Matthew Taylor

Josh Donaldson has never been shy about sharing his opinion, and the former Minnesota Twins third baseman is making waves with some rather unflattering comments about his former team and the state of Minnesota. On a recent episode of his Get It Done League podcast, Donaldson was discussing Jeff Hoffman being traded to the Twins at the deadline and his thoughts on Minnesota as a destination. Donaldson did not exactly give his former home a ringing endorsement. "He's going to get to go to Minnesota, where it's 'Minnesota Nice'... people in Minnesota... I don't think they even care about baseball that much... Playing there for two years, I thought it was mediocre at best," Donaldson said. Parker Hageman of Twins Daily shared a clip of Donaldson's comments on X, and it quickly generated plenty of engagement from Twins fans, many of whom remember Donaldson's own two-year run in Minnesota quite well. Donaldson signed with the Twins as a free agent ahead of the 2020 season and spent two seasons with the club. While he was productive when on the field, posting a .829 OPS, many fans had a sour taste in their mouths over Donaldson's time in Minnesota. Injuries limited him to just 163 games over those two years, and he missed the Twins' 2020 postseason run because of injury. Donaldson's tenure in Minnesota was also defined by his personality. He became a polarizing figure among Twins fans, with his attitude, controversial comments and perceived lack of leadership rubbing plenty of people the wrong way. After spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons in New York and Milwaukee, Donaldson retired following the 2023 season. He now hosts Get It Done League alongside former teammate and All-Star Russell Martin and veteran broadcaster Arash Madani. Now, his comments about Minnesota have given Twins fans another reason to revisit the Donaldson era. What do you make of Josh Donaldson's comments? And what is your overall opinion of Donaldson's time with the Twins? Let us know in the comments. View full rumor

The Minnesota Twins have added some veteran pitching depth, signing right-hander Germán Márquez to a minor league deal, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Márquez will report to Triple-A St. Paul. Márquez was designated for assignment by the San Diego Padres on August 5 to make room for Robbie Ray, whom San Diego acquired at the trade deadline. The 31-year-old Márquez has spent 11 seasons in the Major Leagues, with the first 10 coming with the Colorado Rockies. He earned an All-Star selection in 2021 and has made 210 career starts. Despite carrying a 4.70 ERA for his career, Márquez has posted a 103 ERA+, which is above league average and speaks to just how difficult it is to pitch half of your games at Coors Field. Márquez primarily works with a mid-90s fastball and a knuckle curve that has generated a 27% whiff rate. However, the underlying numbers haven't been particularly encouraging in recent seasons, which helps explain why the Padres ultimately moved on. He doesn't miss many bats, averaging six strikeouts per nine innings over the past two seasons, and he's also been prone to giving up hard contact. Over the past two seasons, Márquez has allowed 37 home runs in 179 innings. There's certainly a chance Márquez doesn't have much left in the tank. That's also why the Twins were able to sign him to a minor league deal rather than making a significant commitment. There's a good chance he never makes an appearance for the big league club. Still, Márquez provides the Twins with something valuable at this point in the season: veteran starting pitching depth. He's been through just about everything a pitcher can experience over an 11-year Major League career, and if the Twins suddenly need someone to make a spot start because of an injury or another roster need, Márquez has plenty of experience doing exactly that. It's a low-risk move for the Twins, but one that could potentially pay off if they find something in Márquez that the Padres couldn't. What do you think of the Twins signing Germán Márquez to a minor league deal? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full rumor

Image courtesy of Matt Marton-Imagn Images Six weeks remain in the regular season, and the Minnesota Twins are right in the thick of the American League playoff race. The Twins enter the MLB Field of Dreams Game Thursday night three games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central and just half a game behind the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers for the third and final Wild Card spot. The Cleveland Guardians are just one game behind the Twins, making the race extraordinarily crowded. The first two Wild Card spots are essentially spoken for, with the Yankees and Red Sox sitting at 99.5% and 91% playoff odds, respectively. That leaves one opening for a group of seven striving teams. Along with Minnesota, the Rangers, Tigers, Guardians, Blue Jays, Orioles and Mariners are all within five games of that final spot. It's not unthinkable that the Astros will tumble off their perch at the top of the AL West, but even if they do, Seattle or Texas would have to take their place, so it wouldn't exactly add a team to this mix. It would just change the identity of one of them. Of course, the division provides another path for the Twins. That's why this isn't simply a ranking of the teams closest to Minnesota in the standings. It's a ranking of the teams who should concern Twins fans the most over the final six weeks. Think of it as a scoreboard-watching guide. These are the teams whose wins and losses will have the biggest impact on Minnesota's playoff hopes. 