No Relief: Griffin Jax Goes South, as Twins Trade Him to Tampa Bay Rays

[Loops]

I guess we might as well watch the Saints play. It will be more entertaining than the current Twins. (While they all stay in town

[gbg]

36 minutes ago, shimrod said:

Making room to move Clemens to full time relief.

Clemens is blocking Bride.

[NYCTK]

12 minutes ago, big dog said:

What's the reference here- is it just walking Ohtani, or is there more to it?

Rocco is a bad manager, treated his players weirdly yesterday and Jax was visibly upset when he was removed for a position player. 

[blindeke]

Is it my imagination or is Taj Bradley an average starter with 3 years of service time already, instead of a promising prospect? 

[Dman]

They traded a reliever for a starter.  A starter with team control to 2030.  He is essentially a cheaper version of Chris Paddack in his current form. Pretty much the same K rate, same ERA.  Bradley walks more guys but keeps the ball on ground better than Paddack.  I still don't know why they couldn't have gotten a couple of throw in's but maybe that just isn't how things work at the deadline.  

Still it's hard to argue getting a solid starter that might get better for a reliever even one as good as Jax.  Not that it matters but Bradley was Tampa's number one prospect in 2023.  He has a plus fastball. Hopefully he can find a little more and turn himself into a mid rotation starter. I think it makes sense especially if they plan to move any starters in the offseason.

[big dog]

2 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

Rocco is a bad manager, treated his players weirdly yesterday and Jax was visibly upset when he was removed for a position player. 

Thanks. Yesterday must have been tough- the manager is told to put his players out there and display them for the scouts, I suppose, then he didn't want to hurt Jax value, maybe. Agreed on the bad manager part.

[Whitey333]

Saints more entertaining?  Forget it.  They are just a by product of the major league team.  Yes we knew trades were coming but this was way over done.    And it's not complete.  At least not until both Falvey and Baldelli are canned.  Part of me thinks Falvey dumped everyone either by orders from old and new management or put of spite for probably being told he's not coming back.  It's just a thought.  I hope there is nothing mean spirited in these trades.  Im just not sure.  After it's all done you can't help but wonder......

[mrtwinsfan]

39 minutes ago, IndyTwinsFan said:

I think it's pretty safe to say that we'll lose at least 100 games this season.  I can't see a logical way to avoid it happening. 

54 left -  have to lose  43  more to lose 100,  Ouch

[IndyTwinsFan]

Just now, mrtwinsfan said:

54 left -  have to lose  43  more to lose 100,  Ouch

I hope it doesn't happen, but I would be more than a little surprised if that's actually the case. 

[P Meyer]

1 hour ago, Aggies7 said:

This is insane but also cathartic. Never seen the twins torn down to the studs like this.

They sold the studs, brother. Only a concrete slab and no money to build on it.

[Reptevia]

Complete it by firing the entire front office and coaching staff. 

[S Bart]

1 hour ago, big dog said:

Let's just bring this to the logical conclusion by burning down Target Field. This is just a huge clown show right now.

Clown car actually...Falvey driving and Rocco riding shotgun...Joe Pohlad is paying for the gas..

[DJL44]

I think they could have done better than this in the offseason, especially if Jax had done well as a closer for the last two months. Taj Bradley isn't chopped liver, but he also isn't "two top 100 prospects".

[saviking]

1 hour ago, HerbieFan said:

Ok.  WTF.  I get Castro, Bader, Stewart, even Correa.  I sort of get one of Duran or Jax...even though I don't like it.  But what the (bleep) is going on?  Pohlads cannot sell this team fast enough.  

It's like we gave them all away! Im not digging what they got in return. Only hope is the new owner is going tonspend big in free agency. If not, I'm not sure we can even field a team next year.

My mind is officially blown, but not in a good way. Anyone willing to share your asprin.

 

[Wedman13]

1 hour ago, mluebker said:

I’m trying to imagine who’s left and who plays where when the dust settles…

https://razzball.com/top-100-starting-pitchers-the-rise-of-taj/

[Doctor Gast]

This is a clown show just like last night. Who open the asylum to sell off the Twins. Falvey actions just made a lot of teams happy, except the Twins. Hurry up & lock him up before he burns down Target Field.

He must think you get a boobby prize for the worst team in baseball. Are the Twins not eligible for the draft lottery next season because they haven't made it to the playoffs for years? Has this been all for nought next year or the year after? Brace for the worst, Target Field will be empty. After all this, Falvey has done very little to really help the Twins in this mess. But we can't blame Falvey because we are in a rebuild, Don't expect much for years.

When you want to sell a car & after you show the car & make an agreement. You don't strip down the car, replace the expensive tires, battery, and stereo with cheap old ones before you sell the car. Or you buy a new house & someone else selects the paint, carpet & some accessories. Why don't the new owners get to choose how to change the team? It's obvious that Falvey has no idea what he's doing. Could it be that the next owner is as dumb as the Pohlads? And let Falvey do whatever he wants, 

[Wedman13]

3 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

I think they could have done better than this in the offseason, especially if Jax had done well as a closer for the last two months. Taj Bradley isn't chopped liver, but he also isn't "two top 100 prospects".

Correct - he's better than that.

[darin617]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/cubs-designate-ryan-pressly-for-assignment.html

 

If he clears waivers. Someone has to close. If they claimed him I would think he would cost like 5m for the rest of the year.

[S Bart]

20 minutes ago, big dog said:

Thanks. Yesterday must have been tough- the manager is told to put his players out there and display them for the scouts, I suppose, then he didn't want to hurt Jax value, maybe. Agreed on the bad manager part.

