How One Twins Reliever Is Under-the-Radar Before the MLB Trade Deadline

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

 

The Twins continue to find themselves in the thick of trade rumors as the deadline approaches, and much of the buzz has focused on the back end of their bullpen. Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax have reportedly drawn interest from multiple contenders, and it’s easy to see why. Duran’s triple-digit heat and Jax’s consistency have been key to Minnesota’s bullpen success over the past two seasons. But as reports surface that the Twins are asking for multiple Top 100 caliber prospects in return, it’s fair to wonder whether any team will meet that price.

So, where does that leave teams still seeking bullpen help from Minnesota? Enter Brock Stewart.

An Affordable, Effective Alternative
While he may not bring the same name recognition as Duran or Jax, Stewart has quietly been one of the most effective arms in the Twins’ bullpen when healthy. And that’s the key caveat, when healthy. Since signing a minor league deal with Minnesota in 2022, Stewart has battled through a series of injuries. Each of his three seasons with the club has been interrupted, but when he’s been on the mound, he’s done nothing but get outs.

Dating back to the beginning of the 2023 season, Stewart owns a 2.38 ERA with a strong 31.9% strikeout rate across 75 2/3 innings. His walk rate (9.7%) is a touch higher than ideal but manageable given the swing-and-miss stuff. Stewart is averaging 96 mph on both his four-seamer and his sinker this season, showing the type of velocity that gets scouts’ attention. His salary? A modest $870K.

At 33 years old, he’s not a long-term building block like Duran or Jax, but he’s also not a short-term rental. Stewart is under team control through the 2027 season, giving acquiring teams years of flexibility if he can stay healthy.

The Twins deserve credit for taking a flier on Stewart at a point in his career when few others were interested. A converted starter, Stewart had bounced between the Dodgers and Blue Jays organizations without ever truly finding his footing. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2021 and spent time away from affiliated baseball before signing with the Twins on a minor league deal. Minnesota saw something they liked, and when healthy, Stewart has rewarded their patience and investment. The club has helped him transition into a power reliever with swing-and-miss stuff, unlocking a level of performance that had eluded him elsewhere.

Why Stewart Stands Out
MLB Trade Rumors’ Anthony Franco recently included Stewart in his list of nine under-the-radar bullpen targets. It’s easy to understand why. Stewart checks several boxes for a contending team looking to shore up its bullpen without giving away the farm. He’s cheap, controllable, effective, and available.

Unlike Duran or Jax, Stewart wouldn’t require a package built around Top 100 prospects. That could make him an attractive fallback for clubs unwilling to meet the Twins’ high demands for their elite late-inning options. And for the Twins, moving Stewart wouldn’t necessarily close the door on 2026 competitiveness. The emergence of arms like Louis Varland and the likelihood of their demands not being met for their other late-inning relievers gives Minnesota enough bullpen depth to withstand Stewart’s departure if the return is right.

A Market Waiting to Emerge
As deadline day nears, the reliever market is still taking shape. Teams like the Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees are looking for bullpen reinforcements but may balk at the price tags attached to elite options. Stewart might not be their first call, but he could be their last and most practical one.

There’s no guarantee the Twins move Stewart at all. They like having quality depth and might feel better holding on to a veteran arm like his, especially with extra years of control. They have waited out his injuries and may want to reap the benefits.  But if the phone rings and the offer makes sense, don’t be surprised if Stewart is the reliever who ultimately gets dealt.

While the spotlight shines brightly on Minnesota’s top bullpen arms, don’t sleep on the value of a quieter option. Sometimes, the best deadline deals are the ones you didn’t see coming.

Will the Twins trade Stewart or another late-inning arm? What kind of return could the front office expect for Stewart? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

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[tony&rodney]

Brock Stewart is inexpensive, under team control for two more years, and effective out of the bullpen. He also has a risky injury profile. Thus, if no team will offer a substantial player for him in a transaction, the better gamble is to keep him. If a large deal that had a solid chance of improving the talent for the Twins while simultaneously pushing a contending team forward was put together and that team required one addition to seal the transaction .... fine.

[Patzky]

3 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Brock Stewart is inexpensive, under team control for two more years, and effective out of the bullpen. He also has a risky injury profile. Thus, if no team will offer a substantial player for him in a transaction, the better gamble is to keep him. If a large deal that had a solid chance of improving the talent for the Twins while simultaneously pushing a contending team forward was put together and that team required one addition to seal the transaction .... fine.

