Starling Marte

Starling Marte Open To Being Traded To Contending Team

By Mark Polishuk | November 28, 2019 at 9:22pm CDT

With the Pirates coming off a disappointing season and new general manager Ben Cherington now in charge of the organization, there has been wide speculation that a rebuild could be coming in Pittsburgh. This would naturally make Starling Marte into a trade candidate, and the center fielder indicated in a conversation with Hector Gomez of Deportivo Z 101 (Twitter links) that he wants to be play for a winning team in 2020, in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.

The Pirates “have the power to decide about my future,” Marte said. “If it was for me I will leave for a team that is ready to compete right now on a World Series and that’s not our case.” When asked specifically about the Mets, who have a need in center field and have already reportedly shown interest in Marte’s services, Marte said that “it will be an honor to play with them,” since New York is more poised to contend next season.

It should be noted that these comments fall short of any actual trade request; needless to say, virtually every player would prefer to player for a contender, all things considered. Marte doesn’t appear to have any hard feelings about the Pirates or his situation, noting that “if it [a trade] doesn’t happen, I will keep working hard and giving my team all I have.”

Marte is under team control for the next two seasons, earning $11.5MM in 2020 and possibly $12.5MM via a club option for 2021 (with a $1MM buyout). This counts as pricey by the Pirates’ standards, especially for a team that may be retooling. The newly-hired Cherington has yet to give any firm indication about the Bucs’ next direction, and given how it often takes a new GM some weeks or months to fully adjust to a new position (meeting with internal personnel, making new hires, etc.), decisions about Marte, Josh Bell, Gregory Polanco, or other potential trade chips might not be made until later in the offseason.

If the Mets are set on Marte, they have some room to be patient, as the club does have Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo available as center field options if a proper full-time center fielder can’t be found. Beyond just New York, other teams could be content to play the waiting game if the Pirates need time to decide on Marte, given the lack of clear-cut options in the center field free agent market.

MLBTR Poll: Starling Marte’s Future

By TC Zencka | November 23, 2019 at 4:25pm CDT

The Mets are showing interest in acquiring Starling Marte, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. Marte, who owns a career slash line of .287/.341/.452 across 8 seasons, is currently under contract with the Pirates for $11.5MM in 2020 with an exceedingly affordable club option for $12.5MM in 2021.

New Pirates GM Ben Cherington has barely had time to take his coat off, but given the executive’s stated preference to steer an organization through a ground-up rebuilding effort, resolving the future of his 31-year-old face of the franchise is likely high up on Cherington’s to-do list. That said, Marte’s contract, position, and production puts him among the Pirates’ most valuable trade chips. Therefore, Cherington is unlikely to execute a trade without a full organizational plan in place. The Pirates may prefer to tab a field manager before moving any of their key player. On the other hand, Cherington was said to have free rein when it comes to roster construction.

In theory, it makes sense to move Marte now while two years of team control remain (though the Pirates are particularly and understandably sensitive to the plight of their fanbase, who has seen more than their share of homegrown superstars leave town over the years). Still, the hiring of Cherington may point toward another Pittsburgh teardown, and a Marte trade is probably Cherington’s best, first opportunity to put his stamp on the organization. Cherington could aim to restock the farm with a handpicked package of prospects deemed as good fits for his development program.

If indeed Cherington does make Marte available, the Mets are an obvious fit. Given the dearth of centerfield options on the free agent market, it would be unsurprising for the Cubs, Reds, Padres, Diamondbacks, Phillies or Rangers to check on the price of a Marte acquisition as well. The potential demand bodes well for the Pirates, who are unlikely to emerge as contenders before Marte’s contract runs out. The NL Central may not have a consensus favorite at the moment, but the Reds continue to push for contention, and the Cardinals, Brewers, and Cubs are also good best to land on the competitive end of the talent spectrum.

Nearly 62 percent of MLBTR readers recently suggested the Pirates would be better off trading 2019 breakout star Josh Bell, and given Bell’s youth relative to Marte, let’s assume most of you feel the same about him. If nothing else, we can probably agree that the Pirates should at least explore trading Marte. So where should Cherington look to procure the best package of prospects? This, of course, takes into consideration the urgency of the acquiring team as well as the value of their farm systems – as well as, potentially, the likelihood of consummating a deal. Understanding that I’ve certainly left a prime contender or two off this list, in your estimation, who should Cherington call first? We know the Mets are interested, but is there a better fit beyond New York?

