Coming into the 2025 season, the Minnesota Twins had an obvious need: more offense. The lineup looked thin, and the departure of key bats raised real concerns about run production. At the same time, the Twins appeared to have a surplus of starting pitching, both at the major-league level and in the high minors. That imbalance led to a winter full of speculation. If the Twins were going to improve the offense, it seemed clear that pitching was the currency they’d use to do it.
One name at the center of those conversations was Chris Paddack. After missing significant time recovering from Tommy John surgery, he was set to earn $7.25 million in 2025, a hefty salary for someone who hadn’t pitched a full season since 2021. Plenty of fans and media figures saw him as a logical trade candidate, not necessarily to bring back a big bat, but simply to shed salary and reallocate those dollars to offense. The front office didn’t see it that way. Instead of moving him, they kept him—not only because they believed in his upside, but because he represented something they valued more than anything this offseason, starting pitching depth.
Beyond Paddack, the front office faced pressure to deal from their rotation surplus. Whether it was Bailey Ober, a proven mid-rotation starter with years of team control, or prospects like David Festa or Zebby Matthews, the Twins had arms that other teams wanted. The idea of trading one of those pitchers for a much-needed bat was a constant talking point throughout the winter. But the front office stood pat. They bet big on holding onto that depth, knowing that constructing a rotation with just five starters only gets you so far. Pitching attrition is one of the few guarantees in baseball. The Twins didn’t want to be caught scrambling when that inevitability hit.
Now, we’re seeing exactly why. The first sign came when Simeon Woods Richardson struggled through the opening stretch with a 5.02 ERA. The Twins responded by calling up David Festa. Then Zebby Matthews. These weren’t emergency fill-ins. They were prospects the team had ready to slot in when called upon. When Pablo López strained his teres major and hit the injured list for multiple months, the rotation could have been in crisis. Instead, Matthews slid right in. Then, Matthews himself went down with a shoulder injury—another blow. But the team was able to recall Woods Richardson again, a young arm who broke out last year by providing steady, quality innings, even if this year’s start has been a tough one.
Most teams would be sunk at this point. Their ace is out. Two young arms have already been cycled in and out. They’ve gone past Plan B and Plan C. But the Twins are still afloat. Thanks to the arms they kept and the decisions they made months ago, they can still field a credible rotation. Joe Ryan, Ober, a rejuvenated Paddack, Festa, and Woods Richardson, who is struggling, but has shown success in the majors and (as a No. 5 starter) can be hidden a bit. Still waiting in the wings is Andrew Morris, a hard-throwing righty who is climbing prospect rankings fast.
None of this is to say the rotation is in perfect shape. It’s not. The group is stretched thin. But the only reason the season hasn’t been completely derailed is because the Twins built themselves a safety net of capable starting pitchers. They saw what could happen and prepared for it. While fans clamored for bats, the front office bet on depth.
There’s also still a path to add more. If the Twins find out closer to the trade deadline that they have flexibility to spend money, and if the injury situation remains uncertain, the team could explore deals to bring in another starting pitcher. A midseason addition could help reinforce a rotation that, while still solid, is clearly walking a tightrope right now. The Twins’ starting pitching depth hasn’t fixed the offense. It hasn’t eliminated all the problems. But it has kept the season alive.
Do you think that the front office was wise to hoard pitching depth this offseason? Can they survive the onslaught of hits to their depth? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!