Twins Sign Keon Broxton To Minor League Deal
The Twins have signed outfielder Keon Broxton to a minor league contract with an invitation to MLB spring training, Dan Hayes of The Athletic relays. They’ve also added lefty Andrew Albers (previously reported) and righties Robinson Leyer and Chandler Shepherd on minors pacts.
Broxton, who will turn 31 in May, garnered quite a bit of playing time as a Brewer from 2016-17, in which he slashed a respectable .227/.318/.424 with 29 home runs and 44 stolen bases across 707 plate appearances. But Broxton struck out in more than 37 percent of PA during that span, and after he logged subpar production in 2018, the Brewers traded him to the Mets. Dating back to ’18, Broxton has combined for a .170/.253/.312 line with a horrid 41.6 percent strikeout rate as a Brewer, Met, Mariner and Oriole in 317 PA. He rejoined the Brewers on a minors contract before 2020 but didn’t see any action with the team last season.
Despite his recent struggles, Broxton could emerge as a useful backup outfield option in Minnesota, having put up 20 Defensive Runs Saved and a 9.7 Ultimate Zone Rating in 349 games in the grass. The Twins have two established outfielders (Byron Buxton in center and Max Kepler in right), while Broxton, Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, Jake Cave and Brent Rooker could be among those competing for reps in left.
Minor MLB Transactions: 2/8/21
The latest minor league moves from around the sport…
- The White Sox have outrighted hurler Emilio Vargas to Triple-A Charlotte, James Fegan of The Athletic tweets. The team previously designated the righty for assignment a week ago. Now that he’s staying in the organization, the 24-year-old Vargas will have a chance to compete for a spot in the spring. A waiver pickup from the Diamondbacks earlier in the offseason, Vargas has pitched to a 3.86 ERA in 121 1/3 innings at the Double-A level.
Earlier updates:
- The Twins have signed left-hander Andrew Albers to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to the team’s big league Spring Training camp, FanSided’s Robert Murray reports (via Twitter). Albers will earn $750K if he makes Minnesota’s active roster. Albers posted a 4.10 ERA, 15.1 strikeout percentage, and 4.8 walk percentage over 120 2/3 MLB innings from 2013-17, with 77 of those frames coming in two separate stints with the Twins. Over the last three seasons, the 35-year-old Albers has been pitching in Japan for the Orix Buffaloes, with a 4.02 ERA, 17.5K%, and 4.78BB% over 266 1/3 innings of NPB action.
Twins Claim Ian Hamilton
The Twins have claimed right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton off waivers from the Phillies, per an announcement from the Phillies. He was designated for assignment earlier in the week when Philadelphia re-signed J.T. Realmuto. Minnesota’s 40-man roster is up to 39 players.
Philadelphia claimed the 25-year-old Hamilton from the Mariners, who’d previously claimed him from the White Sox organization. The 2016 eleventh-round pick has appeared briefly in the Majors with the South Siders in two of the past three seasons, allowing a combined six runs on ten hits and seven walks with nine strikeouts in a dozen innings. He’s averaged 95.7 mph on a four-seamer that he complements with a slider and a very seldom-used changeup.
Hamilton had a particularly strong showing between Double-A and Triple-A in 2018, and throughout his minor league career as a whole, he’s posted better-than-average strikeout and walk rates (26.3 percent and 7.1 percent, respectively). He still has a minor league option remaining, so he’ll give the Twins some depth they can shuttle back and forth between Minneapolis and Triple-A St. Paul if he makes it to the season on their 40-man roster.
Hamilton becomes the latest addition to a bullpen mix that is rapidly being reworked. Minnesota signed Alex Colome earlier this week, acquired Shaun Anderson from the Giants yesterday and took a low-cost flier on Hansel Robles in late December.
