Trade Rumor: Could the Twins be a suitor for Carlos Rodon?

[cHawk]

Pitching, as we all know, isn’t exactly a position of strength for our Minnesota Twins. The numbers definitely illustrate that.

Team ERA: 4.06 (T-19th)
Team WHIP: 1.25 (T-13th)
Team Pitching HR/9: 1.26 (T-26th)
Team ERA-: 109 (T-19th)

The Twins, if they are to make the postseason and win a series when they get there, will need to make major improvements to the pitching staff. Carlos Rodon could be a start.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/07/nl-west-notes-ohtani-padres-walker-rodon-giants-bard.html

Here is an excerpt from the above article:

Chasing down the Dodgers for first place is probably out of the question, but San Francisco is still only 3.5 games out of the final wild card spot, and a +26 run differential argues that the Giants are at least a little better than their losing record indicates.  That said, the Giants have several intriguing trade options, including Carlos Rodon (who can opt out of his deal after the season) as a rental piece.  SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson speculates that the Twins would be one of many interested parties if the Giants did shop Rodon, as Minnesota “were right there” in trying to sign Rodon last winter.

As Mark Polishuk says, the Giants are in contention for a wild card spot, but are 3.5 games out and have lost 7 straight games. If the Giants were to shop Rodon, Darren Wolfson of SKOR North thinks that the Twins would be a suitor, due to the fact that the Twins were a top contender for Rodon this past offseason. Rodon would absolutely make this Twins team better.

Rodon would be a rental, as he has the option to opt out after the end of the season. Rodon would not be enough to fix all of the Twins issues, so if the Twins were to acquire Rodon, they would also need to acquire another starter and a couple of relievers.

Do you think the Twins should call the Giants about Rodon? What kind of package would it take to acquire Rodon? Would it be worth it in the end?

View full trade rumor

[dxpavelka]

Would Encarnancion-Strand and Canterino do the trick?

[twins_89]

One one hand, I really like Rodon and think he'd be a great addition. On the other hand, he can opt out after the season, so he is basically a rental. Another factor is that I believe Rodon would get a qualifying offer from the Giants (something a team acquiring him can't do), so any trade package will be increased to account for the lost draft capital. I suspect the rental price will just be to steep in a year where the playoffs are looking iffy at best.

[Doctor Gast]

As I stated this off season that I'd be open for signing Rodon if he would be managed correctly when piggy-backing was presented to the fan base, because Rodon did not have a full long season in him. Pretty much why LaRusso let him go because he didn't fit into his old fashion type of SP who could regularly pitch 7 innings thru out the season.

I'm afraid that SF probably got most of his quality innings and leave us w/ his sub par innings. So I wouldn't be in favor of a Rodon trade.

[DocBauer]

We heard the Twins had conversations with Rodon this past offseason. We now here they were "right there" before he signed with the Giants. We can only speculate what "right there" means. While listening to the latest Gleeman and the Geek, somewhat distracted, if I heard correctly the reason the Twins didn't land Rodon was, paraphrasing, was length and annual value, meaning they were probably "in" for 1yr, or 2yrs, but not the combined value of the full 2yrs. And I can see that due to past injury concerns and some question as to why the Dirty Sox passed on him.

Losing 7 in a row and perhaps uncertain if they have a team ready to make a run, I could see the Giants being sellers, though it might be 50/50 or 60/40 against. Hard to say. But I'm interested and calling to see what it would cost, and if they're in sell mode.

His ERA has risen over the past few weeks, but his numbers are solid across the board from what I've seen. So I don't know that he's winding down and SF has necessarily gotten the "best" of him in 2022. And the Twins do a good job of mitigating IP for their SP. (Open opportunity for someone to make a negative comment about SP usage by the Twins). Nothing says the Twins can't re-sign Rodon to an extension if he continues to look good and healthy. The payroll isn't bad, and have some $ coming off the books, even without Correa opting out. But if he does, there's a TON more to use somewhere meaningful.

I'd be kicking the tires for sure.

[lecroy24fan]

Wouldn't this be a similar situation to the Twins trading Correa? Yes the Twins are in first and the Giants are not but signing a FA then trading them midseason? And yes I get that Rodon is not the superstar Correa is.

[tony&rodney]

The Twins had their chance to add Rodon last offseason and will get another shot in a few months, so they will do nothing.

[Game7-91]

3 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

The Twins had their chance to add Rodon last offseason and will get another shot in a few months, so they will do nothing.

I believe this to be mostly true. The variable is whether or not comparatively similar pitching quality is gettable for the Twins. I could see a scenario where Rodon makes the most sense in terms of prospects traded and projected impact on wins. I just think a Rodon-like quy is unlikely for Twins. 

[Rosterman]

Yes, but not worth the price they might have to pay.

[AlwaysinModeration]

16 hours ago, dxpavelka said:

Would Encarnancion-Strand and Canterino do the trick?

According to baseballtradevalues, no:

Rodon 13

Canterino 5.3

Encarnacion-Strand 2

The three closest options for a comparatively similar straight-up deal would be:

Emanuel Rodriguez 14.2

Spencer Steer 14

Austin Martin 11

If you wanted to do a 2:1 deal, which SF might prefer, here is one way to approach it, offering one bat and one arm:

Wallner (7.7) +

either Canterino (5.3) or Woods-Richardson (5.4)

[twinfan]

Rodon would be a good add but has had injuries in the past. We have enough pitchers who are hurt. Also, I believe he would be a rental unless a sign and trade deal is in the works.