To get yourself in a Pittsburgh state of mind before casting your vote, check out the Pirates’ Offseason Outlook from MLBTR’s Steve Adams.

(Poll link for app users)

Pirates Exercise Options Over Archer, Marte; Outright Four Players

By Jeff Todd and Connor Byrne | November 4, 2019 at 4:49pm CDT

The Pirates announced a series of roster moves today. In addition to exercising club options over Chris Archer and Starling Marte — moves that were all but a given — the club has outrighted four players. James Marvel, Alex McRae, Yefry Ramirez and Wei-Chung Wang were all dropped from the Pittsburgh 40-man roster.

The Pirates don’t have a general manager at the moment — assistant GM Kevan Graves is filling that role on an interim basis — though it was still undoubtedly easy for their front office to pick up Archer and Marte at their 2020 tabs. Archer has been surprisingly below average since the Pirates acquired him from the Rays in a July 2018 trade that’s looking like one of the most regrettable deals in Pittsburgh history. Nevertheless, as someone who’s due an affordable $9MM in 2020, it’s worth keeping Archer around and hoping for a bounce-back season or trying to shop him during the winter.

Marte, who’s owed $11.5MM next year, looks like an even more obvious trade candidate than Archer. The 31-year-old Marte’s fresh off yet another strong campaign, one in which he totaled at least 3.0 fWAR for the sixth time since his first full season since he debuted in 2013. However, Marte’s down to his last two years of team control, so if the Pirates don’t expect to push for contention during that span, putting him on the block may make sense. That’s all the more true when considering the lack of appealing center field alternatives on the free-agent market.

Of the players the Pirates outrighted, Wang worked the largest slate of innings in 2019. While he only tossed four frames for the Buccos, the 27-year-old logged another 27 innings with Oakland prior to landing in Pittsburgh. On the season overall, Wang posted a solid 3.77 ERA, though he did so with a grisly 18-to-14 K/BB ratio in those 31 innings of relief. He held lefties to a lowly .220/.298/.280 batting line through 57 plate appearances but was tagged for an .823 OPS by righties. Wang, McRae and Ramirez will all have the option to elect free agency.

Pirates Not Believed To Be Shopping Starling Marte

By Anthony Franco | October 23, 2019 at 9:57am CDT

At the moment, the Pirates don’t appear intent on moving Starling Marté this offseason, reports MLB.com’s Adam Berry as part of a reader mailbag. In fact, Berry’s sources believe the standout center fielder will open next season in Pittsburgh.

Marté being marked off limits in trade would be quite the blow to those shopping for a center field upgrade in a very shallow market. The upcoming free agent class doesn’t boast an obvious everyday option to play up the middle on the grass. Brett Gardner and Avisaíl García are each coming off productive seasons in which they logged center field time, but each seems better suited to a corner. Jarrod Dyson and Billy Hamilton (whose team option is sure to be bought out by the Braves) are cleaner defensive fits but neither brings enough offensively to be a high-end option.

Turning to the trade market, Mookie Betts would be any contender’s dream, but it’s still unclear whether the Red Sox would actually move the franchise icon. Boston is more likely to shop Jackie Bradley, Jr., but he’s had three straight mediocre seasons at the plate. Marté, then, seemed to offer the best combination of production and realistic availability on the center field market.

Of course, as Berry notes, any inclination at this stage is hardly set in stone. The organization is looking for a new manager, for one, so perhaps the front office will only turn its attention to player transactions once their search for a clubhouse leader is complete. Berry stops short of calling Marté untouchable, and the organization would presumably listen if a caller bowled them over with an offer. Nothing on Marté is yet definitive, with Pittsburgh’s front office having been tight-lipped about everything since announcing their decision to fire manager Clint Hurdle.

To be honest, it would be quite surprising if Pittsburgh didn’t at least listen on Marté at some point this offseason. The Pirates completely melted down in the second half en route to an NL Central-worst 69-93 record, and there’s little reason to expect an immediate bounce back. Pittsburgh’s position players were below-average both offensively and defensively, per Fangraphs, while ace Jameson Taillon is already believed out for next season after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. Even if the club gets returns to peak form out of starting pitchers Trevor Williams and Chris Archer, it’s difficult to imagine them contending in 2020.

