Ober stifles MLB-best Phillies, making case for bigger role

MINNEAPOLIS -- Carlos Correa can’t play in the Twins’ games these days as he recovers from plantar fasciitis for a second consecutive season, which leaves the shortstop -- who is sometimes jokingly referred to as the Twins’ “assistant general manager” -- plenty of time to send Trade Deadline suggestions to manager Rocco Baldelli in an attempt to work those ideas up the ladder.

And leading into the July 30 Trade Deadline, the priority is clear for Minnesota: The Twins need pitching, and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand has reported that -- as expected -- they’re looking to add in the club’s effort to build on the momentum of last season’s run to the American League Division Series, when it won its first playoff series since 2002.

“It has to be,” Correa said. “I feel like our lineup is really good, especially when we're healthy. I think we're a top-3 lineup in baseball. Definitely -- everybody needs pitching.”

Meanwhile, Bailey Ober continued to assert his case for a starting role in the most important games with a needed -- and highly effective -- start against the MLB-best Phillies on Monday night, outdueling National League All-Star Ranger Suárez with seven stifling innings of two-run ball in a 7-2 victory to help the Twins close the gap to four games on the American League Central-leading Guardians.

In the meantime, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey and his group are at work trying to find ways to add to that mix.

“We've been focused on that,” Falvey said. “No one has a surplus of anything, but you feel like you have a lot of guys in that room that can contribute to a winning offense and defense. Everyone's always looking for pitching.”

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The fundamental question that will form the underpinning of the Twins’ Deadline approach is this: Who would start potential playoff games?

If Ober keeps pitching like this, he’s asserting himself for a more prominent role in that mix -- especially as Pablo López keeps searching for consistency amid an up-and-down season. Following Ober’s own rough start to the 2024 campaign, he has been back to his typical consistent self, punctuated with higher-end flashes of brilliance.

Monday was one of those nights.

After allowing a two-run homer to Bryce Harper in the first inning, Ober allowed a leadoff single to Bryson Stott in the second -- and that was it. From that point forward, Ober faced the minimum through the end of his seven innings, with the only other baserunner he allowed coming on a leadoff walk to Trea Turner in the sixth, which was immediately erased by a Harper double play.

“I feel like the biggest thing, when stuff’s going right, is the mental side,” Ober said. “You’re on the current pitch, and then when that one’s over, you’re on to the next one. Nothing else is really going through your mind, you’re just in that kind of flow state of getting outs and executing pitches -- and right now, I’m feeling pretty good.”

Couple this sort of outing with, say, Ober’s 89-pitch, 10-strikeout complete game in Oakland on June 22, and he certainly looks in line for a more prominent role this season than last, when he was on a short leash as the option behind the clear front two in López and Sonny Gray.

With López trying to right the ship in the second half, a reliable Ober and Joe Ryan (four earned runs in six innings against the NL Central-leading Brewers on Sunday) become even more significant -- as does whatever help could potentially be on the way.

The challenge is that the Twins’ tricky payroll situation looms. They cut entering this year and their television contract again expires at the end of the season, which could limit their ability to take on more without, say, trading more prospect capital to get their trade partner to eat salary.

The Twins have shied away from rental starters in the past -- such as Jack Flaherty or Yusei Kikuchi in this year’s crop -- but that profile could perhaps make more sense this season due both to the longer-term payroll questions and the fact that the Twins’ top seven rotation options this year remain under contract next season.

With that said, Minnesota is always looking for controllable players, Falvey said, and it remains open to more creative need-for-need deals, if those possibilities arise.

“There is never a situation where we’re not keeping some eye on the future while we’re keeping it on the present,” Falvey said.

But whatever happens, don’t expect much until the 11th hour.

“The reality, in our sport, is a lot of this comes down as close to the end,” Falvey said. “I know it feels proximate to the Deadline, but in baseball hours and terms, it's an eternity between now and then.”