Every year, Minnesota Twins fans can count on a couple of traditions, no matter how the team performs. One is the annual signing of a well-known veteran who may or may not have anything left to offer. The other is watching a former Twin excel for another team, much to our collective frustration.
Luis Gil gave us a taste of this last season, and it’s likely to happen with someone else this year.
A potential candidate is former Twins reliever Cody Stashak. He just signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, complete with an invitation to Spring Training. As a once-promising player, Stashak could be positioned to make a big impact.
Stashak, who pitched in 55 games for the Twins between 2019 and 2022, has a 4-1 record, a 4.13 ERA, and a 1.19 WHIP with 83 strikeouts in his career. Though he’s bounced around with teams like Minnesota and San Francisco, the Phillies hope to unlock his potential, much like they did with Jeff Hoffman last year.
In 2023, the Phillies picked up Hoffman, who briefly played for the Twins. After choosing free agency, he signed with Philadelphia, made the major league roster, and had a breakout season, eventually making it to the All-Star Game with a 2.17 ERA and a 0.965 WHIP.
The Phillies are hoping Stashak can follow a similar path. While he may not become an All-Star, if he pitches well enough to strengthen their bullpen, it will continue the long-standing tradition of former Twins finding success beyond Minnesota.
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