Minnesota Twins: Logan Morrison is a good addition, but not enough
News broke Sunday morning that the Minnesota Twins had reached a deal with free agent Logan Morrison. While the pick up was a big move for Minnesota, it won’t be enough to bring postseason baseball back to Minneapolis on its own.
The Minnesota Twins signing of Logan Morrison was another signal to their fan base that they won’t be waiting for the Cleveland Indians to yield the division. They aren’t afraid of their window opening while the Indians remain perennial AL Central favorites. But if he Twins truly do want to dethrone Cleveland and play baseball in October, they’ll need to add more before opening day.
Logan Morrison was a deal the Twins couldn’t pass up
The Twins perhaps scored the bargain of the offseason in their acquisition of first-baseman Logan Morrison. For just a guaranteed $6.5 million in 2018, they added a bat that produced a wRC+ of 130 in 2017. To put that in perspective, the San Diego Padres guaranteed eight-years and $144 million to Eric Hosmer, whose 2017 wRC+ of 135 was just slightly higher than Morrison’s.
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Given the price they paid for him, signing Morrison was a no brainer for the Twins. However, if the Twins want to compete in the AL Central—or for an AL Wild Card spot—their offseason best not be over.
The Twins need starting pitching and there are still options available
Minnesota’s 2017 rotation wasn’t bad. They combined for an average ERA+ of 99. But their current de facto ace Ervin Santana isn’t getting any younger, and there are still difference-making starters on the free market.
If former Cub Jake Arrieta’s market continues to fail to come together for him, the Twins could be among the teams in on making an ace acquisition for a discounted price. Arrieta’s interest in signing a six or seven-year, over $150 million deal apparently hasn’t been shared with any teams. He’ll likely come down to three or four years for around $100 million. That’d be quite a team-friendly deal for a pitcher who’s averaged an ERA+ of 156 over the past four seasons.
Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn are also to capable pitchers still available. Neither are traditional aces, but both could help round out the Twins’ rotation. Cobb’s 2017 ERA+ was a respectable 113 in 2017. He also pitched a career-high 179.1 innings in the Twins’ campaign that ended in a Wild Card loss. Lynn, meanwhile, put up a 124 ERA+ in 186.1 2017 innings after missing the entire 2016 season due to Tommy John surgery. Both pitchers had better statistical seasons than all but two 2017 Minnesota starters.
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Adding Logan Morrison is certainly a step in the right direction for the Minnesota Twins, but it might take a little more for them to compete late in October.