Twins Trade Graterol to Dodgers for Kenta Maeda in Blockbuster Deal

[LewFordLives]

Not a fan of this move. Maeda had the same WAR in 2019 as Homer Bailey. Those kinds of guys can be had every year relatively inexpensively through free agency. If you're going to trade one of your better pitching prospects, make it count.

[gunnarthor]

I think the big thing about Maeda is how affordable he'll be the next few years. We have a lot of payroll issues so finding a solid big league pitcher at his price is probably a significant factor for the Twins FO.

 

 

[MN_ExPat]

 

Ridiculous. If the idea is to trade Graterol, and you can't get more than Maeda right this moment (they probably could have), you have him making starts in the minors and trade him during the season.

 

This trade sickens me. If the 4+ ERA over the last three years isn't enough, consider that was without facing the DH or having the worst infield defense behind him.

 

Plus, let's lower your leverage by saying you're moving him to the pen, then deal him. Brilliant.

Try actually looking at his stats... they're not really all that bad.

[USAFChief]

I will say, I never really bought into the "Twins pen is really good" theory that is accepted around here, and taking Graterol out of that mix is disappointing. 

 

I'm a big believer that a strong and deep bullpen is way more valuable than the sum of it's parts.

 

"Just a reliever" is a little overblown, IMO. Consistently owning the final three or four innings wins a lot of games.

 

Still...I will say this is a good trade. That it has me conflicted probably means its fair, as others have pointed out.

[Brandon]

 

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

Maeda and Bailey cost 3.125 million and 7 million vs Gibson making 10 million and Perez 6 million. so we also save money and Maeda will be here next year too so we have three starters locked up for 2021 now. 

[tvagle]

Maybe Graterol turns in to this former Twin Fireballer turned Red Sox

 

[Vanimal46]

Not a fan of this move. Maeda had the same WAR in 2019 as Homer Bailey. Those kinds of guys can be had every year relatively inexpensively through free agency. If you're going to trade one of your better pitching prospects, make it count.

A cost effective, established starter for 4 years isn’t making it count? Let’s remember if it’s a little painful, that’s the right price. We’re all a little too accustomed to reading Betts for Jake Reed and Brian Duensing proposals on our team websites...

 

Also, which WAR are you talking about? I learned the other day that WAR measures different things, so let’s clarify first.

[gunnarthor]

I'm still a little surprised that the Twins aren't getting a small piece back from Boston. Think they should get a lottery ticket in the low minors. But, what the heck.

[USAFChief]

I'm just full of thoughts tonight, here's one more:

 

This is not Terry Ryan at the helm anymore. 

[Vanimal46]

I'm just full of thoughts tonight, here's one more:

 

This is not Terry Ryan at the helm anymore.

Never forget! Brian Kielty for Shannon Stewart. The score is 1 to 1. Let’s see more impact trades!

[davidc3915]

If the comparison is Graterol/Bartolo, well, Bartolo is looking for work.........

 

all kidding aside, I like the deal partially because they’re taking a chance.  Maeda has had MLB success and experience, which can only help the Twins staff, especially the young pitchers.

[tvagle]

 

Never forget! Brian Kielty for Shannon Stewart. The score is 1 to 1. Let’s see more impact trades!

Or Brian's ginger twin Bobby

[jud6312]

A "win now" move for a team that's bringing water balloons to a machete fight.

 

Can't wait to watch Maeda vs. Cole in the playoffs. What a barn burner.

[USAFChief]

 

Or Brian's ginger twin Bobby

Bobby was a cojoined twin, better known as Dusty Kielmohr.

[USAFChief]

 

A "win now" move for a team that's bringing water balloons to a machete fight.

 

Can't wait to watch Maeda vs. Cole in the playoffs. What a barn burner.

I prefer it to Cole vs Dobnak.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I really like Graterol, but Maeda is a very good starter to get back. At first blush, I like this move but it is in no way a “fleecing” in the Twins favor. Seems like a fair trade.

[lukeduke88]

Horrible move. We need an ace and trading away our only chance at one for a middle age average pitcher makes no sense...what a joke...they better know something we dont. If brusdar was put in the rotation this year hed probably already be better than meada. Am I missing something?

[stringer bell]

Reading the MLB Trade Rumors writeup, it appears that Maeda could earn an additional $10M in incentives based on starts and innings. $13M per year is hefty, but it also provides protection in the event of injury or ineffectiveness. $13M is not too much to pay for a reliable 1-3 starter. He is under contract through his age 35 season. I really hope this trade pans out as the Twins could be looking to restock their rotation in 2021 no matter what the results for 2020 are. 

[stringer bell]

 

Never forget! Brian Kielty for Shannon Stewart. The score is 1 to 1. Let’s see more impact trades!

Bobby Kielty was one of the guys I had an irrational affection for. He never amounted to more than a platoon guy and never became the five tool slugger I envisioned. I hated it when they traded Kielty for noodle-armed Shannon Stewart (and I was totally wrong).

[tvagle]

 

Reading the MLB Trade Rumors writeup, it appears that Maeda could earn an additional $10M in incentives based on starts and innings. $13M per year is hefty, but it also provides protection in the event of injury or ineffectiveness. $13M is not too much to pay for a reliable 1-3 starter. He is under contract through his age 35 season. I really hope this trade pans out as the Twins could be looking to restock their rotation in 2021 no matter what the results for 2020 are. 

I believe the incentives bring the total to $10M not and additional $10M

 

If he were to reach all the incentives he'd be well worth $10M/year

[Reptevia]

Good deal. Solid #3 starter for a maybe. Plus, he’s a bargain. Smart move for a small market team.