I agree. I'm not sure the return in a Beef trade would be worth the loss, especially if Coulombe Duran and/or Jax are gone. Varland and Topa isn't much to lean on..  one could use Paddack-Festa in the pen for the remainder of the year but Funderburk is not worth the splinters in the bench 

[stringer bell]

Good article. Summarizes the risk and reward of trading relief pitchers. Stewart is really good when he can get to the mound, but very fragile, which explains his career to this point. The Twins have done a good job in not overusing him, but I still see him as a time bomb for injury. 

To the point, in making a trade, would trading Stewart bring back more than keeping him? I honestly don't think so. 

[rdehring]

Like the idea of keeping Jax, Duran and Varland.  Then re-sign Coloumbe for another year and the bullpen is set for the next few years.  That would make Stewart available for a decent return.  With two more years of control, can they get some teams #6-#10 prospect? Not a MLB top 100 prospect, but maybe somewhere in the #200-#300 range?

[tony&rodney]

16 minutes ago, Patzky said:

I agree. I'm not sure the return in a Beef trade would be worth the loss, especially if Coulombe Duran and/or Jax are gone. Varland and Topa isn't much to lean on.. 

It makes sense to trade Coulombe because his contract is up, but I have wondered what he would seek for an extension. Would he sign a 2/$6 deal? Again, considering the return it might be worth asking. 

I'm in the pile of people who have zero idea what Falvey values or thinks. I'm lost there. He states repeatedly that the current roster is a playoff group. Of course, I don't expect him to make negative comments but his phrasing suggests he believes something can change if only the players would perform to their talents. 

[Major League Ready]

I maybe like Stewart a little too much and don't believe the return will be worthwhile.  However, if another team believes in his health and value over the next 2 1/2 years, cash in that chip.  The return for that type of RP has been very high in recent years.  It's going to be an interest next few days.  Let's hope the future looks better 5 days from now.

[Patzky]

7 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

I maybe like Stewart a little too much and don't believe the return will be worthwhile.  However, if another team believes in his health and value over the next 2 1/2 years, cash in that chip.  The return for that type of RP has been very high in recent years.  It's going to be an interest next few days.  Let's hope the future looks better 5 days from now.

Other than the new ownership concern, the philosophy behind even a Stewart trade is.. are you looking to contend in 2026? You keep Beef. Are you reloading Entirely? You offload anyone you can get a prospect for.. 

 

KC did an interesting thing last night.. they think they still have a chance.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

29 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

It makes sense to trade Coulombe because his contract is up, but I have wondered what he would seek for an extension. Would he sign a 2/$6 deal? Again, considering the return it might be worth asking. 

I'm in the pile of people who have zero idea what Falvey values or thinks. I'm lost there. He states repeatedly that the current roster is a playoff group. Of course, I don't expect him to make negative comments but his phrasing suggests he believes something can change if only the players would perform to their talents. 

It certainly makes sense to trade Coulombe, but seeing all this team’s other lefty relief pitching in comparison to how he’s pitched this year is jarring. Assuming they do trade him, hopefully one of the other trades made this month brings the next reliable LH reliever back in return.

[DJL44]

Two years of additional team control aren't worth much for Stewart. He's 33 and has an extensive injury history. I'm not confident he makes it through the rest of this season without another trip to the IL. Like everyone else on the team, he has zero value for the Twins for the remainder of 2025. Stewart is also the worst on the team at controlling the running game, which makes his pitching stats less valuable than they appear on paper. I think they're better off finding a trade partner. It will be quite disappointing if Stewart is still a Twin on August 1st.

[tony&rodney]

6 minutes ago, Patzky said:

KC did an interesting thing last night.. they think they still have a chance.

KC has a better team than Minnesota. The outfield is really poor on offense. Jac Caglianone hasn't transitioned to MLB as hoped (think Nick Kurtz) and is currently on the IL. I cannot imagine the Royals making much noise in the playoffs if they get into the party, but they have a better chance than our Twins.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Patzky said:

one could use Paddack-Festa in the pen for the remainder of the year but Funderburk is not worth the splinters in the bench 

What happens the rest of this season is irrelevant. They're not a contender. The rest of this season should be about developing players for the 2026 team.

49 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

I'm in the pile of people who have zero idea what Falvey values or thinks. I'm lost there. He states repeatedly that the current roster is a playoff group. Of course, I don't expect him to make negative comments but his phrasing suggests he believes something can change if only the players would perform to their talents. 

Which is weird. If he sincerely believes the players are underperfoming to the point where a 90 win team is playing at a 78 win pace, then he should fire Rocco.

