TopGunn#22

I like the idea for of Larnach for Jared Jones. But Jones (before the injury) had a value that was MUCH higher than Larnach. Not sure where the value is for Jones at this time or when he would be expected to return. He never really had any kind of 2025 season. Would the Pirates sell low on him to get a bat NOW? I doubt it with a 200K potential SP. Larnach will have some type of trade value to the right kind of team. A team where a $5 million dollar, .750 OPS type of OF is a drop in the team budget bucket. Wallner on the other hand hasn't tanked his value yet. Last I looked, Wallner had a BBTV of 29.5. Kyle Teel is at 24.8. Edgar Quero 18.2. Theoretically, the Twins could have either of those young catchers for Wallner in a straight up 1 for 1 trade. Would the Twins be better with either of those young catchers at the cost of Wallner?? I think they would. The question is, would the White Sox be interested. For the Power potential of Wallner, I think they would. A trade of Wallner for Teel or Quero would make the Twins better. But one trade isn't what will "fix the Twins." They need to make 2-3 more trades to even out the roster. I think Twins fans should expect that one of Ryan, Lopez or Ober is traded. It could be more than one of them, but I think you have to expect at least one.

The easy ones are Julien and Mirnada. They have no value in a trade any longer and should have no value to the Twins. I've got the benefit of seeing Clemens go 4-4 with 3 HR's. But...He had 16 HR before last night's explosion and he's clearly a better defender at 2B & 1B than Julien. Before last night, I viewed him as part of the bench for 2026 with "some" defensive versatility. To me, he's worth keeping and tendering to see if the power still plays next year. It might not. If it doesn't, you simply DFA him. Outman is similar to Keirsey with more power. Neither one of them is a major league player. I realize some people think Kiersey wasn't given a good enough chance. I sure wanted him to work out. But he can't hit major league pitching. That leaves SWR. He has to be tendered because I believe he can be used in a trade to acquire a young catcher. I'm not really interested in seeing SWR remain on the Twins as a SP, but some of that depends on what happens with Ryan, Pablo and Ober. I think SWR could be a decent long reliever, but I'd rather put together a deal with the White Sox where I offer Wallner and SWR for one of their young catchers (Teel or Edgar Quero) and maybe a White Sox bullpen arm. SWR still has VALUE. (he's a young pitcher with potential). Wallner still has VALUE. (he's got prodigious POWER). Use that value with the White Sox to add a young MLB catcher NOW so that the Tait timeline isn't sped up. Eventually, the Twins will end up with 2 good catchers who have C/1B/DH capabilities. A massive organizational weakness would be the best catching situation in years. With the young OF's we have coming on the fast track, I'm willing to give up BOTH SWR and Wallner to get Teel or Edgar Quero. The Sox would still have to throw in something of value to even things up, but you finally get someone to pair with Jeffers for a season before you move on from Jeffers. Doc Gast, suggest a trade with the White Sox that moves SWR and Wallner to get Teel/Quero and whatever that something else would be from the CWS.

There is no "Fall Guy." This is an organizational collapse. There should be a complete housecleaning, but as long as the Pohlad family owns the Twins that will never happen. The Pohlad's are all about "continuity" even if it's mediocre or below average. No real change will happen until the Pohlad's are GONE. This front office is pretty much the same one that signs a Margot or Shoemaker. Or pays a Kyle Farmer more than they would a Closer. The guys with ties to the Twins organization have already proven they are not MLB Managers. They are support staff. Tingler is not the guy either. Unfortunately, we are stuck with what we've got for now until the Pohlad's actually sell the team and a true purge takes place.

I think he deserves a chance. I’d kind of like to see a Twins player wearing the name Klein on his back.

If Oner is healthy (and his game against the Royals seemed to show he was) then he needs to keep pitching thru the end of the season. With the exception of Buxton and Keaschall no one is off the table when it comes to trades. Let Ober rebuild his value to the point where he brings something good back in a trade, or he re-establishes his hold on the #3 spot in the rotation. Yes, he may pitch poorly and tank his value, but the Twins need to determine what he will be in 2026.

Nothing in the history of the Twins would lead any of us to believe that Sonny Gray was going to be with the Twins for the 2024 season. $75 million for a pitcher like Gray at his age would have been a bad investment. Joe Ryan is a bit younger, but he will be entering his age 30 season in 2026. Whether Ryan is discouraged or distracted, he hasn’t pitched effectively since the trade deadline. I was in Kansas City to witness the first inning shellacking he received. At this point, I don’t think it’s a wise investment to sign Ryan to a 6 year contract for $180-$200 million dollars. I would trade him to Boston for Jarren Duran. I might throw in SWR to get Payton Tolle back in return. Duran and Keaschall at the top of the batting order will give the Twins a couple of reliable catalyst’s to make for a more consistent offense. Make Wallner part of a deal to bring back a young MLB catcher. The Twins probably aren’t contenders next year. It’s probably best to deal Ryan at his highest value.

