Minnesota Twins: Stock up, stock down
Holding on to a one-game lead in the mediocre American League Central division, the Minnesota Twins have struggled to find consistent production in their lineup but have been able to keep a hold on first place thanks to the major league leading 3.59 ERA as a team. With a 44-43 record and the Cleveland Guardians trailing right behind them, the Twins will need to figure it out offensively if they hope to make a postseason run.
Here are the Twins that are trending up and down in 2023.
Stock Up
Bailey Ober, pitcher: After making 31 starts in his first two seasons for the Twins, Ober has been one of the breakout stars of 2023 and a looks like a top of the rotation arm for years to come.
Going 5-6 with a 3.82 ERA over those first two seasons while filling in for injured starters, Ober wasn't on the big league roster to begin the season but its safe to say he will end the season with the team. Currently 5-4, Ober has a 2.70 ERA with a 0.95 WHIP, which would rank him second in the majors if he had enough innings to qualify.
With Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan in addition to the strong season of Ober, the Twins form one of the best pitching trios in MLB.
Brock Stewart, pitcher: Making his major league debut in 2016 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Stewart struggled through four seasons before being claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019.
In 2020 he would find himself in the Independent League and in 2021 he would need Tommy John surgery, causing him to miss the season.
After rehabbing his injury, Stewart signed a two-year deal with the Twins on July 14 of last year. He spent 2022 in Triple-A where he struggled with a 7.71 ERA over 14 innings pitched. After beginning the 2023 season in Triple-A, he finally made it back to the majors, where he has excelled.
Currently healing from a minor injury, Stewart has posted a 2-0 record with a 0.70 ERA in 25.2 innings pitched. He's struck out 35 batters during that span, good for a career-high 12.27 K/9.
Stock Down
Jorge Lopez, pitcher: After making the All-Star team for the Baltimore Orioles in 2022, Lopez was dealt to the Twins at the trade deadline for four minor leaguers, including Orioles dynamite relief pitcher Yennier Cano.
The trade is looking like a bad one with Cano's emergence in 2023.
Since his arrival in Minnesota, Lopez has gone 2-3 with a 4.80 ERA, allowing 27 runs over 50.2 innings as a member of the Twins.
One of the few members of the Twins bullpen that is struggling this season, his time in Minnesota could be coming to an end if his poor play continues with every game mattering in the tightly contested AL Central.
Twins stars: Making a combined $47M in 2023, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa are off to slow starts this season and have also missed 29 games collectively.
Buxton is currently slashing .216/.306/.457 with 15 home runs and 34 RBI while making all of his starts as a designated hitter. A career .241 hitter, Buxton has looked better at the dish over the last seven games but will need to continue that for longer periods of time if the Twins want to be successful in 2023.
Like Buxton, Correa has struggled this season with a .227 average while hitting 11 home runs and adding 38 RBI. Correa came back to the Twins after failed contract's with both the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets this offseason.
The Twins will need production from these two to help jumpstart a struggling offense and to give run support for a league-best pitching staff.
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