[RJA]

Like everyone else is saying, it depends on the cost.  If I was the front office, I would inquire and compare the cost for getting Rodon for two months to the cost of getting Montas or Mahle or a similarly situated starter for 1 year plus two months.  They will have to overpay in both situations, so I guess my preference would be to overpay for a player who will be here for more than 2 months.  What a shame the Twins did nothing in free agency last offseason.  As it stands now, with so many injuries--Kirilloff, Buxton, Kepler, Lewis, Larnach, Ober, Winder, Canterino, etc,-- and so many holes in the pitching staff, I am not sure it is worth overpaying for a pitcher and two relievers even with Correa on board.  

[Steve71]

Absolutely would not include Encarnancion-Strand for 2 months, 9-10 starts, of Rondon (plus possible playoffs).

I would only be interested in Rondon if we had permission to try and negotiate an extension in advance of trade.

[dxpavelka]

German Marquez?  Might the return be some thing like Encarnacion-Strand & Canterino?

[ashbury]

28 minutes ago, Steve71 said:

Absolutely would not include Encarnancion-Strand for 2 months, 9-10 starts, of Rondon (plus possible playoffs).

I would only be interested in Rondon if we had permission to try and negotiate an extension in advance of trade.

Jose Miranda, not especially highly regarded for his defense at 3B, was committing errors at a much lower rate than CES at a similar age.  As always, my caveat is that errors are one of the less important ways to judge a defender but I don't have an eye-test to go by and beyond a certain number a high error rate holds some meaning, plus the scouting reports I do see are not complimentary.

Maybe his bat turns into the next coming of Nelson Cruz, but anything less and CES is another bat that profiles for 1B/DH, which is worth something but hardly the franchise's crown jewel.

[TopGunn#22]

As a Twins fan, I'm in favor of practically ANY trade that brings back a pitcher the quality of Rodon, Mahle or Montas.  I firmly believe, with their starting rotation wheezing and hacking right now, that at minimum of frontline SP and 2 bullpen pieces are needed...even IF Alcala and Maeda fortify the BP in the not too distant future.

That said, I'd be more focused on Montas and Mahle due to their availability for 2023 (and possibly beyond if an extension can be worked out).  I think Rodon still has plenty of quality innings left, but the 2-month rental, in my opinion brings his MLB trade Value down from 13.  I would offer the Giants Austin Martin or matt Wallner even up.  I'd track what else is being offered and stay in touch.  But like Dr. Bauer, I'd certainly kick the tires.  At this point, the twins, like everyone else need to have a Plan A,B, C, D & E.

 

[TwinsDr2021]

The only prospect I am offering for 2 months, is somebody that projects to be a 1B or DH type that is striking out a bunch in the minors, or maybe a utility type player, but no way and I offering an athlete for 2 months.

[Brandon27]

Twins are not going make one single trade 

[rickybeathard]

I am watching Rodon tonight just for fun. This guy is into the 7th inning tonight against the cubs, pitches a 90mph+ fast ball, and has double digit strikeouts. 

[rickybeathard]

Probably not worth reading too much into, but the way he was celebrating after coming out of the game... you'd get the sense that he knows that was his last game with SF. 

[nicksaviking]

One starter is only a token move, they need two starters and two relievers.

If that’s not happening, and I’m guessing it’s not, stay away from rental players.

[Linus]

Yea so they could have signed him in the off-season for just money. Now we are willing to pay the contract and add quality prospects? This is how front offices get fired. 

[ashbury]

31 minutes ago, Linus said:

Yea so they could have signed him in the off-season for just money. Now we are willing to pay the contract and add quality prospects? This is how front offices get fired. 

Which recent firings do you recall where a deadline deal was the issue?

[minman1982]

If the price is right, why not take a shot?  At least the FO can say they made a move to try to improve the pitching.

[Linus]

10 hours ago, ashbury said:

Which recent firings do you recall where a deadline deal was the issue?

Yea I didn’t write that very well. I didn’t mean from a singular transaction rather the overall inability to develop pitching in other ways besides burning top prospect capital over time. 

[Karbo]

On 7/30/2022 at 4:08 PM, DocBauer said:

And the Twins do a good job of mitigating IP for their SP. (Open opportunity for someone to make a negative comment about SP usage by the Twins).

You have to have reliable relievers. The way Rocco handles starters a trade for Rodon just doesn't make sense unless they pick up relief help. Add in they need a catcher and where on the priority list does a trade for a starter (with no control for next year) fit in?

[mk]

Adding Rodon would have been great but SF not moving him indicates the asking price was too high - for any team to pay.

[nicksaviking]

40 minutes ago, mk said:

Adding Rodon would have been great but SF not moving him indicates the asking price was too high - for any team to pay.

I agree.

But also last year's Atlanta team could have, and probably should have given SF and Boston pause about trading their rentals. I know they were supposed to be 'sellers', but both are only a couple games out of a wild card spot.