Let’s Make a Deal! What Players Can the Twins Acquire From Colorado?

[Ted Schwerzler]

As things stand, the Minnesota Twins are staring up at the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central. Closing that gap will require improved performance from the guys in the clubhouse, but adding before the trade deadline is a must, too. What do the Colorado Rockies have to offer?

 

Image courtesy of © D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

While the Chicago White Sox currently hold the distinction of being the worst team in Major League Baseball, the Colorado Rockies aren’t far behind them. Unfortunately, that is a near-yearly state of affairs for the team that calls Coors Field home; they're rarely relevant in the NL West.

Derek Falvey will be scouring other organizations for talent when it comes to making trades, and while ownership put a spending cap on the roster construction this season, it’s clear Rocco Baldelli’s group could use a boost. So, what could be of interest from Colorado?

Elías Díaz - Catcher
One of the worst spots on Minnesota’s roster is the backup catcher position. Ryan Jeffers continues to split time with Christian Vázquez, but the latter is legitimately the worst offensive player in baseball at this point. His 13 OPS+ has still afforded him a spot in the lineup 36 times, and he has been virtually an automatic out.

The depth in the system (at the upper levels, where a big-league promotion might be possible) is just Jair Camargo, and while he was up earlier this year, maybe Minnesota isn’t ready to take the training wheels off yet. Despite being an All-Star last year, this is something of an outlier season for Diaz. With a 113 OPS+, it is the first time he has been above-average since 2018, and he’s actually been better away from Coors Field. There’s not a ton of power potential here, but Díaz doesn’t strike out and is putting together one of the best defensive seasons of his career.

In the final year of a three-year, $14.5 million deal, Díaz should also be affordable. The financial outlay is just a prorated portion of $6 million.

Nick Mears - RHP
As you’d expect from a team that has an awful record, there’s not much to be excited about on the mound. If Minnesota was to be intrigued by an arm that shouldn’t cost much, Mears could be an option. Under team control through 2027, he's in his fifth big league season and second organization, but has never pitched more than 25 innings at the highest level.

The 5.26 ERA is ugly, but there’s a 3.02 FIP and 3.66 xFIP behind it. Mears is also working with a 27% strikeout rate and doesn’t give up home runs. The big blemish is a 13% walk rate. He is sitting at a career-best 97 mph on his fastball right now, and has shown command of both a slider and a curveball. With a very vertical movement profile, he looks like a good fit for the Twins' pitching paradigm.

Making the league minimum, he wouldn’t impact the Twins bottom line.

Jalen Beeks - LHP
Something of an anti-Mears, Beeks has the shiny 2.93 ERA but also owns a 4.29 FIP and 4.65 xFIP. The longtime Tampa Bay Rays reliever is well shy of the double-digit K/9 he had gotten used to in recent seasons, and the 11% walk rate isn’t ideal, either. He is left-handed, though, and solidifying that group in the wake of Caleb Thielbar’s performance during 2024 may be worthwhile.

Beeks sits 95 mph with his fastball and is predominantly a cutter-changeup pitcher. Somewhat surprisingly, he has been better at Coors Field, with all three of the home runs he has allowed coming on the road. He has six saves to his credit, and is the Rockies' closer, but none of that should play or matter going anywhere else.

Signed for just shy of $2 million on a one-year deal, Beeks wouldn’t move Minnesota’s payroll needle.

Finding anything of value that has a realistic chance to be moved from the Rockies roster is tough. Kris Bryant has been awful and often hurt, and is still owed a ton of money. Ezequiel Tovar is the top talent in terms of fWAR, but he just signed a seven-year deal to stay in Colorado. Slugging first baseman Ryan McMahon may be nice, but the 29-year-old recently signed a six-year deal and is probably a better candidate to be dealt to a team with more financial flexibility. There’s no reason to bring Jake Cave back, and the starting rotation is filled with a bunch of mediocre results that peripherals suggest could get even worse.