Not picking Jackson Merrill was a big mistake in hindsight. He’s already kind of what we hope Walker Jenkins can be. I’m just at the point that I want to be done with the Pohlad’s, Falvey and Rocco with his entire staff. I’m all in on moving on and seeing we’re a new regime can take us. It can’t happen soon enough.

In my opinion, Wallner should be traded this off season. His BBTV is 29.5. That would equate to a straight up deal for either of the White Sox young catchers (Kyle Teel or Edgar Quero), Henry Davis from Seattle or possibly Jefferson Quero of the Brewers, currently stuck behind All Star William Contreras in Milwaukee. Wallner will always have a somewhat impressive OPS due to huis ability to draw walks. But there are younger corner OF coming that will surpass him...SOON. Get something valuable for him while he still has value. Same with Larnach. At $5 million he may be too expensive for us. But there are big market teams that $5 million would be a drop in the bucket. The Yankees don't really need him, but he could hit well there. The Phillies are looking for someone that hits better than Kepler or Marsh. Seattle could possibly be interested. We're going to have too many guys to protect on our 40-man roster so why not trade these two guys and get something that fits better.

What did the Pohlad family expect??? And the list of things to do? When have they done any of that? There's been talk the Pohlad's may still be interested in selling. I hope that's true. Because the longer the Pohlad family holds on to the Twins, the more money they're going to lose. If anyone thinks attendance can't go lower than $1.8 million...think again. Now, the team COULD make a number of excellent trades this winter. They COULD sign or acquire a young, major league catcher and 1B. They could sign a bona fide closer looking to rebuild his value (there are a number available. Several teams traded their closer to a team that already has a closer). They could actually fire their FO, manager and his entire coaching staff and chart a new course. But we all know that's probably NOT going to happen. You can only sell "Hopium" for so long. SELL Pohlad's !!! This fan base despises you.

Very interesting article Nick, and worthy of discussion and differing points of view. With the Pohlad's still in charge of the Twins it's hard to get a handle on what they would be inclined to do. If it were me, I'd gamble on this kid. 8 years, $80-$90 million, which someone pointed out is just about what they saved in dumping Correa. So the money should be there. The counterpoint and it's extremely fair, is that we all were absolutely convinced Royce Lewis was going to be that guy. And then 2024 and 2025 happened. Now, the Twins have an interesting dilemma with Lewis. We all hope he can put together a healthy 2026, hit like our cleanup hitter and knock 30-35 HR's while driving in 100 runs. The issue then becomes, how signable is Lewis going forward with an agent like Scott Boras?? Whether it's the Pohlad family or new ownership (rumor has it the team might still be sold) I think making a statement like locking Jenkins up for 8 years is the right move. Look, if you're going to build a team around a guy, you may as well do it with a kid whose nickname is "CAPTAIN AMERICA."