[dbminn]

Emotionally, I hate this trade. Watching Graterol come up through the system with real talent, I was excited to see where his potential would take him. He is not the first pitcher to miss time and turn out well. To say he'll never be more than a RP is a bold statement about a 21 year old. 

 

OTOH, I understand why they made the trade for Maeda. A four-year incentive based contract with a proven major league pitcher. He gets $3M per year if he washes out... ridiculously risk free. He's a valuable player for a team in need of established starters. He's been very good in the playoffs too.

 

I think the Red Sox are the real winners of the deal. Chaim Bloom put his mark on the team before his first spring training. He took most of $58M of salary (plus tax) off the books this year and added two blue chip prospects ready to play in the majors. All for a team whose owners wanted to lower salary and add youth. Job done.

 

I'm sad and excited all at once. I give credit to all three teams for taking the risk. 

[Twodogs]

Grateral helps the Twins future and Maeda helps the Twins now. So I see why the move has been made. I'm not happy, but I think it will work out for the Twins.

[RaoulDuke]

Random thoughts

 

Maeda reminds me of Odorizzi when they acquired him.  Established himself with a solid couple years but hasn't broken out, strikeout stuff without 97, some control + nibbling issues inflating pitch count/ limiting innings.

 

Dodgers have used him in the pen some each year with success, maybe planned for him to just be there going forward.  He wants to start and maybe gets a boost of confidence the Twins got him for just that as well as not changing roles in season. 

 

Nasty slider and change he threw 55% of the time last year, fits what the Twins have been targeting.  I'm interested what Wes Johnson can do with him. 

[Whammy]

Maybe this has been mentioned already. Maybe is hasn’t... I’m a little surprised the Twins weren’t also in on Joc Peterson, with the cost being Eddie (to the Sox) and a prospect (to the Dodgers)

[Riverbrian]

 

Further proof, along with Bailey, Hill, and Chacin that the front office isn't too enamored with trusting a rotation spot to any of Dobnak, Thorpe, or Smeltzer for anything other than emergencies.

 

An opinion I share, for the record.

 

I wouldn't say "other than emergencies" but yeah... Action's speak louder than words.

 

You can't turn around and hand them jobs out of spring training with a team that is favored for the playoffs after choosing Martin Perez over them last year with a team heading for the playoffs. 

 

The thing that needs to be watched now is:  How do they handle Bailey or Chacin should they not succeed?

 

Berrios, Odorizzi and Maeda will get rope... So will Pineda when he hits the scene. 

 

Hill is a long wait, so he really can't be calculated yet.  By the time Hill comes back, we will have information on everybody else. Health, Performance so Hill is basically our July trade acquisition done in advance. 

 

There will be injuries, dead arm, common colds to the members of the rotation so the key question is: How do they handle Bailey or Chacin if they don't succeed. 

[sftwinsfan]

This is a lets get a mid-level starter and keep beating up on the bad and mediocre teams only to likely get throttled in the post-season type move. Personally I'd prefer they would have used a guy like Graterol, if they had to trade him, to get someone that had some upside. Maeda is soon to be 32 and has a lot of miles on his arm. It does fill a need though. Could really come back to bite them though. 

[MMMordabito]

Twins replaced Cron, Gibson, Perez, Dyson, Graterol and a pile of cash with Bailey, Donaldson, Maeda, Clippard and Wisler. It's a win now upgrade, IMO. Lotto ticket Hill in the bag as well.

 

There is risk in Graterol turning into something special, but you have to give to get. With the Twins offense, I think 150 innings of Maeda is better play in 2020.

 

I also like that Maeda is comfortable with the swing role. #YarbroughInningsModelFTW

[drivlikejehu]

I like it. Maeda is similar to Odorizzi in that he can be really effective 2 times through the order . . . he's not a guy that will pitch 7-8 innings in a playoff start, but with 26-man rosters, he can pitch 4-5 strong innings and then turn it over to the bullpen. He's also a flyball pitcher that won't be hurt much by the Twins' infield.

[RaoulDuke]

 

Emotionally, I hate this trade. Watching Graterol come up through the system with real talent, I was excited to see where his potential would take him. He is not the first pitcher to miss time and turn out well. To say he'll never be more than a RP is a bold statement about a 21 year old. 

 

OTOH, I understand why they made the trade for Maeda. A four-year incentive based contract with a proven major league pitcher. He gets $3M per year if he washes out... ridiculously risk free. He's a valuable player for a team in need of established starters. He's been very good in the playoffs too.

 

I think the Red Sox are the real winners of the deal. Chaim Bloom put his mark on the team before his first spring training. He took most of $58M of salary (plus tax) off the books this year and added two blue chip prospects ready to play in the majors. All for a team whose owners wanted to lower salary and add youth. Job done.

 

I'm sad and excited all at once. I give credit to all three teams for taking the risk. 

Ya Graterol hurts more than most because we got to see him a little and get attached.  He seems very likeable, his love of Berrios, hes kinda goofy, big guy, passionate, and a unicorn type in the Twins history who never have guys that throw 100+.

 

He does have question marks as a prospect and its why he isn't a top tier ranking guy.  Big body with that velocity is a stamina concern, hasn't ever pitched many innings, already had TJ, slider shows promise but change has a way to go, they already tabbed him for the pen when they still had time to develop him.

 

The more I think about it the more I am ok with them selling him while his ceiling still includes starter even if he looks like he is going to be one hell of a reliever. 

 

It also filled the 1-3 starter spot that needed to be filled while only costing 1 prospect instead of 2 or 3.