Twins, Giants Swap LaMonte Wade Jr., Shaun Anderson
The Twins have traded outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. to the Giants for right-hander Shaun Anderson, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said earlier Thursday the team was looking for a left-handed-hitting outfielder whom they could option to the minors if necessary, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweeted. Wade checks those boxes. The 27-year-old has one option left, though whether he’ll prove to be a solution for the Giants at the major league level remains to be seen. He batted an unspectacular .211/.336/.347 in 113 plate appearances as a Twin from 2019-20, but Wade has put up decent production in the minors and always shown that he has a good eye. So far in the majors, Wade has amassed almost as many walks (15) as strikeouts (18). He’ll now attempt to join the Giants as a backup outfielder, as they already have Mike Yastrzemski, Alex Dickerson, Mauricio Dubon and Austin Slater in line for jobs.
Anderson, 26, pitched to a 5.17 ERA/5.26 SIERA with below-average strikeout and walk rates of 17.8 and 10.1 percent, respectively, as a Giant in 111 1/3 innings from 2019-20. But Anderson averaged almost 95 mph on his fastball last year, owns a 3.99 ERA in 85 2/3 frames in Triple-A frames, and has two options left. The Twins’ rotation is largely set with Kenta Maeda, Jose Berrios, Michael Pineda, J.A. Happ and Randy Dobnak, but Anderson adds some depth as a starter or reliever for the organization.
Twins To Sign Alex Colome
Feb. 4: The option on the deal is mutual, La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune indicates. If the Twins decline the $5.5MM option, they’ll owe Colome a $1.25MM buyout. If the Twins pick up the option but Colome declines in favor of free agency, he won’t receive any buyout.
Feb. 3: The Twins are signing free-agent reliever Alex Colome to a one-year deal, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. The contract includes a $5MM salary for 2021 and an option. In all, it’s a $6.25MM guarantee, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
The Twins were mentioned as suitors for Colome earlier Wednesday, so it isn’t surprising they’re bringing in the former Ray, Mariner and White Sox. The 32-year-old right-hander could now be the closer for Minnesota, having saved 138 games in the bigs. He converted 12 of 13 saves with the division-rival White Sox last year.
Colome, who averages 94 mph-plus on his fastball, has saved nearly 86 percent of chances in his career. At times, though, his strikeout numbers have fallen short. Last season, for instance, he ranked 126th out of 141 relievers with at least 20 innings in strikeout percentage (17.8). Colome did, however, finish better than average in walk and groundball rates (9.2 percent and 52.4 percent, respectively). He was also a Statcast darling who ranked above the vast majority of hurlers in several of its important categories.
The Twins’ bullpen checked in third in the majors in fWAR in 2020, though it has since lost Trevor May to the Mets in free agency, while Tyler Clippard and Sergio Romo – who combined for 43 frames – remain available. The addition of Colome should help plug those holes for Minnesota.
Twins Interested In Colome, Wilson, Clippard
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.
Robinson, Simmons Discuss Mental Health Issues
Giants outfielder Drew Robinson and Twins shortstop Andrelton Simmons revealed past mental health problems to Jeff Passan of ESPN and Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, respectively, this week. MLBTR encourages you to read both stories in full.
Robinson, then set to enter his first season in the San Francisco organization, told Passan that he attempted suicide with a handgun last April. Still alive 20 hours later, Robinson decided he wanted to live. While Passan writes that the shot did leave Robinson’s right eye “beyond repair,” Passan explains that doctors marvel that it didn’t do even more damage. Robinson has since undergone four surgeries and received a prosthetic eye.
“It represents my new look on life,” Robinson told Passan. “Even though I have one less eye, I haven’t seen things this clear my entire life.”
Neither Robinson nor the Giants have given up on his major league career. The Giants re-signed Robinson to a minors deal during the fall, and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi told Passan, “We’re proud he’s a Giant, and we’re excited to see him compete for a job in camp.”
Simmons, previously an Angel who signed with the Twins last week, opted out of the final week of the 2020 season. He explained to Fletcher that concern over his mental health caused the decision.
