Former American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel recently agreed to a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins. He will make his second start on Saturday for the St. Paul Saints, the Twins’ AAA affiliate.

In his first start, Keuchel went four innings last week at Toledo, allowing one run on four hits while striking out four. He threw 54 pitches, 36 for strikes and got 11 swings and misses.

KSTP Sports spoke with Keuchel on Thursday at CHS Field about why he chose to sign with Twins’ organization.

***Click the video box above to watch Keuchel address joining the Twins’ organization***

The 35-year-old left-hander was 2-9 with a 9.20 ERA in 14 starts last year with the Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers. He was released by the Rangers on Sept. 4 and had been a free agent.

Keuchel, a two-time All-Star and 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner, is 101-91 with a 3.98 ERA in 257 starts and 11 relief appearances. He’s been working with performance coaches at Driveline Baseball in Kent, Washington.

Minnesota does not have a left-handed starter in its rotation.

Signed to a $55.5 million, three-year deal with the White Sox in December 2019, Keuchel was 6-2 with a 1.99 ERA for the White Sox in 2020 and finished fifth in Cy Young voting.

He slumped to 9-9 with a 5.28 ERA in 2021 and had a 7.88 ERA in eight starts last year, then was designated for assignment on May 28 and released two days later.