The Smartest Reliever Targets for the Twins Aren't the Flashiest Ones

With just under a week until the trade deadline, the Minnesota Twins still don't know exactly what they'll be. They currently sit one game below .500 and will host the Kansas City Royals in a three-game series beginning Tuesday night. The Royals are bringing up the rear in the AL Central at 45-62, giving Minnesota a golden opportunity to build some momentum before the deadline.

If the Twins take two of three from Kansas City, they're back to .500. A sweep would put them over the mark. A strong showing over the next several days should convince the front office to become legitimate buyers—not in the sense that they're going out and trading for Tarik Skubal, but adding pieces around the margins that can make a real impact over the final two months of the regular season. If that's the route Minnesota ends up taking, the bullpen has to be the first priority. With that in mind, here are four lesser-known, under-the-radar relievers the Twins could target before the trade deadline.

Huascar Brazobán, New York Mets
The Mets have been a disaster this season, but at 36 years old, Brazobán has quietly put together an impressive campaign. Across 50 2/3 innings, he's sporting a 2.66 ERA while striking out 47 hitters against 22 walks. Brazobán leans heavily on a sinker-changeup combination, which has helped him produce a ground-ball rate that ranks in the 93rd percentile across Major League Baseball.

He's also been one of the league's best when it comes to limiting loud contact. His hard-hit rate, barrel rate and average exit velocity all rank in the 99th percentile, making him one of the toughest relievers in baseball to square up. That's exactly the type of profile the Twins should be targeting. They don't necessarily need an overpowering arm; they need reliable innings from someone who can consistently keep the ball on the ground and avoid damaging contact. Brazobán checks those boxes, and because of his age, he likely wouldn't cost all that much in a trade.

JoJo Romero, St. Louis Cardinals
The Twins currently have three left-handed relievers, in Kendry Rojas, Kody Funderburk and Taylor Rogers. But with Rojas serving as a swing man and Funderburk and Rogers impossible to count on, another southpaw could make a huge difference for them.

Romero owns a 3.35 ERA across 43 innings this season. That number sat at an impressive 2.07 last year, and for the most part, his overall performance has regressed in 2026. There's been more hard contact allowed and fewer swings and misses than we've seen in previous seasons. Even so, there's plenty to like. His sinker, sweeper and changeup all feature excellent movement profiles, and one area where he's actually improved this year has been limiting walks. That's an encouraging sign for a pitcher who already has quality stuff.

He's also on the final year of his contract before reaching free agency, meaning St. Louis probably won't be asking for a premium return if they decide to move him. If the Twins are simply looking to add another dependable left-handed option without paying a steep price, Romero makes plenty of sense.

Brennan Bernardino, Colorado Rockies
Bernardino is another intriguing possibility. He's in his age-34 season, but putting together the best year of his career. Over 42 2/3 innings, he's posted a 2.74 ERA with 33 strikeouts compared to just 14 walks. Nothing about Bernardino's arsenal immediately jumps off the page. His sinker averages around 90 mph, and his pitch shapes aren't particularly flashy. But getting outs is more important than looking impressive doing it.

Bernardino is a classic pitch-to-contact reliever, and the contact he allows is exactly what teams are looking for. His barrel rate ranks in the 89th percentile, while both his hard-hit rate and average exit velocity sit in the 96th percentile. He attacks the strike zone, limits quality contact, and has managed to keep his ERA below 3.00 despite pitching half of his games at Coors Field. That's no small accomplishment. Bernardino is someone I'm liking quite a bit as a realistic trade target.

Brent Suter, Los Angeles Angels
Apparently, I have a type when it comes to bullpen targets. Suter is 36 years old and will turn 37 in August. Like the other names on this list, he doesn't light up radar guns, averaging around 89 MPH on his sinker, and his pitch shapes aren't eye-popping.

His 4.42 ERA isn't particularly appealing, but a 3.62 FIP suggests he's been the victim of some bad luck (and some bad Angels defense) this season. He's posted outstanding walk numbers over the past three years, and while strikeouts have never been a huge part of his game, he's another pitcher who specializes in weak contact. His hard-hit rate and average exit velocity both rank in at least the 89th percentile among major-league pitchers. He also generates ground balls at a healthy clip, and thanks to an average of 7.4 feet of extension, that slow sinker plays much harder than the radar gun suggests.

Suter is on a cheap, expiring contract and brings a long track record of success. He's another veteran who could slide into Minnesota's bullpen and provide meaningful innings during the stretch run.

None of these names would generate the biggest headlines if the Twins acquired them, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't make a difference. If Minnesota decides they’re buying at the deadline, the bullpen absolutely has to be the first area addressed. Adding one or even two reliable veteran relievers like Brazobán, Romero, Bernardino or Suter could go a long way toward stabilizing a relief corps that's been the team's biggest question mark all season.

View our top trade candidates list, up to nearly 70 names and updated regularly!