MLB Rumors: Twins Take A Chance On Pitcher Jhoulys Chacin

KEY POINTS

Chacin has agreed to a minor league deal with the Twins
Chacin is expected to crack the major league lineup
Twins give Chacin a chance after a forgettable MLB season

The Minnesota Twins are determined to bolster their rotation this coming MLB season with available talent in the market. Jhoulys Chacin is the latest player set to be signed, someone who is coming off a dreadful season.

According to Robert Murray of The Athletic, the Twins came to an agreement with the right-hander. The Venezuelan joins the team on a minor league contract with an invite to the big league camp. Chacin will earn $1.6 million-plus an additional $1.5 million in incentives if he cracks the Major League roster.

The only hitch here is that the Twins may be taking a big risk on the 32-year-old pitcher. Chacin is coming off a forgettable season. In fact, he is considered one of the worst starters last year. He played for two teams last MLB season - the Milwaukee Brewers and the Boston Red Sox. He only managed a 6.01 ERA overall. Among pitchers who have at least 100 innings pitched, Chacin had a 21-percent NR/FB rate.

Critics feel that Chacin will eventually crack the regular roster of Minnesota. It is no secret that the Twins are trying to improve their rotation. After striking out on players like Hyun-Jin Ryu and Madison Bumgarner, they settled for Rich Hill and Homer Bailey. Also returning is Michael Pineda although he needs to serve the remainder of his PED suspension.

For Chacin, he needs to show he is better than other pitchers on the Twins' roster. That list includes Randy Dobnak, Devin Smeltzer, Brusdar Graterol and Lewis Thorpe. To do so, the right-handed batter needs to recall the form he showed back in 2017 and 2018.

In 2018, Chacin set career-highs with the Brewers. He went 15–8 with a 3.50 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 192 2⁄3 innings. While things have waned since then, he needs to show he can still play at the same level. He is only 32 and obviously has plenty left in the tank. To do so, he needs to address his four-seam fastball and his sinker which are not that good at this stage of his baseball career, NBC Sports reported.

There is no telling what the Twins plan to do with Chacin. He could be a reliever or a spot starter next MLB season. Either way, the opportunity is there and all the Venezuelan has to do is show he can still be an asset to any team.