After contentious discussions, the MLB lockout is over and teams have begun their spring training schedules. Opening Day has been pushed to April 14, which gives teams some extra time to finalize their rosters and rotations. In this series, TGH will be summarizing each team’s 2021 season and predicting their Opening Day pitching rotation. Here is the Minnesota Twins pitching rotation for 2022.
Summary
The Twins finished in first place in the AL Central in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, though, Minnesota finished dead last in their division by one game, with a record of 73-89 (the Royals finished 74-88). Key injuries derailed their season, such as one to outfielder Byron Buxton.
Given that they missed the postseason, their record of 18-straight postseason losses still leads all American professional sports. Their starting rotation in 2022 looks completely different, though. Here is a look at the Minnesota Twins pitching rotation.
1. Sonny Gray
Gray was supposed to be a revelation in Cincinnati. He pitched well enough, but left the Reds for the Twins for the 2022 season. Last season, he had an ERA of 4.19 in 135.1 innings pitched. He went 7-9 in 26 games started.
2. Dylan Bundy
Bundy spent the last two seasons of his career with the Angels. He had a very down year in 2021, grabbing an ERA of 6.06 in 90 innings. That high ERA led him to an abysmal win-loss record of 2-9 in 23 appearances (19 starts).
3. Joe Ryan
Ryan had his first season of MLB service with the Twins last year. He appeared in just five games, but all of them were starts. In 26.2 innings pitched, he earned an ERA of 4.19. There is enough potential here to earn him a spot in the rotation, though.
4. Bailey Ober
Ober had an extremely similar season to Ryan last year. He did pitch a lot more innings, at 92, but had an identical ERA of 4.19. He was also a rookie last year, and went 3-3 in the win-loss column, and started all 20 of his appearances.
5. Chris Archer
Two time All Star Chris Archer will start his first games for Minnesota in 2022. He also has a fifth-place Cy Young finish under his belt, and was third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2013. Archer is now a veteran, and brings a potential to eat up innings to the Twins.
Featured image courtesy of Andy Lyons/Getty Images
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