One Trade the Twins Can Make With Each Contending AL Team

[Cody Christie]

Each contending team has holes to fill as the deadline approaches. Here is how the Twins can help each contending AL team.

White Sox, Relief Pitcher

Trades within the division can be tough, but every contending team needs bullpen help down the stretch. With the Twins wanting to contend next year, it doesn’t seem likely for the club to send Taylor Rogers or Tyler Duffey to a division rival. This makes Robles more of a logical choice with his late inning work this season. He will need to show he can be back to the player he was earlier this season before a deal can get done. Potential Fit: Hansel Robles

Cleveland, Starting Pitcher

Derek Falvey came to the Twins from Cleveland’s front office, so he is likely well familiar with many of the players still in their system. Cleveland’s pitching staff has dealt with plenty of injuries, so more starting pitching depth might be at the top of their list. Pineda is on an expiring deal, and he won’t cost that much to acquire. His performance will need to improve now that he is back from injury. Potential Fit: Michael Pineda

Red Sox, Left-Handed Bat

MLB.com identified first base as a need for Boston, but their bigger need might be adding a left-handed bat. Only two everyday players, Rafael Devers and Alex Verdugo, are lefties. There’s no question that Kepler has struggled this season, but lately there have been some signs of life with his bat. Kepler is on a very team friendly deal, and he has some defensive flexibility. The emergence of Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach makes Kepler expendable, but the team can also wait until the off-season to trade him. Potential Fit: Max Kepler

Rays, Designated Hitter

At the beginning of last month, I wrote about the Twins trading Cruz to the Rays. Tampa has previously been interested in him and he adds a big bat to the middle of their line-up. He’s having one of the best seasons ever for a player over 40 and there is likely a small market of contending teams vying for his services. Tampa has one of baseball’s best farm systems so that makes things even more intriguing. Potential Fit: Nelson Cruz

Blue Jays, Relief Pitcher

Realistically, Toronto might be interested in multiple players on the Twins roster. Besides relievers, the Blue Jays are likely interested in adding starting pitching (Jose Berrios) or designated hitter (Cruz) This is a team that wants to win now, and the AL East is baseball’s toughest division. It’s not out of the question to think the Twins might ship multiple players to Toronto before the deadline. Potential Fit: Taylor Rogers

Astros, Relief Pitcher

Minnesota’s current front office has previously completed a trade with the Astros that involved a reliever with team control. Ryan Pressly has gone on to a tremendous career in Houston, but he is currently one of the team’s only late-inning options. Adding Rogers to the mix is the kind of one-two punch teams need for deep October runs. Potential Fit: Rogers

Athletics, Designated Hitter

Minnesota might be able to create a small bidding war, if they can pit Toronto, Oakland, and Tampa against each other for Cruz’s services. Oakland is very familiar with Cruz from his time in Seattle and their line-up can use the powerful upgrade that he can provide. One of the biggest questions is if teams like Tampa and Oakland can take on the remaining salary on his contract or will the Twins have to send cash to pay down his expiring contract. Potential Fit: Cruz

Which of these deals is most likely to happen? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

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[Game7-91]

Watching Rogers and Pressly win a WS in Houston would rub a lot of salt in a deep wound.

[tony&rodney]

Rogers should not be traded unless it is an overwhelming offer. The Twins do not need backups.

I would like to see Nelson Cruz finish this season in a Twins uniform as well.

How likely is it that a team trades a frontline prospect for a DH? Maybe?

[Rosterman]

I could see Pineda being a good pickup for Cleveland. They only need a rental. Thielbar and Robles may be tradable. Cruz would be a dynamite pickup for anyone needed a DH.

 

I would take a deal for Kepler.

 

Now, about Donaldson..... Could you package him with someone like Kepler, and also a prospect?

 

 

Sadly, the trading deadline ahs also become a time that some teams can just wait to see if a player is released, this a minimal committment and no players lost.

[Scot67]

The team needs to be realistic instead of holding out hopes for a miracle.

After reading the article I see more of a balanced approach is needed because if done right we could be back in 22, 

Cruz- Tampa Bay, better prospects and they are pitchers. 

Rogers- dodgers, could be the centerpiece  of a bigger trade with perhaps Pineda, Bauer is gone which means price may go into the rotation, dodgers have prospects ready to play

Barrios- cardinals or brewers (unless he agrees to a extension)brewers are a #2 away from big things they have young pitching and position players, cardinals always have good talent and their young ace Flaherty has been on the IL.

