After several months of silence, the Minnesota Twins sprinted into the offseason conversation this week by trading Jorge Polanco and signing Carlos Santana.
With one addition and one subtraction, the Twins' projected Opening Day lineup looks much different than it did a week ago and creates some interesting lineup combinations with pitchers and catchers set to report on Feb. 14.
Here's how the Twins Opening Day lineup stacks up right now against a right-handed starting pitcher, according to a projection from FanGraphs
- Eddy Julien, 2B
- Royce Lewis, 3B
- Byron Buxton, CF
- Max Kepler, RF
- Carlos Correa, SS
- Carlos Santana, 1B
- Matt Wallner, LF
- Ryan Jeffers, C
- Alex Kirilloff, DH
Julien seems like the one lock in the batting order after hitting .263/.381/.459 in 109 games during his rookie season. His 15.7% walk rate was in the 98th percentile and his 14.3% chase rate was the lowest in baseball.
But Julien's numbers were even better against right-handed pitching, hitting .274/.401/.497 with 16 homers and 36 RBI with a 17.2% walk rate. Those numbers should earn a spot at the top of the lineup.
Lewis should be in line for the second spot in the order after hitting .309/.372/.548 during his rookie season, but Byron Buxton could be a wild card depending on his health. After he declared himself healthy to return to center field, getting Buxton's .470 career slugging percentage against right-handers could be a priority and he could slot in nicely ahead of Max Kepler, who remains on the team despite trade rumors.
While Wallner's .281/.409/.561 line against right-handers is worthy of the fifth spot in the order, Correa could bat fifth to avoid back-to-back left-handed bats in the middle of the lineup. Wallner could slot in sixth ahead of Jeffers, who hit .281/.467/.828 with eight homers and 27 RBI in 210 at-bats against righties last year, and add some pop ahead of the newly-acquired Santana.
Kirilloff could be the final piece to the lineup after hitting .300/.373/.485 against right-handers last season, but he'll need to stay healthy after being limited to 88 games due to a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery.
Here's a lineup idea against left-handed starters:
- Byron Buxton, CF
- Royce Lewis, 3B
- Carlos Correa, SS
- Carlos Santana, 1B
- Eddy Julien, 2B
- Ryan Jeffers, C
- Max Kepler, RF
- Kyle Farmer, DH
- Willi Castro, LF
That lineup would give the Twins seven right-handed bats (Santana and Castro are switch hitters), with Julien and Kepler the only lefties in the order.
There are a million ways to slice the lineup against righties and lefties and we should have more clarity about what manager Rocco Baldelli is planning once spring training gets going later this month.
More must-reads: