Twins 2026 Trade Deadline Needs: Ranking Minnesota's Biggest Priorities

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images

The MLB trade deadline is only a few weeks away, and the Twins once again find themselves walking the line between buying and selling. Minnesota remains in the thick of the American League Wild Card race despite battling injuries across nearly every area of the roster, making this year's deadline more about targeted additions than blockbuster moves.

If the Twins continue to hover around playoff position, adding the right pieces could be enough to extend meaningful baseball into September. They don't need to overhaul the roster, but there are clearly areas where reinforcements would have the biggest impact. Here's how the Twins' roster needs rank heading toward the deadline.

3. Bats

Of the three major areas on the roster, adding offense feels like the least likely scenario. In fact, there's a better chance Minnesota subtracts from this group than adds to it. Ryan Jeffers and Josh Bell are both free agents, making each a logical trade candidate if the front office believes it can replace their production internally while improving another area of the roster.

That isn't without risk. Veteran production carries value during a playoff chase, and replacing experienced hitters with unproven players always introduces some uncertainty. This is similar to what small-market teams do at the trade deadline as they balance buying and selling. Still, the organization has positioned itself well for exactly this scenario.

The Twins lead the American League in runs scored, despite several core hitters enduring lengthy slumps during the first half. That's an encouraging sign, because even more offensive help could be arriving from within.

Walker Jenkins has done everything necessary to put himself on the doorstep of the major leagues at Triple-A St. Paul. Alan Roden, acquired at last year's trade deadline, has looked like a quality depth option since returning from injury. Meanwhile, Matt Wallner appears to have rediscovered his swing after being sent to Triple-A, earning International League Player of the Month honors for June. Not every contender can point to that kind of offensive depth waiting in the wings (though, of course, Byron Buxton's injury has already forced Roden to join the active roster). 

2. Starting Pitching

The Twins have managed to survive a wave of rotation injuries, but asking them to continue doing so for another two months feels optimistic.

Connor Prielipp has been impressive at times, but the organization will almost certainly have to monitor his workload as he approaches an innings limit during the second half. At the same time, Minnesota has already lost a trio of pitchers for the year, including Pablo López, David Festa, and Mick Abel. This has forced the coaching staff to piece together stretches of the schedule with regular bullpen games.

Bailey Ober is expected back soon, which should stabilize the rotation, but one healthy return doesn't erase the lack of depth behind the current starters. Kendry Rojas and John Klein are already on the 40-man roster, but both have primarily been used in long relief, rather than traditional starting roles. Ryan Gallagher, another pitcher acquired at last year's deadline, has intriguing upside at Triple-A but needs to demonstrate more consistency before earning a promotion. He's also not yet on the 40-man roster.

One dependable veteran starter could dramatically change the outlook for Minnesota's rotation. It would reduce the strain on younger arms, lessen the need for bullpen games, and provide valuable stability over the season's final two months.

1. Bullpen

The bullpen has been Minnesota's biggest need for nearly a full calendar year. That reality became even more painful when Jhoan Duran and Louis Varland were both selected as first-time All-Stars in 2026. Either one would be anchoring the back end of the Twins' bullpen right now, had they remained in the organization. Instead, Minnesota entered the season already searching for reliable late-inning depth, before injuries created an even bigger problem. Anthony Banda had settled into the primary setup role after a difficult April, posting a sparkling 1.00 ERA over 20 appearances since May 10. Just as he found his groove, a significant lat strain knocked him out for multiple months, leaving another major hole in the bullpen.

Cole Sands has also been unavailable for most of the season after suffering a mild right forearm strain in early May. He has appeared in only 12 games this year. He's now out on a rehab assignment and could be back in the majors almost right away, but there's no guarantee that he'll be the best version of himself when he returns—and the team needs that version of him, or something even better.

Even before those injuries, the bullpen lacked enough trustworthy options behind the late-inning arms. Now, the group could benefit from reinforcements from both the right and left sides. The encouraging part is that relief pitching is often the easiest area to address at the trade deadline. Contending teams routinely shuffle bullpen pieces, and quality relievers can usually be acquired without paying the premium attached to starting pitchers.

If the Twins ultimately decide to make only one significant addition before the deadline, it should be a reliever capable of handling meaningful outs in the seventh, eighth, or ninth. Improving the bullpen would not only strengthen the relief corps, but also protect a rotation that has already absorbed more than its share of injuries.

Minnesota's offense has carried the club through stretches of the first half, giving the front office the flexibility to focus almost exclusively on pitching before the deadline. A veteran starter would provide welcome stability, but the bullpen remains the clear priority. Between injuries, a lack of dependable depth, and the increased workload created by bullpen games, the Twins need more reliable relief options if they're serious about staying in the postseason race.

A couple of smart, targeted pitching additions could be enough to support an offense that has already proven capable of carrying its share of the load. If the Twins remain in contention over the next few weeks, that's exactly the type of deadline approach fans should expect.

---

Do you agree with the rankings? What would be a perfect trade deadline for the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

View full article

[Cory Engelhardt]

Bullpen, if they truly are going to try, needs at least 2 dependable additions prior to August 3, and maybe even 3.