[Patzky]

7 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

KC has a better team than Minnesota. The outfield is really poor on offense. Jac Caglianone hasn't transitioned to MLB as hoped (think Nick Kurtz) and is currently on the IL. I cannot imagine the Royals making much noise in the playoffs if they get into the party, but they have a better chance than our Twins.

Grichuk is a curious move. It'd be like us nabbing Luis Robert. Why?

[tony&rodney]

1 minute ago, DJL44 said:

Which is weird.

It is. Does anyone have an idea what Falvey sees?

[tony&rodney]

1 minute ago, Patzky said:

Grichuk is a curious move. It'd be like us nabbing Luis Robert. Why?

Not really. KC has the worst production in baseball from their outfield. Grichuk isn't much but he is something with less than a million still left on his contract. Robert isn't doing anything and has money left. The Royals are still looking too.

[gman]

I'm open for trades that would make us better next year and the year(s) after. This team hasn't been going anywhere for awhile, even if they lucked into the playoffs. Just making a wild card is simply not good enough. Stewart is a good 25 inning per year reliever. But you can't really build your pen around that. You'd need 3 of him for that spot.

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

KC has a better team than Minnesota. The outfield is really poor on offense. Jac Caglianone hasn't transitioned to MLB as hoped (think Nick Kurtz) and is currently on the IL. I cannot imagine the Royals making much noise in the playoffs if they get into the party, but they have a better chance than our Twins.

Now Bubic is hurt. I expect we will both be fighting for third & fourth place.

[Major League Ready]

41 minutes ago, gman said:

I'm open for trades that would make us better next year and the year(s) after. This team hasn't been going anywhere for awhile, even if they lucked into the playoffs. Just making a wild card is simply not good enough. Stewart is a good 25 inning per year reliever. But you can't really build your pen around that. You'd need 3 of him for that spot.

I think any team trading for Stewart is thinking more of winning in the post season than getting innings.  I also doubt they see a 25 IP pitcher given he is on pace for 50 IP.   

[Dman]

I pretty much agree with what everyone above had said. I would add that 33 isn't "that old" for a relief arm.  Lot's of those guys go to mid to late 30's and are still effective.  While Stewart has some warts and injury history if you are a team looking for a very effective reliever on a cheap deal I'd look pretty hard at Stewart.  Even with the injury risk you can see when he is managed correctly he is one of the most effective arms out there. 

He's got the stuff. So if I am the Twins I'm not letting go of that easily.  They don't like to pay big money for relievers and it's hard to find arms that produce like Stewart. So it takes a pretty large overpay to get that deal done IMO.  Certainly less than a Jax or Duran since he has the injury risk. but I'd want something I need not just a trade to trade because he is valuable to this team and a hard value to find.

[Doctor Gast]

3 hours ago, rdehring said:

Like the idea of keeping Jax, Duran and Varland.  Then re-sign Coloumbe for another year and the bullpen is set for the next few years.  That would make Stewart available for a decent return.  With two more years of control, can they get some teams #6-#10 prospect? Not a MLB top 100 prospect, but maybe somewhere in the #200-#300 range?

Me too. I was listening to a LAD deadline discussion. LAD didn't want to be involved in the deadline at all, to begin the season. But their BP has been very disappointing so they're looking for some help. But they're not going to make a big splash as some of us thought they might. 2 top names were Stewart & Coulombe, not Jax or Duran. Like I've been saying all this time, I'm not interested in lotto tickets. I'd be interested in LAD's 3rd catcher Hunter Feducci &  promising young MLB LHP Justin Wrobleski as the base & maybe a wild card low-level pitching prospect (LHP Jakob Wright). They could bolster our catching & rotation right now.

[Parfigliano]

3 hours ago, Patzky said:

Other than the new ownership concern, the philosophy behind even a Stewart trade is.. are you looking to contend in 2026? You keep Beef. Are you reloading Entirely? You offload anyone you can get a prospect for.. 

 

KC did an interesting thing last night.. they think they still have a chance.

Better chance then TC

[Parfigliano]

3 hours ago, DJL44 said:

What happens the rest of this season is irrelevant. They're not a contender. The rest of this season should be about developing players for the 2026 team.

Which is weird. If he sincerely believes the players are underperfoming to the point where a 90 win team is playing at a 78 win pace, then he should fire Rocco.

Yes.  Failure to achieve reasonable expectations.  Fire Rocco.

[Patzky]

4 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

Better chance then TC

Nah. Bubic is hurt now. They score like we do.  Cleveland has Bieber back soon. 

[DocBauer]

Unfortunately, this discussion is part of a bigger picture. That means I have to go off thread a bit.