1. Chicago White Sox 62-58 | +40 Run Differential | 2.5 games ahead in AL Central The clear No. 1 team on this list is the team the Twins have been chasing all season. Chicago has been one of baseball's biggest surprises and has put itself in position to win a division many expected it to compete for next year. The easiest and best path to the playoffs for the Twins remains winning the AL Central. That's why the White Sox are so important. Minnesota still has six games remaining against Chicago, giving the Twins a chance to make up ground directly. If the White Sox win the division, Minnesota's playoff path gets significantly more difficult. 2. Detroit Tigers 60-60 | +90 Run Differential | Tied for 3rd Wild Card Spot After trading away Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize at the deadline, it looked like the Tigers were waving the white flag on their season. Instead, Detroit is 6-3 since the deadline, with series wins over the Mariners, Giants and aforementioned Guardians. They have the second-best run differential in the American League, ahead of both the Yankees and Red Sox. Their pitching is the biggest reason why, with the best starting rotation ERA in baseball and the sixth-best bullpen. Even without Skubal and Mize, Detroit still has Troy Melton, Keider Montero and Framber Valdez leading the rotation. The Tigers may have sold at the deadline, but they're still very much a playoff threat. 3. Cleveland Guardians 59-63 | -30 Run Differential | 1.5 games behind in Wild Card The Guardians are dangerous because they can hurt the Twins in both races. They're four games behind Chicago in the division and only one game behind Minnesota in the Wild Card race. Cleveland hasn't been particularly impressive this season, but they were buyers at the trade deadline and have plenty of experience playing in tight playoff races. If the White Sox stumble, the Guardians could also become a factor in the division. For Twins fans, Cleveland losses are valuable, no matter which playoff path Minnesota is pursuing. 4. Texas Rangers 60-60 | -31 Run Differential | Tied for 3rd Wild Card Spot It's hard to find a more average (derogatory) team in baseball than the Rangers. They're 60-60 overall, 18th in the majors in offense and 20th in pitching. They're not particularly good at anything, but somehow, they're still sitting in the third and final Wild Card spot. That's what makes Texas such an interesting threat to the Twins. Minnesota doesn't have to chase a great team to get into the playoffs. It just has to be better than a very mediocre Rangers team over the final six weeks. The smart money says whichever team takes that final playoff berth will do so by playing better down the stretch than they have so far, though, so don't count on simply being able to limp past someone like Texas to collect a place in the tournament. 5. Toronto Blue Jays 59-63 | -54 Run Differential | 1.5 games behind in Wild Card The Blue Jays entered 2026 with high expectations after losing Game 7 of the World Series last season. A slow start put those hopes in jeopardy, but Toronto has started to find its stride and is 13-7 over its last 20 games. Even after selling some pieces at the deadline, the Blue Jays added José Soriano to a pitching staff that already features arguably the leading Cy Young candidate, in Dylan Cease. With the fifth-highest payroll in baseball and plenty of star power, Toronto is a team the Twins shouldn't overlook. 6. Seattle Mariners 57-65 | -26 Run Differential | 3.5 games behind in Wild Card The Mariners came into the season riding high just like the Blue Jays, after reaching the ALCS last year. Alas, the expected surge still hasn't arrived. Instead, Seattle has slowly fallen further out of the playoff race. The biggest problem is obvious: the Mariners can't hit. Seattle has the second-lowest OPS in baseball, making it difficult to see a late-season turnaround without a major offensive improvement. The Mariners are still alive, but they look increasingly like a team the Twins should put in the rearview. One way or another, it won't be Seattle who denies Minnesota entry into the postseason. 7. Baltimore Orioles 58-63 | -36 Run Differential | 2.0 games behind in Wild Card The Orioles are the final team on this list, after selling aggressively at the trade deadline. Baltimore parted with star catcher Adley Rutschman, outfielder Taylor Ward and starter Dean Kremer, among others, signaling that the organization wasn't counting on a playoff push. They were already on the outside looking in before the sell-off, and staying in the race will be difficult while playing in the AL East. Baltimore still has 17 games remaining against the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox, a brutal schedule to close the season. The White Sox remain the most important team, because Minnesota still has six head-to-head games remaining and the division remains the cleanest path to October. The Guardians are dangerous in both races, while the Rangers and Tigers currently occupy the Wild Card spot the Twins want. Detroit may have sold at the deadline, but its pitching makes it a much bigger threat than its record suggests. Toronto is heating up, while Seattle and Baltimore are running out of time. With so many teams still fighting for one playoff spot, every night of scoreboard watching is going to matter. Which of these teams concerns you the most? And which team do you think is most likely to fall out of the race before the Twins get there? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

