Roster update [UPDATED]: Willians Astudillo optioned to AAA

Target Field, at least for now, will lack a fan favorite as catcher-slash-[INSERT POSITION HERE] Willians Astudillo has been optioned to the AAA Rochester Red Wings, according to Betsy Helfand of the Pioneer Press.

As I can guess the reactions in the comments below, let’s see how other social media is reacting to this. What have you to say on this, r/minnesotatwins?

Dude has one elite skill, but he needs at least passable plate discipline to take advantage of it. If he’s actually going to improve he’s better off in AAA where he can play much more often. That said, every day he was in the majors was a blessing, and I can’t wait for his return.

Responding with understanding... not what I expected. What else...

I think it’s still the injury that got his mojo all off. He was hitting .327 before it, .205 since. He needs some time to let himself get reset and build up his good at-bats. At the plate tonight he looked like he was just struggling a LOT.

Statistics as well? What is thi-

.185/.220/.185 over his last 15 games. And it’s not like he’s been getting robbed or smoking the ball right at someone like Marwin was earlier on in the season. Popups, lazy fly balls and easy two hoppers to short. It was a nice little honeymoon at the start of the year, but with Castro raking and Sauce back (both of whom are easily better defensively) plus Cave/possible arms waiting in Rochester, it’s a move you need to make.

I don’t even recognize social media any longer. If we’re going to be sensible, we might as w-

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (submission title continues in comments) OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ah, much better.

La Tortuga’s struggles at the plate since his return from the IL have been noticeable to the layman’s eye; he’s looked like a shell of his early 2019 self, and the statistics have backed it up. He’s barreled just 3.7 percent of his batted balls and producing a .107 isolated power, resulting in a sub-.300 OBP (.273) - an unsustainable number for producing runs. He’s been fine on defense, with a 49.7% pitch framing conversion (per Baseball Savant), but his bat this month has not complemented his glove.

With both Mitch Garver and Jason Castro knocking the tar out of baseballs and providing solid defense behind the plate, and Marwin Gonzalez’s offense picking up as the all-around utility guy, Astudillo will have an opportunity in Rochester to play regularly and get his bat back on track. We look forward to it.

The Twins have not yet announced who will take Astudillo’s place on the active roster. Per Helfand and The Athletic’s Dan Hayes, the team will announce the move this morning; according to Hayes, the Twins will call up a relief pitcher.

As the Twins’ bullpen has surrendered 14 of the team’s 26 allowed runs since the beginning of June (13 of 21 earned), this will be welcome.

UPDATE:

The Twins have added relief pitcher Ryan Eades to the big club. Eades, a non-roster invite to spring training, appeared in 16 games for the Red Wings this year, going 2-2 with a 5.68 ERA (though seven of his 20 earned runs allowed came in one 1.1-inning outing). Eades will wear No. 80, the same he wore this spring, making him the first MLB player in history to don that number.

To make room for Eades on the 40-man roster, the Twins have placed infielder Ronald Torreyes on the restricted list. Torreyes had been on Rochester’s temporary inactive list, batting just .128 with a .172 OBP this in 22 AAA games.