The career of Twins reliever Steven Okert underwent a transformation due to
While en route to the Miami Marlins’ camp in Jupiter, Fla., Steven Okert was unexpectedly informed of a trade that redirected his plans. Just days before reporting, the left-handed reliever discovered he had been traded to the Twins in exchange for Nick Gordon.
“I didn’t see that coming at all,” Okert remarked, acknowledging the surprise of the pre-camp trade, especially as he had anticipated any potential moves to occur during camp itself. “It was a bit strange, being traded for the first time. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect or what was happening.”
Adjusting to the sudden change, Okert is currently in the process of settling in, while his wife and dogs remain at their rented accommodation in Jupiter. He is now searching for a residence near the Twins’ Fort Myers complex.
At 32 years old, Okert primarily relies on his slider. Last season with the Marlins, he posted a 4.45 ERA over 58⅔ innings, striking out 73 batters and issuing 24 walks. Following a challenging 2019 season with the San Francisco Giants’ Class AAA team, Okert reinvented himself as a slider-dominant pitcher, particularly during the hiatus of the canceled 2020 season.
“I felt the need to change things up a bit after not playing in 2020, especially considering the feedback from scouts wasn’t overly positive,” Okert explained. “I focused on developing a more effective slider, something beyond the average.”
Having excelled early in the 2021 Class AAA season, Okert earned a promotion to the majors and was encouraged to maximize his slider usage. According to StatCast, his slider accounted for 68.1% of his pitches in 2022 and 61.3% last season.
Okert is expected to vie with Kody Funderburk for the role of the second left-handed pitcher in the Twins’ bullpen behind Caleb Thielbar.
“I’m uncertain about my specific role here. We’ll figure that out as we go along,” Okert commented. “We’ve got some really talented arms on this team. During my bullpen session, I was sandwiched between Pablo López and Jhoan Duran, both exceptional pitchers. The bullpen is stacked, so it’s shaping up to be an exciting year.”
