Twins

Twins Demote Berrios, Reassign Rucinski, Release Stubbs

Stubbs requested and was granted his release when notified he was not going to make the Opening Day roster. (photo credit: Brian Curski)

Between Saturday and Sunday, the Minnesota Twins did a bit of roster shuffling. Saturday saw the demotion of top pitching prospect Jose Berrios, who simply didn’t have enough work in the spring to keep himself in the mix as the No. 5 starter — a job that appears to be going to Tyler Duffey after a strong effort in a minor-league game on Saturday.

Berrios only tossed four innings in big-league camp before departing for the World Baseball Classic, and only threw 5.2 innings with the runner-up Puerto Rico before returning to the Twins. Berrios threw 1.2 innings in the final against the United States on March 22, but only threw 40 pitches (24 strikes), leaving it an all but certainty he’d be sent to Rochester to start the season so he could lengthen out.

As of right now, it looks like the Triple-A rotation will start the year looking like Berrios, Adalberto Mejia, Drew Rucinski, Jason Wheeler and Nick Tepesch with Aaron Slegers in the mix either in the bullpen, or if Tepesch has an opt-out date he chooses to exercise.

Rucinksi was sent to minor-league camp on Sunday, and as mentioned appears ticketed for Rochester to start the season. After spending last season in the hitter-happy Pacific Coast League —  where he posted a 5.92 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 6.7 K/9 — he should find the going a little bit easier in the International League. Rucinski has big-league experience with the Angels in 2014 and ’15, but only had so-so numbers this spring with the Twins: 6.48 ERA in nine appearances, 1.56 WHIP and 7-4 K/BB ratio in 8.1 IP.

LISTEN: Rucinski joins the guys on Midwest Swing earlier this offseason.

Also on the move is outfielder Drew Stubbs, who requested his release after being notified he would not make the Opening Day 25-man roster. Stubbs — who has over 900 games of MLB experience with Cincinnati, Colorado, Texas, Atlanta, Cleveland and Baltimore — hit just .139/.273/.278 (5-for-36) this spring.

After these moves, the Twins have 41 players left in camp, including 10 not on the 40-man roster. That comes out to 19 pitchers, four catchers, 12 infielders and six outfielders.


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Stubbs requested and was granted his release when notified he was not going to make the Opening Day roster. (photo credit: Brian Curski)

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