The Potential Trade for a Relief Ace Nobody Is Talking About

[Andrew Thares]

Over the past week or two here at Twins Daily, we have brought up a number of potential trades that the Minnesota Twins could make before Monday’s trade deadline. There has been a scattered array of starting pitchers, relievers, and position players mentioned, but one name that has not been discussed is Arizona Diamondbacks closer Archie Bradley.Archie Bradley has been a big name since he was a high schooler in Oklahoma. He was selected 7th overall in the loaded 2011 MLB Draft. In addition to Bradley, Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer, Dylan Bundy, Anthony Rendon, Francisco Lindor, Javier Baez, George Springer, Jose Fernandez and Sonny Gray were all selected in the top 18.

 

While Bradley did not have what it takes to make it as a starting pitcher, he has thrived as a reliever ever since the Diamondbacks moved his to the bullpen before the start of the 2017 season. In that time, Bradley has a 2.98 ERA with 10.1 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. Bradley has been a workhorse for the Diamondbacks out of the pen, throwing at least 70 innings in each of his three full seasons as a reliever.

 

In 10 innings so far in 2020, entering play on Sunday, Bradley has a 3.64 ERA with a FIP of just 1.64. Bradly has been able to strike out 12 opposing hitters while allowing just three walks and zero home runs. Though Bradley has yet to give up a home run this year, he has still been hit pretty hard. So far, Bradley has allowed 26 batted balls in play, and a shockingly high 11 of them have been hard hit balls (above 95 mph exit velocity). This offers up a good explanation as to why Bradley has a BABIP of .423 to begin the season. While avoiding hard contact has never been a strength of Bradley’s, even in his dominate 2017 season, you could expect that as the sample size of the season progresses, Bradley’s hard-hit rate will start to settle back down to his norms.

 

By all aspects, Archie Bradley seems like an excellent player to target in a trade for the Twins. He is on a Diamondbacks team that should be looking to sell, and he has one additional year of team control in 2021. He will also be a cheap addition payroll wise for 2020, as he has a little over $600K left on his deal this year. Additionally, Bradly shouldn’t require the Twins to give up one of their top five or so prospects in order to get him, something I am sure the Twins are hesitant to do.

 

While Bradley has not been the pitcher that he flashed in 2017, he has still been a quality reliever in the time since. At a minimum, he would certainly add another quality arm that Rocco can trust for key outs in the Postseason. However, there is always the chance that the Twins could tap into something that was missing with Bradley’s game, and get him back close to his lights out 2017 form.

 

Additionally, Bradley has the ability to pitch multiple innings in a relief outing, as he has thrown more than one inning in 25% of his career relief appearances. This is a role the Bradley has thrived in, as he has posted a 2.50 ERA with 9.6 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in those outings where he has gone more than one inning since becoming a reliever.

 

With the backend of the Twins bullpen more secure than that of the Diamondbacks, the Twins would have more flexibility to use Bradley in that stretch multi-inning role than the Diamondbacks, who have been using him more as a traditional closer the last couple of years. This flexibility is a great thing for Rocco Baldelli to have, as he can use Bradley in the middle innings to bridge a short start to the backend of the bullpen, or as a guy to eat up a couple innings early in one of the bullpen games that the Twins have started throwing with regularity this season.

 

Though it likely that the Diamondbacks are looking to move Archie Bradley before Monday’s trade deadline, it remains to be seen if the Twins are at all interested in him. For me, Bradley is certainly someone that peaks my interest. If the Diamondbacks give them a reasonable offer, he is a player that the Twins should strongly consider, especially with the lack of high upside relievers available on this year’s trade market.

 

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[old nurse]

I wouldn't call Bradley an Ace of any type. One great year, a couple of good years makes for a nice pitcher to have, but 2017 laurels are ancient history