There are others who could be dealt many have called for Buxton but I am on record saying not yet.

Let's see what the team does, happy fire sale...

 

[Major League Ready]

Cleveland has lost 9 straight and they are 8 games back.  I doubt they are buyers.

I seriously doubt they would trade Rodgers to the Whitesox. 

[umterp23]

Trades make sense but it takes two to tango.  What do you get back in return?  Rogers & Cruz would gather something near future useful.  Pineda, Kepler & Robles would be fringe players in return unless front office can do some fleecing for the return.  Only one trade deadline this year so will be interesting to see what meetings are had during all-star break.

[Dman]

As the deadline draws near I am becoming less bullish on what the Twins can get in return for their rentals.  Cruz is the only player worth a decent prospect or two.  Maybe if Pineda can pitch well the next couple of times out he can increase his value but who wants a guy that gives up 12 hits in 5 innings.  If a team is willing to roll the dice they won't be giving up much.  Simmons is marginal as is Robles.  The Twins just are not going to get much back for guys that are not performing all that well.

Will they get a return they like for Berrios or Rodgers or maybe Kepler?  Maybe but as Tom pointed out in another article teams might want to hold onto their young near major league talent until a CBA is negotiated.  Hard to say if that will be the case or not but it could be a fairly quiet deadline with mostly just relievers moving.  

You never know what will happen some team might decide this is the year to take that leap and they go the massive overpay route and maybe that will be for a Twins player but it feels like the odds are lower than I thought they would be.

[Otto von Ballpark]

10 hours ago, Cody Christie said:

Red Sox, Left-Handed Bat

MLB.com identified first base as a need for Boston, but their bigger need might be adding a left-handed bat. Only two everyday players, Rafael Devers and Alex Verdugo, are lefties. There’s no question that Kepler has struggled this season, but lately there have been some signs of life with his bat. Kepler is on a very team friendly deal, and he has some defensive flexibility. The emergence of Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach makes Kepler expendable, but the team can also wait until the off-season to trade him. Potential Fit: Max Kepler

FWIW. Boston has a top LHB CF prospect who is dominating AAA and is a likely call-up very soon -- Jarren Duran.

[roger]

I love the core the Twins have, Polanco, Sano, Kepler, Buxton, Berrios.  With that said, I don't understand what went wrong.  Weren't they as good as we thought as they came up thru the system?  Or are they merely having off years?  Or did they not get the right coaching to get them to their respective ceilings?  Whatever, it ain't working.

Can't see them trading all of the core, nor should they.  Expect trading any will depend on what they can get in return.  Someone blows them away with an offer they are gonna have to think long and hard about saying 'deal.'

Coming into this year most of us thought the Twins were set to compete.  Maybe not win it all, but certainly would be back in the playoffs.  Honestly, I don't understand what went wrong, although their record with Buxton on the IL remains terrible while they were winning the last time he was back.  Only problem he was only back for what, four games?

I expect and hope the front office believes they have what it takes to get this team back to being competitive in 2022.  Sure gonna be interesting seeing how they go about it.  Was going to say fun instead of interesting, but nothing about this team has been fun of late.  No way do I want to speculate who gets traded and to where for what.  Just want to see them making several good deals that puts the team in better shape to compete in 2022 and beyond.  Then hope like hell that this team has a little fire in their guts and several of that core plays like we expected in 2022, preferably with a new coaching staff who works on the fundamentals needed to play the game the right way.

[dbminn]

All of the trades look reasonable as far as need. 

Out of the trades listed, I think Cruz to Oakland has the best chance of happening. The A's are 10 games over .500 but aren't getting anything out of the DH spot. Moreland has faded. As mentioned, Toronto is another good landing spot for Cruz.

I'm not sure Kepler will be traded. If he is, I think the Yankees are the best fit. They have only one LHH in the lineup and their OF is really thin. They're playing Tim Locastro and Miguel Andujar in LF right now. 

Rogers and Berrios will be in big demand if they're available. IMO, uncertainty around the collective bargaining agreement isn't going to stop teams like the NYY, NYM, TOR, SDP, HOU or SFG from making a trade.

 

[Trov]

Cruz will get dealt and so will Robles I think.  Others possible too, but Robles has been decent enough and not being under contract many teams like to take fliers on guys like that.  No top prospects will come back, but hope to find a potential future MLB guy in return.  

