Prior to the lockout, the busiest segment of the free agent market was starting pitching, with the majority of the top names flying off the shelves before the freeze on transactions in December. The top two remaining starters, Carlos Rodon and Clayton Kershaw, both signed the first full day after the lockout, leaving the top of the market picked clean. Earlier today, the Blue Jays signed Yusei Kikuchi, taking another appealing name off the board.
With many teams still in need of rotation upgrades, they will naturally be turning their attentions to the next tier of available hurlers, with the market for right-hander Johnny Cueto “heating up,” per Jon Heyman of MLB Network. The Twins are one of the clubs interested, according to Darren Wolfson of SKOR North.
The Twins made the playoffs in three out of the four seasons from 2017 to 2020, including back-to-back division titles in 2019 and 2020. But they followed that up with a miserable season in 2021 where just about everything went wrong. Various players dealt with serious injuries and many others underperformed, leading the club to drop to a record of 73-89 and finish in the basement of the AL Central. Despite that, the club has made it clear it intends to reload and compete again in 2022, and they showed evidence of that earlier today by acquiring Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the Rangers to be their shortstop.
However, the club’s most glaring need is the starting rotation. During last year’s disappointing campaign, they traded away Jose Berrios and J.A. Happ at the deadline. Then they lost Kenta Maeda to Tommy John surgery, who is hoping to be back in September. Also, Michael Pineda reached free agency at the end of the year.
Going into the offseason, the club was left with a rotation of talented but unproven youngsters, with Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan headlining that group. Just before the lockout, they added Dylan Bundy into the mix, though he’s coming off a miserable season of his own, putting up an ERA of 6.06 with the Angels. For a team with designs on competing, they’ll certainly need to look for upgrades.
Cueto is now a few years removed from his peak, but the 36-year-old could still be plenty useful, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently explored. Cueto threw 114 2/3 innings last year with an ERA of 4.08. His 20% strikeout rate was a few ticks below league average, but his 6.1% walk rate was quite strong. While he may not be the ace he once was, there are no aces left on the free agent market, meaning the Twins will have to be looking towards pitchers like Cueto to cobble a rotation together, unless they have enough trade chips remaining to build a rotation that way.
Yusei Kikuchi would have a great signing for the Twinkies. Cueto is way too old.
Having been both a Giants and Mariners fan I’d take Johnny over Yusei in a heartbeat. On a short contract, too.
@crazybaseballgal- yeah maybe in the past about Cueto. I wish my team signed Kikuchi for 3 years and $36 million, sounds like a good deal for a #3 or #4 in your starting rotation. Yusei throws 3 or 4 pitches above average. I’m going with Kikuchi over Cueto.
Cueto’s probably better but neither will put them over the edge. A team of 2, 3, 4 starters and no 1 will only get them so far.
You’re not gonna compete if you have to “cobble a rotation together.”. Still, if its a one year contract, who cares what his age is? He can be a helpful piece, but not a difference maker. If he’s your 3, rather than your 5, problems exist.
Twins continue their decades old M.O. of playing in the free agent kiddie pool
Nothing like cueto night in SF! He will be missed. Enjoy him Minnesota if you get him!
I’ll be shocked if he starts over 15 games.
Another buy low high reward guy the Yanks will whiff on; Steeeerike threeeeeee!!!!
If he’s cheap and okay with limited innings, I wouldn’t be mad if the giants re signed good ol Johnny! Fun day watching Johnny pitch even if he gets knocked around a little!
I’d love to see him back as a depth piece, but I think he’s looking for a clear shot in someone’s rotation.
I always feel like Johnny’s got something left in the tank. If he signs with the Twins, I hope he has a nice bounce-back campaign.
Only 1 year in the AL but he knows how to pitch.
One of my favorite pitchers to watch (along with Darvish.) Hope he signs in MN. If for no other reason than I will be able to go see him throw.
He’s someone. Definitely better than nothing. The Twins would be crazy to open up the vault this year anyway. If I were in charge, I’d be looking for any stopgap players I can find. May as well be respectable while biding time.
I’m guessing you’re a Twins fan like myself. Have the Twins really ever opened up the vault?
I come in peace, @HubertHumphrey, & @wettle.
