Michael Rand asks if the Ervin Santana surgery should change the way the Twins approach free agent pitchers. Santana is not expected back until May due to the fix of a finger:

Long story short: The Twins needed to add starting pitchers even before Santana’s short-term injury. Knowing they’ll be without him for the first month or so of the season shouldn’t impact how they proceed in offering big money multi-year contracts to the frontline pitchers still out there like Yu Darvish, Jake Arrieta, Lance Lynn and Alex Cobb.

But it should reinforce how shaky their pitching depth already was, and how bad things could be if they don’t make at least one move.

“We know we can add in that space, and I feel confident that we have the opportunity to continue to bring in another set of names,” Falvey said of adding starting pitchers, “whether it’s to compete for one of those rotation spots or to solidify one of those spots.”

This is the perfect season for a small market team to dive into the free agent market. Prices are down, and good pitchers are available. Maybe the Twins could add two of those pitchers on short term deals and try to beat the Indians.