Twins Trade Graterol to Dodgers for Kenta Maeda in Blockbuster Deal

[Seth Stohs]

Mookie Betts and David Price have finally been traded. They're headed to the Dodgers, but the Twins are involved in the deal. According to Ken Rosenthal, the Twins have acquired Kenta Maeda from the Dodgers in exchange for Brusdar Graterol. Graterol is expected to then be dealt to the Red Sox in this multi-team deal.

 

The deals are all pending physicals.The Twins traded one of their top pitching prospects to acquire the veteran pitcher. Hard-throwing Brusdar Graterol is headed to the Dodgers, and then he will be dealt to the Red Sox in the Mookie Betts/David Price trade.

 

 

Maeda is a 31-year-old right-hander from Japan. In his four seasons with the Dodgers, he has gone 47-35 with a 3.87 ERA in 137 games (103 starts). In 2019, he went 10-8 with a 4.04 ERA. In 153 2/3 innings, he walked 51 and struck out 169 batters.

 

 

The Dodgers paid a $20 million posting fee to Hiroshima in 2015. Maeda signed an 8 year, $25 million deal with the Dodgers, receiving $3 million annually. He makes an extra $150,000 each year for making the Opening Day roster. He can earn up to $6.5 million each year based on number of starts. He can also make another $3.5 million each year based on innings pitched. He also receives $1 million for having been traded.

Graterol saw time with the Twins in September 2019 and pitched well. He pitched a scoreless inning in his one playoff appearance. He became very popular prospect when reports surfaced that he was hitting triple-digits upon his return from Tommy John surgery. Last year, after returning from missing three months due to shoulder issues, he hit 104 mph in a game in Pensacola.

 

At a Winter Caravan stop, pitching coach Wes Johnson said that Graterol was preparing for a role in the bullpen. He could get some time to develop and work more innings, eventually becoming a starter. But many believe his future is in the bullpen.

 

The Twins Opening Day starting rotation now looks like this: Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, Kenta Maeda, Homer Bailey and Jhoulys Chacin, with Michael Pineda coming back after 39 games and Rich Hill potentially being back in June or July. Of course, Randy Dobnak, Lewis Thorpe and Devin Smeltzer provide much depth. And, the Twins still have top pitching prospects Jordan Balazovic and Jhoan Duran and more.

 

What are your thoughts? Tom shared his thoughts shortly after the deal was rumored.

 

 

More could develop as we learn more about this three, or four, team trade.

 

Here is what we know, so far, about the overall four-team trade:

 

 

Click here to view the article

[MN_ExPat]

I literally am unsure of what to think at this moment.       I'm sure I'll find something creative to say later, but right now... well, that was an interesting move.

[Vanimal46]

This has been crazy to see unfold... MLB baseball making a huge splash 2 days after the Super Bowl!

 

Falvine made a judgment call and sold high on Graterol. Maybe they think he’s just a reliever. I’m excited that the rotation is getting stronger! It’s go time in 2020!!

[prouster]

My knee jerk reaction is to have mixed feelings. Graterol is tough to give up, but Maeda is a good pitcher with four years of control for almost no money. He has been pitching out of LA’s bullpen and wants to start. He has been a bit above league average in his career, but peripherals are pretty encouraging. Not sure the K% and K rate will hold up switching to a starting role in the AL. Here’s hoping for the best.

[twinkiesfan11]

I don’t love this. Maeda is a very solid pitcher but really hate to see Brusdar go.

[Strato Guy]

This trade will help us this year and maybe a couple after that. But Graterol is a steep price to pay. Not sure if I like this trade or not at this point. I would feel a little better if Maeda was 2 or 3 years younger. He will be 32 in April.

[Eris]

Agree with Raindog. Trading a our top pitching prospect for a number 4 starter. Doesn’t quite make sense.

[bighat]

"What about starting pitching?!", we asked. Well, this is how you bring it to Target Field.

 

Wow.

 

Twins are in win-now mode, no question. They had an opportunity to acquire an MLB starter by dealing a top prospect, and they did it.

 

Maeda was 10-8 with a 4.04 ERA last year. He should slot in behind Berrios and Odorizzi perfectly. Good fit. Did the Twins give up too much? Time will tell.

 

 

[jud6312]

Stupid move for a team desperately trying to develop a top-of-the-rotation arm for the last 20 years.

 

I'm done with Team Falvine.

[beckmt]

Bad deal if Graterol turns out to be a very good starter.  If just a reliever than this deal is fine as Japanese pitchers seem to last longer than most.  Maeda has been good and helps with payroll over the next few years.  High risk, High reward.

[SF Twins Fan]

I like upgrading the rotation but I would have liked to see the Twins get more for Graterol than Maeda...

