One of the most active free-agency weeks on the Major League Baseball calendar is underway with the MLB Winter Meetings taking place in Orlando, Florida.
Twins general manager Terry Ryan told 1500 ESPN last week that he’ll have his eyes open for potential deals during the meetings, which run through Thursday.
“I think we need to go in aggressively. I think there’s a few things here that we have that other clubs might have some interest in and vice versa,” Ryan told the radio station on Friday. “I don’t know if anything is going to happen down there but it’s a possibility. Last year at this time I had no clue that we’d trade Benny Revere and we did.”
Ryan said in a Monday evening press conference that he has payroll flexibility to go after a starter or offensive help, according to the Star Tribune.
La Velle Neal III reports the Twins could re-sign starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey, but only for a deal in the neighborhood of two years and $10 million.
In what would be a much bigger move, the Twins are making a push for former Reds right-handed starter Bronson Arroyo.
Sources: #Twins making push for Arroyo, talks gaining momentum.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 9, 2013
The Pioneer Press reports the Twins are still keeping an eye on Matt Garza, who split time between the Cubs and Rangers last season.
Here’s how Pelfrey, Arroyo and Garza stack up versus each other based on their 2013 statistics.
- Pelfrey: 5-13, 5.19 ERA, 101 strikeouts, 152 2/3 innings
- Arroyo: 14-12, 3.79 ERA, 124 strikeouts, 202 innings
- Garza: 10-6, 3.82 ERA, 136 strikeouts, 155 1/3 innings
Paul Molitor, who was recently hired as a special assistant for the Twins, is happy the Twins have made a commitment to strengthen the starting rotation. They’ve already signed Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes.
“I’m excited,” Molitor said Monday, via the Pioneer Press. “I don’t know Nolasco that well. Didn’t see him a ton. I know his track record. We need innings. We were last in baseball in innings pitched by starters. So, yeah, it’s a big commitment. It shows the team wants to address our biggest need, and that’s starting pitching.”
Stay tuned for more. It looks like the Twins will be involved in plenty of rumors this week.
