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Minnesota Twins Odds, Schedule, Stats, Standing MLB 2023 Season

Minnesota Twins Last Season Performance

Even with the signing of shortstop Carlos Correa, the Minnesota Twins were expected to be at best underdogs in 2022. After spending most of the season atop the American League Central, fans had to endure heartbreak as they watched the battered and injured team shamble to a 78-84 record, 14 games behind the Cleveland Guardians. The quality of Minnesota’s depth was ita most obvious weakness all season.

The Twins’ 2022 season began well, but the longer it went on, the more you wished it would end. Injuries, mediocre pitching, and an offense that was just trying to do its best ultimately doomed the 2022 Minnesota Twins, whose first-half record of 50-44 kept them in the game long enough to play significant September MLB.

The Twins’ season was marred by numerous injuries. In 2022, Minnesota Twins players spent 2,363 days on the disabled list, second only to the Cincinnati Reds.

If I told you the 2021 Twins had a greater offense than the 2022 Twins, would you believe me? The Twins’ offensive production dropped from 2021 to 2022, with declines in home runs, runs, walks, and stolen bases all contributing factors. The 2022 roster included stars, pleasant surprises, and guys that need to improve significantly during the offseason.

Off-Season Changes

Key Additions

The team agreed to terms with Joey Gallo on a one-year, $11 million contract, apparently hoping the struggling slugger can find his groove again in 2023. Gallo batted .160 with an OPS of .637 and 19 home runs in 2022 while splitting the season between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

By adding Pablo López, the Twins continue their front office’s dedication to building up pitching depth by adding another seasoned arm to a starting rotation that is already deep but still carries plenty of injury risk. As Minnesota’s 2022 season was delayed by injury, this is an especially pressing concern.

Meanwhile, Christian Vázquez has signed a $30 million contract with the Twins for three years beginning in 2023. After being acquired from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for minor league pitchers Steven Cruz and Evan Sisk, Michael A. Taylor will compete with Gallo for an outfield slot.

Key Losses

The Twins parted ways with star second baseman Luis Arráez in exchange for López and minor leaguers José Salas and Byron Chourio, which disappointed fans.

Manager: Rocco Baldelli

Rocco Baldelli has managed over 500 games for Minnesota and has a winning record. His win percentage is .533, which is higher than Ron Gardenhire’s .484, Paul Molitor’s .471, and Tom Kelly’s .478. During his four-year tenure, the Twins have won the division twice, and they should be considered a contender to do so again in 2023.

Ultimately, a front office wants a manager to represent progress in the clubhouse. It’s safe to say that Baldelli is on the same wavelength as his superiors. It’s also clear that Baldelli gets along well with his players and commands their respect. Both of these realities must be considered when deciding whether or not to keep someone in a position. Unlike Molitor before him, it appears that Baldelli is able to effectively communicate with the players on the field and gain buy-in when encouraging them to try new things.

Strengths:

Correa, assuming his body doesn’t fragment and vindicate both the Giants and the Mets, appears to be the most productive player on this roster and could be one of the best shortstops in the league right now. Then there’s Byron Buxton, who may be more productive game-for-game but appears to be in desperate need of a miracle to stay healthy.

The rest of the Twins’ roster is mostly workmanlike, with nearly every other position other than SS and CF ranking between 11th and 20th among teams.

Weaknesses:

One take is that the bullpen consists primarily of Jhoan Duran… with little quality beyond that. It’s alarming that they reacted by essentially running the same unit with many of the same personnel in 2023, given that it’s arguable that this unit is the reason they were never a genuine contender in 2022.

Alex Kiriloff’s significant underperformance in his rookie season in 2021 destroyed his line, but last year he was truly terrible, thus starting him at first base could be the team’s biggest vulnerability. Nevertheless, this squad doesn’t really have a noteworthy weakness.

Predictions for the 2023 Season

The American League Central division is once again up for grabs for whoever wants it, and based on their offseason, the Twins clearly want this division.

In the offseason, they shocked everyone by keeping Correa and then outdid themselves by taking advantage of the Marlins, who for whatever reason, never really wanted Lopez. The Twins will gladly take him in order to improve their rotation, and they now have a team that could compete with the Guardians for the AL Central title all season.

The Twins don’t have the best projections, with win totals expected to be in the 83 range. That may not appear to be much cause for optimism, but the Guardians aren’t expected to be much better, and we’re still in expanded playoff territory, so the Twins have a good chance of making the postseason. They’re far from a premier club at this point, but in the AL Central, even being in that sometimes-unwanted “made kinda an effort” limbo can pay off.

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