The Minnesota Twins are still in the middle of a Wild Card chase, but with the final month of the regular season closing in, it’s not too early to start sketching out what a postseason roster might look like.
Minnesota is three games back of the Cleveland Guardians for the last Wild Card spot and 5 1/2 games behind the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox. The path is still there, and it helps that the schedule softens down the stretch: 17 of the Twins’ 29 remaining games come against teams with losing records. Outside of the New York Yankees, the other non-losing clubs left on the slate - the White Sox and Guardians - are not exactly heavyweight obstacles.
If the Twins do get in, the pitching group would likely be built around 12 arms. Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley, Dean Kremer, and Bailey Ober headline the projected staff, with Jeff Hoffman, A.J. Minter, Andrew Morris, Yoendrys Gómez, Taylor Rogers, Tommy Nance, Kody Funderburk, and Travis Adams rounding out the group.
Because the Wild Card round is a best-of-three series, Minnesota would only need three starters. In this projection, Kremer gets the No. 3 spot behind Ryan and Bradley, while Ober stays on the roster as insurance if one of the starters gets into trouble early.
There’s also a possibility the Twins would lean on Connor Prielipp and/or Zebby Matthews out of the bullpen in October. Kendry Rojas could fit into that mix too, if he’s healthy in time.
On the position-player side, the projected 14-man group starts behind the plate with Ryan Jeffers, Victor Caratini, and Alex Jackson. The infield would include Royce Lewis, Kaelen Culpepper, Brooks Lee, and utility options Kody Clemens and Ryan Kreidler, while Byron Buxton anchors the outfield if his health cooperates.
Buxton’s availability would depend on how he feels, but even if he’s only somewhat banged up, the expectation is that he’d still be available for a Wild Card series.
The outfield picture also includes Austin Martin, Walker Jenkins, and Luke Keaschall, with Trevor Larnach and Josh Bell filling the LF/DH and DH spots, respectively.
Jenkins stands out as the name most likely to force his way onto the roster. He’s been on an absolute tear at Triple-A St.
Paul, and if Buxton needs another IL stint after leaving Tuesday’s loss to the Athletics, Jenkins could be on his way to his MLB debut soon. If he gets called up and hits right away, and Buxton returns before season’s end, Larnach would likely be the odd man out of the starting mix.
In Other News...
Twins Just Gave Up On A Once-Intriguing Arm For Walker Jenkins
Walker Jenkins is headed back onto the Twins active roster after Minnesota selected the outfielders contract and sent Alan Roden to Triple-A St. Paul to make room. It is another sign of how aggressively the club is trying to manage its young talent, especially with Jenkins drawing enough attention to earn a major league look again.
The move also cost Woo-Suk Go his spot on the 40-man roster after the right-hander was designated for assignment following control issues in St. Paul. Go had already made his big league debut with Minnesota after arriving from the Tigers, and now his future hinges on waivers, with a possible free-agent decision waiting if he gets through. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays May Be About To Lose A Former Top Prospect
A roster move out of Toronto has put a familiar name in limbo, and it may not stay a Blue Jays issue for long. The club recalled right-hander CJ Van Eyk and designated Simeon Woods Richardson for assignment, a sign of how quickly the pitching picture can change when a former top prospect is running out of runway. Woods Richardson has struggled lately, and the move clears a spot while also forcing the organization to confront a tough decision on a pitcher once viewed as part of the future.
Because Woods Richardson is out of minor league options, the next step is more complicated than a routine shuffle. He will have to pass through waivers, and any team that claims him would need to keep him on a major league roster, which is why a number of clubs with pitching needs will at least have to take a look. If he goes unclaimed, free agency becomes the fallback, leaving Toronto with another reminder of how thin the margin can be for young arms still trying to establish themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Former Twins Starter Is Back In Roster Limbo Again
Simeon Woods Richardson is back in an all-too-familiar spot after the Blue Jays designated the former Twins starter for assignment, a move that once again leaves his immediate big-league future unsettled. The right-hander had worked out of Torontos bullpen this season, making eight relief appearances and logging a 3.93 ERA over 18.1 innings, a brief stretch that kept him on the roster but never fully settled his role.
For Minnesota fans, it is another reminder of a pitcher whose career has already taken plenty of turns since he was originally drafted by the Mets and later spent time with the Twins before heading back to Toronto. Now the question is whether another team sees enough in his arm to claim him, or whether he is headed into another round of roster limbo while the Blue Jays sort out their next move. [Read more 🡒]