The Twinkies return to Target field next Friday...I am hoping there is booing to the little Rocco man If fans even show up...I feel bad for the remining team players...the bullpen has lost 5 pitchers(has to be a MLB record for deadline moves)....I would be upset if I was ryan...lopez....even SWR and Ober...with rocco's knack of rotating  relievers every inning...I guess bring up Bride and put K. Clemens in the bullpen...in all my 60 years of being a dedicated fan. .I have never been so frustrated...it may be worse than when old man Carl tried to relocate the team...

[lukeduke1980]

1 hour ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Wow, and to think this all could have been had they just fired Rocco before the All Star break……

To all that said 'Fire Rocco at least because you can't fire all the players'

Falvey: 'Hold my beer'

[jkcarew]

36 minutes ago, blindeke said:

Is it my imagination or is Taj Bradley an average starter with 3 years of service time already, instead of a promising prospect? 

Younger than Zebby Mathews and David Festa, with slightly better early results than both. Do you consider Matthews and Festa promising prospects?

[BillyBallLives]

Rocco Baldelli, Post-Trade Press Conference:

"You know… I've always wanted to manage a Triple-A team. This is great. I don’t even have to change my parking spot."

[blairpaul715]

As much as I don't like trading Varland, like the rest of you. I always thought better to tear it all down and start over. My opinion, relievers are really fickle, get what you can for them, once they start getting expensive, unless you are a contender. We will see how Taj Walker and Mick Abel compete, excited for that. We still have Lopez, Ryan and Ober in the rotation, and will have more options for next year on who can start. Now the fun part should be who will be the new everyday players, tryouts for next year's positions, and reward Peyton Eeles with a call up, as he was undrafted FA just last year. Someone nobody gave a chance to be a major leaguer, and still probably won't be long term. 

[blairpaul715]

Delete

[blairpaul715]

5 minutes ago, blairpaul715 said:

As much as I don't like trading Varland, like the rest of you. I always thought better to tear it all down and start over. My opinion, relievers are really fickle, get what you can for them, once they start getting expensive, unless you are a contender. We will see how Taj Walker and Mick Abel compete, excited for that. We still have Lopez, Ryan and Ober in the rotation, and will have more options for next year on who can start. Now the fun part should be who will be the new everyday players, tryouts for next year's positions, and reward Peyton Eeles with a call up, as he was undrafted FA just last year. Someone nobody gave a chance to be a major leaguer, and still probably won't be long term. 

Bradley not Walker.

[sweetmusicviola16]

34 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

This is a clown show just like last night. Who open the asylum to sell off the Twins. Falvey actions just made a lot of teams happy, except the Twins. Hurry up & lock him up before he burns down Target Field.

He must think you get a boobby prize for the worst team in baseball. Are the Twins not eligible for the draft lottery next season because they haven't made it to the playoffs for years? Has this been all for nought next year or the year after? Brace for the worst, Target Field will be empty. After all this, Falvey has done very little to really help the Twins in this mess. But we can't blame Falvey because we are in a rebuild, Don't expect much for years.

When you want to sell a car & after you show the car & make an agreement. You don't strip down the car, replace the expensive tires, battery, and stereo with cheap old ones before you sell the car. Or you buy a new house & someone else selects the paint, carpet & some accessories. Why don't the new owners get to choose how to change the team? It's obvious that Falvey has no idea what he's doing. Could it be that the next owner is as dumb as the Pohlads? And let Falvey do whatever he wants, 

After trading for Ebel and now Bradley what this tells me also is that they know this heralded pitching pipeline is a big nothing burger. 8 years now and they have Ober to show for it. 

[sweetmusicviola16]

11 minutes ago, blairpaul715 said:

As much as I don't like trading Varland, like the rest of you. I always thought better to tear it all down and start over. My opinion, relievers are really fickle, get what you can for them, once they start getting expensive, unless you are a contender. We will see how Taj Walker and Mick Abel compete, excited for that. We still have Lopez, Ryan and Ober in the rotation, and will have more options for next year on who can start. Now the fun part should be who will be the new everyday players, tryouts for next year's positions, and reward Peyton Eeles with a call up, as he was undrafted FA just last year. Someone nobody gave a chance to be a major leaguer, and still probably won't be long term. 

I would be very surprised if one or more or all even of Lopez, Ryan and Ober being traded in the off season. If you're doing a tear down that's what you do. 

[mluebker]

38 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

It's obvious that Falvey has no idea what he's doing.

Or he’s doing exactly what he was told. Usually when a business sells, it’s the buyer that strips its assets, not the seller. Gonna be a long August and September.

[chopper0080]

29 minutes ago, blairpaul715 said:

As much as I don't like trading Varland, like the rest of you. I always thought better to tear it all down and start over. My opinion, relievers are really fickle, get what you can for them, once they start getting expensive, unless you are a contender. We will see how Taj Walker and Mick Abel compete, excited for that. We still have Lopez, Ryan and Ober in the rotation, and will have more options for next year on who can start. Now the fun part should be who will be the new everyday players, tryouts for next year's positions, and reward Peyton Eeles with a call up, as he was undrafted FA just last year. Someone nobody gave a chance to be a major leaguer, and still probably won't be long term. 

Starting over doesn’t happen until

there is a new owner.

[Doctor Gast]

14 hours ago, mluebker said:

Or he’s doing exactly what he was told. Usually when a business sells, it’s the buyer that strips its assets, not the seller. Gonna be a long August and September.

No doubt he was given permission to sell, but by who? I was wondering if it was the buyer. You'd still hope to get a good return & cover yourself. Which, IMO, he hasn't done a good job. To clean house I rather they started with Falvey & those who adhere to him. Not the players! This is very sad.