Minnesota Twins Looking At Right-Hander Bronson Arroyo
By Sarita Kelly
The Minnesota Twins have been talking with veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo lately, and those talks are now starting to heat up.
Aug 30, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo (61) delivers a pitch in the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Negotiations between the Twins and Arroyo have not started yet, but the Twins have been going over Arroyo’s medical records and have discussed guarantee language with his representatives while in Orlando for baseball’s General Managers’ Meetings.
Arroyo has thrown between 199 and 240 innings for nine consecutive seasons, will be 37 on Opening Day. That would make him the oldest member of the Twins’ pitching staff, if he signs. Right-hander Kevin Correia, who led the Twins with 31 starts and 185 1/3 innings last season, is 33.
Valued for his durability and leadership, Arroyo is coming off a season in which he went 14-12 with a 3.79 earned run average for Cincinnati.
Arroyo did not receive a qualifying offer from the Reds after winning 105 games for them over the past eight seasons. The Reds aren’t expected to re-sign Arroyo, who would not cost his signing team a compensatory draft pick.
While the Twins are keeping a close eye on Arroyo, they will still continue to monitor the market for a handful of other free-agent starters. They have previously said that they’re interested in right-handers Phil Hughes and Ricky Nolasco and lefty Jason Vargas.
But it is Arroyo who seems to be at the top of their list. He is also being looked at by the San Francisco Giants.
Since the start of 2005, only two pitchers (C.C. Sabathia and Dan Haren) have thrown more big-league innings than Arroyo’s 1895 2/3. Of the pitchers with the top 10 innings totals in that span, Arroyo’s 4.10 ERA is the highest and his 5.75 strikeouts per nine innings are second-lowest.