Take Two: Pending Physicals, Twins and Dodgers Agree to Trade

[Nick Nelson]

There's been plenty of drama since an agreement first came to light last week on a blockbuster trade that would send Brusdar Graterol to Boston (via Los Angeles) and bring right-hander Kenta Maeda to the Twins.

 

Once very much in doubt, a deal is now confirmed (pending medicals!), albeit with some alterations from its original form. Graterol, outfielder Luke Raley, and a 2020 Comp B draft pick (67th overall) are headed to the Dodgers in a deal fo Maeda, a low-level prospect, and cash.To bring everyone up to speed: The Twins emerged last Wednesday as the third team in a massive trade between the Red Sox and Dodgers, which would've sent Mookie Betts and David Price to LA in exchange for prospect Alex Verdugo and Graterol, whom the Dodgers were to acquire from Minnesota in exchange for Maeda.

 

The following night, it was reported that Boston was backing off amidst concerns in Graterol's medical files (and/or cold feet from ownership in the face of public backlash, depending on which accounts you want to believe). By Saturday, the Twins were said to be ready to drop the whole thing and move on.

 

But it bears noting they took a similar hardline stance with Josh Donaldson, as the team signaled it was ready to bow out before ultimately getting its desired deal. With the way both these situations have played out, there's no knocking the front office's steadfast resolve.

 

In this case, the Twins and Dodgers simply shut out the wayward Red Sox and made a deal on their own, with Graterol, Raley, and a fairly valuable draft pick going to Los Angeles in exchange for Maeda, an as-yet unnamed prospect, and $10 million to cover a portion of his already affordable contract. Minnesota gave a little more and got a little more. At the end of the day, it's still from my view a very good move for all the reasons I laid out here.

 

 

 

 

 

The Red Sox made a separate deal with the Dodgers, sending Mookie Betts and David Price, along some money, to LA in exchange for prospects OF Alex Verdugo and SS Jeter Downs.

 

We'll update this article with more information as it becomes available, but for now, how are you feeling about the deal – finally – getting done?

 

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[Richie the Rally Goat]

Depending on the second piece from the Twins, Maeda is still a good get. Can’t wait to see this finalized!

[operation mindcrime]

It's about freaking time!!!!!

[Diesel]

The trade being good or not is all dependent on who the second prospect is and the cash that we are getting back.

[wabene]

Wishing Brusdar luck I would've enjoyed watching him. I am reluctantly in on the deal and our rotation depth and flexibility. If Maeda is a bullpen weapon in the playoffs for us that means Hill and the rotation are dealing. Could be fun.

[D.C Twins]

As I predicted.....another throw in of a prospect outside of our top 20 to get it done.

 

I did miss the additional wrinkle of the Dodgers separating the deals to allow the Sox to save face and the Twins to add a piece without looking like they were capitulating to the Sox demand.

[bighat]

Happy for Brusdar, the guy's gone from thinking he was going to be playing at Target Field, Fenway, Target Field again, and now he'll be wearing Dodger blue. He's gotta be pumped.

 

Maeda is a good get for sure, very excited for this 2020 team. Interested to see who else the Twins have thrown into the deal.

 

 

[redstorm]

Rosenthal now reporting its the Twins comp B pick and not another prospect 

[operation mindcrime]

The trade being good or not is all dependent on who the second prospect is and the cash that we are getting back.

I'm hearing it's Royce Lewis!

[Diesel]

A comp B draft pick? How many picks down is that from 1st round?

[D.C Twins]

Kudos to the to FO from a previous critic

 

My issues previously had been that they would not sign a high price free agent nor take risks by trading high level prospects for current MLB talent.

 

They have now done both.

 

Maybe it works, and maybe it doesn't.... but I very much applaud them for taking calculated risk to get better!

[redstorm]

 

A comp B draft pick? How many picks down is that from 1st round?

67th overall

[Rigby]

 

A comp B draft pick? How many picks down is that from 1st round?

 

67th pick.

[Diesel]

Good work Falvine!

