Gray it Forward

 

Up until the moment the Twins decided to keep Byron Buxton, I thought they were headed for disassembly. 

It's because I was thinking according to how old MLB customs and rules were. You bottom out for a year, you're done, you pawn everybody off and try again. That is not how the Twins have operated for the past several seasons, bopping between first and last, competitive and patient, while still retaining Buxton, Miguel Sano, Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco and Alex Kirilloff. But as the team gave away Jose Berrios, pawned off Isiah Kiner-Falefa 24 hours after acquiring him, and began the season by splitting with Taylor Rogers and Brent Rooker, I was still puzzled by the approach. They're trying to...compete?

How else do you explain trading for Sonny Gray, who certainly isn't looking NOT to compete right now? Gray came off well in his first start, going 4.2 innings with 4 Ks despite giving up 2 earned runs. It's still very much looking like Gray is an elite, trusted starting option, and for a team forced to start people like Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Griffin Jax right now, that is better than nothing. 

Today's win should have made it very clear what the Twins are after. Not only is Byron Buxton back to being hot as hell after his MVP-quality start to 2021, not only can Gary Sanchez still pump grand slams, not only did they make it clear how much they lucked out in landing Carlos Correa, but they made it clear that their middle core, people like Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco and Ryan Jeffers can still deliver. Offensively pounding the Mariners, even after dropping two to stellar outings by Robbie Ray and Logan Gilbert, is definitely a statement.

Of course, the Twins aren't the only team capable of drilling the shit out of a team in their division. The White Sox drubbed the Tigers 10-1, while the Guardians managed to put up SEVENTEEN RUNS against the Royals, made even more thrilling by the fact that they barely put up 1 in their previous two games. So the Twins aren't the only power-hitting collective in the AL East, and the goal will be finding moments like these to remind the league of their potency. In a more balanced division, it will be difficult to go all the way, but the Twins have a lot more than anyone would have thought after a bottom-out season, and I'm excited to see where else they go.

Coming Tomorrow- Starting third baseman for, admittedly, another team I expected to task a bit after losing their core. Thank god for the new CBA.