“It was tough for me mentally to where the thought of suicide crossed my mind,” Simmons wrote to Fletcher. “It was something I vowed a long time ago I would never consider again. I was fortunate to talk to a therapist, which helped me let go of those thoughts. At the end when a lot of people were still going through what most would think of as tough times, the idea of finishing the season in a bubble was too much for me to handle.”
MLBTR salutes Robinson and Simmons for sharing their stories, and we wish the best to those two and all who have dealt with or are currently battling mental health problems. We also encourage those with suicidal thoughts to seek help by contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or by texting TALK to 741741.
Latest On Twins’ Rotation Targets
Even after signing left-hander J.A. Happ to a one-year, $8MM contract late last month, the Twins may not be done addressing their rotation. They remain in touch with one of their own free agents, right-hander Jake Odorizzi, and were in attendance for righty Jake Arrieta‘s throwing session last Friday, La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reports. The Twins will stay in touch with Arrieta, according to Neal.
Odorizzi spent the previous three seasons with the Twins and combined for a 4.11 ERA/4.34 SIERA in 337 innings. In his best season, 2019, Odorizzi earned an All-Star nod and pitched to a 3.51 ERA/4.14 SIERA with a a career-best 27.1 percent strikeout rate and an 8.1 percent walk rate over 159 frames. The Twins then handed Odorizzi a $17.8MM qualifying offer, and he accepted it instead of trying his luck in free agency.
Minnesota was no doubt expecting another quality showing from Odorizzi when it gave him the QO, but it wasn’t to be in 2020. Injuries, including to his back, chest and right middle finger, limited him to 13 2/3 innings of 10-run ball. Odorizzi doesn’t seem to be a free agent at the ideal time, then, but considering his positive track record with the Royals, Rays and Twins, he could still land a solid multiyear payday this offseason. Other than the Twins, Jon Morosi of MLB.com lists the Angels, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Giants and perhaps the Mets as teams vying for the soon-to-be 31-year-old.
Either Odorizzi or Arrieta would fill out a Twins rotation that currently has Happ, Kenta Maeda, Jose Berrios, Michael Pineda and Randy Dobnak comprising its top five. Of course, unlike Odorizzi, Arrieta probably isn’t in line for better than a one-year contract. While Arrieta is a former NL Cy Young winner (2015) with the Cubs, he’s now on the market after a pair of disappointing seasons with the Phillies. Arrieta, 35 in March, put up his worst ERA since 2012 last year (5.08) in 44 1/3 innings. He also logged a meager 16.8 percent strikeout percentage – one of the worst of his career – though he did record an above-average walk rate of 8.4 percent and a 51.8 percent groundball rate.
Free Agent Notes: Mets, Williams, Folty, Arrieta, Twins, Rosenthal
The Mets have already put a lot of focus on their rotation this winter, between retaining Marcus Stroman via the qualifying offer and adding Carlos Carrasco and Joey Lucchesi in trades. While Trevor Bauer‘s name continues to loom over Citi Field, the Mets are also continuing to explore other hurlers. According to Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter), New York had interest in right-hander Trevor Williams before Williams signed with the Cubs. The Mets were also among the teams present to watch Mike Foltynewicz during his recent throwing session, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter).
With Steven Matz recently dealt to the Blue Jays, the Mets’ projected starting four looks like Jacob deGrom, Carrasco, Stroman, and David Peterson. Lucchesi probably has the inside line on the fifth starter job for now, but the Mets aren’t short on other depth options in the upper minors, and Foltynewicz would provide another experienced candidate to either compete for a rotation spot or perhaps fit into the bullpen. Since Noah Syndergaard is expected to make a midseason return from Tommy John rehab, whomever fills the fifth starter role is ultimately keeping the seat warm for Syndergaard — barring the shake-up of a Bauer signing, that is.