That becomes problematic with Marté’s control window dwindling. Surely, the club will exercise his $11.5MM team option for next year, and he has a similarly appealing $12.5MM option for 2021. While Berry notes it’s more in the organization’s M.O. to trade players before they enter their final season of club control, it seems wise for them to get a head start in Marté’s case. As mentioned, the center field market is extremely shallow this offseason. Holding Marté will only diminish his trade value as his team control shrinks. For all the club’s struggles, Marté was again productive, slashing .295/.342/.503 (119 wRC+) in 2019. In all likelihood, the 31 year-old is probably as good now as he’ll ever be moving forward.

All these factors combined to make Marté, on the surface, one of the offseason’s most obvious trade candidates. MLBTR’s Jeff Todd even identified some potential suitors. While hardly foreclosing the possibility of a deal, Berry’s report certainly adds an interesting wrinkle. How General Manager Neal Huntington and his front office choose to proceed with Marté will be among the top storylines of the Pirates’ winter.

Finding A Match In A Starling Marte Trade

By Jeff Todd | October 9, 2019 at 12:59pm CDT

Pirates center fielder Starling Marte isn’t a perfect player, but he’s a very good one. And he’s now within two seasons of free agency, with the Bucs looking increasingly unlikely to contend before that time comes. The 31-year-old ought to have plenty of appeal, given that he can be controlled through 2021 for just $24MM (and perhaps issued a qualifying offer thereafter). Marte doesn’t draw walks and hasn’t quite reached the ceiling it once seemed he was headed for, but he’s a well-above-average hitter who runs the bases with aplomb and defends well. He has played like a first-division regular since cracking the majors and was his usual self in 2019 before a wrist injury ended his season.

Beyond a neutral value perspective, the market particulars seem to line up well for the Pirates to achieve an appealing return. Free agent options are generally uninspiring. And there are plenty of teams that have good reason to show interest. Here are the most interesting possible suitors (in alphabetical order):

Blue Jays: It’s time to gain some traction in Toronto and a center field upgrade stands out as one major way to make gains. Teoscar Hernandez and Randal Grichuk held things down in marginal fashion in 2019 after the departure of another OBP-challenged player with pop, Kevin Pillar. There are loads of young position players on the Jays roster, but none stands out as a likely everyday option in center in the near term. The Toronto front office is going to need to make some tough calls on its talent, giving up on and/or trading away some players. With the Pirates always on the lookout for ways to add multiple affordable/controllable MLB assets in a single trade, perhaps there’s a match here.
Cubs: It may be tough to hammer things out with a division rival, but the Cubs have to consider a look here after watching Albert Almora stumble in 2019. The club may not have immense payroll flexibility but wouldn’t need all that much of it to go for Marte. And the Cubs are loaded up reasonably talented, relatively youthful position players that haven’t (yet?) established themselves as highly valuable big leaguers. If the Bucs take a shine to one or more of these players, it’s not too hard to imagine something coming together.
Mets: Even if you’re a big believer in the Mets’ top 2020 outfield options — Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, J.D. Davis, and Yoenis Cespedes, with Jeff McNeil also a factor depending upon other moves and needs — the roster feels like it’s missing a true center fielder. And the front office can’t afford to be timid. Many of the pieces needed to contend are there, but the club hasn’t made it into the postseason since 2016.
Phillies: While Odubel Herrera could be a factor when he is reinstated from his suspension, it’s not really clear at this point whether the Philadelphia organization will choose to carry him moving forward. Adam Haseley and Scott Kingery are options, but it’s tough to see the win-now Phils simply turning over the keys to either or both. Money isn’t an issue and this organization needs to put as many high-quality players on the roster as it can. Plus, the club has recently dealt for players in roughly similar contractual situations (J.T. Realmuto, Jean Segura).
Rangers: The Texas organization can run Joey Gallo up the middle, which is quite a nice luxury, but probably prefers to limit the wear and tear to their star slugger. Better to plant him in a corner and install a regular center fielder. Delino DeShields Jr. isn’t that. With Willie Calhoun also an option in a corner, the Texas org could (but would not necessarily need to) utilize Nomar Mazara in this or another trade.
Reds: Though Nick Senzel is a possibility in center, he’s also a strong candidate to move back to his native second base. And though the Reds do have a few outfield bats, none profiles as an everyday guy up the middle. The club already dealt away top center field prospect Taylor Trammell and has made clear it’s planning to push hard for the postseason in 2020. Having made several deals for veterans in recent years, it stands to reason that the Reds will look closely at an intra-division swap for Marte.
White Sox: What’s that? Why yes, I also hear wunderkind Luis Robert banging on the door. But he may not open the year with the MLB club and it isn’t as if his value is tied inextricably to his ability to play up the middle. More importantly, the White Sox need another outfielder even if Robert and Eloy Jimenez occupy two of the spots for years to come. It’s nice to have some flexibility, and there are other possibilities in free agency, but Marte stands out as a potential impact addition that wouldn’t tie up loads of future payroll. With pressure building on the Chicago front office to produce winning baseball, it’s a possibility worth examining.
Other Possibilities: You have to begin getting creative from this point, but plenty of other teams could yet become involved. Several stand out, depending upon their particular views of their own situations. The Cardinals are another team with multiple options but no clear, immediate solution in center. It seems a bit unlikely but they’re arguably the most plausible of this bunch. The Giants need a center fielder, assuming they non-tender Kevin Pillar, but it feels early to push in trade chips for two seasons of Marte. Out in San Diego, there are possibilities — including the aforementioned Trammell, in the near future — but not much set in stone. And the Mariners are an opportunistic potential buyer now that they are trying to ramp up, though it seems likelier they’ll stick with internal options.

