3 Bats for the Twins to Monitor at the Deadline

[Nash Walker]

For years, the perceived strength of the Twins’ farm system was a slew of left-handed mashers in the corners. Fast-forward to 2023 and you’ll find an unbalanced roster in need of help against southpaws, especially but not limited to the outfield. Here are three trade targets to monitor at the deadline.

Image courtesy of Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Target No. 1: Nationals OF Lane Thomas
Lane Thomas is enjoying a breakout campaign for Washington, sporting career highs in nearly every offensive category. Thomas, 27, has played all three outfield spots in his career while spending most of his time in right in 2023. You aren’t targeting the fringy (at best) glove. Thomas is hitting .299/.348/.490 with 24 doubles, two triples, and 14 homers through 91 games. The strikeout rate is elevated (25%), but Thomas has mashed for both average and power in the heart of Washington’s order. He’s essentially what the Twins need: a controllable, right-handed outfielder with upside. 

In an attractive twist for the Twins, Thomas has monster splits. Against righties, Thomas owns a career .689 OPS in nearly 900 plate appearances. Against lefties, that OPS rises over 200 points to a remarkable .908. Since his debut in 2019, Thomas is tied with Tim Anderson and Manny Machado for wRC+ against left-handed pitching (146). He’s a true lefty destroyer, evidenced by a .374 average and 1.076 OPS against southpaws this season. The question is whether Washington will part with a potential building block as Thomas is under team control for 2.5 more seasons. 

Target No. 2: Red Sox 3B/1B Justin Turner
The Twins had reported interest in Justin Turner this offseason, and that process looks sound. The longtime Dodger is rocking an OPS well over league average in his age-38 season, mostly starting at DH with Rafael Devers entrenched at third base. Turner graded as a decent defensive third baseman in Los Angeles and has been just fine at the hot corner in limited time this year. With Royce Lewis rehabbing an oblique injury and José Miranda on the injured list with a lingering shoulder issue, Turner could be a valuable fit. The red beard is holding his own versus right handers (.790 OPS), and as usual, is crushing lefties (.950 OPS). 

Turner owns a $13.4 million player option for the 2024 season, slightly complicating the prospects of a trade. The Twins have promising options to start at third in Lewis and top prospect Brooks Lee. If Turner were to exercise his option for next year, he could platoon with Alex Kirilloff at first base or start at designated hitter (assuming Byron Buxton returns to centerfield). This equation gets muddy when you think for the future, but Turner would undoubtedly improve the Twins’ lineup while adding a valuable veteran voice who has played in 86 Postseason games. Turner made sense last winter and he makes sense now. 

Target No. 3: Mariners OF Teoscar Hernández
The Mariners and Blue Jays completed an under-the-radar but significant trade last winter involving 2022 stalwart reliever Erik Swanson and 2021 All-Star Teoscar Hernández. Seattle moved Swanson, who posted a 1.68 ERA in 57 appearances in 2022, for a grip-and-rip masher in Hernández on an expiring deal. Hernández, after hitting .283 with power in the heart of a deadly Blue Jays lineup from 2020 to 2022, is struggling to match those numbers this season. The 30-year-old leads MLB in strikeouts, an unattractive mark for a Twins club on pace to set a record for punchies. The pull is in the splits. Hernández isn’t touching righties, but continues to crush lefties to the tune of a .571 slugging percentage.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive rental suited for a very specific role, you can do a lot worse than Hernández. He was a potent bat for multiple seasons prior to this one and is still only 30 years old. Hernández seems like the ideal lightning-in-a-bottle addition, much like Jorge Soler and Eddie Rosario for Atlanta in 2021. You might get a ton of strikeouts and poor outfield defense… or you’ll get the Hernández from the second half of 2021, when he hit .296 with a .925 OPS and 21 homers in 75 games. This is a high upside play and one I think the Twins should absolutely explore. 

What do you think of these three options for the Twins at the deadline? Comment below!

