Looking ahead: Players with options for 2023

It’s September already, so it’s time to look ahead and see what decisions the Minnesota Twins have to make for 2023. The front office has four players that have either a mutual option or a club option for next year’s campaign. There’s a clear option to take advantage of while the other three might end up in free agency this winter.

Chris Archer, mutual option ($10m, $750,000 buyout)

The one outlier in this group of options for 2023 is Chris Archer’s, which is a mutual option. Archer has not really proven that he is worth $10 million next season. Although he is tied with Dylan Bundy for the most starts on the team so far this year, he has the least number of innings pitched from a starter’s standpoint, leaving the already over-taxed bullpen to take over after four or less innings most times. “Quality over quantity.” The right-hander may be best suited for a bullpen role, but there have been rumblings that Archer’s approach to warming up is not suitable for the role and with the impending advent of the pitch clock, his whole pitching routine will most likely need to be re-worked. His walk and strikeout rates have flip-flopped from previous years, posting a 1.80 K/BB ratio this season versus a 10.0+ K/BB ratio in most of his previous campaigns.

Sonny Gray, club option ($12.5m)

It would be absolutely psychotic if the Twins did not exercise their club option on the 10-year veteran for 2023. Sonny Gray has been a ray of sunshine in a cloudy-ish starting rotation this year. His 3.04 ERA is the best among the qualified starters on the team, and although his K/9 is down from previous seasons (down from 10.3 in 2021 to 8.9 this year), he has improved in other areas, such as his BB/9 (2.9, down from 3.3 last year) and HR/9 (0.8, down from 1.3 in 2021). Gray would be a solid piece in a rotation that could include Kenta Maeda, Joe Ryan, Chris Paddack, and Bailey Ober in most of 2023.

Dylan Bundy, club option ($11m, $1m buyout)

That last sentence is a good segue to talking about Dylan Bundy. Bundy has certainly been serviceable in 2022, but has he done enough to earn $11 million in 2023? He’s improved somewhat from 2021 - he posted a 6.06 ERA/5.51 FIP in 90.2 innings of work - as he’s been holding to a 4.53 ERA/4.26 FIP so far this year. His walk rate has also improved along with how often he’s giving up home runs. If the Twins did not want to fill in the rotation with younger arms to start the season, the front office could pay the $1 million buyout and possibly work out a one-year deal with him. However, with the depth the team has on the starting pitching front, it may be best for the two to part ways after 2022.

Miguel Sano, club option ($14m, $2.75m buyout)

We’ve most likely seen the last game of Miguel Sano as a Twins player. Although his power numbers say otherwise (his career .808 OPS is good for a 117 OPS+), the rest of his slash line (.234/.326/.482) along with his strikeout numbers - a whopping 36.5% strikeout rate in his career - are something to grimace and pass at. Although a power bat would be a welcome addition in a Twins lineup, Sano’s strikeout numbers heavily weigh down the chances of the team taking the club option.