The 2022 campaign was a difficult one for Dallas Keuchel, but he’ll look to rebound with the Minnesota Twins. The Twins signed Keuchel to a Minor League deal on June 22, almost ten months since his last start in the Majors. Here’s a look at what Keuchel has been up to.
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A Look at Keuchel
Just three years ago, former AL Cy Young award winner and 2017 World Series champion Dallas Keuchel turned in a dominant 2020 season with the White Sox. Keuchel went 6-2 with a 1.99 ERA for a White Sox team that made the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. A little over two years later, Keuchel will look to gain another chance to stick in the bigs with the Twins.
Keuchel’s numbers took a sharp nosedive south in 2021, and dipped even more last season. Between Chicago (AL) and Texas, Keuchel recorded a career-low 4.6 BB/9, 13.9 H/9, and a 9.20 ERA across 60.2 IP. The left-hander did not find a taker after the Rangers released him in September 2022.
Over the past few months, Keuchel has worked with Driveline Baseball in an attempt to re-gain his form. On social media, Driveline director of pitching Chris Langin posted periodic updates on the former AL Cy Young winner.
Keuchel’s velocity is reportedly up to 88-89 MPH, numbers we haven’t seen from the left-hander since 2019. The 35-year-old has never been a hard-thrower, as he relied heavily on deception, movement on his cutter and sinker, and great command.
Per Driveline, Keuchel’s seen renewed velocity on his sinker and increased sweep on his cutter. Another positive from those training sessions is that Keuchel got good movement on the sinker, but only time will tell how that will play up in the future.
The Twins signed Keuchel to a Minor League deal. He’ll likely head to St. Paul (AAA).
What it Means for the Twins
The top half of the Twins rotation has been solid. In a contract year, Sonny Gray‘s turned in a strong 2023 campaign that has seen the righty post a 2.56 ERA through his first 81 innings. Joe Ryan, meanwhile, has rode an excellent slider and splitter, along with a four-seamer that pairs well with those secondary offerings to what will likely be an All-Star season for the 27-year-old. Pablo Lopez has had his ups-and-downs, but he entered play on June 22 fourth in the Majors in total strikeouts (110).
The back half of the rotation, however, has been a different story. Tyler Mahle is done for all of 2023, while Kenta Maeda‘s missed a good chunk of this season. RHP Louie Varland induces plenty of whiffs with a good slider, but he’s left a lot of pitches over the plate and has given up 14 home runs in just 56 innings. Given those numbers, it’s not terribly surprising to see the Twins in the market for another depth starter.
Keuchel poses as a fallback option for the Twins, a team intent of making the playoffs. If the 35-year-old can find his groove in the Minors, it’s a nice find on the cheap. And on a Minor League deal, it doesn’t cost the Twins anything should Keuchel falter in the Minors.
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