The Minnesota Twins have activated Byron Buxton from the injured list, bringing their All-Star outfielder back just in time for Thursday's Field of Dreams game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Dyersville, Iowa. Buxton has been sidelined with right hip impingement since July 29. Before the injury, he was enjoying another productive season, posting a .864 OPS with 25 home runs and 45 RBI. The 32-year-old earned his third All-Star selection earlier this season. Because Buxton can be added as the 27th man under a special roster exemption for the Field of Dreams Game, the Twins do not have to make a corresponding roster move until Friday. Now the question is how the Twins will deploy Buxton in his return and who will be the odd man out when they make the corresponding move tomorrow. Look for Buxton to make his return in the Field of Dreams game at 6:30pm on Netflix. What are you expecting to see from Buxton in his return? And who do you think the Twins will move off the roster Friday? Let us know in the comments. View full rumor

Image courtesy of Denny Medley - IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Yoendrys Gómez has been one of the best additions the Minnesota Twins have made this season, and it's hard to argue with the results. Since the Twins acquired him in early May, Gómez has been nothing short of excellent. In 35 innings with Minnesota, the right-hander has posted a sparkling 1.80 ERA while becoming the team's most trusted option in the highest-leverage situations. He leads all Twins players with a 1.88 Win Probability Added (WPA) and has appeared in more high-leverage situations than any other reliever on the roster. Gómez has firmly established himself as the Twins' closer, too. Even after Minnesota added Jeff Hoffman at the trade deadline, there has been no indication that the Twins intend to move Gómez out of the ninth inning. When the Twins have a lead to protect in the ninth, Gómez is still the guy, and considering how well he has pitched, it's easy to understand why. But there are some reasons to pump the brakes on expecting Gómez to continue pitching at this level for the remainder of the season. Despite that 1.80 ERA with the Twins, Gómez's season-long ERA sits at 3.27, and his underlying numbers suggest that even that mark may be flattering. Gómez has a 5.05 expected ERA, and the enormous gap between his actual ERA and expected ERA is the 13th-largest difference in baseball, making him one of the luckiest pitchers in the majors by that measure. One of the reasons for that discrepancy is that Gómez has been remarkably effective at getting outs despite allowing some solid contact. Gómez ranks in the bottom third of the league in both hard-hit percentage and barrel percentage, which isn't exactly the profile you want to see from a pitcher who is being relied upon to consistently shut down the best hitters in the biggest moments of games. His xFIP reflects that, as it is the sixth highest in all of baseball among relievers at 5.01, suggesting that his true skill level has been significantly worse than his results would indicate. xFIP attempts to strip away some of the luck involved in a pitcher's results by removing the impact of defense and normalizing home-run rates based on fly balls allowed. When a pitcher has a 1.80 ERA but an xFIP that ranks among the worst in baseball, it's probably worth paying attention. Then there's the control, which might be the biggest concern. Gómez ranks in just the 11th percentile in walk percentage, and those free passes have gotten him into plenty of precarious situations. To his credit, he has been remarkably good at escaping them, stranding 79% of the runners who have reached base against him. The problem is that the Twins can't reasonably expect him to keep escaping those situations at that rate forever, especially with a strikeout rate that is solid, but nowhere near elite. Eventually, those walks are going to come back to bite him. There have already been some cracks, too. Gómez took the loss in extra innings against the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend, and struggled again on Wednesday as he surrendered a home run against the Baltimore Orioles. More concerning is the recent walk problem, as Gómez has issued 10 walks over his last 12 innings. That's a lot of traffic for a pitcher who is being asked to navigate the highest-leverage situations on the roster. None of this is meant to suggest that Gómez has been a bad acquisition. Quite the opposite. He has been a slam-dunk addition for the Twins and has provided tremendous value since arriving in Minnesota. But there's a difference between appreciating