The Twins had been actively looking for a veteran pitcher for their rotation, but now their search must end. In light of the loss of Santana, Minnesota must acquire, not just chase, a veteran starter.

Things were already looking bad for the club that went from having the worst record in the game in 2016 to making the postseason last year, when a sexual assault allegation was made against All-Star third baseman Miguel Sano. Judging by the punishments Commissioner Rob Manfred has meted out for similar transgressions in recent seasons, Sano will likely face a suspension of at least a month if the allegation is proven true.

Several years ago, Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes, who had been arrested for domestic battery, was suspended for a month without pay by Major League Baseball. Then in 2016, All-Star reliever Aroldis Chapman served a twenty-nine-day suspension after a domestic violence arrest.

The Twins could get by without Sano in the middle of the lineup for the first month, as was shown last season when an injury sidelined the third baseman for all of September and the postseason. The rest of the lineup carried the burden for him during the pennant race, so his absence for the first month likely won’t bury the team.

Losing Santana, his clear ace who was a Cy Young Award finalist last year, is a very different matter. A look back at 2016 provides a clear indication of the urgency for the Twins to beef up their rotation, especially now that the No. 1 arm won’t be ready until May at the earliest.

Two seasons ago, Santana was suspended by MLB after testing positive for a banned substance, and his absence was the main reason Minnesota got off to the worst start in the organization’s history. The Twins must take precautions to avoid a similar start when acquiring a veteran starter.

Although You Darvish just signed with the Chicago Cubs, there are still several free agents available for the Twins. Jake Arrieta might be the most desirable, despite his age and an indication of diminishing ability over the past two years.

Arrieta would take a heavy toll, saddled the Twins with a costly contract for the next half-decade. Therefore, the best option for Minnesota would be to develop St. Louis Cardinals rigjthander Lance Lynn.

His numbers are nowhere near that of a staff ace, but the Twins don’t need an ace. They just need a durable, experienced arm who can take some of the slack for a month, who would then fit right in at No. 3 in the rotation behind Jose Berrios and the return of Santana.

Lyn. He would likely experience a lot of success with Minnesota, whose stellar defense was one of the key reasons they made the postseason last year. Plus, her signing would make a nice headline in the St. Paul Tribune: “Lynn is a twin!”