Athletic article, top 50 players who could be dealt...

[Cory Engelhardt]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5649385/2024/07/22/mlb-trade-deadline-player-position-ranking/

Tim Britton and our Aaron Gleeman made a top 50 list of players who could potentially be traded prior to next Tuesday (6/30/2024, 6pm central) trade deadline. It's coming up quick. How they laid it out was having a green (likely) yellow (possibly) or red (not as likely) color next to each of the 50 players, and they listed best fits for each of them. Typically each player had 3 teams listed next to each that were a fit, and the Twins were listed next to 5 of them.

 

Here are the names associated with the Twins...

 

1) Vlad Guerrero Jr..I don't know that I see it with our our 1b/dh options are doing just fine right now. But really, if Miranda is going to be out a while, or Santana gets hurt, I could see being interested in a 1b type. Guerrero would be fun in this lineup, but like the next guy listed, I don't know that I see the Twins using prospects to bring in what isn't a problem with the current roster (outside of injuries, of course.) Vlad has probably 8 million left on his deal for this year and would be in arbitration for the last time in 2025, probably making north of 23 million or more next year. Salary wise I don't see it here.

2) Pete Alonso (see description next to Guerrero Jr.) Pete should have about 4 million (give or take) left on this season's contract before he becomes a free agent.

3) Nathan Eovaldi...This would be my number 1 target if Texas is open to trading him. He is a bulldog and has a lot of strong playoff success in his resume. He most likely is a rental (if he pitches 62 more innings this year he would have a vesting option for next season, but he most likely only picks that up if he gets hurt and won't pitch next year.) But man, he would be fun to have for a game 1 or game 2 starter. He most likely has about 7 left on his deal for this year, so the price isn't bad unless he gets hurt and opts in to next years contract.

4) Yusei Kikuchi...If Texas doesn't listen, I'd love to go after Kikuchi as a fallback to Eovaldi. His stuff is really good, he is left handed, and he is also a rental. Plus, he has good experience against the Yankees both this season and during his career, which wouldn't hurt in a potential playoff series. I think I read he has maybe 3-4 million left on his deal for this season, so he certainly would be the most affordable listed here.

5) Jordan Montgomery...I know he has playoff experience, but this season has been mostly pretty terrible for him. I don't know that I see it. He is making 25 million this year, and he has a conditional player option for next year that certainly the Twins wouldn't pick up, so probably a salary dump for Arizona. IF he comes back looking healthy over the next few weeks I wouldn't hate taking a flier, but I'd prefer Eovaldi. I'd imagine he has about 11 million left in salary for this year, so maybe the Diamondbacks would even cover some of the salary to get out of that deal?

 

Who are you manifesting to be a Twin come next Tuesday evening? For me it's Eovaldi with a bullet, but we'll see what takes place.