The Minnesota Twins, who finished atop the AL Central in the standings at the conclusion of the 2023 season, owe a significant portion of their success to their fifth-ranked pitching staff and second-ranked starting rotation. However, this season has presented a starkly different scenario for the Twins and their rotation. Right-hander Louie Varland, in particular, has played a major role in this shift due to a poor start. Despite showing promise in 2023, Varland was recently optioned to Triple-A by the Twins to enhance roster flexibility.
The Twins’ decision to option Varland, 25, follows a series of moves they made. To fill Varland’s spot, the team selected the contract of Ronny Henriquez. Additionally, the Twins moved right-hander Daniel Duarte to the 60-day Injured List to create a spot for Henriquez on the 40-man roster. Max Kepler was activated, and Jair Camargo was optioned along with Varland.
With this roster shuffle, the Twins are left with only four MLB-level starting pitchers. However, they have some off days coming up, so they won’t need to find a replacement until at least Friday. Chris Paddack, Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober are scheduled to pitch the next four games.
The Twins’ current 7-13 record is a departure from their 87-win campaign in 2023, with the team’s pitching woes being a major contributing factor. Their starting staff holds an ERA of 5.98, which is better than only the Colorado Rockies. This performance has been a key reason for Varland’s optioning.
In 2023, Varland demonstrated flashes of being a reliable rotation option, particularly at the backend. Despite throwing 68 innings with a 4.63 ERA, the underlying numbers suggest a slightly higher level of performance. Varland’s walk rate was only 6%, and he struck out 25.1% of batters faced. His ability to limit walks positioned him in the 83rd percentile, and he induced a 45.4% groundball rate, keeping the ball in play.
Unfortunately, these positive attributes have not been evident in 2024, leading to Varland’s optioning. His strikeout percentage has dropped to 20.7%, while his walk rate has increased by 4.3%. The most concerning aspect of Varland’s performance this season is his home run rate. Among starters who have thrown at least 10 innings, his 35.3% flyball to home-run ratio is alarming. He has also allowed six home runs, which ties him for third-most in MLB despite pitching fewer innings than the pitchers he is tied with.
Whether Varland can regain his form and return to the Twins remains to be seen, but in the meantime, the team will rely on its bullpen and search for another arm to fill his spot in the rotation.