Which of the Defending Champions' Available Pitchers Could Twins Trade For?

The Twins should certainly beef up their bullpen, and adding an impact starting pitcher could also be possible under the right circumstances. The Texas Rangers have options for either need, and they do appear to be in sell mode. Who would be the most impactful arms the teams could swap?

David Robertson
Robertson continues to resist any ill effects of aging, as he’s posting an ERA right around 3.00 at 39 years old. His strikeout rate is his best since 2017. His walk rate is his best since 2015. He’s limiting homers at his best rate since 2013. Robertson is having a remarkable season, and any team acquiring him would get a decorated, high-leverage option for the stretch run.

Of course, Robertson’s performance will result in an inflated price tag, even with the right-hander set to become a free agent this offseason. It’s hard to say what types of players the Rangers would be looking for in return. They themselves notably acquired closer Aroldis Chapman at last year’s deadline for Cole Ragans, who is now one of the best starting pitchers in the AL Central. Does it cost the Twins one of their emerging arms dominating Double-A, such as Andrew Morris or Cory Lewis? It will likely be a bidding war for Robertson’s services, and the Twins may have to decide how much they’re willing to give up for an impact addition to the bullpen.

Kirby Yates
Yates is a decorated veteran in his own right, though most of his success before 2024 came as far back as 2019 with the Padres. Now 37 years old, Yates is striking out nearly 36% of opposing hitters and has yet to allow a homer, through 31 innings. His 0.86 ERA may not be sustainable, but all of his peripherals tell the story of a dominant reliever who can round out a shutdown bullpen.

Yates likely won’t come cheaply, per se, but his struggles before this season should make him more affordable than Robertson. With Yates similarly set to become a free agent, perhaps this is a situation where the Twins can dangle a controllable bat with no path to MLB, such as Yunior Severino. Yates would be a trustworthy setup-caliber reliever in the same tier as Jorge Alcalá, if not slightly ahead of him in the pecking order.

Nathan Eovaldi
Eovaldi’s name hasn’t been directly stated as a possibility to be traded. Still, with the Rangers set to deal so many other pitchers, including starters such as Andrew Heaney, it’s fair to suspect they’d be willing to listen. Eovaldi continues to strike out about a batter per inning, with limited walks and homers. Even at age 34, his fastball sits just under 96 mph.

In addition to potentially shoring up the regular-season rotation, Eovaldi has been a versatile force during the postseason. In almost 80 innings pitched, Eovaldi holds a 3.05 career ERA in the playoffs. He’s developed a reputation as a big game pitcher in October, pitching out of the rotation and the bullpen en route to two World Series rings.

The question with Eovaldi will be the price. His contract includes a vesting player option if he throws a combined 300 innings between 2023 and 2024. After throwing 144 innings last season and 87 so far in 2024, reaching that mark is still possible.

The uncertainty of 2025 for Eovaldi makes pricing a trade almost impossible, without context that the Twins will undoubtedly do some research on. Does Eovaldi want to test the market again, even if his $20-million player option kicks in? Does Twins ownership want to risk adding that much payroll in 2025 to a team they may be looking to shed even more from? 

Max Scherzer
Set to be arguably the best rental pitcher on the market, Scherzer will likely be headed to a new team for the second trade deadline in a row, despite plenty of question marks in his age-39 season.

Scherzer began the season on the IL with a nerve issue in his shoulder and neck, and hasn’t looked like the first-ballot Hall of Famer he is in his brief time back. A 92.6-mph average on the fastball is the lowest mark of his career, as is his 17.7% strikeout rate. Scherzer appears to be in the twilight of his career, but it’s hard to say a contender has no space for him.

The Mets are still paying most of Scherzer’s contract, and an acquiring team would only be on the hook for a prorated share of $12.5 million. The bidding could explode if he shows a glimpse of his dominant self in the next few starts. It’s fair to wonder how much the Twins should give up for a pitcher who carries so much injury and performance risk, but it’s easy to argue that they should be involved in the bidding process.

Are there any other Texas Rangers the Twins should have an eye on as the team begins to lean toward selling? What do you think of Heaney or Michael Lorenzen as alternatives to the above? Are all of these older arms too much of an injury risk? Let us know below!