NL Notes: Carpenter, Phillies, Pirates, Cubs

By Connor Byrne | September 19, 2019 at 12:26am CDT

The Cardinals look to be on their way to an NL Central title, but their 2019 success has come in spite of an uncharacteristically pedestrian year from third baseman Matt Carpenter. With the Cardinals trying to hold on in their division, Carpenter has taken a backseat to rookie Tommy Edman at the hot corner. While Carpenter did start there Wednesday in the Cardinals’ win over the Nationals, Edman has made twice as many starts this month (12 to six). Carpenter discussed his decrease in playing time with Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, acknowledging that Edman’s “got to play every day.” Although Carpenter went on to admit that dropping in the pecking order has been difficult, he added: “I understand part of what’s happening. Guys have played well and deserve to be in there. We’re winning and, at the end of the day, that’s ultimately what’s most important.” There’s still time for Carpenter to reemerge this year, but it’ll be interesting to see how the Cardinals handle him in the offseason if they’re convinced Edman’s the answer at third. A trade would be tough to put together, as Carpenter has two guaranteed years and $39MM coming his way after signing an extension in April. The three-time All-Star’s deal also includes a no-trade clause.

Pirates Rumors: Kingham, Keller, Outfield, Vazquez

By Steve Adams | June 10, 2019 at 9:26am CDT

The Pirates’ rotation in 2019 has been unexpectedly weak. Injuries to Jameson Taillon and Trevor Williams and some alarming regression for Chris Archer have overshadowed solid performances by Joe Musgrove and offseason signee Jordan Lyles. Longtime prospect Nick Kingham entered the year out of minor league options and struggled so greatly that the team begrudgingly designated him for assignment last week and now seems likely to lose the righty.

Pittsburgh isn’t currently certain who’ll start for the organization on Wednesday this week, but general manager Neal Huntington told reporters that the Pirates will “look externally” to see if there are any palatable options available (links via Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Adam Berry of MLB.com). Top prospect Mitch Keller is a candidate to make that start, but the Bucs have already recalled and optioned Keller once this season. The next time Keller is called up to the Majors, Huntington noted, the team would like it to be a permanent promotion. Adding an external option would allow the team to give Keller a bit more time in Triple-A, where he has 100 1/3 total innings since last season, but the Bucs won’t find a more talented option than Keller to plug in for that Wednesday outing.

In the meantime, the Pirates will explore the trade market to see what kind of interest there is in Kingham. Huntington noted that players with that type of prospect pedigree “tend to get traded” if they’re designated for assignment and expressed optimism that he will “be able to get something for him” even in spite of his considerable 2019 struggles. Kingham allowed an incredible 38 runs on 54 hits and 17 walks in 34 2/3 innings to begin the 2019 season, but he has a solid Triple-A track record and was long viewed as a potential big league starter. A rebuilding club like the Orioles, Blue Jays, Tigers, Royals or Giants could be intrigued by seeing how he fares in a change of scenery. An injury-plagued team like the Angels or Athletics could make some sense, too.

