spent the past two seasons as the closer for the division-rival White Sox. In 83 1/3 innings with the South Siders, he’s pitched to a 2.27 ERA and racked up 42 saves, although the rest of his numbers don’t look as dominant. Colome’s 20.9 percent strikeout rate is below-average in today’s game, and he’s registered a rather pedestrian 3.78 FIP and 4.42 SIERA.
With the White Sox, Colome leaned aggressively on a two-pitch arsenal, throwing four-seamers and cutters exclusively — the latter nearly thrice as often as the former. In 2019, he got away with that mix despite giving up far too much hard contact, but he seemed to improve his utilization of that two-pitch mix in 2020.
Colome’s hard-hit rate fell sharply, from 41.2 percent to 32.8 percent, and only two of the balls put into play against him registered as “barreled balls,” per Statcast’s definition. Opponents’ average exit velocity against Colome plummeted from 91.3 percent in 2019 — one of the highest marks in baseball — to a lower-than-average 87.2 mph in 2020. And, despite registering one of the lowest strikeout percentages of his career last season, Colome actually posted career-high marks in swinging-strike rate and in opponents’ chase rate, which surely creates some optimism about his ability to rebound in the strikeout department.
For all the focus on the Twins’ rotation this winter, it’s the bullpen that’s a more dire area of need at the moment. The quartet of Kenta Maeda, Jose Berrios, Michael Pineda and Happ gives the Twins four solid options atop the starting staff, but the bullpen has quietly been depleted. Minnesota lost Trevor May to the Mets and Matt Wisler (who was non-tendered) to the Giants. Veterans Sergio Romo and Tyler Clippard, meanwhile, are both free agents and remain unsigned. Taylor Rogers is still the favorite for saves in Minnesota for now, although Colome would give manager Rocco Baldelli another ninth-inning option with some experience. The fact that Baldelli and Colome know each other well from their time together with the Rays can’t hurt the Twins’ chances at a deal.
nononono he’s coming to Philly
Not trying to start a fuss, but I feel like he would want to go to a team with better chances to make the Playoffs. Right now IMO Phillies are 4th. He would be a goo addition though.
im sure people said the same about Archie Bradley, JT Realmuto, and Didi
JT has always said he wanted to stay in Philly, people said he would go to a different team due to claims about loss of money. Tell me if I’m wrong but I thought I heard about Didi liked play for Girardi. Archie Bradley is not a top notch pitcher, probably just wanted the most money but good signing
@Luc I don’t disagree with your assessment of the Phils who are a 3rd or 4th place team, but I disagree with the idea that players only want to go to definite playoff teams. There’s a lot going into a player’s decision, mostly money.
Ik also just team in general like JT who wanted to stay with Philly. Out of the 3 you signed I thought Didi wanted to be in playoffs, but yur right
@Luc also I wouldn’t be shocked if the Phils get a wildcard spot. The Braves and Mets are clearly ahead of them (you could argue either way with the Nats), but things don’t always play out the way they look on paper.
I just can;t their pitching hasn;t improved at all. All they are doing is signing washed veterans. As a NL East team you should know Mets are always to hyped LMAO thats one thing we can agree on.
How much is Colome expected to make? Would love to see the Twins nab Clippard and Colome for $8 mill or so and be done for the offseason besides maybe a minor league signing or two to battle for the 5th starter spot.
Clippard won’t make 8 mil
Thinking he means together Clippard and Colome make 8 mil together
Colome would take too much then.
So you don’t want odorizzi back and complete the rotation? I know I would.
Colome isn’t going to be that cheap. Lost of teams looking at him.
Colome still being available after his bottom line results, this late in the off season amazes me. His demands must either be unreasonable, or strikeouts have become more valuable than saves. Give me the closer who can close, every time.
I’d say that Ks have become more valuable than saves. Ks are a better indicator of consistent success and his 3.78 FIP doesn’t do him any favors. I agree that there’s something to be said about a guy who has closed before successfully, but guys rotate in and out of closer roles so often in today’s game that it’s almost nothing more than a glamour stat, especially to FO saber nerds.
I watched a fair few of his White Sox outings and it was an adventure oft as not. He gets the job done in the end and, sure, keeping runs off the board is what ultimately matters most, but I wouldn’t trust him to close out games when it mattered.
This is true; if you watch him and don’t get nervous you must be pretty mellow, dude.
So, who is considered the staff ace, Maeda?
I don’t know what the Twins think but he is for me. He was way better than everyone else in the rotation last year
Easily
my guy had a miniscule WHIP last year. obviously.
Curious what his market will be. It’s been quiet around him. Is he a guy who is just undervalued because he doesn’t strike out a lot of guys? It seems amazing that that would be the case when just a couple of years ago, Mariano Rivera became the first unanimous hall of famer. Colome has the same profile. You know he’s throwing the cutter, but you can’t barrel it up. Sometimes the “luck metrics” aren’t just luck. His low BABIPs are constant and an actual skill.
Nice to hear an owner of a smaller market team speak like this. Hopefully that clown who owns the A’s takes note.
I would rather sign Jesus Colome at this point.