what Gómez has done and expecting him to continue doing it indefinitely, especially when so many of his underlying numbers suggest that a correction is coming. The Twins should be prepared for that regression, and the good news is that they have given themselves a much better chance to withstand it. Minnesota was aggressive about adding bullpen help at the trade deadline, and the Twins now have multiple legitimate alternatives if Gómez's underlying numbers eventually catch up with his results. A.J. Minter, Jeff Hoffman and Andrew Morris are all capable of handling important innings, giving Minnesota options if Gómez needs to be moved out of the ninth inning at some point. For now, though, the Twins have been firm about keeping Gómez in the closer role, and there's no reason to change that simply because his underlying numbers aren't pretty. He's earned the opportunity to keep pitching in those situations, but the Twins also shouldn't be surprised if things get a little bumpy down the stretch. Gómez has done an outstanding job getting himself out of trouble all season, but eventually the walks, hard contact and other underlying indicators are likely to catch up with him. What do you think? Is Yoendrys Gómez due for a significant regression, or has he earned the benefit of the doubt and proven that he can continue to thrive as the Twins' closer down the stretch? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

Image courtesy of Eric Hartline, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect One year ago, the Minnesota Twins reshaped the organization with one of the biggest trade deadline selloffs in franchise history, making nine separate deals before the deadline passed. Immediately afterward, I graded each trade based on the information available at the time. A year later, we have a much better picture. Some of the prospects the Twins acquired have taken significant steps forward, while others have struggled or battled injuries. Meanwhile, several of the veterans the Twins traded away have continued to build their value elsewhere. With the 2026 trade deadline now behind us (and with Jhoan Duran coming home to Target Field later this week), it's time to revisit all nine trades and see which ones have aged the best and which ones look worse than they did a year ago. 1. (Last Year's Rank: 7) Griffin Jax to the Rays Return: RHP Taj Bradley 2025 Grade: C- 2026 Grade: A- I wasn't a big fan of the Griffin Jax trade at last year's trade deadline for a few reasons. The biggest was that the Twins didn't need to make the trade. Jax still had 2.5 years of team control remaining, and it felt like a rushed move when they could have let the market develop over the winter. At the time, Taj Bradley also didn't feel like an exciting return after posting a 4.70 ERA across 354 career innings with Tampa Bay. This trade has completely flipped. Bradley has emerged as one of the Twins' most valuable starters, posting a 3.69 ERA while leading the club in innings pitched. He's still in his pre-arbitration years, giving Minnesota a young, affordable starter for years to come. Griffin Jax has reinvented himself as a starter with the Rays, but landing a controllable rotation piece with upside has made this look like one of the Twins' best moves. 2. (Last Year's Rank: 1) Harrison Bader to the Phillies Return: OF Hendry Mendez, RHP Geremy Villoria 2025 Grade: A- 2026 Grade: A- Last year, I graded the Harrison Bader trade as the best move the Twins made at the deadline, and it still ranks near the top. Bader was playing on an expiring contract and had little long-term value to a selling club. Minnesota turned him into an intriguing left-handed hitting outfield prospect in Hendry Mendez, who owned an .808 OPS at Double-A at the time of the trade. Since joining the organization, Mendez posted a .912 OPS with Wichita before earning a promotion to Triple-A, where he has continued producing with an .844 OPS. He looks like someone who will factor into the Twins' big league plans in the near future, making this an excellent return for a pending free agent. The Twins also got 17-year-old Geremy Villoria as a lottery ticket; we won't learn whether it was a winner for several more years. 3. (Last Year's Rank: 4) Chris Paddack and Randy Dobnak to the Tigers Return: C Enrique Jimenez 2025 Grade: B- 2026 Grade: B+ Chris Paddack was struggling on an expiring contract when the Twins dealt him, so the fact that Minnesota was able to receive a legitimate prospect at all was impressive. Jimenez rewarded that gamble almost immediately, posting a .983 OPS in A-ball after joining the organization. This season he earned a promotion to High-A as a 20-year-old before suffering a significant left hamstring strain in late July that is expected to end his season. The injury is unfortunate, but the upside remains intriguing, and this trade looks better today than it did a year ago. 4. (Last Year's Rank: 3) Carlos Correa to the Astros Return: RHP Matt Mikulski and roughly $70 million in salary relief 2025 Grade: B 2026 Grade: B This was always more about financial flexibility than prospect value. Matt Mikulski has since been released, eliminating any player value from the return. However, shedding the remainder of Correa's contract gave the Twins significantly more payroll flexibility, something that showed up at this year's trade deadline when they were willing to absorb more than $8 million in salary. Correa is also out for the remainder of the 2026 season with an injury, making it difficult to argue the Twins should regret moving on. Still, because this was primarily a salary dump, it's difficult to rank it much higher. 