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MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Twins on Wednesday declined to offer a 2021 contract to Eddie Rosario, their regular left fielder for the past six seasons.
The Twins also decided not to bid reliever Matt Wisler before the MLB deadline. They have one-year deals with five of their arbitrator-eligible players: right-hander Jose Berrios ($ 500,000 in signing bonus and $ 5.6 million in salary), center-back Byron Buxton ( $ 5,125,000), reliever Tyler Duffey ($ 2.2 million), wide receiver Mitch Garver ($ 1,875,000) and reliever Caleb Thielbar ($ 650,000).
Rosario authorized the waivers this week, another sign of the economic uncertainty around the industry.
“We really appreciate everything Eddie has done so far. He’s been a part of this team the last few years. So it’s always tough decisions. But he was a pro at it,” said the president of the baseball operations Derek Said Falvey.
Although Rosario and Wisler were the only players on the 40-man roster not to have offered new contracts, Falvey said the team remains open to negotiating with them as free agents.
Rosario, 29, earned $ 7.75 million last season, batting .257 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs with a .792 OPS in 57 games. He hit a career-high 32 home runs with 109 RBIs in 2019 and was voted the team’s most valuable player in 2018, but the club’s best prospects are in the outfield. Alex Kirilloff, a 2016 first-round pick, is likely ready for a daily role after landing on the playoff list. Brent Rooker and Trevor Larnach are right behind.
Rosario, who was eligible for his third and final year in officiating that would likely have driven his salary to over $ 10 million, became a free agent a season earlier. With the COVID-19 pandemic putting pressure on incomes and payrolls, Rosario, whose career-based percentage is only 0.310, was a logical candidate for non-submission.
Wisler has been a success for the Twins, posting a 1.07 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 25 ½ innings after splitting the 2019 season with San Diego and Seattle. He earned $ 725,000 in 2020.
The moves have left just one player in the salary arbitration eligibility pool, closer to Taylor Rogers, with two more months to reach a deal before the twins are forced to surrender to an audience. Rogers has taken a step back this season, compiling a 4.05 ERA in 21 appearances with nine saves and two missed chances. He made $ 4.45 million in 2020, having made 30 saves with 90 strikeouts in 69 innings in 2019.
Two-time All-Star Berrios had a 4.00 ERA in 12 starts over the 60-game season to help the Twins win their second straight Central American League title. He earned $ 4,025,000 in 2020.
Buxton has fought injury again but posted a career record 0.844 OPS, with 13 homers in 39 games while providing an elite defense in centerfield. He earned $ 3,075,000 in 2020.
Duffey, who turns 30 on Dec. 27, set a career-best 1.88 ERA in 24 innings this year with 13 hits allowed and 31 strikeouts. Over the past two years, the right-hander has been a key late-game cog in the Minnesota pickup box, recording a 2.31 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 81 innings with 57 hits allowed. He won $ 1.2 million in 2020.
Garver and Thielbar have entered their first year of arbitration eligibility. After a 2019 season with 31 home runs in 93 games, Garver collapsed in 2020 and spent much of the summer on the injured list.
In addition to Rosario and Wisler, the Twins have a long list of notable free agents: designated hitter Nelson Cruz, starting pitchers Jake Odorizzi and Rich Hill, multi-positioner Marwin Gonzalez, relievers Sergio Romo and Tyler Clippard, and backup receiver Alex Avila. Relief pitcher Trevor May has signed with the New York Mets.
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