[jud6312]

How many #3 starters does one rotation need?

[notoriousgod71]

Maeda helps win the division but doesn't help us beat the Yankees or Astros or any other good team in the postseason.

[USAFChief]

Big arm to give up, but the Twins were still in need of starting pitching. 4 years of control. 

 

I think I come down in favor of this deal. At the least, gotta give Falvine credit for courage.

 

This is all part of the cost of not getting one of the top FA starters.

[Diesel]

It hurts, but again, if Graterol is purely a bullpen arm now..... Its OK

[prouster]

Agree with Raindog. Trading a our top pitching prospect for a number 4 starter. Doesn’t quite make sense.

I disagree with this assessment. I think there’s a pretty convincing argument that Graterol is (er, was) their second or third best pitching prospect. Personally, I like Duran a lot better. There’s also quite a bit to like about Maeda. He’s probably the best strike out pitcher on the team now other than Rogers. His counting stats are suppressed over the last year or two from pitching mostly out of the bullpen. Conversely, his rate stats might be a bit inflated. He’s a good pitcher—in my opinion clearly better than a fourth starter. Way too early to say who “wins,” but the thinking seems to make sense. It’s definitely a win now move.

[tvagle]

First reaction...I'd rather have Joc for what he cost the Angels

 

Maeda will eat innings Graterol may make headlines

[rdehring]

At first glance, don't like it.  Doesn't seem like the top arm the Twins should be getting if Graterol is included in a package.  Hopefully, management knows that Graterol won't be that ACE starter they so badly need.  If that proves to be true, guess this is ok.  Just would have liked someone coming back who is both better and younger.

[IndianaTwin]

Check out the eighth paragraph. What do I win?

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/35563-2020-blueprint-cooking-up-a-championship/

[ScooterDance]

Wasn’t the philosophy supposed to be:

 

We draft high end hitting prospects and trade surplus for impact pitching?

 

Instead we trade one of our best impact pitching chips for a slightly above league average starter who is now flipping to AL?

 

Probably good for us this year. Don’t think it gets us over the 0-16 hump though.

[S.]

I guess we can all just be glad that we weren't the team that ended up with David Price

[Vanimal46]

"What about starting pitching?!", we asked. Well, this is how you bring it to Target Field.

 

Wow.

 

Twins are in win-now mode, no question. They had an opportunity to acquire an MLB starter by dealing a top prospect, and they did it.

 

Maeda was 10-8 with a 4.04 ERA last year. He should slot in behind Berrios and Odorizzi perfectly. Good fit. Did the Twins give up too much? Time will tell.

Exactly. I never thought I would witness an offseason where they sign a free agent for $20+ million AAV, AND trade a top prospect for established pitching. This is what I’ve wanted for years and I’m going to ****ing EMBRACE it!

[Brandon]

4 years of a veteran starting pitcher at 3.125 million per year keeps costs down so we can afford the raises coming in and gives us a rotation of Berrios, Maeda, and Pineda at the end of the year so we won't be scrambling like this offseason.  

 

[TFRazor]

This has been crazy to see unfold... MLB baseball making a huge splash 2 days after the Super Bowl!

Falvine made a judgment call and sold high on Graterol. Maybe they think he’s just a reliever. I’m excited that the rotation is getting stronger! It’s go time in 2020!!

 

This is what my initial reaction was. They just don’t believe he’ll ever be a great starter

[ScooterDance]

Yeah I suppose I can rally behind the idea that, injuries or idiotic suspensions notwithstanding, we have three legit SP going into next season. With the deadline and the offseason to hopefully find a 1 or 1A.

[4twinsJA]

Always hard to argue with someone who has seen a player play much more than you have. Sure I would have hoped we trade from excess like outfielders, but maybe Twins feel BG injury risk or trading for more of a known quantity versus potential.

[stringer bell]

We shall see.I have not been as high on Graterol as most here. I just looked up Maeda on BBRef--he's a pretty solid arm in his early 30s. This club needs starters most of all and getting a guy for four years might to worth it. 

[bighat]

Twins replaced Gibson/Perez with Maeda/Bailey. It cost them some pocket change and Brusdar. In my opinion I'm OK with that.

[Old Twins Cap]

Who knows on Graterol?

 

What are the odds he pans out as a starter? Low.

 

As a reliever? Better.

 

Maeda is a solid starter, which Twins need going forward even beyond this year.

 

This is a move you make when you know your team is solid.

 

Will Twins miss Graterol in 2020? No.

 

Will Maeda win them a pennant?

 

That's why you play the games.

[tvagle]

 

Check out the eighth paragraph. What do I win?

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/35563-2020-blueprint-cooking-up-a-championship/

 

All expense paid trip to French Lick