Twins and Blue Jays Discussed Louis Varland Trade Months Before Deadline

[Cody Christie]

Trades at the deadline can seem sudden. A contender needs pitching. A rebuilding team moves veterans. In hours, deals are done and players introduced. Yet, most conversations start months before.

That was the case for the Twins and Blue Jays last summer. Long before the trade deadline approached, Toronto had already begun checking in with Minnesota about reliever Louis Varland. According to reporting from the Minnesota Star Tribune, the Blue Jays began making inquiries roughly three months before the deal was finalized.

Minnesota’s front office was assertive in talks. The Twins set a high price, asking for young arms Trey Yesavage and Kendry Rojas. Yesavage, seen as a top Blue Jays pitching prospect, was not available. Still, those talks shaped the final package.

At the deadline, Minnesota traded Varland and Ty France to Toronto for outfielder Alan Roden and left-hander Kendry Rojas. The deal is now shaping the Twins' roster decisions in camp.

Alan Roden: Pushing for an Opportunity
Roden joined as an advanced hitter known for his strike zone control. He quickly became a notable new position player after last year’s deadline and is now poised to make an immediate impact.

During spring training, Roden has found himself in the mix for a starting job in the Twins outfield. In his first six spring games, he went 7-for-17 (.412 BA) with a home run, five RBI, and three runs scored. Minnesota's outfield remains unsettled, giving Roden a chance to break in. Even if he starts in the minors, the team sees him as a near-term contributor.

Kendry Rojas: A Power Arm with Upside

While Roden could help sooner, Rojas may ultimately carry the highest ceiling from the deal. The 23-year-old left-hander has been one of the more talked-about pitchers in Twins camp thanks to a fastball that can reach the upper 90s. The raw stuff has always been enticing, but his development will hinge on improving command.

Last year showed more work lies ahead. Rojas struggled in 32 1/3 Triple-A innings in 2025, allowing too many baserunners and posting a 15.9 BB% after the trade. The Twins still see potential for him as a starter and plan to keep developing him there.

At the same time, some evaluators see a future in which his power arsenal plays in high-leverage relief situations. If the Twins decide to bring him to the majors later this season, a bullpen role could offer a natural transition. It would allow Rojas to get his first taste of big league competition without completely closing the door on his long-term potential in the rotation.

The Varland trade was the product of months of dialogue between two front offices. What started as early-season check-ins eventually turned into a deadline deal that sent a pair of intriguing young players to Minnesota.

Spring training has already offered a glimpse of what the Twins might gain from that patience. Roden is fighting for a roster spot in the outfield, while Rojas is flashing the kind of velocity that turns heads around the back fields.

Much like many deadline trades, the full impact of this deal may not be known for years. Still, the proactive conversations that began early last season are already shaping the Twins as they prepare for 2026.

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[twinstalker]

It was probably the best deal they made at the deadline.  Rojas might be a really good starter, and he might end up being just like Varland.  The Twins gave up arbitration era Varland, unless it was important to you to have Varland pitch innings on a team with no chance these next couple of years.

Roden is nothing special, but he might develop as a hitter, maybe to the point you can move him (i.e. better than Larnach).  Also, no one talks about this, but he has college experience at 1B, and the Jays were considering using him there this past year..

[JD-TWINS]

Roden “……quickly became a notable position player after last year’s deadline……” not sure I follow this comment. He played maybe 10 games and didn’t hit well.

Good Spring through 8-9 games he’s played …., hope he & Outman push each other to generate at least one effective guy!

[Jeff K]

When it went down, I was insanely angry with this trade.  If, if, if, if Roden comes close to his potential, then it will turn out to be a solid trade for the Twins.

[Danchat]

10 hours ago, twinstalker said:

The Twins gave up arbitration era Varland,

Varland doesn't hit arbitration until 2027, which means the Jays got a year and two months of pre-arb Varland... so to fix your statement, "the Twins gave up on Varland". I like Rojas a lot, but we know the odds of pitching prospects.

I don't totally disagree with trading Varland while his value is high, but getting one pitching prospect and what feels like the 5th best LH OF prospect in the organization doesn't seem like a great return.

[Sjoski]

10 hours ago, Jeff K said:

When it went down, I was insanely angry with this trade. 

Louie felt the same way. It’s interesting to wonder where his head is at regarding the trade now?

He’s likely come to terms with the fact that chasing a ring as a Twin was always a long shot, and that sometimes, you have to leave home to actually compete on the biggest stage.

[amjgt]

The problem with this trade isn't the value that we got, which seems pretty good, but the fact that it was done in conjunction with a) trading all the other good relievers at the same time, and b) not investing in rebuilding that decimated bullpen in the offseason. 

He'd probably be our closer this season and only be making $1M, which, yeah, is why we got good value for him, but is a tough pill to swallow when you look at the arms in this bullpen right now. 

[big dog]

On 3/9/2026 at 8:49 PM, amjgt said:

The problem with this trade isn't the value that we got, which seems pretty good, but the fact that it was done in conjunction with a) trading all the other good relievers at the same time, and b) not investing in rebuilding that decimated bullpen in the offseason. 

He'd probably be our closer this season and only be making $1M, which, yeah, is why we got good value for him, but is a tough pill to swallow when you look at the arms in this bullpen right now. 

He had an ERA of nearly 5 for the Jays along with a WHIP of 1.4. That’s not closer material. I think this was a very good trade for the Twins and Varland probably doesn’t regret it at this point. 

[amjgt]

So you're just ignoring the more than twice as many innings he pitched for the Twins last year with a 2.02 ERA?

You truly believe that if Varland was on this team he wouldn't be our best reliever? Because of 23 innings for the Jays last year?

[big dog]

He might be our best reliever, but I wouldn’t assume it. He doesn’t have that much of a track record. 
Are you ignoring his 50 innings the year before with an ERA over 7? He had a good few months one year. Do I predict his future will be good? Probably, and I hope so. Would I want him as my closer right now? I don’t know that he’s likely to be any better in the role than some others. And neither do you.