I'd LOVE another starter. If Ober looks good in his return tomorrow AND Mick Abel can reasonably be counted on to come back prior to August 3, then this is maybe less of a need. But I'd love the idea of adding a guy who can go 6 on the regular.

With bats, you didn't mention Kaelen Culpepper. Just throwing that out. I do not know if adding a bat is a need right now, but I suppose you always have to listen. But I do think trading Larnach makes all the sense in the world regardless. I also don't know how much longer Josh Bell can hit like he has, but he has looked good in the dh spot for a while now.

[weitz41]

I'm in on taking a calculated shot at a WC or the division. 2 BP arms and some underperforming starter would be as far as I'd go.

Jeffers, I'd try to extend. If that's a no go like Berrios was, I'd move him. No point in losing him to free agency for zip. I've seen the Yankees stuff about Jeffers. If that happens I don't see them parting with any BP arms on the 26-man roster. They are trying to get to the WS. SO, you have to pick from the 40 man and minors. There's a few that fit the Twins needs.

Larnach...I actually was for keeping him in the offseason. My reasoning was if the kids can't beat him out, hold till the trade deadline. Now it's a few weeks away. The Twins will need to find the right team to do a trade that helps this season and beyond. I'm looking at the Astros as the best target. Same as the Yankees. But they have a few minor league arms that might fill a BP spot.

Now the tricky part, The Twins have way too many outfielders looking for a spot in the majors. If they are trying to win now and build for 2027+ they have to decide who has a future in Minesota...Jenkins is off limits. But after that who? Something has to give. I'll just point to the Giants as my choice to help the BP and another starter. I'm going to lose a few here...Tyler Mahle or Robbie Ray would fill the starter to save inning on the young arms. They have a few MLB BP arms I could see them parting with.

[killercarewoliva]

44 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Bullpen, if they truly are going to try, needs at least 2 dependable additions prior to August 3, and maybe even 3.

I'd LOVE another starter. If Ober looks good in his return tomorrow AND Mick Abel can reasonably be counted on to come back prior to August 3, then this is maybe less of a need. But I'd love the idea of adding a guy who can go 6 on the regular.

With bats, you didn't mention Kaelen Culpepper. Just throwing that out. I do not know if adding a bat is a need right now, but I suppose you always have to listen. But I do think trading Larnach makes all the sense in the world regardless. I also don't know how much longer Josh Bell can hit like he has, but he has looked good in the dh spot for a while now.

Abel I loved to see but he is probably out for the rest of the season..

 

[Cory Engelhardt]

3 minutes ago, killercarewoliva said:

Abel I loved to see but he is probably out for the rest of the season..

 

You are probably right. Just saying, if he can be pitching again soon then a starter isn't as big a need. But really, time is running out and I can't see a way he is back in the majors before the end of the month regardless.

 

 

[tony&rodney]

#3 - bullpen. 

#2 - bullpen.

#1 - bullpen.

I'm not sure what teams are willing to give up a good relief pitcher. Maybe San Diego or Pittsburgh. Perhaps Wallner returns something useful or Jeffers a bigger piece.

One outside shot would be to offer Dasan Hill for Sonny Gray. Gray pushes Rojas to pen duty. 

I'm holding off until the end of the month unless a really good deal falls in my lap if I am the Twins.

[LA Vikes Fan]

I agree with the bullpen as the biggest need but trading for a starting pitcher would kill 2 birds with one stone. We need BP help, but it's expensive for unreliable guys and unpredictable results. Plus, our surplus is quality OFs that are worth more than a BP pitcher unless we're getting a dependable closer. I think we can vastly improve the bullpen if we trade for a Starting Pitcher and move Prielipp into the BP along with Ober replacing Paredes who also goes to the BP. Why Preilipp? Because his innings have to be managed coming off injury and he'll be shut down before the end of the season. Moving him to the BP gets him through the season and gives us a valuable BP arm, even a late inning arm. The Dodgers have done this a bunch of times with Sasaki, Maeda, Stripling, Sheehan, even Glasnow. We did it successfully a couple of years ago with The Sheriff. The Angels appear willing to trade controllable starting pitching for young, controllable quality hitting.  

With that in mind, here's my proposal:

Emma for Reid Detmers or Jose Soriano of the Angels. Alternatively, Emma and either Wallner or Ross for Detmers (or Soriano) and Sam Bachman or Kirby Yates. 

Why Emma? Because he's worth a lot, like a quality SP with 2.5 years of control left like Soriano or Detmers, and we have a glut of LH hitting OFs. I realize that Emma is out of options after this year, has been hurt a lot and hasn't seen the MLB field yet, so his value is down a little and we might have to sweeten the pot just to get Detmers or Soriano . We are going to have to keep or DFA Emma next season and we haven't even had the chance to see if he can hit MLB pitching. He's also fallen behind Jenkins, Roden, and probably Mendez in the LH hitting OF hierarchy for the reasons his value is a little down. Conversely, the Angels need hitters bad, can be patient while he develops, and Soriano's and Detmers 2.5 year controllable timeline ends before they are likely to be relevant while our guys 6 year clock hasn't even started yet. I l think it's a win/win short and medium term for us, longer term for them. What do you think?