MINNEAPOLIS โ While the MLB lockout caused some major concerns about when the season would begin, a deal was made and โ barring any unforeseen stoppages โ a full season (and postseason) is expected to be played.
This season also marks the first time since 2019 that Opening Day won't be accompanied by any sort of capacity limits at the stadiums. This means more than 40,000 fans will be allowed into Target Field when the Minnesota Twins open the season against the Seattle Mariners on Friday, April 8.
Whether it be the pandemic or Minnesota's lack of success in 2021, this may be some fans' first live look at the Twins in quite some time. Before the pandemic, Nelson Cruz was belting home runs as part of the "Bomba Squad," a moniker given to the 2019 Twins team that set a record for most home runs in a season (307). Cruz was one of nine players with more than 15 home runs that season; the rotation included five pitchers with double-digit wins; and the Twins won 100 games for just the second time since the franchise moved from Washington D.C. to Minnesota.
Of the nine Twins to hit 15 or more home runs, three are still on the team in 2022; and of the five pitchers to win 10 or more games, none will begin the season in the Twins' clubhouse.
No, this year's team won't be that team, but there's still a good amount of star power, including a name many are familiar with.
Byron Buxton was a member of the 2019 Twins team, but 2021's version of Buxton is quite a bit different than the 2019 version of the speedy centerfielder. Buxton still possesses that speed that has helped him make numerous highlight-reel plays, but last season he showed there's more to his game than his wheels.
Despite playing in only 61 games last year due to injury โ an issue that has plagued him throughout his career โ he connected on 19 home runs. In 2020, he also hit 13 home runs in just 39 games, providing more proof that his power isn't a fluke. The Twins are also hoping it's no fluke as they signed Buxton to a seven-year, $100 million extension in December 2021. The bigger concern is Buxton's ability to stay healthy, which he hasn't been able to do with any consistency for much of his career.
Miguel Sanรณ, Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler return from 2019's team but perhaps the biggest impact player this season could be All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa, who the Twins signed to a massive three-year, $105.3 million contract in free agency. Correa, who has a .277 career average with 133 homers and 489 RBI, joins the Twins after a seven-year stint with the Houston Astros. He played a major role in helping Houston win a World Series in 2017, just four years after the Astros lost more than 100 games for the third straight season.
"I know what it takes to build a championship culture in the clubhouse," Correa said during an introductory press conference last month. "It starts in the clubhouse and extends to the front office. I see that here with the talent that we have, and we can get so much better in order for us to accomplish that goal and ultimately win a championship."
Catcher Gary Sรกnchez and infielder Gio Urshela were traded to the Twins from the New York Yankees in exchange for Josh Donaldson and two other players this offseason. Sรกnchez brings some power over from the Bronx, hitting 23 homers last season, but his defensive skills were maligned in the Big Apple. Urshela can play shortstop or third base, and can be efficient at the plate with a career .271 average with 49 home runs and 192 RBI. His best season came back in 2019 when he hit .314 with 21 HRs and 74 RBI โ all career highs.
As for pitchers, Sonny Gray is perhaps the biggest signing for the Twins. Gray has had some success on the hill, most recently in 2019 when he finished 11-8 with a 2.87 ERA and 205 strikeouts in 175โ innings pitched. He's won double-digit games five times in his career, including back-to-back 14-win seasons in 2014 and 2015.
The day before the Home Opener the Twins hammered out a deal with San Diego, swapping All-Star left-handed closer Taylor Rodgers and outfielder Brent Rooker for a pair of pitchers: Starter Chris Paddack, and reliever Emilio Pagan.
Paddack, 26, was 7-7 last season with a 5.07 ERA , 22 walks, 99 strikeouts and a .269 (115-for-427) opponent batting average for the Padres. As a rookie in 2019, the 6-foot-5, 217-pound Paddack went 9-7 with a 3.33 ERA.
Pagan is a reliever who made a career-high 67 relief appearances for San Diego last season, going 4-3 with a 4.83 ERA. The 6-foot-2, 208-pound right-hander has pitched parts of five major league seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays and Padres.
Chris Archer is another addition that could help bolster the rotation, however, injury has forced him to miss the majority of the past two seasons, including all of 2020 after undergoing surgery to relieve symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome. Archer returned last season where he started five games, going 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA. The 33-year-old right-hander is 61-81 in his career with a 3.87 ERA.
Rookie Joe Ryan will also be a pitcher to watch this season after seeing limited action last year with the Twins. Minnesota announced Ryan will be its Opening Day starter, marking the first time since 1969 the Twins will hand the ball to a rookie in their season opener.
Last season, Ryan went 2-1 in five starts with a 4.05 ERA. He fanned 30 batters in 26โ innings and held opponents to a .168 batting average.
Dylan Bundy is another starter who is expected to log some innings this season after spending the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, but he's coming off a rough 2021 where he went 2-9 with a 6.06 ERA.
The bullpen remains relatively similar from a year ago, except without Rogers. Tyler Duffey, Caleb Thielbar, Cody Stashak, Danny Coulombe and Jorge Alcala all return, with the addition of Pagan. .
Minnesota missed out on the postseason last year after reaching the playoffs three of the four previous years (2017, 2019, 2020). The Twins have only reached the postseason four times since 2010, and have lost 18 consecutive playoff games. The Twins' last playoff win came in 2004 against the New York Yankees, so perhaps an infusion of fresh players could be what the franchise needs to put an end to their postseason drought.
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