Rumor: Twins will seek bullpen help and a right-handed bat at the deadline, according to Falvey

[cHawk]

Minnesota Twins' President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey recently appeared on MLB Network Radio's "Front Office" podcast. In the segment, Falvey shared some of his objectives for improving the team at the upcoming trade deadline. According to Falvey, he intends to "fortify the middle of" the bullpen.

Falvey also mentioned they would like to add another right-handed bat to the Twins' lefty-dominated lineup.

A link to a twitter post containing the audio is included below. Do you agree with Falvey that the middle of the bullpen is the team's primary area of concern? Or are there other, more pressing needs?

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[tony&rodney]

Bednar or/and Hader is ok with me. No reason to lose anyone valuable though (Lee, Rodriguez, Festa, Raya).

[jorgenswest]

I concur with Falvey. Everybody can fortify the pen so it isn’t news. It is a perfect meaningless answer. If they do have interests in other spots there is no reason to broadcast that interest to the rest of the teams.

[Mike Sixel]

Stewart, Thielbar and? Who goes?

[JD-TWINS]

17 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Stewart, Thielbar and? Who goes?

Headrick - Thielbar - Stewart can help “strengthen the middle of our bullpen…..” so I’m not sure how hard we look for relief help. I’d love to see Robertson here to help with the backend and push late inning guys to. 

Fairchild would be easy pickens out of Reds AAA system. RH former starting CF with a .743 OPS in ‘23. No room in Cincinnati for him.

Grichuk out of Colorado would cost a bit but probably worth the upgrade in CF and at the plate.

Bellinger for Martin & SWR is worth considering!!!

[Lefty61]

Twins Definitely need a proven right handed bat,  Adam Duvall would be a great pick up from Red Sox, Sox are in wild card hunt but not serious buyers,  given their rotation injuries and Maeda's last couple outings, an even swap of Maeda for Duvall could be a fit for both, as both are UFA's and it would save Sox some money on Duvall's $7MM deal vs. Maeda's $3MM.    

[JD-TWINS]

CC - Farmer - Lewis - Solano - Buxton (DH) - Jeffers - Kirilloff (RF) - Castro - Taylor……..the Twins line-up v. LH pitching. Do we need a RH bat?

I’d take a big swing & trade Martin & SWR for Bellinger.

CC - Julien - Kirilloff - Kepler - Bellinger - Wallner - Polanco - Lewis - Vazquez…….the Twins new line-up v. RH pitching.

Buxton sits until we can expand roster in September……..once playoffs start we shift to 4 starters………Kenta goes to Pen and we drop to 12 pitchers total………..Polanco & Lewis batting 7th & 8th!!!

[dxpavelka]

1 hour ago, JD-TWINS said:

Headrick - Thielbar - Stewart can help “strengthen the middle of our bullpen…..” so I’m not sure how hard we look for relief help. I’d love to see Robertson here to help with the backend and push late inning guys to. 

Fairchild would be easy pickens out of Reds AAA system. RH former starting CF with a .743 OPS in ‘23. No room in Cincinnati for him.

Grichuk out of Colorado would cost a bit but probably worth the upgrade in CF and at the plate.

Bellinger for Martin & SWR is worth considering!!!

Consider that Bellinger will likely be incredibly difficult to re-sign and may well end up right back with the Cubs.  Just sayin

 

[Jocko87]

3 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Bednar or/and Hader is ok with me. No reason to lose anyone valuable though (Lee, Rodriguez, Festa, Raya).

Those two would cost something valuable.  I think we can fill the need without getting crazy. 

[mike8791]

Sorry Derek!  The Twins have one reliable closer-type(if you think Jax should be added, look at last night + his Inherited Runners Scored stats since last year).   They should be targeting one of Hader, Bednar or Robertson.  Period.  Middle relievers are fine for the regular season, but in the stretch run and playoffs, you need 3 shutdown relievers with a proven track record in big-game situations.  Yes, they whiffed on the Lopez acquisition last year, but their thinking was correct. 

