Minnesota Twins Sign Underwhelming Journeyman Slugger
Did you guys know that Major League Baseball is in the heat of one of the fastest moving offseasons in recent league history? While it isn’t what we see in other sports, there have been some big names that have found new homes and signed massive deals worth way more money than most will ever see in their lifetime.
Minnesota Twins fans, of course, wouldn’t know anything about that. We are the poor kid who has to sit on the sideline and watch others have fun because we don’t have enough money to pay the cover charge.
Not only can the Twins not spend any money… but they actually need to cut about $10 million in payroll between now and the start of the 2025 season, something that is much easier said than done, especially on a roster with as many holes as this one has.
Minnesota Twins sign 1B/DH Mike Ford to a minor league deal
That’s why we are going to be stuck bargain hunting in the clearance aisle at Dollar General, where you find free agents like Mike Ford, who reportedly signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins on Thursday afternoon.
Twins signed first baseman Mike Ford to a minor-league deal.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) January 2, 2025
Ford is a 32-year-old journeyman with parts of six seasons in the majors for five teams, including the Reds in 2024.
Very good Triple-A numbers, but a 93 OPS+ in 251 total MLB games. Low-average, high-power lefty bat.
As Aaron Gleeman (The Athletic) notes, Mike Ford has played in 251 MLB games between 2019 and 2024. The 32-year-old 1st baseman spend his first three seasons with the New York Yankees, where he failed to hit above the Mendoza Line — .199 BA, .723 OPS, 17 HR, 41 RBI.
Related: Homegrown Minnesota Twins Pitcher Lands Deal in Chicago
From there, he’s been all over the country, and definitely gets around the West Coast. Since 2022, Ford has played for the San Francisco Giants (2022), Seattle Mariners (2022, 2023), Atlanta Braves (2022), LA Angels (2022) and the Cincinnati Reds (2024). Most recently, he has been playing in the Japanese League.
MIKE WHO!? MIKE FORD!
— Reds Daily (@RedsDaily4) July 28, 2024
pic.twitter.com/F2Ajjb6kfy
In 781 career MLB plate appearances, Mike Ford holds a .205 BA and .700 OPS. He’s jacked 37 total home runs, struck out 203 times and driven in 89 runners. He’s also a minus defender (-1 run above average in his career).
Related: Former Minnesota Twins 1st Round Pick Off to Baltimore
In 17 games last season with the Reds, he hit .150 with 1 HR and 4 RBI. These are the free agents the Minnesota Twins can currently afford. In other words, Ford is a strikeout-prone fringe MLB power hitter who probably won’t hit over .200.
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