5. (Last Year's Rank: 5) Willi Castro to the Cubs Return: RHP Ryan Gallagher, RHP Sam Armstrong 2025 Grade: C+ 2026 Grade: C While Castro was an impending free agent, he was enjoying another productive season when Minnesota moved him. Ryan Gallagher had generated some excitement after posting a 3.43 ERA in the Cubs' system and earning a promotion to Double-A before the trade. Since arriving in the Twins organization, however, Gallagher has struggled. He posted a 6.69 ERA after the trade last season and owns a 5.50 ERA in 91 innings this year. However, the strikeout numbers and raw stuff remain intriguing, and he has had a successful run of good starts lately, making him look like he could still become a piece for the Twins rotation of the future. 6. (Last Year's Rank: 2) Jhoan Duran to the Phillies Return: C Eduardo Tait, RHP Mick Abel 2025 Grade: B+ 2026 Grade: C- Much like Griffin Jax, the Twins weren't under any pressure to trade Jhoan Duran. He still had multiple years of club control remaining. At the time, receiving two Top 100 prospects looked like a strong return. Unfortunately, both players have lost momentum. Tait has yet to truly break out at High-A, though he has shown signs of life recently. Abel flashed his upside during three major league starts this season before injuries derailed his year. He has since undergone elbow surgery and likely won't pitch again this season. Meanwhile, Duran has continued establishing himself as one of baseball's elite relievers. Looking back, it's difficult not to wonder what this Twins bullpen would look like with him still anchoring the ninth inning. There's still time for Tait to realize his prospect potential, and if Abel can stay healthy, he could be a #2 or #3 pitcher for the Twins, but early returns aren't looking great for the biggest swing the Twins made at the trade deadline last season. 7. (Last Year's Rank: 6) Danny Coulombe to the Rangers Return: LHP Garrett Horn 2025 Grade: C 2026 Grade: C- Trading a left-handed specialist on an expiring contract was never expected to produce a significant return. Unfortunately, Garrett Horn hasn't done much to change that perception. Shoulder issues have limited him to just 16 innings this season, and at 23 years old, he doesn't appear to be a significant part of the organization's long-term plans. It's hard to see this trade moving much higher as time goes on. 8. (Last Year's Rank: 8) Brock Stewart to the Dodgers Return: OF James Outman 2025 Grade: D+ 2026 Grade: D This trade didn't make much sense when it happened, and it didn't exactly age great. The Twins already had an abundance of left-handed hitting outfielders, yet they acquired James Outman, another left-handed outfielder whose major league production had fallen off dramatically after his rookie season. That concern proved valid. Across two seasons with Minnesota, Outman posted just a .526 OPS in 174 plate appearances. The coaching staff never seemed comfortable using him in center field, and his defense in the corners wasn't impactful enough to justify his bat. He has since been designated for assignment and is no longer with the organization. The only thing keeping this trade from ranking last is Brock Stewart's health. Stewart was already dealing with complicated medical concerns when the Twins traded him, and he has thrown only 17 innings over the past calendar year while spending much of that time on the injured list. It seems likely those medical questions significantly limited the Twins' leverage and made Outman about as much as they could realistically receive. 9. (Last Year's Rank: 9) Louis Varland and Ty France to the Blue Jays Return: LHP Kendry Rojas , OF Alan Roden 2025 Grade: D+ 2026 Grade: D This was already my lowest-ranked trade immediately after the deadline, and it looks even worse a year later. Since joining Toronto, Louis Varland has developed into one of the best relievers in baseball. He earned his first All-Star selection this season while posting a 1.09 ERA across 57 innings, while striking out 11.5 batters per nine innings. Even more importantly, he's still making the league minimum and remains under team control through the 2030 season. On the Twins' side, Kendry Rojas remains an intriguing arm, though he increasingly looks more like a future reliever than a starter. Alan Roden has struggled throughout his time in the organization and has done little to change the outlook of the trade. What makes this deal even more painful is how perfectly Varland would fit on the current roster. Minnesota's bullpen has been one of the club's biggest weaknesses this season, and Varland has somehow become an even better reliever than anyone could have realistically projected a year ago. Watching him dominate elsewhere while the Twins have searched for reliable late-inning options, needing to dip into the prospect pool to acquire those options at this year's trade deadline, makes this trade look even more lopsided than it did last summer. Overall, the 2025 trade deadline class hasn't aged particularly well, although it's still early in the development process for many of these prospects. Player development is rarely linear, and several of these young players still have plenty of time to change the narrative. Still, one year later, it's fair to say some of the Twins' biggest bets have lost value, while only a handful have clearly moved in the right direction. Given how monumental that deadline was in shaping the franchise's direction, these trades will continue to be worth revisiting for years to come. Do you agree with these updated rankings and grades? Which trade would you take back if you could only redo one? