5 Under the Radar Names Twins Could Target Today

[Matthew Trueblood]

Every Twins fan will carefully watch Twitter today for news about the highest-profile pitchers remaining on the market. Let's take a few minutes, though, to consider players who might not be as obvious but could land in the team's lap.

Image courtesy of © Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

For days, now, the focus for most Twins fans has been on the tantalizing possibility of snagging a difference-making playoff starter, like Yusei Kikuchi or Jack Flaherty. Kikuchi was traded to Houston Monday, though, and Flaherty might be a tough get, given the price Kikuchi commanded and the extra hurdles that pop up when teams consider high-stakes intradivisional trades. Tanner Scott is an obvious fit for Minnesota, too, but there will be a bidding war for him over the next several hours.

Let's talk, instead, about a few players you might not have thought about much, but who could fit into the Twins' plans and make a positive difference at a low cost.

Joe Ross, Brewers RHP
Due back this week after a prolonged rehab assignment in the wake of a lower back strain in May, Ross is as low-profile as players come right now. The 31-year-old righty made nine starts before being shelved, totaling 42 innings pitched, and notched a 4.50 ERA. That comes with a 3.94 FIP and 0.6 FanGraphs WAR. He's on a one-year deal worth a total of just $1.75 million, so he'd be a feasible addition even for the cash-strapped Twins, and because the Brewers still face a roster crunch, he'd cost virtually nothing. That said, he'd also be a bare-minimum stabilizer for the back end of the rotation. He'd help the Twins get that far, perhaps, but it's unlikely they'd want to turn to him in the postseason.

Tanner Banks, White Sox LHP
Theoretically, he's controllable for another four years after 2024, so the White Sox could elect to hold onto Banks. Pragmatically, he's a late bloomer who's already 32 years old, and he's unlikely to be good enough to make it through his years of team control without being waived or non-tendered.

In the moment, though, he's a tough lefty, with a mid-90s fastball, a sharp slider and a big roundhouse curveball that has the zip of a typical sweeper. His changeup is lousy and righties crush him, but left-handed batters have a .492 OPS against him this year. He'd be dirt-cheap financially, but perhaps a bit pricey in terms of prospect return, given what he is.

Scott Alexander, Athletics LHP
The wily 35-year-old veteran signed a one-year deal worth $2.25 million, so he's financially affordable at this point. He doesn't miss bats--like, at all--but he also doesn't walk people, and everything is on the ground when he's going right. He boasts one of the league's heaviest sinker-slider-changeup combos. Like Banks, the splits are huge, and he was more valuable before the three-batter minimum came into play, but he could still have tactical value if expertly deployed. The cost should be low.

LaMonte Wade Jr., Giants 1B
Bring. Him. Home. The Giants have signaled that they're in sell mode. Wade has just one more year of team control after this one (time flies!), and the team might look to move him amid his most impressive OBP-crazy season yet. This one would take some real talent moved in return, and the degree of the team's need for him is slightly debatable--but Carlos Santana's platoon splits say it would be awfully nice to have a left-handed bat who can deepen the lineup from the top, rather than the bottom.

Drew Smyly, Cubs LHP
Smyly isn't on as cheap a deal as Ross, but the Cubs would be willing to pay down a portion of the money left on his contract just to get any value in return for the veteran. He's a good clubhouse citizen and a master of the sneaky high-rise sinker, with a deceptive curveball to pair with it. Stretched out for long relief, he's capable of sliding into the rotation for a turn or two as needed, but he'd probably be a traditional left-handed reliever for the Twins. That's fine. They need just such an arm, and he'd be almost a free upgrade to the last spot on their pitching staff hierarchy.

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[Drew]

This is like when we'd go on a trip to my grandmas and my mom would say "let's stop for lunch" and instead of getting McDonalds we'd eat bologna sandwiches at a rest stop. Could be fun and exciting, instead we're eating mystery meat by a toilet. 

[Patzky]

Christ just pick up Erceg and Blackburn from Oakland for some prospects already. Get it over with.