[PseudoSABR]

 

Twins getting significant cash too.

[Crackedfungo]

Still sucks. Maybe 1-2 decent years of Maeda for a 21 year old that will either be a Top starter or Top reliever we could use for 6+ years. All because we are desperate for SPs and have no inside options (and we are doing the same damn thing again this year by loading up on vets with no developed internal options. Hate this cycle we keep repeating.

[DocBauer]

Please, no Take Three!

[Squirrel]

I'm hearing it's Royce Lewis!

Stop it! Troublemaker! As if we didn’t have enough drama!

[Diesel]

Please, no Take Three!

If the trade keeps on getting better for us (like it appears to have here), I would be fine with Take 10!

[Richie the Rally Goat]

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1226643432820682759

 

Twins getting significant cash too.

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/an-update-on-how-to-value-draft-picks/

 

According to FG, 67th pick of ‘19 was worth 4.1 mil. Cash could mean some room for the Twins to make a move at the trade deadline

[wabene]

If Maeda hits 150-175 innings with his escalators I wonder what the Twins payroll would be? I guess it's ok to read those TD Maeda articles now!

[Vanimal46]

Glad this is finally done. Welcome aboard, Maeda!

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Still sucks. Maybe 1-2 decent years of Maeda for a 21 year old that will either be a Top starter or Top reliever we could use for 6+ years. All because we are desperate for SPs and have no inside options (and we are doing the same damn thing again this year by loading up on vets with no developed internal options. Hate this cycle we keep repeating.

It's not a cycle. Falvey and Levine were hired after the 2016 season. Rebuilding an entire farm system to modern standards and drafting the kind of players this front office wants to put on the field takes time.

 

I don't expect to see this kind of mad-scramble to fill out a rotation with veterans happening any time soon with the slew of prospects the Twins have churning through the pipeline. The guys they wanted and drafted are only now entering the high minors so from this point forward, any success or failure will be on this front office.

[operation mindcrime]

For whatever reason I'm unable to like or quote posts from this thread. So I just want to say I like SQUIRREL's comment from 11:16 PM!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Obviously the deal with the Red Sox was better, but getting Maeda is the key. Dollar for dollar a very good deal for the Twins, in my opinion.

[twinsfaninsaudi]

Can someone enlighten me…is this better than having the same deal where Balazovic is traded instead of Graterol. I loved what I saw from the Bruiser, guy threw lightning out if his right arm. I wanted him in the bullpen this year. When there were brief rumors that Balazovic would it take his stead in the trade I was surprised to see many Twins followers saying that would be a worse deal for the Twins.

[jkcarew]

 

Still sucks. Maybe 1-2 decent years of Maeda for a 21 year old that will either be a Top starter or Top reliever we could use for 6+ years. All because we are desperate for SPs and have no inside options (and we are doing the same damn thing again this year by loading up on vets with no developed internal options. Hate this cycle we keep repeating.

But if the Twins FO thought he was going to be a top starter they wouldn't have offered him in this deal, right...for a good-not-great starter? We can wish all we want, but it's pretty difficult now to suggest the Twins see Graterol as being a starter. Ever. Of course, that doesn't mean they'll be proven correct. We'll see.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

It's not a cycle. Falvey and Levine were hired after the 2016 season. Rebuilding an entire farm system to modern standards and drafting the kind of players this front office wants to put on the field takes time.

 

I don't expect to see this kind of mad-scramble to fill out a rotation with veterans happening any time soon with the slew of prospects the Twins have churning through the pipeline. The guys they wanted and drafted are only now entering the high minors so from this point forward, any success or failure will be on this front office.

now you have Berrios, Maeda, and Pineda in your ‘21 rotation. Next offseason, much more feasible to fill out or improve on a potentially very good ‘20 rotation.

[Blake]

 

Stop it! Troublemaker! As if we didn’t have enough drama!

Oh, so it's not Rosario?

 

[zwiefz]

MLBtraderumors has links to two reports that Twins are also sending a low level prospect to Dodgers.  One specifies it is an outfielder.