ANAHEIM, CA – AUGUST 30: Andrelton Simmons #2 of the Los Angeles Angels waits to bat in the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 30, 2020 in Anaheim, California. The Seattle Mariners are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The day honoring Jackie Robinson, traditionally held on April 15, was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
Andrelton Simmons is reportedly joining the Twins on a one-year deal.
The big MLB news of the day was the fact there will be no 2021 Hall of Fame class. In more uplifting news, some players are finding new teams.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan sent out a tweet Tuesday night that will have Minnesota Twins fans excited. Shorstop Andrelton Simmons is heading to Minnesota to assume the role of starting shortstop on a one-year deal that doesn’t break the bank.
Twins win the Simmons sweepstakes
This is a nice gain for the Twins. As Passan points out, Simmons is expected to be the starter with Jorge Polanco moving to second base.
Simmons is a four-time Gold Glove winner and was a 6.3-WAR player in 2018. He has slowed down a bit as of late, but only has a combined 133 games played between 2019-2020. The Twins are clearly expecting him to bounce back.
Simmons was a big name on the shortstop market this offseason, as the Philadelphia Phillies were just one team with reported interest.
His offensive numbers don’t jump off the page, but defense is clearly being valued in this deal to the tune of $10.5 million. He is a career .269/.317/.379 batter who has shown some flashes of power in the past. Simmons finished eighth in American League MVP voting in 2017 thanks to his stellar defense. But he also had 38 doubles, 19 stolen bases, and 69 RBIs.
The Twins finished the 2020 season in familiar fashion. They made it to the postseason, only to get swept. The team hasn’t even won a postseason game since 2004. Fans can at least rest easy knowing the team is actively trying to compete in an AL Central division going through some transition.
Simmons is off the market and teams must now turn elsewhere fast if they want to add a shortstop before Spring Training begins.