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Dean Kremer 7 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 7 K, 1 BB HR: Martin (3), Bell (16) Top 3 WPA: Kremer 0.34, Martin 0.22, Lee 0.16 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): The Minnesota Twins needed a jolt after losing six of their last eight games, including a series loss to the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend. They got one Monday night from an unlikely source, as Austin Martin provided an early spark and Dean Kremer delivered arguably the best start of his career against his former team. Martin gave the Twins an early lead in the third inning when he launched a solo home run to left-center field. It was Martin's third home run of the season and his first since May 22nd, providing a much-needed big hit from a player who has struggled mightily since his hot start with the Twins this spring. The home run gave the Twins a 1-0 lead, but Kremer quickly became the biggest story of the night. Facing the Baltimore Orioles for the first time since being acquired by the Twins at the trade deadline, Kremer looked like a pitcher who had something to prove against his former club. He had virtually everything working, generating 14 swings and misses while allowing just one hit, an infield single. He walked one batter and struck out seven while working seven innings. Perhaps just as importantly, Kremer gave the Twins length at a time when their bullpen desperately needed it. Minnesota has leaned heavily on its relievers during a stretch filled with close, one-run games, so getting seven innings from Kremer was a major development. The only run Kremer allowed came in an unusual sequence in the fourth inning. He struck out the batter, but the Orioles were able to turn it into a strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play that allowed Gunnar Henderson to score from third on the throw down to second, tying the game at 1-1. Outside of that "play", Kremer was essentially untouchable. The Twins quickly gave him the lead back in the bottom of the fourth. Rookie Kaelen Culpepper came through with a sacrifice fly to score Luke Keaschall, putting Minnesota back in front 2-1. For the next few innings, the game remained within striking distance for Baltimore. Then the Twins offense finally broke things open in the seventh. Minnesota put together a five-run inning that started with an RBI single from Ryan Jeffers. Josh Bell followed with the biggest swing of the night, launching a towering three-run home run that left his bat at 106 MPH. It was Bell's 16th home run of the season (third in the past week) and gave the Twins a commanding 7-1 advantage. The Twins added two more runs in the eighth inning. Jeffers came through again with an RBI double before Royce Lewis followed with an RBI single, pushing Minnesota's lead to 9-1. The offensive outburst was exactly what the Twins needed after struggling to consistently put runs on the board during their recent skid. The nine runs were the most Minnesota had scored since July 26th, and the Twins collected 14 hits while recording five extra-base hits, including two home runs. Baltimore did manage to get a couple of runs off Travis Adams in the eighth inning and Taylor Rogers in the ninth, but by that point, the Twins had already put the game out of reach, and the Twins came away with a 9-5 victory. The win gives the Twins a needed victory to open the series and improves their position in the American League Wild Card race. Minnesota now sits just one game out of the final Wild Card spot with plenty of baseball still to be played. More importantly, the Twins finally got the kind of complete performance they have been searching for. Martin provided an early spark, the offense eventually broke through in a big way, and Kremer delivered seven dominant innings against his former club. After dropping six of their previous eight games, the Twins will have an opportunity to build some momentum when they return to the field Tuesday night. What's Next The Twins will look to take the series against the Orioles on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. Bailey Ober will take the mound for Minnesota, facing Orioles right-hander Brandon Young. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Chart THU FRI SAT SUN MON TOT Funderburk 20 0 21 15 0 56 Hoffman 0 25 15 0 0 40 Morris 13 13 0 14 0 40 Gomez 18 12 0 9 0 39 Adams 0 0 15 0 21 36 Nance 0 24 0 11 0 35 Rogers 0 0 0 0 30 30 Minter 0 3 0 16 0 19 View full article