Perhaps a more intriguing source of trade speculation surrounding the Pirates, however, resides in the outfield. Corey Dickerson returned from the IL to join a mix that already had Bryan Reynolds, Starling Marte and Melky Cabrera playing well. Gregory Polanco has posted roughly average numbers at the plate since returning from shoulder surgery and has a solid track record prior to this season. With all five healthy, it’ll be tough to sort out playing time Huntington unsurprisingly declined to go into specifics but did at least acknowledge the possibility of a trade, stating that while the Pirates like all five outfielder, they’re “always open to opportunities to make this club better.”

That said, with the team slipping in the National League Central, it’s only natural that there’ll be increased speculation about the possibility of trades in the coming weeks — particularly when dealing from a position of strength like the outfield. Moving an outfielder, even to another contender (probably not within the division) could potentially net some help for a pitching staff that hasn’t performed up to expectations so far. If the Pirates surge back into contention — they’re seven back in the NL Central and five and a half back of a Wild Card spot — moving a short-term piece like Dickerson for another veteran could boost the staff. If their slide in the standings worsens, the Bucs could even entertain offers on Marte, who is controlled through 2021 by way of a pair of club options ($11.5MM in 2020, $12.5MM in 2021). Doing so could reap prospect value while opening a long-term spot for the cost-controlled Reynolds.

Also of interest in a selling scenario would be whether the Pirates make standout closer Felipe Vazquez available, but the fact that he is cheaply controlled through the 2023 season would make it extremely difficult to bite the bullet on a deal. “The ask will be big, and they won’t move from it,” one rival executive told ESPN’s Buster Olney when asked about a potential Vazquez deal (subscription required).

That’s probably an understatement. Vazquez has a 2.30 ERA with 14.2 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, 0.99 HR/9 and a 34.4 percent ground-ball rate in 27 1/3 innings so far in 2019. He’s being paid $4MM this year, $5.25MM in 2020 and $7.25MM in 2021 before the team will be able to decide on a pair of club options in 2022 and 2023 — both valued at $10MM. That’s four and a half seasons of control over Vazquez, who’ll turn 28 in July, for a shade under $35MM.

For the time being, it’s likely that the Bucs will find some kind of deal for Kingham (or that he’ll be claimed on waivers) and monitor the market for at least a potential spot-start option Wednesday. There’s sure to be more afoot over the next several weeks, as the Pirates will soon have to give a long-term audition to one of the game’s best overall prospects (Keller) and perhaps resolve an outfield logjam on the trade market. Whether that move is made with an eye toward 2019 or an eye toward 2020 and beyond will probably be dictated by the team’s performance in the near term.

NL Central Notes: Moustakas, Pirates, Senzel, Reds

By Mark Polishuk | April 21, 2019 at 4:11pm CDT

Brewers infielder Mike Moustakas will try to play through a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger, and is hopeful of avoiding an injured list stint. (Todd Rosiak of Milwaukee Journal Sentinal was among those to report the news.) Moustakas suffered the injury yesterday while fielding a ground ball and left the game after the sixth inning. X-rays were negative, though Moustakas isn’t in the Brewers’ lineup today. The third baseman-turned-second baseman has received mixed reviews at his new position depending on which defensive metric you prefer — the Moose has a +3.9 UZR/150 but minus-2 Defensive Runs Saved over 137 1/3 innings as a second baseman this season. No matter the position, Moustakas has continued to hit, with six homers and a .239/.349/.549 slash line through 83 plate appearances.