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[TopGunn#22]

I would prioritize Thomas.  It would depend on the cost.  Here's a deal that works via BBTV's.

Twins Get:  Lane Thomas OF 16.8 value 27 y/o and Joey Meneses 1B 4.6 31 y/o.  Total value:  21.40

Nats gets:  Miranda 8.6 3B/1B 25 y/o   Wallner   10.7  OF  25 y/o  Severino 1.5 2B 22 y/o  Mooney SP .90 25 y/o.

Nats get two young hitters in Miranda and Wallner that are MLB ready in addition to a couple of lottery tickets.

Twins get a RH OF bat and a replacement for Miranda as a RH hitter.  Meneses would be limited to a 1B/DH role, but his bat, while lacking the power potential of Miranda is far more reliable to make contact.  This deal gives the Twins 2 reliable RH bats moving forward for the remainder of this season and beyond.  Whatever the Twins OF looks like next year and beyond, Lane Thomas would have a place in it.

[Doctor Gast]

Our offense is starting to wake up after the All-Star game as I imagined. Our steady bench players, who have kept us in the chase are still contributing & Castro has turned it up a notch. Our young guys Kiriloff, Julien & Lewis has proven that they can really play ball. With Wallner is ready; Miranda & Larnach have a lot of potential that can break out once they can figure it out. The vets Correa who is notorious 2nd half player is starting to heat up, our Buxton has been hot & cold (he should be put on the IL until he's 100%), Polanco is normally better 2nd half when healthy. Kepler has been better & hitting clutch, Our problem is SOs, we need to ditch our "moonshot" philosophy & Gallo, this would help. I'd rather take a chance on our own talented  players than  trading our prospects for another bat.

Our BP has looked good post All-Star game, but a proven back-end RP would prove invaluable down the stretch.

[Trov]

Turner interests me the most, if we are concerned about Lewis returning healthy this year.  You never know with core issues.  Even if Lewis does come back fully healthy, Turner could fill in at first, and AK can play OF.  Turner also has plenty of deep playoff runs in his experience.  If he can be had for a mid-level prospect I would go for it, but I am not giving up a top 10 prospect for him. 

[karcherd]

These are all good options, but who are you going to take off the 26 man roster.  The front office appears to want to ride with Gallo.  So really the only options would be Solano or Castro unless Buxton on the IL.  I would be good with any of these players but it can't be at the expense of taking ab's from Kiriloff even against lefties.  We probably bullpen help more at this point.

 

[Hashim]

13 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

Our offense is starting to wake up after the All-Star game as I imagined. Our steady bench players, who have kept us in the chase are still contributing & Castro has turned it up a notch. Our young guys Kiriloff, Julien & Lewis has proven that they can really play ball. With Wallner is ready; Miranda & Larnach have a lot of potential that can break out once they can figure it out. The vets Correa who is notorious 2nd half player is starting to heat up, our Buxton has been hot & cold (he should be put on the IL until he's 100%), Polanco is normally better 2nd half when healthy. Kepler has been better & hitting clutch, Our problem is SOs, we need to ditch our "moonshot" philosophy & Gallo, this would help. I'd rather take a chance on our own talented  players than  trading our prospects for another bat.

Our BP has looked good post All-Star game, but a proven back-end RP would prove invaluable down the stretch.

Yeah agreed. We need veteran RH who have playoff/WS experiences. I think we should trade Polanco and Gallo for some younger mlb ready guys and promote young guys like Wallner, Prato, etc. 

[TwinsDr2021]

Hernandez is the only guy of the 3 that is a FA at the end of the year and that is what I would be looking for. He seems like the Shannon Stewart type of spark plug needed, and if not he seems like an easy DFA option. The only real problem with him is who goes off the 40 man.

[thelanges5]

Lane Thomas - controllable RH with upside, good against lefties, only 27. 

[clone52]

Another possible rental would be Randal Grichuk.  He's having a big bounceback year, but even when he struggled last year, he still crushed lefties.  I imagine the cost would be pretty cheap, too.

