![]() ![]() I've read a lot of opinions that feel Lewis is going to come back good as ever, mid 2023 season, just waltz right into the SS job, and make us forget all about Correa. Even though I hate that that means they're slicing the payroll way down. Bring in stars or roll with what you have and see if any of the young guys can be stars. They have a 40-man full of guys who could be league average players, but almost no stars. That's why I have no desire to have them trade for Mateo or sign any remaining free agents. if they can all stay healthy, but at this point Miranda is the only one I trust to stay healthy and he'd be more of a 5/6 hole hitter in my lineup.Īt this point, in my opinion, the Twins need to be looking to acquire above average talent only. I have high hopes for Kirilloff, Larnach, Miranda, Lewis, etc. I've been saying most of the winter that the cries for "more pitching! more pitching!" are too strong, and they have every bit as much a need for more offense. I do not have high expectations for this lineup. Between Gallo's strikeouts, our catchers not hitting, and a Farmer/Mateo platoon, we could be seeing the bottom on the lineup produce very little. We better be prepared for some extremely low scoring games. Should the Twins target Mateo? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. However, the Twins might not want to leave shortstop open for when Lewis returns in the season’s second half. Mateo can provide depth and be an affordable infielder for multiple seasons. As Minnesota saw last year, it is important to have depth at multiple positions when injuries inevitably strike. He would be a clear defensive upgrade over Farmer, even if Farmer provides slightly more value at the plate. So, what can Mateo provide the Twins? His 3.4 WAR in 2022 would have ranked fourth on the Twins behind Carlos Correa, Luis Arraez, and Byron Buxton. His skill set would also keep his value down through the arbitration process, so he should remain relatively affordable during his three remaining years of team control. He is entering his first year in the arbitration process and projects to make under $2 million. Mateo didn’t debut until age 25 because he bounced around to different organizations and took time to develop. That versatility can help him fit into a different role if Minnesota wants to use Royce Lewis at shortstop when he is healthy. He also has experience playing all three outfield positions along with second and third base. Limiting defensive shifts next season will also mean that strong defensive players have an opportunity to provide more value to their teams. Kyle Farmer currently projects as Minnesota’s Opening Day shortstop and posted a -2.0 SDI in 2022. Mateo (7.8 SDI) also finished second to Houston’s Jeremy Pena (8.1 SDI) in SABR’s Defensive Index. He ranked in the 97th percentile for outs above average and was a top-five shortstop according to Defensive Runs Saved. MLB is switching to bigger bases and limiting pick-off attempts, which can help players like Mateo be even more aggressive on the base paths.ĭefensively, Mateo is an elite shortstop that ranks among baseball’s best defenders. He led the AL with 35 steals last season and ranks in the 99th percentile for sprint speed. His 81 OPS+ is below league average, but he has other skills that make him an intriguing trade target. Baltimore claimed him, and he slid into an everyday role with the club. Mateo saw limited action with the Padres, and the team placed him on waivers during the 2021 campaign. His big-league debut came during the COVID-shortened season in San Diego, where he hit. Mateo never broke through with the A’s before Oakland traded him to the Padres in 2020 for a player to be named later. He spent his first six seasons in the Yankees organization before being traded to the Oakland Athletics as part of the Sonny Gray trade. The Yankees originally signed Mateo in January 2012 out of the Dominican Republic. Baltimore has multiple young infielders and other prospects close to the big-league level, making Mateo expendable if the right deal is on the table. He points to the Twins, Braves, Red Sox, and Dodgers as all teams that lost their starting shortstop this winter. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that multiple front offices have inquired about the availability of shortstop Jorge Mateo. ![]() Now, Baltimore may be looking to capitalize on their momentum and put itself in contention for multiple years. It felt like the Orioles were in a perpetual rebuild, but multiple years of high draft picks seem to be paying dividends. The Orioles were the only American League team with a winning record that failed to make the playoffs. Baltimore surprised many by finishing the 2022 season with an above. ![]()
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