The Twins’ Deadline Additions Have Made an Immediate Impact

It’s been almost three weeks since the 2026 MLB trade deadline, and the Twins have already gotten plenty of production from the four pitchers they added in an effort to make a run at October baseball. Minnesota added three relievers (left-hander A.J. Minter and right-handers Tommy Nance and Jeff Hoffman), while also bringing in right-handed starter Dean Kremer. None of the four were household names, but all of them have made notable impacts since arriving in Minnesota. The pitching staff has looked sharp since the deadline, and that’s not a coincidence.

Let's start with Kremer. Aside from his sixth inning against the Phillies, he’s been lights out. Over three starts with the Twins, Kremer is sporting a 3.12 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP across 17 1/3 innings. He’s allowed just nine hits and five walks, while striking out 15 batters. Of the six runs he’s given up as a Twin, four came in that sixth inning against Philadelphia on Sunday. Outside of that one frame, Kremer has been darn good, and arguably, he should have been out of there before some of the damage he absorbed.

Part of that success can be attributed to a slight adjustment he’s made since joining the Twins. Kremer has raised his arm angle slightly, allowing him to get more ride on his fastball, and his splitter has been playing beautifully off of it. His cutter has also been effective. In Sunday’s start against Philadelphia, the pitch generated six whiffs on seven swings, giving Kremer multiple pitches that are playing at a high level. Considering the Twins were looking for another reliable starter to stabilize the rotation, they have to be pretty pleased with what they’ve gotten from Kremer so far.

As for the bullpen additions, let’s start with the first of the trio: Nance. Nance was kind of the first move of the deadline, as the Twins acquired him on July 10, a little under a month ahead of time. Like Kremer, he’s performed extremely well since arriving in Minnesota. Over 13 1/3 innings as a Twin, Nance has allowed just two runs. He’s given up 12 hits and five walks, while punching out 16 batters.

That strikeout production is particularly notable, because Nance’s strikeout rate has jumped nearly five percentage points compared to his time in Toronto. His slider, which has been his primary pitch both in terms of usage and in generating swing-and-miss, has played up since joining the Twins. In his most recent outing on Wednesday, Nance generated six whiffs on 16 pitches. He’s been a monster. In fact, I’d argue Nance has been better than his former (and now current, again) teammate, Hoffman.

Hoffman has been good since arriving in Minnesota. He’s allowed just a pair of runs over seven innings, while striking out 10 batters. But some of the same issues he had in Toronto have followed him to Minnesota. Hoffman has issued six walks, an 18.2% walk rate. I think that’s a big part of the reason Derek Shelton has used him the way he has. Hoffman has primarily been a seventh-inning arm for the Twins since arriving in Minnesota. Because of his swing-and-miss ability, he’s someone you want to utilize late in games, but the consistency you crave from such a pitcher hasn’t been there.

As far as pure stuff goes, the Twins don’t have anyone who can compare to Hoffman. His ability to miss bats is impressive, and when everything is working, he looks like a dominant late-inning reliever. But there’s a reason Louis Varland took over his closer role in Toronto, and there’s a reason Hoffman’s ERA and underlying data don’t always line up. 

Last but not least, there’s Minter. Minter had been extremely productive in New York before the deadline, and that hasn’t changed a bit since coming to Minnesota. Over 10 appearances with the Twins, Minter has allowed just one run in 8 2/3 innings. He’s given up only five hits and two walks while striking out five batters. While his strikeout rate is down, he’s made up for the lack of whiffs with extremely impressive contact quality.

There have been 26 balls put in play against him. Minter’s opponents' average exit velocity is just 81.5 MPH. Only five of those balls have been hard-hit. The Twins didn’t trade for Minter to be a swing-and-miss machine. They traded for a consistent, reliable left-handed option. That’s exactly what he’s been.

While none of the four pitchers the Twins acquired were flashy additions, they’ve all done their jobs. Fresh off a sweep of the Braves, Minnesota currently holds the final American League Wild Card spot. If the Twins are going to make a legitimate run at October baseball, they’ll need that pitching staff to continue performing at a high level. Based on what these four additions have done so far, there’s plenty of reason to believe they can.