Why Chris Paddack was open to contract extension talks after second surgery

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Chris Paddack is normally more of a risk taker, especially when it comes to his pitching abilities. But when the Twins called this offseason about a contract extension that would include signing him through his first year of free agency, Paddack listened.

Nearly nine months ago, Paddack had reconstructive elbow surgery for the second time in his career. While the May 2022 procedure involved the addition of an internal brace instead of undergoing a second full Tommy John surgery, the odds of a pitcher having success after two elbow procedures are historically lower than for those who have had one.

Paddack believes in himself and his ability to succeed. But with an opportunity to reduce the pressure on himself to return more quickly and perform for his next contract, Paddack opted for security and signed a three-year deal worth $12.525 million. He went 1-2 with a 4.03 ERA in five starts last season, and won’t become a free agent until after the 2025 season.

“I’m always kind of gambling on myself,” Paddack said. “If this was my first one, maybe we’re talking just a one- or two-year deal with risk and gambling on myself going into my contract year. But this is something I couldn’t pass up, man. It’s a win-win for me. I’m super excited that it’s this organization, a team that I’m comfortable with. I’m excited. We’ve got all the pieces we need to win. At the end of the day, that’s what we’re here for. We want to win. Yeah, it’s nice to have millions of dollars in the bank, but we’re here to win a championship.”

Paddack’s extension offered him a slight pay increase this season from $2.4 million to $2.5 million. He’ll receive $2.525 million in 2024 and is set to earn $7.5 million in 2025, which would have been his first year as a free agent. He also could earn an additional $2.5 million in bonuses in 2025 for reaching 140, 150, 160 and 170 innings pitched.

Were Paddack healthy and successful in 2024, he’d easily earn more than $7.5 million in a free-agent deal. But he’s willing to take the security over trying to race back before this season ends in a push to put together a strong 2024 campaign.

“It takes a lot of pressure off of me,” Paddack said. “There’s a lot of weight lifted off of my shoulders. I don’t have to be that hero that has to come back in August or September that potentially could be risking my career (by) coming back early from an injury like this.”

Paddack isn’t ruling out a return to the mound in 2023, he just didn’t want to feel any pressure to do so. Because this is his second elbow surgery, Paddack is taking a conservative approach and performing each step in his rehab three months later than normal at the advice of Dr. Keith Meister.

Whereas a pitcher returning from Tommy John surgery might normally throw after six months, Paddack just began playing catch with a sock last week at 45 feet. While his teammates are prepping for late March, Paddack is progressing “15 feet at a time.”

Still, Paddack likes having the carrot of potentially pitching for a team in a pennant race in September.

“We made that clear at the beginning of this whole thing is like, ‘Hey, don’t tell me I’m not pitching,’ because I want to have some drive,” Paddack said. “I want to have something to look forward to and then if September rolls around and we’re not ready to go, then we can address that situation when it comes.”

Twins facility ready just in time

As players rolled into camp this week, final repairs were being made around the Twins’ Lee County Sports Complex facility. While it’s considerably less compared with the massive destruction of Fort Myers Beach and the area’s outer barrier islands, more than $500,000 in damage was caused at the complex when Hurricane Ian made landfall on Sept. 28.

The team’s batting cages were destroyed, the external walls of the stadium suffered water damage and the facility also sustained wind damage, including Kirby Puckett’s likeness being blown off the outside of the minor-league clubhouse.

Repairs only began recently as the facility is under the direction of Lee County, which is understandably more concerned with working on the infrastructure of other parts of the metro area. The facility housed Lee County’s first responders until mid-December as they worked in the aftermath of the Category 4 storm, which killed 149 people in Florida and had sustained winds of 150 mph when it made landfall.

Located only 12 miles from the facility, Fort Myers Beach is still in recovery mode 4 1/2 months after it was completely destroyed. Hundreds of abandoned boats are strewn across the area, as are empty foundations where beachfront properties used to stand after Estero Island was inundated with a 12-foot storm surge. Whereas Fort Myers Beach used to have 2,384 hotel rooms, only 360 are currently available, according to a New York Times report.

“All things considered we were very lucky,” Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. “You go out toward the beach and drive around, the construction I’ve seen. I didn’t realize quite (how bad it is) — I mean, you knew. You saw all the pictures and what was happening, but there’s still a lot more damage here than I ever expected. … From a work and camp standpoint, there’s nothing we can’t do on the field.”

Mahle rejoins Twins after wife gives birth

Tyler Mahle’s connecting flight from Minneapolis to Fort Myers last week had taken off when his wife’s doctor informed her they needed to induce labor. In an instant, Mahle’s plan to arrive at Twins spring training early changed. The starting pitcher landed in Fort Myers, rented a car and drove two hours to Tampa before catching a direct flight home to Southern California.

He arrived in time for the birth of his first child, a boy, and stayed home before returning to Florida on Wednesday. Mahle participated in the Twins’ first workout Thursday.

While his 2022 season was interrupted by shoulder issues, Mahle said the only way he would be limited in the early part of camp is because of his cross-country baby adventures. Otherwise, Mahle was full go this spring and feeling good after going to Driveline in October to improve his slider. Mahle is excited about the new grip he’s learned and his approach to throwing the pitch.

“If anything, (limitations would be) just because of the last week I’ve been at home,” Mahle said. “But I played catch and threw a bullpen Monday and Tuesday. If there’s any ‘pump the brakes a little bit,’ it’s because I’ve been at home for the past week with my wife and son. Everything is good.”

Hamstring cost Duran a chance to pitch in WBC

Six weeks ago, Jhoan Duran was ramping up to pitch in the World Baseball Classic when he felt a tug on his right hamstring. Rather than push it and risk injury that could put his regular season in jeopardy, Duran opted out of pitching for the Dominican Republic in next month’s tournament.

“I was waiting for that and I’m not going,” Duran said. “That’s not good. … I need to be safe if I’m going to be ready for the season. The season is a big season for me. I’m good now. I’m all better.”

While he was merely a rookie last season, Duran ranks behind only Carlos Correa in high-profile Twins players who are skipping the WBC. Correa and the Twins decided earlier this month he’d skip the WBC, too.

Pitching in relief for the first time in his career, Duran posted a 1.86 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 67 2/3 innings last season, saving eight games. Featuring a 103-mph fastball and a nasty four-pitch mix, Duran, who was named the Twins’ rookie of the year and pitcher of the year at the Diamond Awards last month, is being counted upon to play a huge role in the 2023 bullpen.

Healthy Larnach homers off Duran

Trevor Larnach is ready to put a frustrating campaign behind him and demonstrated it with an early homer off Duran in live batting practice last week. After posting an .890 OPS through the end of May, Larnach sustained a core muscle injury on both sides of his body that required surgery in June. He didn’t return to action until playing five games at Triple-A St. Paul in mid-September and then shut it down.

Despite playing in only 51 games, Larnach looked like a major leaguer before his injury. Unfortunately, the team’s outfield is full of capable options this spring after the team traded for Michael A. Taylor and signed Joey Gallo. The competition should be tough, but Larnach is ready for it and feeling healthy.

“Every spring training I’ve come in, I’ve wanted to make this team, obviously,” Larnach said. “It’s not a matter of if I want to, it’s just doing what I need to do. And I understand the situation, every outfielder here understands the situation. But that’s out of our control. Our control is to show up, stay healthy, put up numbers.”