The Rockies will very clearly be sellers at the deadline, but it remains to be seen if anyone will have interest in what they have to offer. Díaz, Mears, and Beeks, at least, should draw a phone call from the Twins.

View full article

[dxpavelka]

PLEASE.  Don't even mention Jake Cave.

 

[Otaknam]

Click bait article. These suggestions are just band aids on a cut jugular. The Twins have again shown that they aren’t ready for prime time, are just a fringe playoff team with no number one starter and too many under performers like Correa, Buxton, Kiroloff, Vasquez. Margot, and Farmer. And Vasquez is virtually untradeable due to his $10 million contract and dismal performance. So a trade for backup catcher Diaz does little to address the bigger issues. 

[DLPaul]

Nothing that moves us forward in this article.  Underperforming players include most of our players lately but the names that stand out are Vazquez, Buxton, Farmer and (you fill in the blank).  Get Edward back from St. Paul is my choice of non-money moves. 

[MABB1959]

Don't trade!  Just bring up our future. Can't be worse than half the team.  Not sure the chances of winning the ALC and not sure they could win a series especially if they face NYY.  

[chpettit19]

Outside of being able to get out from Vazquez's deal somehow and bringing in Diaz for the rest of this year I don't see anyone on the Rockies roster I'd like. Nolan Jones is intriguing if you think he can be close to the guy he was last year, but the Twins need difference makers and the Rockies don't have any of those. Shuffling around random relievers or mediocre to bad vets doesn't help this team. If they're not bringing in legit, top-end MLB talent don't waste time with trades and just go with what you already have in house.

[4twinsJA]

Don't see Twins going all in with this team, not a player or 2 from winning WS. Agree with above posters, not much to get out of Colorado.

[USAFChief]

If we throw in a prospect or three, can we trade managers?

[Coach Wheels]

Blackmon is their best player, he can play CF or RF with ease, and he can hit. Trade Buxton for Blackmon and I'm interested.

[DJL44]

15 minutes ago, Coach Wheels said:

Blackmon is their best player, he can play CF or RF with ease, and he can hit. Trade Buxton for Blackmon and I'm interested.

Blackmon is hitting as bad as Buxton and is mostly a DH at this point in his career. He hasn't played CF since 2018.

[Fire Dan Gladden]

1 hour ago, Otaknam said:

Click bait article. These suggestions are just band aids on a cut jugular. The Twins have again shown that they aren’t ready for prime time, are just a fringe playoff team with no number one starter and too many under performers like Correa, Buxton, Kiroloff, Vasquez. Margot, and Farmer. And Vasquez is virtually untradeable due to his $10 million contract and dismal performance. So a trade for backup catcher Diaz does little to address the bigger issues. 

I don't know if I would call this click-bait, but if TD continues to pump out these types of articles, they need to open a new article section titled "wishful thinking".

The Twins will not make any moves that will increase payroll.  Discussions of acquiring ANY player from ANY team needs to stop.  They will not trade a cheaper prospect for a more expensive veteran.  Ownership is counting by nickels, not millions.  There is no "help" to be had from outside the organization.  We just get to sit and watch half the team underperform and the SP try their best to reach a cumulative 5.00 ERA.

[Doctor Gast]

46 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

If we throw in a prospect or three, can we trade managers?

You really want Roger Black? 

[JD-TWINS]

54 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

If we throw in a prospect or three, can we trade managers?

Wow - that’s the problem - the Manager?

How about (2021 level) $124M payroll??

Louie Varland sucked in 4 outings due to zero 5th starter option ….. Lopez looks like a guy that’s in his own head in most outings…….6 walks last night & 0-2 count Hit Batsman - that sucks a bunch!!