[Patzky]

13 minutes ago, Drew said:

This is like when we'd go on a trip to my grandmas and my mom would say "let's stop for lunch" and instead of getting McDonalds we'd eat bologna sandwiches at a rest stop. Could be fun and exciting, instead we're eating mystery meat by a toilet. 

Our bologna has a first name.

It's R A N D Y.

Our bologna has a second name.

It's D O B N A K.

[DJL44]

The Terry Ryan memorial dumpster dive!

[TFRazor]

15 minutes ago, Drew said:

This is like when we'd go on a trip to my grandmas and my mom would say "let's stop for lunch" and instead of getting McDonalds we'd eat bologna sandwiches at a rest stop. Could be fun and exciting, instead we're eating mystery meat by a toilet. 

I actually felt this in my soul

[USAFChief]

18 minutes ago, Drew said:

This is like when we'd go on a trip to my grandmas and my mom would say "let's stop for lunch" and instead of getting McDonalds we'd eat bologna sandwiches at a rest stop. Could be fun and exciting, instead we're eating mystery meat by a toilet. 

Post Of The Year nominee.

[Brandon]

I think it’s a good article as it’s dumpster diving which is the point and coming out with low cost stuff that is useful like finding an old table someone is throwing out but works great in the home office or garage.

[Blyleven2011]

Of the names mentioned  , veteran Smyly would be a good target ....

We need the bullpen to shape up , I sure hope Stewart can shake off the rust and get back to what he once was for us ....

[Jocko87]

33 minutes ago, Drew said:

This is like when we'd go on a trip to my grandmas and my mom would say "let's stop for lunch" and instead of getting McDonalds we'd eat bologna sandwiches at a rest stop. Could be fun and exciting, instead we're eating mystery meat by a toilet. 

I could taste this post.  Store bought meat wasn't in the budget though, always a Midwestern mystery.

I don't like any of these names but I do think there is plenty of unknown value out there.  I'd love to find this year's Cole Ragans even if it's less exciting for the next few months.  

[LambchoP]

Banks or Smyly makes sense. We desperately need some lefty reliever s for the bullpen. Two would be nice, one minimum. I bet we could get Aroldis Chapman for either Kepler, or someone like Raya. Looking like SP is going to be out of our price range, so hoping for a bullpen addition is probably all we can do sadly.

[Gamblerssoftball]

49 minutes ago, Drew said:

This is like when we'd go on a trip to my grandmas and my mom would say "let's stop for lunch" and instead of getting McDonalds we'd eat bologna sandwiches at a rest stop. Could be fun and exciting, instead we're eating mystery meat by a toilet. 

Hey Drew, great post! I nominated getting your namesake, Drew Smyly! It's not you is it!?

[IndianaTwin]

37 minutes ago, TFRazor said:

I actually felt this in my soul

Depending on how long the bologna has been around, it may not be your soul that you're feeling. 

[madtowntwin]

Flaherty scratched from last night's start....Will Quantrill take the mound tonight?? Odds that either or neither will make their next start very soon against the Mets?? Here in Madison - Oscar Meyer made millions on bologna and the Weiner-Mobile still roams the streets. Didn't know the Pohlads were in the business. If most people don't want to know how sausage is made....Under seven hours folks. Win Twins!

[CRF]

Yeah...if those are the options/choices...we might as well just do nothing...which is what's probably gonna happen anyway. 

[Road trip]

Do I wish the Twins had kept Wade?  Yes.  Do I think they should trade a real prospect to get him back?  No.  He'd just be another left-hander that Rocco would always pinch hit for, and we already have several of those.  His days in the outfield also seem to be over, which makes me think his speed is gone.  He sure did learn to hit after leaving the Twins though.

If there is to be a move today I'd expect bullpen help.  From the list above Alexander (or frankly anyone from Oakland) should be affordable.  Whether Alexander or anyone else from the A's would be a significant upgrade over Okert or Thielbar is frankly unknown.

 

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Unfortunately, if all of the top prospects are off the table, this is the type of pickup that we are looking at.  It won’t be flashy.  It might help a little bit, but it will lack the excitement of a big pitcher trade.  

