The Twins have been involved with veteran left-hander Wealthy Hill, who hosted a showcase for large league scouts earlier at the moment, stories Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The Pink Sox have been additionally in attendance for Hill’s showcase, WEEI’s Rob Bradford tweets, although it’s not clear whether or not they’ve spoken to Hill a few potential reunion. The Yankees and Dodgers have been beforehand linked to Hill and thus presumably additionally in attendance this morning.
Minnesota’s curiosity comes at a time when Joe Ryan was simply recognized with a Grade 2 pressure of the teres main muscle in his proper shoulder that places the rest of his season in jeopardy. Ryan joined righty Chris Paddack on the 15-day IL earlier at the moment, leaving Minnesota with an inexperienced group of choices — Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa, Louie Varland — behind veterans Pablo Lopez and Bailey Ober within the beginning rotation.
Hill, 44, has stated since final yr that his plan for the 2024 season was to pitch — however solely within the season’s second half. The southpaw signed a one-year cope with the Pirates within the 2022-23 offseason and pitched effectively early earlier than starting to indicate indicators of fatigue. He nonetheless managed to eat up 146 1/3 innings between Pittsburgh and San Diego (who acquired him finally yr’s commerce deadline), but it surely was typically a story of two seasons for Hill. The lefty notched a good 4.34 ERA and matching FIP by his first 15 begins, punching out 21.1% of his opponents in opposition to an 8.6% stroll price. In his last 63 1/3 innings, he was torched for a 6.82 ERA with a 17.7% strikeout price, 9% stroll price and 1.71 HR/9.
Ready till later within the season affords MLB’s elder statesmen some perks past probably preserving him contemporary. Most significantly, Hill has spoken on document earlier than concerning the extra time he was capable of spend together with his household, teaching his son’s workforce (hyperlink by way of MLB.com’s Ian Browne). Signing in August additionally ensures that he’s capable of land with a membership that has a very good shot at making the postseason.
Minnesota would match that invoice. The Twins have been in second place within the AL Central and holding onto an AL Wild Card spot for many of the season. At 63-50, the Twins are 3.5 video games behind Cleveland within the division, however they’re additionally internet hosting the Guardians for a four-game set this weekend that might shake up the highest of the division if Minnesota can handle a sweep. (They’re at the moment main the Guards in Recreation 1 of at the moment’s doubleheader.)
Hill isn’t any stranger to the Twins group, having pitched there throughout the shortened 2020 season. Accidents restricted him to eight begins, however he posted a 3.03 ERA in 38 2/3 innings as a Twin and reached the postseason that yr. Bradford spoke to a scout who was at Hill’s showcase this morning, noting that the lefty threw greater than 100 pitches and seemed “spectacular” (X hyperlink). Hill himself tells Bradford that he believes he’s constructed as much as the purpose the place he’s able to go throw 5 – 6 innings in a begin proper now (video hyperlink).
Hill isn’t the one reinforcement the Twins are pondering, although second different is almost half Hill’s age. Prime prospect Zebby Matthews has skyrocketed up prospect rankings this season on the again of a dominant exhibiting in Excessive-A and Double-A. He was not too long ago bumped as much as Triple-A St. Paul, and president of baseball operations Derek Falvey confirmed to the Twins beat that Matthews is into consideration for a promotion to the majors.
“I believe Zebby’s positively within the dialog,” Falvey stated this afternoon (X hyperlink by way of KSTP’s Darren Wolfson). “Clearly, he’s pitched exceptionally effectively for the entire yr all over ranges he’s been at. He’s now at Triple-A and knocking on the door. With the accidents we now have, he’s definitely within the dialog. As we take into consideration the wants for subsequent week, he’s definitely a reputation that we’re speaking about.”
Matthews, the Twins’ eighth-round choose in 2022, already seems to be like a pleasant discover for the group. The best-hander posted sub-2.00 ERAs in each Excessive-A and Double-A earlier than his current promotion to Triple-A. He’s had two stable begins and two tough begins on the prime minor league stage. Collectively, he’s posted a 2.60 ERA with a powerful 30.5% strikeout price and a staggering 1.8% stroll price. Matthews has fanned a hefty 114 opponents and issued simply seven walks all season.
Matthews has ridden that breakout season all the way in which to the No. 61 spot on Baseball America’s current replace to their prime 100 prospects, the place they word that Matthews has maybe the very best command in minor league baseball. The Athletic’s Keith Regulation ranks Matthews sixtieth within the sport, and MLB.com has him as their No. 100 prospect.
Falvey additionally added that the aforementioned Paddack continues to be anticipated again this season. He’s “monitoring rather well,” per the Twins’ baseball ops chief (X hyperlink by way of The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman) and will start a throwing program within the close to future. Paddack has had a Jekyll-and-Hyde season, at occasions trying dominant and others trying fatigued in his first full season again from the second Tommy John process of his profession. He’s twice punched out 10 hitters in a recreation and allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his 17 begins. Nevertheless, he’s additionally had begins the place he’s been rocked for seven runs and 9 runs, resulting in a 4.99 ERA on the season.
Paddack’s 88 1/3 innings this season are already greater than his mixed whole from 2022-23 whereas he underwent and rehabbed from that Tommy John process. Nonetheless, the Twins plan to make use of him as a starter when he’s able to return, per Falvey. There’s no clear timetable for that but, but when he can start a throwing development quickly, a return someday subsequent month appears possible. Paddack final pitched on July 14 and has been out since with a forearm pressure.