Report: Twins hire Neil Allen as pitching coach

The Minnesota Twins are taking a page out of the Tampa Bay Rays in an effort to improve the results of their pitching staff.

Neil Allen was reportedly informed Friday that the Twins have hired him as their next pitching coach, according to La Velle E. Neal III and Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. 

It's the first significant move the Twins have made since Paul Molitor (pictured above) was named the team's new manager.

The Twins have yet to confirm the hiring.

Allen, 57, previously served in the Rays organization, managing the club's Triple-A pitching staff the last four seasons. He helped coach several of the Rays' top arms over the years, including Chris Archer, Alex Cobb and closer Jake McGee.

"He's a smart guy with some really interesting ideas," a source told the Star Tribune on Saturday. "His pitchers work hard for him."

The former major-league pitcher inherits a rotation that issued the second fewest walks in the American League last year, but posted the league's worst strikeout rate.