Minnesota Twins Linked to Two Top 40 MLB Free Agents
Although the Pohlad family is looking to cash out on the Minnesota Twins, they first need to cash in on some free agents. Derek Falvey doesn’t have much money to spend, but that could change if he moves a few pieces around. Until all of the top free agents are gone, their destinations will be projected. Thankfully a few of them may land at Target Field.
Pitching help on the way for Minnesota Twins
For the most part, the Minnesota Twins position players are relatively set. That could change if they move Christian Vazquez or Willi Castro. Maybe they need some corner outfield help with Max Kepler leaving. Obviously a new first baseman has to take over for Carlos Santana. Still though, the most pressing need remains on the mound. A contingent of writers from The Athletic constructed a big board of the top 40 free agents, and both Kirby Yates and Matthew Boyd are seen as fits for Minnesota.
“In his 20s, Yates was a fringe Major League reliever who’d gone undrafted out of college. In his 30s, he’s been a closer and two-time All-Star, and at 37, he’s coming off one of the best seasons of his career. Pushed into ninth-inning duty after José Leclerc struggled out of the gate, Yates finished with 33 saves and a career-best 1.17 ERA with the Rangers. He was an All-Star and finished behind only Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase in Win Probability Added. Walks come with the territory, but so do strikeouts as Yates generates plenty of swing and miss without extreme velocity. He turns 38 in March, so there will be some age concern, but when healthy, Yates has been a reliable late-inning arm with plenty of ninth-inning experience.”
Kirby Yates free agent profile (The Athletic)
Yates checks in at 32nd for The Athletic. He has previous closer experience and saved 33 games last year for the Rangers. His 1.17 ERA was dazzling, and he cemented it with a 2.50 FIP. There’s always a fear that an aging player could hit a wall, but at 37, it doesn’t seem to be coming yet for Yates.
Kirby Yates, K'ing the Side in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/zGYjfjm1eT
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 6, 2024
The Hawaii native has averaged 93 mph on his fastball for nearly a decade. His 33% chase rate last season was among the best marks of his career, and he hasn’t had a whiff rate lower than 12% since 2016. Yates would pair with Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax to give Minnesota a dominant stable of leverage arms.
Related: MLB Insider Floats Lefty Reliever as Great Fit for Minnesota Twins
At 36th, just behind departing Twins free agent Max Kepler (34th), Matthew Boyd checks in. For years he looked like a solid trade chip in Detroit. Ultimately the Tigers never moved him and his career sputtered. After working his way back on the farm with Cleveland, he finished the year making eight starts and pitching in the postseason.
“Matthew Boyd has a career 4.85 ERA and hasn’t started more than 15 games in a season since 2019, but his 11 late-season starts with the Guardians (including the playoffs) while returning from Tommy John surgery were awfully enticing. He had a 2.27 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings and was nearly all the way back to his peak fastball velocity at 91-93 mph. Boyd can miss bats with three pitches and, for two months at least, his previous homer issues weren’t a problem. He should be swimming in one-year offers and might be able to coax out a two-year deal.”
Matthew Boyd free agent profile (The Athletic)
The track record of recent success isn’t long here, so I’d bet Minnesota would prefer a one-year deal. That said, the lefty owned a 2.72 ERA down the stretch for the Guardians. His 10.4 K/9 was impressive, and he paired it with a 2.9 BB/9 and career-low 0.9 HR/9. Minnesota has to feel better positioned than Detroit in terms of pitching development, and seeing Cleveland make it work could tip the scales.
Matthew Boyd's 2Ks in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/Cm07GLBjzE
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 17, 2024
Boyd isn’t a flamethrower, but his 92.0 mph velocity was up from where it sat in 2023. He has a solid changeup and uses his slider plenty as well. That’s a combination that Minnesota typically leans into, and he would give them a southpaw in the roation.
Related: Minnesota Twins Sign New Flamethrowing Reliever
The Twins don’t necessarily need rotation help given the arms that cycled through last season. Boyd would represent a low-ceiling, high-floor option that could provide depth at the back end of the group, however.
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