The Twins announced Friday that they’ve recalled right-hander Louie Varland from Triple-A St. Paul and designated fellow righty Aaron Sanchez for assignment in order to open a spot on the roster.
Sanchez, 30, has appeared in seven games with the Twins this season and pitched to a 4.00 ERA with a 21.6% strikeout rate and 6% walk rate in 27 innings. The right-hander was an All-Star in 2016 and led the American League with a 3.00 ERA that season but has seen that promising career derailed by a series of injuries, most notably including 2019 shoulder surgery.
Sanchez logged a career-high 192 innings back in that 2016 season, but he’s only managed 366 big league innings since that time, pitching to a 5.24 ERA along the way. The Twins will place him on outright waivers or release waivers in the next few days.
Varland, 24, will get the start for the Twins in tonight’s game. It’ll be the third of his career, as he made a pair of appearances earlier this month, pitching well through 5 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium in his MLB debut before struggling in a five-inning outing in Cleveland.
A Minnesota native whom the Twins selected in the 15th round of the 2019 draft out of Division-II Concordia University in St. Paul, Varland skyrocketed through the system in 2021. He’s had a strong followup showing between Double-A and Triple-A this year, logging a combined 3.06 ERA in 126 1/3 frames. He’ll be in the mix for a rotation spot for a pitching-needy Twins club next year, making his late-season audition well worth monitoring for Twins fans.
When I first saw this, I thought it said Gary Sanchez.
Shoulda been. Aaron hasn’t pitched that bad. In fact he’s pitched pretty well.
Thats why they released him?
Anyone that won’t be on the squad next year is expendable. We have 12 meaningless games left. Let on of the younger pitchers get one more look before the end of the season.
go twinkies!
It’s time they fire Baldelli.
Sounds like a future Pirate.
Or Angel
Yeah, we’ll take a flyer on him and dedicate a rotation spot to him. Fast forward: 200 IP, ERA 8.00.
Angels have a lot better SP’s than Sanchez
I was joking, BUT if he pitches the way he did in Minnesota, he’s better than Tucker Davidson.
Won’t be a Pirate. Cherington doesn’t value him enough.
Won’t be a Pirate, Cherington doesn’t value him.
Could be an Angel if Perry gets to stick around
Tough path for this guy. Seems like Mike Soroka will probably be on the same path.
I wouldn’t mind seeing the Rockies take a flyer on him. Can’t be worse than what they are sending out now.
Unfortunately, while cleaning out his locker, Aaron developed a blister that will sideline him indefinitely.