The offense is coming to life.  More importantly, the team is showing some life coming from behind(a rare occurrence over the last decade).  When you have a chance for the playoffs, go big or go home!

[JD-TWINS]

8 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Stewart, Thielbar and? Who goes?

Great question! If we bring Kuechel for Sands that seems simple in another week…….Thielbar & Stewart displace who?? Maybe no Kuechel & Sands opens one spot.

Ortega - Balazovic - Pagan all seemed to have earned a spot! Balazovic may have options, not sure on Ortega? Could move down for short period  to give others a look?

Jax - Duran are in………Moran seems to make sense on the hill 75-80% of the time, good enough?

They really seem to want to support Jorge - it’s the right thing to do. He looked sharp against Mariners last night. Great stuff. The ability to command his pitches along with his emotional state is up in the air……….do we trade him (Try) to give him a runway somewhere else & to open a roster spot?

Moran - Sands - Lopez - Ortega seem to be the candidates to be displaced. Careful for what we wish for via acquisition!

[Riverbrian]

They are in first place in the AL Central

They have a very good starting rotation. 

They are ranked 11th in team OPS vs Right Handed pitching. 

They are last in team OPS vs Left Handed Pitching. 

They are heavy platoon usage and are obviously not going to change. 

They better be looking for a right handed bat. 

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Dare I say it...the starting rotation is good enough to win a pennant especially in a year where no one in the AL stands out as a true favorite.

But...

How much does the bullpen need to be fortified and how badly do they need a right-handed bat in order for the 'pen and line-up to pick up some much needed slack - that's the question.

 

 

[USAFChief]

9 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Stewart, Thielbar and? Who goes?

1. Pump the breaks a little on Stewart and Thielbar. Neither are back yet, for one thing. For another, Stewart is a 31 YO waiver wire claim who has 100+ MLB innings of 5+ ERA and 1.5 WHIP in his background. He certainly had a nice couple months for the Twins, but it wouldn't surprise me if he is the same guy he's always been if he comes back. Thielbar is 36.

2. Do you want to see any of Sands, Ortega or Balazovic pitch in a playoff game?

 

[laloesch]

31 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Dare I say it...the starting rotation is good enough to win a pennant especially in a year where no one in the AL stands out as a true favorite.

But...

How much does the bullpen need to be fortified and how badly do they need a right-handed bat in order for the 'pen and line-up to pick up some much needed slack - that's the question.

 

 

Baltimore and Tampa are both pretty darn good teams, especially the Orioles.  This season though I don't think anyone is stopping the Braves.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

15 minutes ago, laloesch said:

Baltimore and Tampa are both pretty darn good teams, especially the Orioles.  This season though I don't think anyone is stopping the Braves.

Orioles definitely slapped the Twins around before the break and the Rays, earlier in the year, looked like a juggernaut. But the Twins' starting pitching would give them a puncher's chance against both clubs - bolster the pen and line-up and I think the Twins can beat them.

As for the Braves, yeah. They're loaded and look poised to win it all.

[nicksaviking]

13 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Orioles definitely slapped the Twins around before the break and the Rays, earlier in the year, looked like a juggernaut. But the Twins' starting pitching would give them a puncher's chance against both clubs - bolster the pen and line-up and I think the Twins can beat them.

As for the Braves, yeah. They're loaded and look poised to win it all.

The Orioles have a good youth movement, but they look like one of those teams that is just winning with enthusiasm. Their best hitter is Ryan O'Hearn somehow. I think they'll get walloped in the post season; they better hope they get that bye.

As for Atlanta, yeah, they're clearly the league's best team and should win it all. Which almost certainly means they won't.

Speaking nothing of the Twins playoff chances, but looking at the schedule, the Twins and Rangers play August 24th. Currently the Twins are the doormat playoff team, but I'm betting when that series rolls around, whichever team wins that series will be in the drivers seat for the #2 seed.

