Nash Walker

Even in May, it’s exhilarating to take stock of who may be available at the deadline. Everyone knows the Nationals, Athletics, Royals, Rockies and others will be selling, but what about the supposed contenders? Who could become available if trends continue? Image courtesy of Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports The Big Bat: Blue Jays’ 3B Matt Chapman Toronto enters play Tuesday in last place in a surging American League East. The Blue Jays, with a $213 million payroll, are undeniably all-in on competing. The results so far are middling. The lineup isn’t producing to its talent level, the rotation is near the middle of the pack in fWAR, and the bullpen is about league average. FanGraphs places Toronto’s playoff odds at 48.7% with 48 games in the books. If the Blue Jays opt to trade off or take a dual buyer and seller approach at the deadline, Matt Chapman emerges as a clear candidate. Chapman is an impending free agent and leads the Jays in OPS (.887) and wRC+ (146). The premium defensive third baseman had an all-world April, slashing .384/.465/.687 with 20 extra-base hits. He’s off to a slow start in May with just 15 hits in 78 at-bats. Chapman ranks fourth among third baseman in Defensive Runs Saved (21) since 2020. He’s a three time Gold Glove winner and would fill an important hole for the Twins. Chapman’s addition would push both Royce Lewis and Kyle Farmer to valuable utility roles, giving Rocco Baldelli attractive options at multiple positions. The Ace: Brewers’ RHP Corbin Burnes Milwaukee is tied for the division lead in the adjacent NL central with a 25-22 record. Much like the Twins, the Brewers are a flawed team with a pedestrian offense and reasonable questions about their outlook as a contender. The Crew has lost 13 of their last 20 while the Cardinals hunt them down in the standings. 2021 Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes has been part of the issue, sporting an unordinary 3.97 ERA and 21.5% strikeout rate. Burnes’ previously outstanding cutter is getting hit harder at a lesser velocity. Even with his early season struggles, Burnes owns a 2.78 ERA and 2.68 FIP in nearly 500 innings since 2020. Unless you think he’s suddenly a pumpkin at 28 years old, Burnes still holds ace-level status. On one hand, the Twins already have a strong rotation and maybe shouldn’t part with significant resources for another frontline starter. On the other, if they view the trade market as thin on bats, they could double down on the rotation. Burnes is also under contract for 2024 and would be a clean replacement for free agent Sonny Gray. The Firebreathing Reliever: Padres’ LHP Josh Hader The Padres have yet to meet their sky-high 2023 expectations. After a run to the NLCS last October, San Diego continued to invest with a monster deal for Xander Bogaerts and an extension for Manny Machado. They parted with significant prospects last trade deadline for Juan Soto and Josh Hader, furthering their commitment to winning now. As of Tuesday, they are effectively 55-45 to make the playoffs, per FanGraphs. Josh Hader is one of just a few Padres performing at a high level. Hader owns a minuscule 0.95 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 19 innings. He’s one of the best relievers of this generation, pairing an upper-90s fastball with a disgusting slider. Hader has yet to allow a hit to a left-handed hitter (0-for-14, 9 strikeouts). Hader is an impending free agent and would be a prime trade candidate should San Diego look to cash in. The Twins lack another consistent left-handed reliever to pair with Caleb Thielbar and well, Hader is the best in baseball. A late-inning trio of Hader, Jhoan Duran, and Jorge López could overwhelm opponents. What do you think of these candidates? Can you think of others? Comment below! View full article

Topping his incredible rookie season will be a tall task for Minnesota Twins reliever Jhoan Duran. It'd be foolish to put anything past the 25-year-old fire breather, however. Duran is throwing his splinker much more in 2023 and with great results. What does that mean for his already sky high ceiling as a bullpen ace? Let's break it down. View full video

There's hope the Minnesota Twins will soon return to full strength with Jorge Polanco, Alex Kirilloff, and Joey Gallo on the mend. Royce Lewis is also tracking for a mid-summer return, providing a potential spark in the heart of the schedule. What is the Twins' ideal lineup as Polanco and Kirilloff return? Where's the best spot for Carlos Correa? Byron Buxton? Should Max Kepler start over Trevor Larnach? Let's break it down. View full video

Joe Ryan entered the 2023 season as a solid building block in the Minnesota Twins' rotation. He's proven himself as a true mid-rotation starter, thanks to an approach beyond his years and a unique, highly effective fastball. Ryan's new splitter could be the key to unlocking his frontline upside. With a rotation of Ryan, Pablo López, Sonny Gray, Tyler Mahle, and Kenta Maeda, the sky is the limit for the Twins' starting staff. View full video

Entering the season with one of their deepest rotations ever, the Minnesota Twins are seeing some outstanding early returns. Pablo López, Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Tyler Mahle, and Kenta Maeda have combined for a 1.08 ERA through six starts, good for the best in Major League Baseball. Is it sustainable? View full video

Which Twins are primed for a 2023 breakout? Let's analyze three choices and why I think they're due for a strong season. Comment your picks and thoughts below! View full video

Every year, a handful of Twins are often the key between the team reaching or falling short of expectations. Which three Twins have an unpredictable but significant impact on the team's fate in 2023? Comment your thoughts below. View full video

The Twins debuted Jhoan Duran and José Miranda among others in 2022. Who are the top three Rookie of the Year candidates for the Twins in 2023? Comment your thoughts below! View full video

Twins Daily writers, after a tight race, opted for Brooks Lee as the No. 1 prospect in the system. Lee, almost 22, was the 8th overall pick in the 2022 draft and looks like a future regular at the big league level. Will he help the Twins in 2023? View full video

Royce Lewis' talent matched his production in a special 2022 season. Lewis crushed at Triple-A St.Paul before a strong debut with the Twins. Unfortunately, Lewis ran into the centerfield wall and tore his ACL for the second time is as many years. After another winter of rehabbing, can Lewis return better than ever for a second time in 2023? View full video

Emmanuel Rodríguez performed at an extremely high level in 2022. The 19-year-old hit .272/.493/.552 (1.044 OPS) in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. Rodríguez is currently a centerfielder but could shift to a corner as he moves up the system. After a knee injury ended his 2022 season, Rodríguez is on top-10 global prospect watch in 2023. View full video

Marco Raya struck out nearly 30% of hitters in his Low-A debut in the Twins system in 2022. Raya, 20, pairs a mid-90s fastball with potentially two plus breaking balls. Shoulder soreness has limited his workload to this point but Raya is primed for a surge in 2023, perhaps even for the Surge! View full video