Pitching really isn't the issue for this team. It's the offense. The offense needs to be adjusted, tweaked, however you want to phrase it. Said changes would hopefully help add a little more speed and athleticism to the team. But one way to make changes and add would be the moving of Duran or Jax for a couple really good young players, hopefully ML ready or really close. 

But I'm still in favor of waiting for the offseason for major moves...unless blown away...when the Twins, and all teams, have more time to examine and reflect on their system and potential changes. I don't believe Jax or Duran will have less value in December than they do now. And right now, we don't even know who's going to own the team or be running things come the offseason.

And while Stewart could be a really smart, and less expensive option for a team to acquire for pen help, if his age and injury factor are truly and issue, then how much could they really get for him? It would be one thing if he was an expiring FA, but he's not. He says his arm feels better than it has in years. He's throwing well. He's inexpensive. He's under control. Sounds like the kind of arm the Twins should have gone out and found the past couple of years. So why move him unless someone overpays for him? ESPECIALLY if you MIGHT trade one of Jax or Duran.

I'd be happy to move Coulombe for someone decent. And I'd make him an inexpensive priority to re-sign for 2026 even at his age. He's doing phenomenal in his current role. (I'd still like to find an even better #1 LHRP additionally.). But if they could re-sign him and just keep him, I'd be OK with that too. A 1yr at $3.5M? Or maybe $4M for 2026 and a $2 or $2.5M team option for 2027 where you've front loaded the deal?

Go ahead and move all the impending FA for the best returns you can find. Hopefully we get a couple ML ready or nearly ready options. But Stewart probably has more value for the Twins...in 2026 at least....than anyone he'd bring back. 

And unless blown away, keep the controllable players until this offseason for further trade discussions and possible package deals.

[tony&rodney]

6 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Two years of additional team control aren't worth much for Stewart. He's 33 and has an extensive injury history. I'm not confident he makes it through the rest of this season without another trip to the IL. Like everyone else on the team, he has zero value for the Twins for the remainder of 2025. Stewart is also the worst on the team at controlling the running game, which makes his pitching stats less valuable than they appear on paper. I think they're better off finding a trade partner. It will be quite disappointing if Stewart is still a Twin on August 1st.

I see Stewart as the 6th or 7th guy in the bullpen. His salary is not an issue. For some of the reasons you mention I don't see a contending team offering anything useful for him. The Twins don't need to trade just to get players off the team. They need talent. I do think there is a team that likes Stewart as a final piece add-on in a larger deal  Philadelphia seems like a team that could work with the Twins.

[old nurse]

4 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

I see Stewart as the 6th or 7th guy in the bullpen. His salary is not an issue. For some of the reasons you mention I don't see a contending team offering anything useful for him. The Twins don't need to trade just to get players off the team. They need talent. I do think there is a team that likes Stewart as a final piece add-on in a larger deal  Philadelphia seems like a team that could work with the Twins.

A contending team will want him because this tear he gets people out. Most trades it requires diligence by the sellers to get as useful of player as possible. The trades involving the Baders, Coulombes and Stewarts the team has to see a delopble skill the others missed 

[TheLeviathan]

Sell high.

[Doctor Wu]

22 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

It makes sense to trade Coulombe because his contract is up, but I have wondered what he would seek for an extension. Would he sign a 2/$6 deal? Again, considering the return it might be worth asking. 

With relievers like Coulombe and Stewart or even Topa that truly is a good question. Just because they are about to be free agents and the Twins aren't going anywhere this season, that should not preclude us from thinking about keeping those pitchers around for another season or two. Unlike the top tier arms like Duran and Jax, who also won't be free agents for a few more years, I don't think these other relievers on expiring contracts are going to get us much in return via trades. 

[Major League Ready]

21 minutes ago, Doctor Wu said:

With relievers like Coulombe and Stewart or even Topa that truly is a good question. Just because they are about to be free agents and the Twins aren't going anywhere this season, that should not preclude us from thinking about keeping those pitchers around for another season or two. Unlike the top tier arms like Duran and Jax, who also won't be free agents for a few more years, I don't think these other relievers on expiring contracts are going to get us much in return via trades. 

Stewart and Topa are under team control next year.  Why not trade Coulombe, get value, and then sign them like the Tigers did with Flaherty.   

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Everybody in the bullpen should be fair game, keeping one of Duran/Jax and probably Varland.

The Twins have had success over the years finding RP from the heap and getting quality out of them.  Let that process continue, get teams in the mix that need RP help to overpay, especially now that Clase is out of the picture.