That’s 5 of the 29 losses, w/o much thought, squarely on starting pitching! Joe Ryan gave up somewhere near 4 HR in a start in last couple weeks. Starters are going to blow up occasionally - understood - it’s not a Manager problem though. They have been competitive to pretty good in a whole bunch of games as well but Managers can’t pitch or stop run scoring onslaughts - guys gotta perform.

[Fatbat]

There isn’t a real good reason to trade unless we bring in a high performing rental to jump start the offense or build long term talent upgrades.  We have that option on the farm but always be open to improving the team immediately.  Lee and Erod are prime timers like Lewis. Try those options first. The cost is ZERO $.

[Doctor Gast]

I really like Elias Diaz & wish we had him in our system but what do we do with Vazquez & his $10MM/ yr.? Vazquez is catching more games is because he's a much better catcher & Jeffers has 60% more ABs because he's a much better hitter, The last 2 game trend Vazquez has 1 HR, 1 double, 1 BB, 0 Ks 6ABs against RHPs Gil & Stoman. Jeffers is 0-8, 0 BB, 2 Ks, against Brown & LHP Rodon. Vazquez is a very good back-up the problem is price tag 

[LambchoP]

I really don't think the twins will be buyers this year, we're just not making the playoffs. I don't think we'll be sellers either though because aside from maybe Kepler or Miranda, maybe Larnach or AK, what do we have that other teams want that were willing to trade? If we could somehow dump Vasquez Farmer Margot or Santana for any return at all that would be a huge win, but I don't see it happening.

[Ricky Vaughn]

  Larry Walker?

 

[Hubie29]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

You really want Roger Black? 

I would even take Roger Rabbit

[Mike Sixel]

Nope.

[1985Fan]

Twins should focus on internal help from Lee, Festa, Julien, Wallner, and possibly others in their MiLB system. Finally decide what they have in Kirilloff and Larnach. Doesn’t look like there is enough talent on this team to compete with NYY, Orioles, or Cleveland. 
The cost of bringing in impactful talent at the deadline would hurt down the road. If they were one pitcher or bat away from beating NYY, then go for it. But that is not the case.

[olerud]

That was a waste of time!

[roger]

What is most interesting is that the Rockies are drawing over 6,000 more fans a game compared with the Twins.   Denver/Colorado is a great baseball town with terrible teams seemingly forever. 

 

[roger]

3 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

Wow - that’s the problem - the Manager?

How about (2021 level) $124M payroll??

Louie Varland sucked in 4 outings due to zero 5th starter option ….. Lopez looks like a guy that’s in his own head in most outings…….6 walks last night & 0-2 count Hit Batsman - that sucks a bunch!!

That’s 5 of the 29 losses, w/o much thought, squarely on starting pitching! Joe Ryan gave up somewhere near 4 HR in a start in last couple weeks. Starters are going to blow up occasionally - understood - it’s not a Manager problem though. They have been competitive to pretty good in a whole bunch of games as well but Managers can’t pitch or stop run scoring onslaughts - guys gotta perform.

Don't disagree with much of what you said, JD.  But cannot understand your and other comments about the payroll.  Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but don't the White Sox have the largest payroll in the Central Division?  By a lot?  And don't the Guardians, Royals and Tigers all have payrolls smaller than the Twins?  But you hit it on the nail when talking about the ineffective starting pitchers.  

With Diamond sports still in bankruptcy court and Comcast no longer paying for their games there is a real chance that Bally doesn't make it thru the season.  So here we are in early June and the Twins still aren't certain what their TV revenue will be.  Expect I may be in the minority, but I sure as heck can understand why they put restrictions on spending this year.  Hopefully, come opening day 2025 MLB will finally have put together the broadcasting program they have talked about for several years.  If not, don't know whether any of us will see games next year.  Or maybe even want to see them.

[JD-TWINS]

4 hours ago, roger said:

Don't disagree with much of what you said, JD.  But cannot understand your and other comments about the payroll.  Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but don't the White Sox have the largest payroll in the Central Division?  By a lot?  And don't the Guardians, Royals and Tigers all have payrolls smaller than the Twins?  But you hit it on the nail when talking about the ineffective starting pitchers.  