Got a reason there, sport? Or just trolling for an argument? Your silence says it all.
IN the contest I had Colome going to As but Twins make sense. As for as Folty goes, would really like him in Texas this season, should be a good bounce-back candidate. 1/4 + incentives perhaps with a team option for 22.
Suprised Richard Rodriguez isn’t getting more mentions. The Pirates are clearly willing to deal and he’s got closer stuff with high upside.
@kermit –
Really hoping the Yanks target him.
Was looking at him over at Baseball Savant. He reminds me of Chad Greene. Really high spin rate on his FB. Doesn’t have quite the velo as Greene but seems to have a pretty good slider & shows a two seamer.
He & Greene & O’Day would really help solidify the bridge to end game.
Heller & Medina for Rodriguez. This (according to BTV) is an overpay by the Yankees (6 MM to 2 MM). Cleans up the 40 man a bit. Adds a nice set up arm making 1.2 mil AAV.
@Ducky Buckin Fent, I think a storyline to watch this season will be spin rates. With the Bubba story and what seems to be a collective understanding that everyone doctors the balls at least a little bit, I’d be worried the MLB decides to make an arbitrary showing at some point to crack down on it. Suddenly these guys that rely on high spin lose their stuff and become liabilities.
If MLB wants to see more offense, the easiest thing they could do is to crack down on foreign substances used by pitchers. Might take a few extra seconds for the umpire to essentially check every ball that makes it to the catcher (godforbid we add 2-3 minutes each game and drive off the thousands of fans who won’t watch baseball because of those 2-3 minutes of total downtime), but if MLB wants more offense, more balls in play, then this would be the easiest way to do it without changing a major fundamental part of the game.
The Sox should bring Colome back.
Think you got a shot at a late innings comeback?
Hendriks+Colome+Bummer=Nope, Nope and Nope.
I hope the Twins do sign Colome.
Sox (especially Yasmani) know him well; would beat him like a drum!
Sox already have a very strong BP. Plus, they have 2 spots available for some combination of Kopech, Cease, Rodon, Lopez, Stiever, Crochet, and Kelley. Of the five remaining guys, Stiever and Kelley will probably start (and may finish) the season in the minors, Kopech will start in the minors but be called up pretty quickly, and then you have three of those guys also headed to the pen. If they were going to spend significant money on someone else, it should have been for a capable RF or maybe a one-year show-me deal for a SP.
Not gonna argue with that. Adding another bullpen arm would be just a luxury.
Colome’s cutter was worth -10 run value last season. It was the 14th most valuable pitch in baseball last season. He’s really underrated now because he isn’t getting many strikeouts anymore.
Absolutely. MLB and the industry surrounding it get starry eyed for strike outs. Ground ball pitchers unfortunately don’t get the credit they deserve, typically.
Also, I’ve seen his cutter on pitching Ninja and my eyes can confirm that stat you posted. It’s a nasty pitch.
the advanced metrics hate the guy but he continues to perform. eventually you have to admit the metrics arent perfect and that the guy is indeed good.
Wow no comments about how the owner is lying and they didn’t lose money?
You could have Clippard & Jake McGee for the price of Colome. The fact he doesn’t miss a lot of bats as a reliever and that high SIERA screams regression.
McGee had a great bounceback season in 2020. While it was just 20 innings, I’d take him over most of the relievers left on the market.
Jeeez, I dunno, @mlb1225.
He (McGee) throws *one* pitch. Ya know? He throws that four seamer over 95% of the time (!). Even for a reliever I find that troubling. I spent way too much time looking into the available LHRP’s, man.
I have Watson, Wilson, & Alvarez ahead of him on my wish list. I also might take Perez (a lefty Romo – it’s unbelievable…they are basically the same pitcher) over McGee.
Guys like McGee who rely on a single offering seem extra volatile to me.
Ya know?
Zack Britton also threw just one pitch more than 90% of the time when he recorded the best single season ERA for a releiver ever. Some guys are just really, really good one-pitch-pitchers.
609, SIERA assumes regression of the luck metrics, but look at where Colome outdoes the norms. It’s consistent. He’s either been lucky his whole career or there is something underlying the “luck”. The low BABIPs are because hitters can’t square up his cutter because it’s that good. There is a skill to pitching to soft contact. I like to look at SIERA to see if there’s more to a guy than meets the eye, but I have also noticed that it really undersells certain types of pitchers who continually produce.
At some point the Braves had to walk away from Foltynowitz. They had a glut of pitching prospects to shake out and only so many major league spots so you can only give ah guy so long. Still, I really wish and hope for him figuring things out because to me it sounds like his biggest issues is between his ears.
Numbers aside, Colome has stayed healthy and gets the job done. Dependability has value. I had figured him for the Phillies or Padres.
Sure, but people usually regress back to the mean. He’s been outperforming his secondary metrics for a while. He’s one of the better closers out there, and the best one remaining, but I wouldn’t trust him to continue to be as good as he was last year.
I’d like to see the Twins bring back Clippard for about $3 million per year and add Colome for about $5-6 million per year. I think that BP would have a closer by committee. With 4 good to solid SP and the hot hand between Dobnak/Smeltzer/Thorpe at #5, I think the Twins pitching will be top 10 again in 2021. Overall, the team will be deep and much improved defensively.