 

Cruz has no need to remain with Twins and he can help other teams.  I like him but his time with Twins is coming to an end.  Shop him to get best return.  I doubt any huge names coming back as well, but again if you can get a diamond in the rough that would be great. 

[chpettit19]

10 hours ago, Scot67 said:

Barrios- cardinals or brewers (unless he agrees to a extension)brewers are a #2 away from big things they have young pitching and position players, cardinals always have good talent and their young ace Flaherty has been on the IL.

The Brewers have a top 3 that are all better than Berrios right now. They love their pitching over there, but Burnes, Peralta, and Woodruff all start playoff games before Berrios in that rotation.

[tony&rodney]

Roger raises some legitimate points about talent, development, and performance which directs questions to management. It is pretty difficult to replace half a team. Pohlad will have a sit down at some point with his crew. Wholesale replacements and firings are troublesome tasks but it is obvious the management team needs to add an experienced person in the dugout. I doubt Mauer will join the team before his children become adults, if even then, but his gifts are what any team seeks.

[South Dakota Tom]

Perception being more important than reality, I only see deals happening for the expiring contracts - that means Cruz, Pineda and possibly Simmons, possibly Robles.  This FO has no desire to retrench, or to admit defeat of their long-term plan by giving up any of Polanco, Berrios, Buxton, Sano, Maeda, Rogers, or Kepler (many of whom would be "selling low" at this point).  As much as we (and I say "we" as diehard fans) understand that the JD contract would be beneficial to move to improve payroll flexibility. it is a hard sell to the general public.

Strikes me the future scenarios should be focused on minor league promotions, whatever return we can get for expiring contracts, and whatever payroll flexibility arises from those same contracts for 2022 and beyond.

[AceWrigley]

I wish Buxton would stop getting injured while he's injured.

[Mike Sixel]

It will be a mistake to deal Kepler.

I bet they deal 2 - 3 expiring deals for not much obvious return. Certainly not near ready players. 

[TheLeviathan]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

It will be a mistake to deal Kepler.

I bet they deal 2 - 3 expiring deals for not much obvious return. Certainly not near ready players. 

Agreed, he's still valuable and on a relatively friendly deal.  Plus it's a sell-low point.

[Mark G]

On 7/8/2021 at 8:04 AM, dbminn said:

All of the trades look reasonable as far as need. 

Out of the trades listed, I think Cruz to Oakland has the best chance of happening. The A's are 10 games over .500 but aren't getting anything out of the DH spot. Moreland has faded. As mentioned, Toronto is another good landing spot for Cruz.

I'm not sure Kepler will be traded. If he is, I think the Yankees are the best fit. They have only one LHH in the lineup and their OF is really thin. They're playing Tim Locastro and Miguel Andujar in LF right now. 

Rogers and Berrios will be in big demand if they're available. IMO, uncertainty around the collective bargaining agreement isn't going to stop teams like the NYY, NYM, TOR, SDP, HOU or SFG from making a trade.

 

Agreed, but my fear is Jim Pohlad just might try to soften the blow of a possibly expensive new CBA, along with back to back years of big losses, and start fresh with a pretty young and inexpensive (cheap?) team once the dust has settled.  No trade is going to surprise me at this point; disappoint, yes.  Surprise?  No.  Unless, that is, if there are very few or no trades at all.  That's when I would put on my shocked face. 

Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst at this point.  

[Mark G]

On 7/8/2021 at 10:02 AM, tony&rodney said:

Roger raises some legitimate points about talent, development, and performance which directs questions to management. It is pretty difficult to replace half a team. Pohlad will have a sit down at some point with his crew. Wholesale replacements and firings are troublesome tasks but it is obvious the management team needs to add an experienced person in the dugout. I doubt Mauer will join the team before his children become adults, if even then, but his gifts are what any team seeks.

Spot on!  Personally, I always thought they had that person in Molitor, but the computer gamesters thought otherwise.  Right now, I would ask Cruz to consider a bench coach position when he is done playing.  Of course, so might a lot of other teams.

[Mike Sixel]

52 minutes ago, Mark G said:

Agreed, but my fear is Jim Pohlad just might try to soften the blow of a possibly expensive new CBA, along with back to back years of big losses, and start fresh with a pretty young and inexpensive (cheap?) team once the dust has settled.  No trade is going to surprise me at this point; disappoint, yes.  Surprise?  No.  Unless, that is, if there are very few or no trades at all.  That's when I would put on my shocked face. 

Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst at this point.  

I'm no fan of the Pohlads, but this ownership group has shown NO need to go cheap since they fully took over.