With Diamond sports still in bankruptcy court and Comcast no longer paying for their games there is a real chance that Bally doesn't make it thru the season.  So here we are in early June and the Twins still aren't certain what their TV revenue will be.  Expect I may be in the minority, but I sure as heck can understand why they put restrictions on spending this year.  Hopefully, come opening day 2025 MLB will finally have put together the broadcasting program they have talked about for several years.  If not, don't know whether any of us will see games next year.  Or maybe even want to see them.

Twins have $50M tied up in Correa & Buxton and have gone backward 19% from ‘23, down to $124 M……, back to 2021 level. Other teams have increased……..Royals $116M - Tigers $107M - Guardians $117M - White Sox - $187M.

I don’t have that much of an issue with the $ spend - it’s the blaming the Manager for poor performance from players that bugs me. If they choose not to spend & the best player is hurt 99% of the season, gotta cut the Manager some slack when pitchers give team little or no chance!

[bean5302]

Even if the Rockies had help for us, their idiot owner would veto any trades in the expectations a 2008 miracle comeback was on it's way, LOL.

[1985Fan]

The broadcasting situation MAY have a solution on the horizon. Marc Lore(36% Twolves owner) has brought in Michael Bloomberg as a “partner”? A guy that works for Bloomberg is the same guy that helped create YES (Yankees) regional broadcast system. Sounds like the plan is to create regional sports network here. Twolves & Wild are in same situation with Bally as Twins are so it makes sense they join forces to offer one package deal for all. 

[cmoss84]

Austin Gomber. Cheap and experienced. 

[Major League Ready]

14 hours ago, 1985Fan said:

The broadcasting situation MAY have a solution on the horizon. Marc Lore(36% Twolves owner) has brought in Michael Bloomberg as a “partner”? A guy that works for Bloomberg is the same guy that helped create YES (Yankees) regional broadcast system. Sounds like the plan is to create regional sports network here. Twolves & Wild are in same situation with Bally as Twins are so it makes sense they join forces to offer one package deal for all. 

Thanks!  Very interesting.  However, I would think the reasons for bring in Lore are much broader than creating a TV network.  That said, a Twins only product is not a solution for many of us, so it makes sense the Timberwolves, Wild, and Lynx would work together on a product.  This would explain why they went with an interim solution.

[TopGunn#22]

TD could have picked any number of teams to feature for an article like this and they picked Colorado.  Honestly, there is not a single player on their roster who makes any sense for us or would be a good fit.  We need SP.  Colorado has none.  We need a backup catcher to Jeffers and while Diaz wouldn't be a BAD option, you've got to find someone willing to take Vasquez.  That ain't Colorado.  

We're all correct in thinking the guys we have now just need to play better.  If they do start playing better and we get to the end of June/early July, that would be the time to see what SP they could add with a couple of years control remaining.  And before they would consider that, I think Festa needs to replace Paddack in the rotation.  May as well see what Festa can do NOW before making a deal.  

[1985Fan]

3 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

Thanks!  Very interesting.  However, I would think the reasons for bring in Lore are much broader than creating a TV network.  That said, a Twins only product is not a solution for many of us, so it makes sense the Timberwolves, Wild, and Lynx would work together on a product.  This would explain why they went with an interim solution.

Lore is bringing in Bloomberg (former mayor of NYC and one of the richest people in US) for part of the $300M installment payment to assume 80% ownership with ARod. Once Lore and ARod take over ownership(if they win arbitration case against Glen Taylor) they want to work with Redbird capital to create a regional sports network similar to YES. Apparently Redbird helped create the Yankees regional network. All this is according to a recent article in the Athletic. I read this in Hoops Rumors post on June 6th. 
https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/06/bloomberg-to-join-wolves-ownership-group-led-by-lore-a-rod.html