Twins Could Swing Blockbuster With Red Sox

Minnesota hasn’t done much work with Boston in recent years. They did get involved in the Mookie Betts deal with the Dodgers that sent Brusdar Graterol to Los Angeles in exchange for Kenta Maeda, but because Boston had balked at Graterol's medicals, that ended up being two separate deals. Technically, the last time these two clubs were involved in a trade that didn't just send the Sox a middling role player after the Twins had fallen out of contention was the Nomar Garciaparra blockbuster in 2004. Thad Levine flirted with the idea of joining the front office before Craig Breslow ultimately took the job, though, and Breslow then scooped away minor-league pitching coordinator Justin Willard. For the first time in a while, there are close ties between the two franchises' leadership groups.

When looking at the Red Sox, now run by the former Twins reliever, Minnesota may be interested in a couple of different players. Reliever Chris Martin stands out, and so does starting pitcher Nick Pivetta. Boston already traded Chris Sale from the rotation, though, and Lucas Giolito doesn’t necessarily make Pivetta expendable. Martin is owed $9.5 million in 2024, so his departure would move the salary needle, but maybe not by enough.

Of course, the Twins' key players with the potential to be moved have been heavily dissected. Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler are available, but neither is an ideal fit for Boston. Masataka Yoshida and Tyler O’Neill already man the corners, and Kepler isn’t likely to play center field for a new organization, either. Polanco isn’t taking over at shortstop for Trevor Story, Rafael Devers plays third base, and Vaughn Grissom was just acquired as (probably) the second baseman of the present and future. Maybe Kyle Farmer provides intrigue as a lower-cost utility option, but let's dream a bit bigger.

Christian Vázquez won a World Series with the Red Sox back in 2018, and Minnesota is motivated to shed his salary as a backup behind Ryan Jeffers, whose star-caliber upside Gregg Masterson capably highlighted earlier today. Boston’s only current catchers are Reese McGuire and Connor Wong, neither established nor high-ceiling commodities. Maybe they would prefer a veteran backstop who provides some familiarity within the organization, and who might work to get more out of young pitchers like Brayan Bello, Garrett Whitlock, and Kutter Crawford.

Of course, the Red Sox aren’t adding Vázquez and his $20 million in remaining salary as is, so the Twins need to take something hefty back. Enter Kenley Jansen.

The longtime closer has been a subject of trade discussions for much of the offseason. Boston is very interested in unloading his $16-million salary in 2024. This wouldn’t be wiping it all away, but it provides cost savings and allows for a different position to be addressed. Minnesota would likely need to throw in some money or an additional prospect to make up the difference in abilities, but a move could help both teams.

Rocco Baldelli doesn’t necessarily need a closer with Jhoan Durán entrenched in the role, but improving the bullpen on the back end is hardly a bad course of action. Given that he’s worked almost exclusively in the ninth inning, that’s exactly where Jansen would go for Minnesota. Certain arms are just meant to stick there, and he is one of them. This would allow Baldelli the opportunity to again deploy Durán as a roving hitman, with the ability to come in during any important opponent rally and quell it. From a financial perspective, the Twins wouldn’t hate an opportunity to stifle future arbitration earnings either, and limiting Duran’s save opportunities would accomplish that.

Beyond just a change in the closer role, there are additional ripple effects where adding to the best of the bullpen proves beneficial. Brock Stewart’s health will always remain a question mark, and Griffin Jax went through bouts of shakiness last season. Jansen is not the dominant arm he was four or five years ago, but he still works as a high-leverage reliever, with significant experience and quality stuff. Minnesota pairing him with Durán in some capacity would significantly boost an already-intriguing bullpen.

Exactly how a deal of this sort would come together is hard to say. The framework is primarily rooted in the idea of shifting dollars, and the Twins taking on more doesn’t fit with their plan to shed. Aside from Addison Reed, they haven’t ever spent on the bullpen under this regime. That said, the desire for Boston to cut dollars could allow Minnesota to swoop in and acquire an arm that may have otherwise been an impossibility.

It isn’t as though Minnesota is currently up against their self-imposed limit, however, and Jansen doesn’t exactly stretch them either. They’d be taking on just $6 million in this swap, after accounting for the loss of Vázquez's salary, and it would push the current payroll outlay just above $120 million. That’s before making decisions regarding Kyle Farmer, Max Kepler, and Jorge Polanco, as well. If this is seen as an opportunity to enhance the overall roster while making a relatively modest commitment, the financial implications should be moot.

What do you think? Would you rather see Minnesota pay a bit more for a high-leverage arm, or hang onto Vázquez as the backup and commit significant dollars to the position? What else would Boston ask for to get this done?