In an offseason filled of disappointing arrivals and arbitrary budgetary restraints, none has gone as badly for Minnesota as the deal for Manuel Margot. What went wrong with that move, and when will the Twins contemplate replacing him?
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One of the Twins’ most pressing requirements this offseason was a replacement for Michael A. Taylor, a right-handed outfielder capable of crushing left-handed pitching and filling in at centre field for the frequently injured Byron Buxton. The front office sought to just bring Taylor back, but they were unable to agree. They decided to deal for outfielder Manuel Margot.
Even at the time of the move, the Margot purchase was not very encouraging. He has a career OPS+ of 91 and had just finished the 2023 season with an OPS of.686. The signing was justified, however, by the fact that Margot could fill the role that the Twins need. He had a career.760 OPS against lefties, could run the bases well, and (unlike other free-agent options such as Tommy Pham), was an above-average defender who could fill in at centre field if required.
A month and a half into the season, the pickup has been subpar by almost every statistic. Margot has a dismal 46 OPS+ this season, with only two extra-base hits and an on-base percentage of.258. The 29-year-old has a career-low xSLG of.286 and the second-lowest average exit velocity in his career, at 85.7 MPH. Both numbers rank near the bottom of baseball.
But, hey, Margot was not brought in to be a Silver Slugger winner. He was brought in to hammer lefties, run the bases, and play great defence in the outfield. He’s at least doing those things, correct?
Not exactly. Margot hits marginally better against southpaws than righthanders, but her OPS remains at.685.
Margot has also offered no value on the bases. He has just one stolen base this season, after averaging 12 over the previous seven years. Even more worrying is his significant drop in sprint speed. Margot had a season in the 75th percentile for sprint speed in 2023, but her average sprint speed in 2024 is only in the 50th percentile.
The most irritating aspect of Margot’s 2024 experience has been his usage and performance on the field. Although the Twins have needed a center-field glove this season due to a hampered Byron Buxton, Margot did not make his first start in centre until May 6. Based on their actions, the Twins have demonstrated that Margot is (at best) fourth in line for center-field action, trailing Buxton, Austin Martin, and Willi Castro, despite his ability to play centre field being a key reason why they chose him over someone like Adam Duvall, who has an.868 OPS against lefties this year.
Margot’s defensive performance at a corner outfield role has been subpar. The Dominican native has a -2 Outs Above Average, subpar range, and a tendency to make some overall bad plays, such as the one against Boston on Sunday.
The Twins are in a difficult situation when it comes to Margot’s spot on the roster, as the majority of the organization’s prospective hitters are left-handed, yet the Twins desperately need a presence on the right side of the plate. Despite Margot’s dismal performance in all three aspects of the game, the Twins should not be handcuffing themselves by keeping him on the roster only because he is in the correct batter’s box.
Some potential replacements for Margot on the roster, if the Twins decide to go that way, include:
The Twins signed Tony Kemp, who can play infield or corner outfield. Matt Wallner is making progress at Triple-A after being demoted. DaShawn Kiersey Jr. is a promising prospect with the Saints who hits left-handed but has a.882 OPS this season.
The Twins’ Margot move has gone about as terribly as it could have. Whether they decide to wait until Royce Lewis returns or to make a move sooner, the Twins need to start thinking about what it would look like to move on from this setback.
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