Spring training is officially over, but the Minnesota Twins’ job has only just begun. Following a spate of injuries last week, the Twins must find a way to replace several key bullpen arms with only a few days until Opening Day.
Jhoan Duran and Caleb Thielbar arrived in the IL early last week, and Justin Topa joined them on Sunday. It’s also unknown whether Josh Staumont will be fit enough to start the season following his most recent throwing session, which means the Twins may have four bullpen spots to fill before the season begins.
Topa was the most significant loss, as he served as a cornerstone in making Duran and Thielbar’s temporary losses of territory less severe. Without Topa, the Twins will need to find aid at every level of the bullpen, which appears to be a slow process internally.
Twins add three relievers to their Opening Day roster as injury replacements.
On Tuesday, the Twins announced that three pitchers would be on the Opening Day roster. Jorge Alacá was already on track to make the roster, but injuries last week allowed Cole Sands and Kody Funderburk to also make the cut.
Do-Hyoung Park also mentioned Daniel Duarte as someone to watch. He is not on the 40-man roster, but the Twins are apparently bringing him to Kansas City, implying he may be activated at some point during the first few games of the season.
Sands is the most significant addition to the roster since he had the longest shot at making it early this spring. That wasn’t because he wasn’t talented enough; rather, the Twins’ bullpen depth was so impressive that he wasn’t even considered for the Opening Day roster.
Alcalá is by far the most intriguing name, since he created the type of spring that says he is ready to rebound from a difficult few seasons. He concluded his tenure in Fort Myers with a 6.23 ERA, but only a week ago he had a 2.57 ERA in seven innings, seven strikeouts, and a 1.000 WHIP. He finished with 12 strikeouts in 10 innings, and his velocity appeared to be where the Twins needed it to be.
We’ve seen him disappoint before, so we’ll proceed with caution until he proves he can hold his own in the bullpen. If everything goes well, Alcalá may be one of Minnesota’s most essential relievers, so he’s worth keeping an eye on.
Leave a Reply