[stringer bell]

Mark Canha and Tommy Pham and the Cardinals have Dylan Carlson perhaps available. 

[JD-TWINS]

1 hour ago, Hashim said:

Yeah agreed. We need veteran RH who have playoff/WS experiences. I think we should trade Polanco and Gallo for some younger mlb ready guys and promote young guys like Wallner, Prato, etc. 

Who wants an apparently broken down 2B making $10M & a career .190 hitter making $11M????

[jishfish]

35 minutes ago, clone52 said:

Another possible rental would be Randal Grichuk.  He's having a big bounceback year, but even when he struggled last year, he still crushed lefties.  I imagine the cost would be pretty cheap, too.

This one stood out to me as well. Crushes lefties, and I believe he can play all 3 outfield positions (maybe not well, but he has 15+ games in CF this year, so at least passable). Plus I have to imagine it would be a pretty low cost.

Great suggestion, could be a very under the radar pickup.

[mikelink45]

I won't complain if they do it, but I would throw Gallo into the potential trade package.  We have to start clearing the left handed log jam. 

Lane worries me since it is his breakout season, or perhaps his peak season and the balloon could bust like it did for Lopez last year. 

Hernandez has disappointed the Mariners which is why he might be available.  Would he also disappoint us?

Turner is almost 39 - he is still good and might be the best of the three.

But right now the Twins have to figure out who they are.  Have we gotten a boost since the All-star break that will continue?  

[JD-TWINS]

Rockies Grichuk at the high end - or Reds Fairchild at the low end for CF.

Honestly, the more I watch I think Castro can and is growing into our CF! Can still play Taylor there late & v. LH pitching but Castro has plus speed & a plus arm…….needs reps. He may be as good or better overall option than either of the guys above? Particularly in ‘24 & beyond.

Not sure if Turner & CC mesh in the locker room??? Correa is getting booed by fans in Seattle years after the cheating incident & Turner was on that Dodgers team!

[JD-TWINS]

9 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

I won't complain if they do it, but I would throw Gallo into the potential trade package.  We have to start clearing the left handed log jam. 

Lane worries me since it is his breakout season, or perhaps his peak season and the balloon could bust like it did for Lopez last year. 

Hernandez has disappointed the Mariners which is why he might be available.  Would he also disappoint us?

Turner is almost 39 - he is still good and might be the best of the three.

But right now the Twins have to figure out who they are.  Have we gotten a boost since the All-star break that will continue?  

Not personal…….Somebody has to build a case for why a team would trade for Gallo. This keeps coming up in Forum as if it just needs to be offered to the market. Has to be a reason other than he’s no good for us & we want to move him to clear roster space.

I’d wait for the DFA & hope to claim him on waivers or I’d make the Twins pay 80% of his salary balance. No reason to do Twins a favor.

[jorgenswest]

I think we would be buying high on Thomas in a career year. The Nationals need good under control players. Why trade him unless they feel they are selling high?

[mikelink45]

52 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Not personal…….Somebody has to build a case for why a team would trade for Gallo. This keeps coming up in Forum as if it just needs to be offered to the market. Has to be a reason other than he’s no good for us & we want to move him to clear roster space.

I’d wait for the DFA & hope to claim him on waivers or I’d make the Twins pay 80% of his salary balance. No reason to do Twins a favor.

I suspect there are some as gullible as our FO who will see value in Gallo.  I hope so anyway.

[lukeduke1980]

I agree on the concern on buying high on Thomas, though I think Washington would be more interested in low A raw prospects for their rebuild.  Turner would be good but I see LA Dodgers getting him back.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Sign me up for any of these guys, provided the price is right, with Lane Thomas seemingly the most interesting.  That being said, the Twins have a couple of guys that should be given a shot in the outfield (even though they are lefties) that would cost them nothing, and thus far have not been willing to look seriously at Larnach or Wallner.  Unless the theory is that these guys would come from the outside so they must be better options, I don't see the Twins making a move like this.  Sure wish they would.

