With Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda departing for new opportunities, the Minnesota Twins are relying on a substantial contribution from Chris Paddack in 2024.
The Minnesota Twins find themselves with significant gaps in their starting rotation that urgently require addressing.
On Sunday night, the seasoned rotation stabilizer Kenta Maeda secured a deal with the Detroit Tigers.
Following swiftly, on Monday morning, Jon Heyman reported that the Cardinals and Sonny Gray are on track to finalize an agreement.
This development leaves the Twins already short of two starters from the team that clinched the American League Central in 2023. Considering Gray’s status as a finalist for the American League Cy Young award that year, these departures represent substantial setbacks.
For the Twins to advance and make strides in 2024, they must swiftly address their rotation concerns.
The most crucial solution is expected from starting pitcher Chris Paddack, who spent a major part of 2023 sidelined due to injury and made a comeback from the bullpen toward the end of the season. With indications that the Twins may not make substantial additions in the free-agent market, the key strategy appears to be relying on Paddack’s full-time return next season – a move that is currently their primary focus.
Paddack entered the major league scene in 2019 and holds a lifetime record of 22-21 with a 4.21 ERA. His standout season was his rookie year in 2019, where he achieved a 9-7 record with a 3.33 ERA while playing for the Padres. The Twins acquired him from San Diego ahead of the 2022 season, and he showcased his postseason prowess this year with 3.2 scoreless innings.
With his impending free agency scheduled for after the 2025 season, the Twins are anticipating at least two full years of valuable contributions from Paddack.
Currently, the Twins’ rotation is expected to feature Paddack, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, and Pablo Lopez. The fifth spot remains up for grabs.