[Muppet]

They are in a bit of a predicament as they are likely to be in the playoffs, but they aren't a playoff caliber team. They'll most likely be out in the first round. That said, once in the playoffs anything can happen. I'd look for a mix of buying and selling. I'd ship off Sonny Gray for a RH OF hitter and the biggest basket of promising prospects they can get. When Gray is good, he is really good. But the Twins can't win 1 run games if they aren't the ones scoring that run. 

I expect (or hope) this team will be much better next year. Wouldn't want to sacrifice any of that potential for an unlikely deep run this year. 

[JD-TWINS]

10 hours ago, Lefty61 said:

Twins Definitely need a proven right handed bat,  Adam Duvall would be a great pick up from Red Sox, Sox are in wild card hunt but not serious buyers,  given their rotation injuries and Maeda's last couple outings, an even swap of Maeda for Duvall could be a fit for both, as both are UFA's and it would save Sox some money on Duvall's $7MM deal vs. Maeda's $3MM.    

Maeda may be our best looking starter by the middle of August?

2.50ERA over last 5 starts. Looking dominant. Fresh, surgically repaired arm!

Can’t afford to move him.

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, JD-TWINS said:

Great question! If we bring Kuechel for Sands that seems simple in another week…….Thielbar & Stewart displace who?? Maybe no Kuechel & Sands opens one spot.

Ortega - Balazovic - Pagan all seemed to have earned a spot! Balazovic may have options, not sure on Ortega? Could move down for short period  to give others a look?

Jax - Duran are in………Moran seems to make sense on the hill 75-80% of the time, good enough?

They really seem to want to support Jorge - it’s the right thing to do. He looked sharp against Mariners last night. Great stuff. The ability to command his pitches along with his emotional state is up in the air……….do we trade him (Try) to give him a runway somewhere else & to open a roster spot?

Moran - Sands - Lopez - Ortega seem to be the candidates to be displaced. Careful for what we wish for via acquisition!

Ortega has at least one option remaining, perhaps two.

[CRF]

I'd be surprised if the FO did much, if anything coming up to the deadline. Certainly, no major deals. Imo...Falvine are probably thinking that they can pretty much stand pat and not do much, because they expect the team to start to hit better, and maintain their pitching like they have been. They expect to win this division. Maybe not a good way for the FO to go about it, but that's what I believe they'll do.  

[saviking]

Isn't Lewis right handed. Can't Polanco bat right handed. How much is not being able to hit left handers due to Vazuez, Buxton, Taylor and Correa not hitting. 

[JD-TWINS]

8 hours ago, dxpavelka said:

Consider that Bellinger will likely be incredibly difficult to re-sign and may well end up right back with the Cubs.  Just sayin

 

Understood. He may be just a rental …..probably an 80% chance he’s just a rental. The potential for a deep playoff run, coupled with Boras relationship with CC & thus our front office may give us a shot? We can pay him with Mahle & Gray’s expiring salaries. Possible good 3 year signing.

Maybe just a rental, however, with Polanco - Lewis - Bellinger blended into our line-up for last 2 months it may get us to the 2nd Division winner slot? Certainly makes us competitive with anyone in the playoffs!!

[TopGunn#22]

I agree with the idea that if we add a RP it should be a difference maker.  Hader, Bednar, Robertson.  They need another reliable closer for when Duran is not available, or in the playoffs is brought on in the 8th inning in a high leverage situation.  That "guy" was supposed to have been Jorge Lopez.  He's just not reliable enough yet to be anything other than middle relief.  Pagan is the same thing.  I like what he's done lately, but I want him in the middle of a game, not the end.  

