Earlier this month we learned Twins pitcher Trevor May needed season-ending elbow surgery.
May has spent most of his time with the Twins as a reliever. But he came into spring training this season as a candidate to make the starting rotation.
According to the projection system PECOTA, which is an algorithm that projects player performance, losing May will cost the Twins two wins this season.
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With May on the roster, the Twins were projected to finish with 80 wins; while finishing in second place in their division. Without May, the Twins are projected to finish in third place with 78 wins.
May made 16 starts in 2015 and struck out 73 batters in 83.1 innings.
His swing-and-miss ability is something the pitching staff desperately needs. Last season the team finished 27th in strikeouts per nine innings.
However 78 wins would be quite the turnaround for a team won an MLB-low 57 games last season.
PETCOA isn’t the only site that’s bullish on the Twins as Fangraphs has Minnesota winning 74 games next season.