[stringer bell]

10 minutes ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

Sign me up for any of these guys, provided the price is right, with Lane Thomas seemingly the most interesting.  That being said, the Twins have a couple of guys that should be given a shot in the outfield (even though they are lefties) that would cost them nothing, and thus far have not been willing to look seriously at Larnach or Wallner.  Unless the theory is that these guys would come from the outside so they must be better options, I don't see the Twins making a move like this.  Sure wish they would.

I think '24 will be the make or break year for both Wallner and Larnach. Fair or not, I think the FO and Rocco are convinced the overall contribution of Gallo/Kepler is more than they would/will get this year from Wallner and Larnach. I don't necessarily agree. Having an option to play center field and a corner vs. left handed pitching is what the Twins will be looking for at the deadline. Grichuk fits and so does Lane Thomas. 

Dylan Carlson of the Cardinals has lost playing time recently. He's arb-eligible for three years, so he would be expensive to acquire--maybe Larnach/Wallner plus a pretty good pitching prospect--but he's a legit CF, switch hitter (better against lefties) with a first round pedigree. I don't know if he's even available, but I think he would be an excellent get for not only the rest of this year, but for a couple years to come.

[LewFordLives]

If Turner keeps putting up decent numbers, I gotta think he forgoes his option and takes one more lap through free agency.

[jmlease1]

I'm not sure any of these options work for the Twins?

Sure, Lane Thomas fits for what we need on the roster and I'd be pretty happy swapping Gallo or Kepler for him, but the Nats are going to want a bomb for him as a breakout player who is under team control for 2 more seasons after this. I don't think they're going to take a discount because he doesn't have a lengthy track record, and he's the kind of player that even assuming the Nats are selling (and they should be) that they can hold on to at least until the off-season if not the next trade deadline unless they get a big bid.

Justin Turner doesn't seem like he'd be available; Boston is contending for the Wild Card at 1.5 games back, so I don't expect them to be selling anyone unless someone makes them an idiotic offer and I'd rather than not be us. Maybe if they sink rapidly in the next 10 days, but they'd need to be pretty bad for them to go from buyers to sellers.

Teoscar Hernandez is the most likely option/fit: veteran on an expiring with one real role: mash lefties. but not sure Seattle sees themselves as sellers right now. Maybe right up at the deadline they'll be far enough off the pace that they'd look to sell? The bigger issue/risk is whether or not Hernandez has enough value to make a difference as a guy who only plays against lefties.

[LA Vikes Fan]

3 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Mark Canha and Tommy Pham and the Cardinals have Dylan Carlson perhaps available. 

Dylan Carlson could be a good get if we can't get Lane for an affordable price. Young, switch hitter, can play center field, .845 OPS against LH pitching this year (only .664 against RH pitching), arb eligible in 2024, FA in 2027.  Would rather have Lane but Carlson might be a decent fall back. Lane and Carlson only work if we lose Gallo though so they can get some ABs. 

Turner is ok and has the right pedigree but where do you play him once Lewis comes back? You don't want to play Turner at the expense of Lewis, Kirlloff, or Julien (by forcing Polanco back to 2B). I just don't see how he fits unless Buxton is done for the season. Teoscar Hernandez is the classic boom or bust guy. Hard to find a place to play him a lot unless Gallo is gone, and even then it limits your options. If he's available for a mid level prospect or an A ball lottery ticket, ok I guess if coupled wiht losing Gallo, but I wouldn't give up a real asset for him with the roster where it is. Hard to see a place to play him without limiting the young guys we have who have earned time - Julien, Kirillof and Lewis - and that's something I really don't want to do.   

Lane or Carlson combined with losing Gallo - sign me up. Turner if Buxton or Lewis will be gone into September or for the year? Ok. Other than that, just not seeing the value here.  

[Hashim]

3 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

Who wants an apparently broken down 2B making $10M & a career .190 hitter making $11M????

We can try. There’s a lot more buyers then sellers it seems. 

