The Twins ended the 2023 season by breaking a long, postseason losing streak, getting through a playoff series for the first time in 21 years, but ultimately coming up short against the Houston Astros in the ALDS.
Now, as the team turns towards the offseason and what lies ahead in 2024, there are decisions to make and conversations to be had about hopefully improving on 2023. President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey, General Manager Thad Levine, and Manager Rocco Baldelli have plenty to build on heading towards spring training.
This team got a taste of postseason success. And as Correa told the team after the Game 4 loss, "remember that because you don't ever want to feel that again." His leadership is key to this team's success and the should come to spring training ready to build on their successes.
Baldelli told WCCO Radio's Mark Freie on Friday he sees 2023 as a launching pad into the next season.
"Team wide, it's the desire and the knowing what we're aiming for, which is more apparent right now than probably it even was in spring training," said Baldelli. "We had a lot of young players in spring training. They're just trying to survive. They're just trying to figure out where to show up for the next drill in spring training. They're not thinking about the World Series at that point. But I think when everyone shows up to camp next year, the biggest area of growth will be every person that even kind of took part in this playoff run is now thinking, 'how do we get more, how do we actually get a step or two or three further and take the whole thing home'. As opposed to just worrying about going to the cage to get their work in at the end of the season last year compared to now."
Here are Three Questions facing the team before pitchers and catchers report February 14.
Free Agents that stay.... or go?
Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda, Emilio Pagan, Donovan Solano, Tyler Mahle, Michael A. Taylor, Joey Gallo and Dallas Keuchel are the free agents currently on the 40-man roster. Only five of them were on the postseason roster (Gray, Maeda, Pagan, Solano, Taylor).
The biggest name on this list is obviously Sonny Gray. Take the Game 2 loss to Houston out of the conversation. It's one game and a 1st inning error by Alex Kirilloff didn't help him out. The 33-year old Gray pitched magnificently for most of the 2023 season, was an All-Star, and will be one of the three or four top pitchers on the market. He's going to command a multiyear, large contract, and he won't come cheap. Something around $25 million for multiple years seems to be the going rate.
Gray has said he wants to come back. The Twins should and will want him back. It's just a matter of how much another team would throw at him. If Gray does sign elsewhere, the Twins will receive a draft pick in return but that's little value compared to how Gray pitched this year. They should do what they can to keep him in Minnesota.
The other name on the list that is intriguing in Michael A. Taylor. Signed this season as insurance for Byron Buxton in centerfield, Taylor became indispensable. Buxton just cannot stay healthy enough to stay in the lineup let alone play center. And Taylor had a career high in home runs and was tremendous defensively.
You could now write a book on the injury history of Byron Buxton, who is electric when he can play. The Twins have to figure out what he'll be able to do in 2024, and if having the security blanket of Taylor is worth it.
"I hope so, a lot," Taylor told the Star Tribune about returning to Minnesota. "I really enjoyed my time here. Quality people throughout the organization. The clubhouse and locker room has a lot of chemistry. We all just get along."
The Twins might decide to go young in the outfield and spend money elsewhere but if they bring Taylor back, they're getting a solid player.
Speaking of Buxton, Rocco Baldelli told reporters that Buxton had an arthroscopic procedure to excise the plica in his right knee on Friday. The Twins' hope that it will alleviate the patellar tendinitis risk and symptoms, and that their plan remains to get him ready for centerfield next year.
Maeda has also expressed interest in returning, as has Solano. It'll all come down to money and value there. Same with Pagan and Mahle. Gallo and Keuchel are almost certainly not going to be signed for '24.
Pitching rotation
The Twins improved massively on the mound between 2022 and 2023 and a lot of that is due to Gray and Pablo Lopez who came to the Twins in the Luis Arraez trade. Lopez has now proven he is not just a number one starter. He's a dominant postseason pitcher and an arm you build your starting staff around.
Even if Gray is gone, the Twins have solid options for the rotation.
Joe Ryan had his ups-and-downs in 2023 but was their choice to start Game 3 against Toronto (they didn't need him), and got the ball for Game 4 against Houston where he pitched solidly for two innings in what ended up being a bullpen game for Baldelli. Ryan is solidly in the rotation and the Twins should expect an even better 2024 from him.
Bailey Ober got the start in Game 1 against Houston. He struggled but the Twins love the way he pitched down the stretch. Ober might make a jump in '24.
Chris Paddack was terrific in his 3 2/3 postseason innings including in Game 4 against Houston. Falvey said after the loss Paddack will absolutely get his chance to start next season with the way he has pitched.
The other starter, if it's not Gray, could be a number of guys, or potentially another free agent signing. The good news for the Twins is they have options here and you would much rather have to figure out starter number four or five than starter number one.
Without delving too deep into the bullpen, the Twins have a solid group there anchored by the fabulous Johan Duran who looked even better pitching in pressure situations in the postseason.
Strikeouts....enough already
It ended up being their curse in 2023. Yes, analytical baseball in this era places far less value on putting the ball in play. Yes, home runs are "the thing". Yes, Houston only beat Minnesota because they hit more home runs.
But you really don't want to be the team that sets the major league record for strikeouts in a season, then becomes the first team in MLB history to play at least six games in a single postseason and strike out 10+ times in every one, and then strikeout a total of 28 times in Games 3 and 4 when you were eliminated.
At some point, you have to put a bat on a ball. They didn't muster enough offense to win and that is something to work on before 2024 if there's to be a longer postseason run. It may not matter as much over 162 games. It matters a lot in a three or five game series.
“We’re a team that will strike out. The strikeouts in and of themselves, that’s not necessarily the issue. You’d like to put a few more balls in play on the barrel and see what happens,” manager Rocco Baldelli said following Game 4.
You think? The Twins had a whopping 413 more whiffs than the Astros had with the third-fewest in baseball. One of those teams is moving on and the other is heading home. It matters.
The Twins hit 233 home runs in 2023 to lead the American League. They can certainly hit the ball. Cut down the strikeouts just a little bit and this team could jump to the top of the league.