Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins had checked in on Jake Arrieta before, but that took a back burner to their pursuit of Yu Darvish. It may be time to rekindle those talks.
Minnesota had a surprising run to the postseason last year, but questions still remain regarding their rotation. Ervin Santana will potentially miss up to a month at the start of the season, and Jose Berrios does not yet appear ready to take on the role of the Twins ace. Beyond that duo, the Twins starters are hardly inspiring. After all, this is the team that gave the bloated corpse of Bartolo Colon 15 starts down the stretch last year.
While Arrieta is not a true staff ace, he would certainly be an upgrade over what the Twins currently have. His presence would allow Santana to slot in as the second starter, a role he is better suited for. And, should Berrios take that step forward, he would give Minnesota an excellent one-two punch for the next few years.
Going to the Twins would also give Arrieta a completely fresh start. Joe Maddon had completely lost confidence in Arrieta by the end of the season, which could not have been a positive for him on the mound. Not knowing if that one mistake will be the reason why a start is cut short would have to wear on anyone. It is time for a fresh start, and Minnesota would be an excellent fit.
He may not be the pitcher he was in 2015, but a new start could get Jake Arrieta back to the form he had in 2016. If that is the case, he would be exactly what the Minnesota Twins need.