With the Padres, I start with Miranda in discussions for Hader.  BBTV's has that as practically a one for one swap.  But I think guys like Hader and Bellinger will cost more than their "value."  I would still love to acquire Bellinger despite the higher cost.  And I'd roll the dice we could resign him if he does well for us, because face it, if he does well the Twins will probably win the division and possibly even a playoff series (provided we can get that first win in forever).  He's a perfect fit with his Gold Glove ability in CF, RF and 1B.  Bellinger may see the twins as a better option to reach the post season more consistently than the Cubs.  But to get a guy like Bellinger the Twins would at a minimum need to part ways with Gallo and Kepler.  And seriously consider moving Larnach.  With Emmanual Rodriguez and Walker Jenkins in the mix the Twins have far too many LH hitting OF players/prospects.  Even if E-Rod and Jenkins are a ways off being big leaguers. 

Adam Duval would be a major upgrade for the Twins OF.  He can play all 3 OF positions and would render MAT expendable.  We should have signed him instead of Joey Gallo in the off season.  Otherwise, Tommy Pham is a good, cheap, short term option for the remainder of the season.     

The Twins need to be both buyers AND sellers at the deadline.  It's not only about resetting the roster for the stretch run, it's about recalibrating for 2024 and beyond.  That's why I make a deal with the Tigers to get Eduardo Rodriguez, who is signed for 3 more years after this season and auction Sonny Gray of to the highest bidder.  Sonny has been regressing to his mean for weeks now.  Deal him and replace him with Ed. Rod (long term) or Blake Snell (short term unless you retain him as a free agent).  The Twins need a LH SP for this season and beyond and I'd try to sell high on Sonny Gray.  

[farmerguychris]

I just can't imagine trading any of our top 5 prospects this year for a right handed bat or pen help.  Anyone interested in Kepler or Gallo and we can just take the other team's right handed version of that player?  Low floor, middle upside?

[MABB1959]

Answer from Falvey is irritating.  He has us Twins Fans speculating again.  Would be nice to have a few names.  I could have given that "stock" answer.

[Kenny Powers]

1 hour ago, USAFChief said:

1. Pump the breaks a little on Stewart and Thielbar. Neither are back yet, for one thing. For another, Stewart is a 31 YO waiver wire claim who has 100+ MLB innings of 5+ ERA and 1.5 WHIP in his background. He certainly had a nice couple months for the Twins, but it wouldn't surprise me if he is the same guy he's always been if he comes back. Thielbar is 36.

2. Do you want to see any of Sands, Ortega or Balazovic pitch in a playoff game?

 

I agree with both points.  But...I'm also gun shy from the last several deals they've made to get relievers.  I feel like we keep ending up on the short end of the stick in such trades.  Further more the guys we trade for don't end up being any better than players we already had.  These deals come to mind as not working out so great:

Jorge Lopez for Juan Nunez, Cade Povich, Juan Rojas and Yennier Cano.  Lopez gave us a 4.37 ERA and 1.63 WHIP last yr.

Michael Fulmer for Sawyer Gipson-Long.  Fulmer gave us 3.70 ERA and 1.56 WHIP last year (meh).

Sam Dyson for Prelander Berroa, Kai-Wei Teng (minors) and Jaylin Davis.  Dyson gave us a 7.15 ERA and 1.76 WHIP.

 

I just feel like we can continue to piece the bull pen together.  It's not intimidating, but they've had luck just throwing out hot hands this year including:

13 innings from Ortega

25 innings from Stewart

14 innings from Balazovic

17 innings from DeLeon

15 innings from Headrick

That's 84 (very solid) innings from guys basically off the street. 

 

Obviously if a good deal presents itself - go for it.  But for the love of all that is holy - don't over pay for relief pitching.

 

 

[NeverSeenATwinsPlayoffWin]

We'll get a clearer picture in a week, but the Twins are hot and are starting to pull away from the rest of the central. With that in mind, acquisitions need to be more geared toward October baseball than August/September baseball. Here would be my guess at what the playoff 26-man would look like (assuming the health of guys with short-term injuries).

