A Perfect Relief Pitcher Trade Target for the Twins: The Nard Dawg

The Miami Marlins have been a dumpster fire for some time. That remains accurate this season, and they have already indicated they will be sellers. Having already shipped Luis Arráez to the San Diego Padres, they have indicated a willingness to listen on Jazz Chisholm Jr. Tanner Scott, and others, too. While Scott draws all the excitement out of the Miami bullpen, it’s Andrew Nardi who might be the better get.

Scott has been great, and since every team has to have an All-Star representative, he was probably the right one. He owns a 1.27 ERA and has racked up 16 saves. There is reason to expect some regression, though, as Scott is carrying a 3.26 FIP and walking a whopping 5.3 batters per nine innings. He’s going to have a ton of suitors, and that should drive up the return for Miami,

On the flip side, Nardi owns a 5.30 ERA and is just begging for a more capable organization to employ him. The 3.33 FIP is the lowest mark of his career, and he has a 30% strikeout rate. Part of Nardi’s problem this season has been an uncharacteristic 61.9% strand rate, and he’s getting BABIP’d to death, carrying a .337 there.

For Rocco Baldelli, Nardi not only would represent another relief option, but he would shore up the softest spot in the bullpen. Right now, Minnesota is lacking trustworthy lefties. Kody Funderburk hit the injured list with an oblique strain. Steven Okert has been shaky. Caleb Thielbar looks to be at the end of his line. Nardi would bring a southpaw look and a ceiling that should be higher than any of the aforementioned names.

Given the payroll constraints they face, it seems unlikely that Minnesota would add substantial dollars to the payroll. Nardi is currently making the major-league minimum, though, and he doesn’t even hit arbitration until 2026. While that is going to raise the expected return, it should still be a manageable package, given what acquiring a reliever typically entails.

He's also exactly the kind of pitcher they like. He throws a 94-MPH fastball with good carry, and his slider has two-plane movement off of that. It's why he misses so many bats, and could be a profile with some staying power.

Looking at making noise in the postseason, the Twins are set up well as they currently sit. They lack the depth to withstand that race toward a World Series, though, and the pitching staff, especially, needs just a bit more. The starting rotation is the big focus on that front, but a reliever or two could impact multiple games down the stretch and in October.

As postseason expansion has reduced the number of sellers across the league each year, the available talent is somewhat watered down. A player like Nardi might be overlooked on the surface, but he's a perfect acquisition for a good franchise to get the best out of. Coming into the year, the Twins hoped to have one of the best bullpens in baseball. So far, that hasn’t happened, but they could bolster the group with this sort of addition.