I live in MN & love it here. U of M alum. Watching the Big 10 tournament right now. I have a pontoon boat, a jon boat, & canoes, man. I have become Minnesotan in most things besides my accent & my NFL & MLB affiliations.
So as an outsider who sees a lot of the Twins, I think Falvine has done a really good job. They’ve kept you guys anywhere from good to competitive their entire tenure. I also tip my cap simply because they have never entertained the notion of a full blown teardown.
I would council patience.
You have a good front office, & I expect they will field a competitive ballclub again. I get the frustrations with Pohlad. Payroll was supposed to increase with the new stadium. But: he’s also a long ways from Nutting or whomever.
A wild market like this strikes me as a setting in which Falvey & Levine could do really well. I’m actually pretty interested to see how the Twins look Opening Day.
{raises Summit}
I actually disagree with your optimism. Lifelong Twins fan, and they are the ultimate “just happy to be here” contender. They make noises about payroll flexibility, but at the end of the day the only strategy for the last several decades has been to casually add random bits and pieces (like Kiner-Falefa) and be content with however far they might take you (probably a sweep by the Yankees). Even Cruz was kind of pulled out of the discount bin when they hit him, so I would say the last real impact acquisition they made was Jack Morris. Not coincidentally, they have made it out of the first round of the playoffs exactly once the the 30 years since.
I enjoy the Twins and root for them, but like the Pirates, they are who they are.
Ok.
To be honest, my optimism pisses my fellow Yankee fans off sometimes too. So.
But: “‘happy to be here'” is exactly what the Yanks are doing too, man. I’m not sure if you could ever really buy a pennant. You certainly can’t anymore.
& look: we just saw an 88 win team win the Series.
Now I realize a $200MM payroll buys a lot more wiggle room than a $130MK payroll does. But in 2019’s end of year presser, Brian Cashman didn’t apologize to Yankee fans for not winning the World Series (which he’d always done before). Rather, he hit us with, “the playoffs are a crapshoot, bro.”
He’s right though.
So. In that light, I think the Twins can field an 85 win squad. & – just like my Yanks (with less wiggle room) – hope to get hot.
You are far too indoctrinated in the Twins’ Matrix. They want you to believe every year they should make cautious signing and see how it plays out.
That’s fine once in a while, but when that’s always your strategy you end up like… well, the twins. And their 20 year postseason win drought.
Love me some Cueto! He’s great to watch and he can still get through a lineup a few times. Best part about Johnny is how fast he pitches; no pitch clock necessary for this guy.
I’m going to miss that Cueto shimmy!
I think it is a joke!
Whatever, Edric. He’s been a 2-time All-Star and finished in the top 6 for the CY award 3 freakin’ times (2nd, 4th, and 6th) with that shimmy, but you’re certainly entitled to think it’s, ahem, “a joke” – of some kind.
Thanks for allowing me to have my own opinion! It’s dumb!
Wish I had twins interested in me — Cueto’s a lucky man.
Cueto has been one of my favorites to watch. I think if he’s considered a #5 who may, or may not, give you 100 innings, he may be worth a roster spot. Even in the last few years, he could surprise with a very fine game here and there.
I’d much rather have Pineda back!
Cueto, 4.08 in the NL West would concern me going forward. The NL West ballparks are huge.
I’m 61 years old and used to go to the old Metropolitan Stadium growing up. The Twins have rarely ever paid elite players. Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew were my two favorite players. Calvin Griffith wouldn’t pay one of the greatest hitters in MLB history in Carew. Lyman Bostick was another up and comer and he wouldn’t pay him. They trade Killebrew to the Royals. They wouldn’t pay Johan Santana. Most of the guys they sign whether pitchers or position players are guys in they’re mid to late 30’s. The only guy they’ve signed as a FA lately to a big contract was Josh Donaldson. They keep guys down in the Minors so the clock doesn’t start ticking. The contract they initially offered Buxton was a complete joke! They’ve gotten lucky here and there with a few pitchers but they’ve let some guys go who’ve moved on and became All-Stars. I’m always hopeful, but they just don’t do enough to make me get real excited.
Why not lol. I thought MIN was going to step up for Rodon.
Probably the highest profile free agent we sing. Haha