While it appeared like the Minnesota Twins had completed their offseason acquisitions, the front office had one more trick up its sleeve.
On Monday, the Twins dealt prospect Noah Miller to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for experienced outfielder Manuel Margot and a third base prospect. Margot checks a few boxes that the organization was hoping to fill before Opening Day, not the least of which is being a right-handed hitting option off the bench.
It’s not the most exciting deal in the world, and it was swiftly overshadowed by the Dodgers’ decision to sign Kiké Hernández as Margot’s replacement. He is, nonetheless, a valuable acquisition with far-reaching implications.
Twins have Byron Buxton insurance in centre field.
Aside from replacing starting pitchers, the Minnesota Twins’ most pressing requirement this winter was to determine the situation in centerfield.
Byron Buxton did not play a single inning in the field last year, but all indicators point to his being totally healthy to begin the season. Thankfully, the Twins had Michael A. Taylor to step in for Buxton last year, when he unexpectedly became Minnesota’s everyday centerfielder, but that safety net was missing for the majority of the winter.
We all knew the Twins needed someone to play behind Buxton and provide insurance in case he missed considerable time again due to injuries. Even if he stays healthy, the wear and tear of a full season isn’t worth the risk, and the Twins wanted someone to relieve Buxton when he needs to rest.
Margot is anticipated to provide that support.
Since 2020, he has placed third in outs above average among all qualified outfielders, rivalling Taylor’s outstanding defence in Buxton’s absence.
His bat is more of a question than most would want, but Taylor was not delivering much power, and Margot has a career.281/.341/.420 batting line versus left-handed pitching for a.761 OPS.
Minnesota has learned the hard way that Buxton’s health is not guaranteed, and the team has finally discovered some much-needed insurance depth (and peace of mind) behind him.
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