Rotation: Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, Bailey Ober, Sonny Gray

Bullpen: Oliver Ortega, Jorge Lopez, Jovani Moran, Emilio Pagan, Brock Stewart, Kenta Maeda, Griffin Jax, Jhoan Duran

Catchers/INF: Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vazquez, Alex Kirilloff, Donovan Solano, Edouard Julien, Kyle Farmer, Royce Lewis, Carlos Correa

OF: Byron Buxton, Willi Castro, Max Kepler, Joey Gallo, Michael Taylor

Caleb Thielbar and Jorge Polanco are somewhat wild cards as they have been out most of the year and should not be counted on, but they could come back.

On paper, this is a team built to win in the postseason. A rotation of four #2 starters, a bullpen with four dominant late-inning arms, and a lineup with homerun potential and one of the most prolific postseason hitters of the last decade (Correa). This is a long way of saying that the Twins don't need to go for broke. Another LHRP and a RH OF seem like good gets, but they don't need to be Josh Hader and Dylan Carlson. I really like Brent Suter from the Rockies, as he'll be a more reliable lefty than Moran, and I'd rather not see Oliver Ortega in a key spot for the Twins in October. Pham, Canha, Grichuk, and Duvall are going to be very cheap and give the Twins some power against lefties. Traditionally expensive assets like controllable starters and star position players don't need to be in play this year.

[wabene]

25 minutes ago, NeverSeenATwinsPlayoffWin said:

We'll get a clearer picture in a week, but the Twins are hot and are starting to pull away from the rest of the central. With that in mind, acquisitions need to be more geared toward October baseball than August/September baseball. Here would be my guess at what the playoff 26-man would look like (assuming the health of guys with short-term injuries).

Rotation: Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, Bailey Ober, Sonny Gray

Bullpen: Oliver Ortega, Jorge Lopez, Jovani Moran, Emilio Pagan, Brock Stewart, Kenta Maeda, Griffin Jax, Jhoan Duran

Catchers/INF: Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vazquez, Alex Kirilloff, Donovan Solano, Edouard Julien, Kyle Farmer, Royce Lewis, Carlos Correa

OF: Byron Buxton, Willi Castro, Max Kepler, Joey Gallo, Michael Taylor

Caleb Thielbar and Jorge Polanco are somewhat wild cards as they have been out most of the year and should not be counted on, but they could come back.

On paper, this is a team built to win in the postseason. A rotation of four #2 starters, a bullpen with four dominant late-inning arms, and a lineup with homerun potential and one of the most prolific postseason hitters of the last decade (Correa). This is a long way of saying that the Twins don't need to go for broke. Another LHRP and a RH OF seem like good gets, but they don't need to be Josh Hader and Dylan Carlson. I really like Brent Suter from the Rockies, as he'll be a more reliable lefty than Moran, and I'd rather not see Oliver Ortega in a key spot for the Twins in October. Pham, Canha, Grichuk, and Duvall are going to be very cheap and give the Twins some power against lefties. Traditionally expensive assets like controllable starters and star position players don't need to be in play this year.

Good post. I don't, however, think we want to add Pham to the clubhouse. He is an ass. 

[gunnarthor]

1 hour ago, Muppet said:

They are in a bit of a predicament as they are likely to be in the playoffs, but they aren't a playoff caliber team. They'll most likely be out in the first round. That said, once in the playoffs anything can happen. I'd look for a mix of buying and selling. I'd ship off Sonny Gray for a RH OF hitter and the biggest basket of promising prospects they can get. When Gray is good, he is really good. But the Twins can't win 1 run games if they aren't the ones scoring that run. 

I expect (or hope) this team will be much better next year. Wouldn't want to sacrifice any of that potential for an unlikely deep run this year. 

This, exactly. This little winning streak has been great and probably enough to lock down the division. But we're not a good team and we're not a player or two away. Feel free to make some small additions but not at the expense of the future.