Some more from around the NL Central…

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle and GM Neal Huntington updated the media (including Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) on the status of several injured Bucs players. A collision between Starling Marte and Erik Gonzalez during Friday’s sent both men to the injured list, with Gonzalez on the 60-day IL with a broken collarbone and Marte to the 10-day IL with abdominal wall and quadriceps bruises. While Marte has the shorter timeline on paper, Huntington wasn’t certain when Marte could be back in action. Corey Dickerson isn’t yet ready for a minor league rehab assignment as he recovers from a shoulder strain, while Gregory Polanco (labrum surgery) could potentially make his season debut sometime this week.
In other Pirates injury news, the team placed catcher Jacob Stallings on the 10-day IL with a cervical neck strain. Stallings’ roster spot will be filled by Einar Diaz, who was activated off the IL after recovering from a virus that sidelined him for two weeks’ worth of Spring Training action.
Top Reds prospect Nick Senzel is scheduled to play in his first Triple-A game of the season on Tuesday, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Senzel was sidelined late in Spring Training with an ankle injury, so it will end up being roughly a month-long absence for the infielder-turned-center fielder. Senzel has already been playing some extended Spring Training games, and will now return to Triple-A Louisville after posting an .887 OPS in 193 PA at the top minor league level in 2018. The Reds are expected to promote Senzel at some point this season, though they’ll first want to see the 23-year-old get an extended stretch of good health, as Senzel has been plagued by a variety of injuries over the last year.
The Reds’ starting pitching has looked much better this season than in the last several years, and catcher Tucker Barnhart feels part of the reason for the improvement is an increased focus on analytics. Under new manager David Bell and new pitching coach Derek Johnson, discussions with Reds coaches are “more numbers-driven now,” Barnhart tells Fangraphs’ David Laurila. “They’re more percentage-driven, and more based on exit velocities and probable outcomes. Things like that. I still trust my eyes, but in the back of my mind there are always the percentages of what’s supposed to work. You’d be naive not to fall back on that, especially if you’re stuck calling a pitch.”

Pirates Select Bryan Reynolds, Recall Cole Tucker, Place Starling Marte On 10-Day IL

By TC Zencka | April 20, 2019 at 1:46pm CDT

1:45 pm: Per a team release, Marte will hit the 10-day IL with an “abdominal wall contusion,” while Gonzalez will be placed on the 60-day IL with a fractured left clavicle.

11:57 am:The Pirates have recalled shortstop Cole Tucker and selected the contract of outfielder Bryan Reynolds, adding both to the 25-man roster, the team announced. Reynolds will take the final remaining spot on Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster. There has been no corresponding roster moves announced, but it’s been widely speculated that Starling Marte and Erik Gonzalez may both be headed to the IL after their collision in last night’s ballgame.

Fangraphs puts Tucker and Reynolds as the #5 and #9 ranked prospects, respectively. Both will be making their major league debuts after strong showings in Spring Training this year. Tucker, 22, hit .259/.333/.356 in Double-A last year, but he’s torn his way through the Arizona Fall League, Spring Training, and his first thirteen games with Triple-A Indianapolis so far this season, where he was hitting a robust .333/.415/.579 in 66 plate appearances.

Reynolds, you may remember, joined the Pirates as part of the Andrew McCutchen trade. As MLB.com’s Adam Berry points out (via Twitter), the Pirates 25-man roster is now populated by the Pirates’ returns from the McCutchen and Gerrit Cole trades, with Michael Feliz being the only piece from either deal not currently in Pittsburgh. Kyle Crick recently returned from the injured list, Jason Martin is hitting .333/.391/.429 in limited playing time in left, Colin Moran platoons at third, and Joe Musgrove ably holds down a rotation spot for the Pirates.

Central Notes: Twins, Castellanos, Bucs, Cards/Cubs

By Jeff Todd | January 22, 2019 at 8:14am CDT

The Twins’ reported agreement with left-hander Martin Perez won’t preclude them from adding further arms this offseason, writes Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I think there are still some guys on the board that are interesting, certainly that could fit, so we remain engaged with those,” chief baseball officer Derek Falvey tells Helfand. Falvey wouldn’t rule out adding another pitcher on a big league deal, acknowledging that the team has some payroll flexibility — especially relative to the previous levels at which they’ve spent.

Somewhat surprisingly, La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune tweets that the Twins are indeed viewing Perez as a starting pitcher. Perez is coming off a season in which he ranked in the bottom one percent of strikeout rate and opponents’ weighted on-base average among big league pitchers in 2018. Perez is still just 27, was once a well-regarded prospect and is a known commodity for GM Thad Levine (formerly an assistant GM in Texas), but the Twins weren’t short on options for the fifth spot in the rotation. Adalberto Mejia, Fernando Romero, Stephen Gonsalves, Tyler Duffey, Kohl Stewart and Zack Littell were all already on the 40-man roster, but the Twins are seemingly more comfortable with Perez as a back-of-the-rotation option early in 2019 than any of that bunch.

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