Carlos Correa signing a $350 million deal with the San Francisco Giants puts immediate pressure on the Minnesota Twins to add offensive firepower to a lineup that finished 17th in runs scored in 2022.
Not even the tears of Minnesota’s depressed-but-not-surprised fanbase can fill the hole in the lineup created by Correa’s decision, and his exit leaves one of the most important defensive positions vacant of a reliable option barring the Twins adding Dansby Swanson or Elvus Andrus in free agency.
If the 2023 season started now, this might be what the Twins starting nine would be…
- 1B: Luis Arraez
- 2B: Jorge Polanco
- 3B: Jose Miranda
- SS: Nick Gordon
- LF: Alex Kirilloff
- CF: Byron Buxton
- RF: Max Kepler
- C: Christian Vazquez
- DH: Trevor Larnach
Royce Lewis is not expected to be fully recovered from his torn ACL until mid-summer, so you can scratch his name from shortstop at the start of the season. Gordon at the plate was a bit of a revelation in 2022, but defensively he’s not fit for shortstop.
Kyle Farmer is another option at shortstop.
Kepler is reportedly drawing trade interest from the Yankees and moving him wouldn’t hurt the Twins because they have a dearth of outfielders in the system, including Larnach, Matt Wallner, Gilberto Celestino and Mark Contreras. But getting back a starting caliber position player seems unlikely, so the lineup doesn’t change much whether he’s in or out.
The current fixture of players come with a lot of questions…
- Buxton is a star when healthy, but that’s obviously an issue
- Kirilloff has star potential but his wrist health is a major concern
- Miranda is entering his second MLB season but his future is promising
- Polanco hit just .235 last season and his hard hit rate was a meager 43%
- Gordon’s 2022 season was excellent at the plate but can he repeat it?
- Kepler has been bad since 2019
- Vazquez is known for his defense more than his bat
- Larnach might be really good but he’s yet to prove it for a full season in the MLB
Arraez, the reigning AL batting champ, is the only player on the lineup who has proved capable of putting together a full season of solid hitting.
Combine the lineup questions with a pitching staff that still lacks a true ace and the outlook for the 2023 Minnesota Twins is very murky.