We (fans and the team) have to realize that it takes some serious capital in prospects/players to get some serious return.  We tried that two years ago with Jorge Lopez and Tyler Mahle and got snake bit.  Odds are that won’t happen again, but you never know.  Baseball is funny like that.

 

 

[nicksaviking]

No interest in making zero-impact trades just so the organization can say they did something and pretend they're trying to win a championship. 

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, nicksaviking said:

No interest in making zero-impact trades just so the organization can say they did something and pretend they're trying to win a championship. 

Truth. 

[1991]

8 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

No interest in making zero-impact trades just so the organization can say they did something and pretend they're trying to win a championship. 

Best comment in here.  The organization isn't committed to winning a championship.  They are interested in not losing money.  A bad combination for us longtime Twins fans.

[mickster]

18 minutes ago, Road trip said:

Do I wish the Twins had kept Wade?  Yes.  Do I think they should trade a real prospect to get him back?  No.  He'd just be another left-hander that Rocco would always pinch hit for, and we already have several of those.  His days in the outfield also seem to be over, which makes me think his speed is gone.  He sure did learn to hit after leaving the Twins though.

If there is to be a move today I'd expect bullpen help.  From the list above Alexander (or frankly anyone from Oakland) should be affordable.  Whether Alexander or anyone else from the A's would be a significant upgrade over Okert or Thielbar is frankly unknown.

 

Maybe we sweeten the pot with Martin/Kepler and see if we can pry Rooker away as well

[USAFChief]

6 minutes ago, mickster said:

Maybe we sweeten the pot with Martin/Kepler and see if we can pry Rooker away as well

Explain to us how Oakland has any interest in Max Kepler.

[Hubie29]

14 minutes ago, 1991 said:

Best comment in here.  The organization isn't committed to winning a championship.  They are interested in not losing money.  A bad combination for us longtime Twins fans.

To win a world series is def not priority 1. To make money is #1, if a world series comes along with it, cherry on top. Otherwise they wouldn't have cut payroll and make no significant moves at deadline. 

[mickster]

9 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Explain to us how Oakland has any interest in Max Kepler.

True statement there as he is a FA - but a Wallner/Larnach with Martin maybe?     

[Hubie29]

17 minutes ago, mickster said:

Maybe we sweeten the pot with Martin/Kepler and see if we can pry Rooker away as well

We got Paddack and Pagan for Rooker.  Not the best of trades. 

[USAFChief]

2 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Germans always get stuck paying the reparations for their organization's criminal activities. They can stick him with the bill when they flee for Sacramento.

[Jocko87]

40 minutes ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

Unfortunately, if all of the top prospects are off the table, this is the type of pickup that we are looking at.  It won’t be flashy.  It might help a little bit, but it will lack the excitement of a big pitcher trade.  

We (fans and the team) have to realize that it takes some serious capital in prospects/players to get some serious return.  We tried that two years ago with Jorge Lopez and Tyler Mahle and got snake bit.  Odds are that won’t happen again, but you never know.  Baseball is funny like that.

 

 

On the other hand, the system was not gutted by those moves.  Two years later and we still have serious capital. I'm much more comfortable with taking a big swing knowing they are pretty decent at backfilling.  Just gotta get the self scouting right.

[Doctor Gast]

One suggestion I made in the beginning of the year is to sign LHP Rich Hill to a MiLB contract with incentives. He's a smart pitcher & he'd be great with our young arms. No prospects are needed, even though I wouldn't mind using them if we had a decent top-tier SP trade target. 

[Linus]

Man is this article depressing…….

[Rosterman]

3 hours ago, Patzky said:

Christ just pick up Erceg and Blackburn from Oakland for some prospects already. Get it over with.

Yeah, we should be able to pry a couple of arms from Oakland for a slew of guys we dont need (Kirilloff, Julien) or about to go but still value (WIlliams, Helman), or soon to be passed (Sabato, Lewis, Fedko, Winkel).