[SotaSports in NM]

1 hour ago, jmlease1 said:

I'm not sure any of these options work for the Twins?

Sure, Lane Thomas fits for what we need on the roster and I'd be pretty happy swapping Gallo or Kepler for him, but the Nats are going to want a bomb for him as a breakout player who is under team control for 2 more seasons after this. I don't think they're going to take a discount because he doesn't have a lengthy track record, and he's the kind of player that even assuming the Nats are selling (and they should be) that they can hold on to at least until the off-season if not the next trade deadline unless they get a big bid.

Justin Turner doesn't seem like he'd be available; Boston is contending for the Wild Card at 1.5 games back, so I don't expect them to be selling anyone unless someone makes them an idiotic offer and I'd rather than not be us. Maybe if they sink rapidly in the next 10 days, but they'd need to be pretty bad for them to go from buyers to sellers.

Teoscar Hernandez is the most likely option/fit: veteran on an expiring with one real role: mash lefties. but not sure Seattle sees themselves as sellers right now. Maybe right up at the deadline they'll be far enough off the pace that they'd look to sell? The bigger issue/risk is whether or not Hernandez has enough value to make a difference as a guy who only plays against lefties.

The perfect example for the Nats not taking a discount based on lack of track record is...Jorge Lopez. I'd be against that kind of haul for Thomas, even without the hindsight that Cano was fixable.

[JD-TWINS]

1 hour ago, jmlease1 said:

I'm not sure any of these options work for the Twins?

Sure, Lane Thomas fits for what we need on the roster and I'd be pretty happy swapping Gallo or Kepler for him, but the Nats are going to want a bomb for him as a breakout player who is under team control for 2 more seasons after this. I don't think they're going to take a discount because he doesn't have a lengthy track record, and he's the kind of player that even assuming the Nats are selling (and they should be) that they can hold on to at least until the off-season if not the next trade deadline unless they get a big bid.

Justin Turner doesn't seem like he'd be available; Boston is contending for the Wild Card at 1.5 games back, so I don't expect them to be selling anyone unless someone makes them an idiotic offer and I'd rather than not be us. Maybe if they sink rapidly in the next 10 days, but they'd need to be pretty bad for them to go from buyers to sellers.

Teoscar Hernandez is the most likely option/fit: veteran on an expiring with one real role: mash lefties. but not sure Seattle sees themselves as sellers right now. Maybe right up at the deadline they'll be far enough off the pace that they'd look to sell? The bigger issue/risk is whether or not Hernandez has enough value to make a difference as a guy who only plays against lefties.

I do think the Turner v. CC clubhouse issues would go away!! Fans don’t like Correa around the league let alone a former Dodger.

 

Teoscar is leading the league in K’s per either a TD contributor or the Athletic today. We got that covered with Joe & Max!!

[Shaitan]

I'm only trading for rentals this year. Minimal cost. Save the farm for all-in 2024 with a (presumably) healthy core roster. 2023 is about "getting hot at the right time" if it's going to happen.

[farmerguychris]

Eh - What else ya got?

[ashbury]

Lane Thomas is having a career year at bat.  He seems below average on defense, so if he regresses even a little he's basically Kyle Garlick, a bat on the short end of the platoon; there's a reason lefty corner bats predominate.  I would not give up assets to get him.

[mrtwinsfan]

6 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

Rockies Grichuk at the high end - or Reds Fairchild at the low end for CF.

Honestly, the more I watch I think Castro can and is growing into our CF! Can still play Taylor there late & v. LH pitching but Castro has plus speed & a plus arm…….needs reps. He may be as good or better overall option than either of the guys above? Particularly in ‘24 & beyond.

Not sure if Turner & CC mesh in the locker room??? Correa is getting booed by fans in Seattle years after the cheating incident & Turner was on that Dodgers team!

Might want to realize who the Red Sox manager is and where he came-- from if you think Turner would have issue with Correa , Thanks for the Chuckle !!