Image courtesy of Kevin Sousa, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect The Minnesota Twins had a productive trade deadline. After weeks of speculation about whether they would buy or sell, the front office ultimately made three additions over the final weekend before the deadline. They bolstered the rotation with Dean Kremer and strengthened the bullpen with A.J. Minter and Jeff Hoffman before the clock struck 5 p.m. While opinions varied on each move, the overall consensus was positive. Twins Daily's Cody Christie graded the club's trades between a B- and a B+, and most national analysts landed in a similar range. Still, every trade deadline leaves behind a handful of deals that make you stop and wonder. Some trades immediately spark the reaction of, "That's all it took?" Others look even better a few days later after you have time to compare the prices teams paid across the league. Looking back, there are at least three deals the Twins probably wish they had been the team making instead. Kevin Gausman - Starting Pitcher The Chicago Cubs acquired the veteran right-hander from Toronto for infield prospect Ty Southisene, the Blue Jays' No. 17 prospect, and outfielder Brett Bateman, their No. 20 prospect. Considering Gausman's résumé, it was a surprisingly modest return. Yes, Gausman has struggled this season, posting a 4.38 ERA, and he's only a rental with two months of team control remaining. But this is also a two-time All-Star who finished third in American League Cy Young voting as recently as 2023. His underlying metrics still point toward a pitcher capable of performing much better than his ERA suggests. The return is what makes this trade so intriguing from a Twins perspective. The Cubs only had to part with their No. 17 and No. 20 prospects despite owning MLB.com's No. 23-ranked farm system. According to FanGraphs, those prospects would rank below players like Bruin Agbayani and John Klein in the Twins organization. Minnesota ultimately paid a steeper price to acquire Dean Kremer. Kremer brings another season of club control, which certainly adds value, but if the goal was simply maximizing the 2026 postseason push, it's hard not to wonder if Gausman would have been the better target at a lower acquisition cost. Taylor Ward - Outfielder Another missed opportunity came in the market for right-handed hitting. The Mariners acquired Taylor Ward from Baltimore for reliever Alex Hoppe, who owns a 5.79 ERA, along with pitching prospects Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling, neither of whom ranked among Seattle's top 30 prospects. That feels like a deal the Twins should have been all over. Minnesota entered the deadline with one glaring offensive need: another right-handed bat capable of punishing left-handed pitching. Ward checks that box while also providing the versatility to handle center field when needed. He's exactly the type of player who would've fit the roster without requiring a major overhaul. Considering the Mariners didn't have to surrender a premium (or even good) prospect to get him, it's difficult not to look back and wonder why the Twins weren't able to put together a similar package. Ward is also a rental, but for that price, he would've addressed one of Minnesota's biggest weaknesses without significantly impacting the organization's long-term outlook. The final deal that stands out happened inside the division. Foster Griffin - Starting Pitcher The Cleveland Guardians acquired left-hander Foster Griffin from Washington in exchange for Will Dion, Josh Hartle, Kendeglys Virguez and Nick Mitchell. Hartle was Cleveland's highest-ranked prospect in the deal at No. 25, meaning the Guardians landed an All-Star without giving up anyone inside the top 24 of their system. Griffin has one of the more unique stories in baseball. After leaving for Japan in 2023, he spent three seasons dominating overseas before returning to Major League Baseball with the Nationals this year. All he has done since returning is post a 3.06 ERA with a WHIP barely over 1.00 while earning his first All-Star selection. Perhaps even more enticing are the underlying metrics, which suggest the 31-year-old could be even better moving forward. He offers more upside than Kremer while costing Cleveland less prospect capital to acquire. Making matters worse for the Twins, Griffin is now headed to Cleveland. The Guardians have built a reputation for getting the most out of pitchers, and it's hard not to imagine Griffin taking another step forward in their development system. None of this is meant to criticize what the Twins accomplished at the deadline. Their front office addressed multiple needs and deserves credit for being aggressive enough to improve the roster for the stretch run. But hindsight is part of every trade deadline. Once the dust settles and every deal can be compared side by side, there are always a few moves that leave you wondering what could have been. Looking back at the prices teams paid for Kevin Gausman, Taylor Ward and Foster Griffin, it's hard not to think the Twins had opportunities to come away with an even stronger deadline than the one they already had. Do you agree that these are the three trades the Twins should have made? Are there any other deadline deals you wish Minnesota had jumped into? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article