More on some other free agent news…
- Aside from the Mets, Foltynewicz also drew interest from the Rays, White Sox, and Twins, Heyman writes. An All-Star with the Braves in 2018, Foltynewicz took a step back in 2019 and then pitched in only one game in 2020, resulting in his opting for free agency after being outrighted during the season. Given these recent struggles, “Folty” would very likely have to pitch his way into a rotation spot during Spring Training, yet it is easy to see why teams would have interest in the right-hander as a change of scenery candidate. The White Sox just re-signed Carlos Rodon, though considering Rodon has also had a tough time over the last two seasons, his presence wouldn’t necessarily rule out a potential deal between Foltynewicz and the Sox.
- The Cubs had interest in Jake Arrieta but a signing is “doubtful,” ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers tweets, since the Cubs want a less-expensive option. Arrieta’s asking price can’t be all that high considering his middling results over the last two seasons, but perhaps the $2.5MM (with deferred money involved) the Cubs gave Williams is a better example of what the team is willing to spend.
- Trevor Rosenthal is the top reliever remaining on MLBTR’s list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents, and since the Twins are known to be looking for bullpen help, could the two sides link up? The Athletic’s Dan Hayes isn’t very optimistic, as Rosenthal’s asking price looks to be too high for Minnesota’s liking. The more money the Twins can save on relief pitching, the more they can then devote to a starting pitcher, but Hayes does think “they need relief certainty more than rotation certainty” at this point due to the rotation depth already on hand.
AL Notes: White Sox, Rodón, Twins, Polanco, Arraez, Royals, Pérez
Yesterday, it was somewhat surprising to see the White Sox come to terms with Carlos Rodón – their No. 3 overall pick turned non-tender. It’s boilerplate for teams to suggest “staying in touch” with their non-tenders, but it’s not often that someone of Rodón’s draft pedigree actually re-signs, especially for a team as all-in on 2021 as the White Sox. In most cases, the player is better off getting a fresh look with a different organization, but with new manager Tony La Russa bringing Ethan Katz to provide a fresh voice as the pitching coach, Rodón gets much of that same benefit without the hassle of a move, writes the Athletic’s James Fegan. Given the stakes of the season at hand, it’s safe to assume the White Sox think Rodón can hang in the rotation, giving him the inside track on landing the fifth starter spot behind Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Dallas Keuchel, and Dylan Cease. Let’s circle up here in the AL Central…
- Before signing perennial Gold Glove shortstop Andrelton Simmons, the Twins consulted with Jorge Polanco and Luis Arraez about the move, tweets the Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman. Since both Polanco and Arraez stand to be displaced from their expected roles, the Twins were wise to secure their buy-in. Still, it’s a courtesy they didn’t have to observe. Polanco has been the team’s regular shortstop for most of the past four seasons. As for Arraez, projection systems from THE BAT X to Steamer to ZiPS forecast Arraez to lead the Majors in batting average, as pointed out on the Athletic’s Rates and Barrels podcast. While it’s not the 1990’s anymore, it’s still surprising to push a potential batting champ out of a regular role. That said, we tend to overrate the starting lineup on opening day, and underrate the impact and opportunity that exists for players in “bench” roles.
- Now that J.T. Realmuto, James McCann, and (unofficially) Yadier Molina are all off the market, Salvador Pérez can begin to imagine his own free agency a year from now. The Kansas City staple hasn’t spoken with the Royals about an extension, though he’s on the record saying he’d like to retire a Royal, per Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star. Pérez fell off the map while missing the 2019 season, but he bounced back in a big way during the shortened 2020 season by slashing .333/.353/.633 over 156 plate appearances. It’s easy to imagine the Royals quietly extending their MVP from the 2015 World Series, but if he has anywhere near as productive a season this year as last, there may be legitimate competition for his services. Lest we forget exactly how highly-regarded Pérez was as the game manager of the Royals’ competitive run from 2013 to 2017, he made six All-Star games, won three Silver Sluggers and five Gold Glove Awards. He’ll have wrapped his age-31 season when he hits free agency after 2021.