Colome will probably cost around $8M. He was making $10M last year and, even with disappointing secondary metrics, got the job done. I don’t think he will have to settle for just $6M.
breaking news: Twins are intersted in a RP
Sign all three and Odorizzi. MIN needs as much pitching depth as possible to make it past a first round of playoffs.
Twins would be better served getting Paxton, imo. Higher upside.
Better upside but just about the best guarantee you can get for a starter that will spend at least 6-8 weeks of the season on the IL. The Twins need work horses and I am surprised they didn’t try to land Lynn.
Going that route, a reliable workhorse would have been Quintana. He’s only about average (going by ERA+), but he’s almost never on the DL and generally consistent. As for Paxton, yeah, there’s the history, but people thought the Twins and Rays were taking risks with Maeda and Ryu. Both of them worked out very well last year.
Quintana, I felt was overlooked by a lot of teams in need of SP. Wanted the Mets to sign him.
if the Phillies can get Colome, get someone like Soria, Petit, McGhee, etc, and trade VV or Segura then I’d feel good going into the season.
Other than a bad first half of 2018 with the Rays Colome has always put up very solid numbers. FIP is a stat for starters not relievers. ERA+, Whip and S/W are far better stats to judge relievers with.
The Twins are the best fit for German Marquez, and I am confident that they could get a deal done for him before the season. If they add Marquez and Colome to the mix, then they are a true threat in the A.L.
Completely agree that they’re a good fit (though I think the Angels may be better as they have at least as much need and also have coveted prospects). What kind of package were you thinking? Kiriloff and Lewis might be too coveted to part with, so maybe they accept Larnach or Balazovich and someone at the bottom of their top 10 or a couple guys in the 11-20 range. Maybe Larnach, Enlow (60% GB rate would play well at Coors) and a lottery ticket.
I’m actually planning on writing up a trade proposal on this topic, and I already have the trade:
Twins get: German Marquez and Scott Oberg
Rockies get: Larnach, Duran, and Jeffers
Rox would eat the majority of Oberg’s remaining contract.
This doesn’t take away the premier prospects from the Twins system, and it gives the Rox a haul. Plus Oberg as sweetener; nobody knows how good he’ll be, but he’s just a lotto ticket for the pen. Thoughts?
It’s interesting. I’m not sure the interest the Rockies would have in Oberg after TOS. I think the Twins might be ok with including Jeffers since they have Garver, but I think they may balk at Duran. If they knew he’s healthy, I think it’s a deal that could benefit both. As is, they might have to substitute out Duran at the expense of taking on a little more of Oberg’s salary. After May left, they do need BP help.
Here’s the kicker: mlb.com/player/german-marquez-608566?stats=splits-…
Those are Marquez’s splits. He would be a Cy Young Contender outside of Coors. That park devastates his stat line. Not only that, looking into how Target field effects pitchers, it actually helps pitchers! So not only would Marquez get out of the park that inflates his stats, but he would also be going to a pitcher friendly park.
Bold prediction: If he was traded to the Twins, he’d be in the top 5 in Cy Young voting each season he was there. That is worth Duran. Especially for the contract he’s on as well.
Jeffers has so far shown better defense and pitch framing than Garver, as well as a sweet hitting approach, and given his youth he’s less likely to be traded than Garver. Also, the Twins want to stay away from one catcher starting 130+ games, as they’ve demonstrated the last 3 full seasons. Duran is being counted on along with Balazovic to be a key SP in the Twins near future plans. Can’t see him being moved either. Larnach’s value, besides playing both corner OFs and 1B and being a stud clutch hitter w/power potential is that he’s a LHH, something the Twins suddenly have a lack of in their everyday lineup. Of the 3, I can see Larnach possibly being traded, but only straight up (maybe a #20-30 prospect as well) for a Castillo. He’s that good of a building block for the acquiring team. Actually, the only pitcher that I think was worth trading from that group was Snell, and obviously that didn’t happen. Having said that, I do like Marquez, I just wouldn’t trade any of the Twins top 8 prospects for him, instead perhaps a package of 2-3 in the #10-#30 range.
No chance that Larnach and a #20-30 prospect brings back Castillo. Kiriloff, maybe, but not Larnach.
Twins interested in everyone, apparently. They have become the new Blue Jays…
LET’S GOOOOOOOO!!! Now go get Marquez and call it an off-season!
If you need a reminder why I’m excited, then look at this chart:
This is the list of my favorite team from each division:
A.L West: Rangers
A.L Central: Twins or Sox (it’s real close)
A.L East: Jays
N.L West: Giants
N.L Central: Brew Crew
N.L East: Mets
Twins
Blue Jays/ Tampa
Seattle
SD
Washington/ Miami
Milwaukee
That’s my list.
Mariners
Twins
My O’s!
Dodgers
Brewers
Braves
M’s
White Sox
Rays
Padres
Cubs
Braves
How on earth do you see the Giants being better than the Padres or Dodgers?
I see where I screwed up my bad aha
I sure hope that the Twins can get Clippard back!