For what it's worth, Trevor Larnach has a BBTV of 5.1. Former top prospect for the D-Backs, Jordan Lawler has a value of 2.2. I'd trade Larnach even up for Lawler despite the overpay. Both players could probably use a change of scenery. Lawler can play SS, 3B & 2B. He's clobbered AAA pitching but has struggled against big league pitching. But he could push Lee for SS or be a contender for 3B/2B. I'd love to take a chance on Lawler. Larnach isn't going to bring back a top prospect, but I think there's no chance he's non-tendered. A guy with a .765 OPS against RH pitching who is showing small, but steady improvement will have value to quite a few teams. At $5 million, he's overpriced for the Twins, but VERY affordable to the Phillies, Yankees, Seattle, Red Sox etc... Heck, if the Cubs don't re-sign Tucker, THEY could be interested. The 2 most important players are Lopez and Ryan. With them heading the rotation and if the Twins spend $20-$30 million in FA to add a bat or two and fill out the back end of the BP with a proven closer and 8th inning guy, they just might contend. However, I think you can count on one of Ryan or Lopez to be dealt, and I'd be working on a Bailey Ober trade and replace his #3 spot in the rotation with Matthews, Bradley or Festa. I would trade Ryan for the superior haul he could bring back. Possibly an All Star OF like Jarren Duran. I'd retain Lopez to lead the staff. Jeffers is a tough call. The Twins are desperate for better catching, so how could they get better by trading their only good catcher? They would need to trade for Major League catching themselves, and I wouldn't consider trading Jeffers until I had one or two catchers on the roster. Kyle Teel is valued at 24.8. Fellow White Sox Catcher Edgar Quero is valued at 18.8. Matt Wallner, with 4 years of control has a value of 29.5. I would offer him straight up for Kyle Teel. With all the LH hitting OF the Twins have, even people who are trying to compare Wallner to Kyle Schwarber would agree he's expendable if you can get a young catcher, capable of being a full time catcher who can handle 100-120 games behind the plate. If the Twins could secure Teel, you are one step closer to moving Jeffers. I believe the White Sox would have some interest in a power hitting, cannon armed RF to add to their lineup. And they would still have the talented Edgar Quero to become their "full time catcher." Bailey Ober has a BBTV of 18.9. That's quite a lot to work with if you were trying to match up on a trade. Seattle catcher Harry Ford has a 19.1 value, almost a perfect match. But Seattle already has plenty of pitching. even if Ford is buried behind Cal Raleigh. I just don't trade Royce Lewis yet. I have to give him 2026 to show me he can hit 30 HR's. If he does, the Twins will have an interesting situation on their hands with Lewis being a Scott Boras client. Best case scenario, Lewis has a good 2026 and Boras is open to an extension (Boras and "extension" rarely are seen in the same sentence). Next best, Lewis is good and the Twins are able to trade him for a haul. I can't see Lewis staying in Minnesota if he rebuilds his value. Boras will price him out of our comfort zone. There are a host of other guys I just don't see returning who could be fringe, throw-in guys to round out a trade. Julien and Miranda immediately come to mind. Walker Jenkins and E-Rod may be coming soon. Gabe Gonzalez is pushing. Guys like Connor Prielipp and Marco Raya could be promoted. I see a lot of trades and roster re-jiggering for 2026. Each trade should be made with another trade (or two) in mind, like the Teel trade auguring a possible Jeffers trade. Or, they could just pair Teel with Jeffers for 2026, although I think getting what you can for Jeffers would be better.

Good points Sun. The importance of a 162 game schedule really only applies to single season records. But I think there are far too many reasons that it would be better to cut down from 162 to 150-154 and make sure the World Series is being played in early to mid October like it should be and NOT in November. I would bet my house mortgage that "expansion" means an expanded playoffs. This is what has brought baseball to November playoff games. The huge revenue for teams comes with Playoff Games, not a run of the mill regular season game. Cut back to 150 games. Start the playoffs in time that if the maximum number of games is needed to get to the World Series, the games don't end in November. Remember the 1965 World Series?? Sandy Koufax didn't pitch Game #1 because it was Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur falls on October 1st and 2nd this year. The weather in northern baseball cities is still decent in early October. World Series games were once played in the daytime when the sun could keep things decently warm for October. Now all the games are played at night to maximize TV viewership. There is no way baseball should be playing World Series games at NIGHT, in NOVEMBER. I think it's inevitable that expansion is coming. It's just too lucrative for MLB teams. Realignment is just a natural by-product of expansion. The Twins are in an interesting position. They have already traded away a large chunk of their Major league roster. There is talk of further trades that may remove 2 of their 3 top SP. Lopez, Ryan and Ober. There will come a time when expansion will force the Twins to make some Major League roster decisions regarding who to protect and who to expose. I would expect Ryan and Lopez to easily be protected if they were on the team. But if they are not here and your rotation is Matthews, Bradley, Festa, Abel, SWR (include Dason Hill, Charlie Soto, Marco Raya and Connor Prielipp) who do you protect?? Expansion wouldn't just affect WHO the Twins play. It would also affect WHO is on the roster.

Wornsmooth...did you ever see Bob Gibson pitch?? If you have, and as much as I like Joe Ryan, I just can't agree there is any similarity between the two other than they are both RH SP.

terrydactyls...No. The main point of my trade is to get Jarren Duran, an excellent outfielder, base stealer and hitter and young LHP Payton Tolle. Casas is just a throw in. I'm not sure how much the red Sox still value Casas. He's a lottery ticket. Duran would sit with Keaschall at the top of of order and provide a dynamic #1 & #2. Duran also provides "Buxton Insurance." Even with Walker Jenkins and E-Rod on the verge of coming up, Duran plays a great CF. Duran gives us a solid bat and great defense with speed. He's the antidote for Wallner & Larnach.

I can see the logic of trading ONE of Ryan or Lopez, but not both. I will temper my last sentence by acknowledging that BOTH Ryan and Lopez will see their contracts expire after the 2027 season and I don't see any scenario where a good chunk of the 2027 season isn't missed. If I had to choose which one I'd keep the answer is easy. Pablo Lopez. It's not that I like Pablo more than Joe. It's that with Pablo's $21 million dollar contract (which for a #1 or #2 is VERY reasonable) and Joe Ryan's $3 million dollar contract (probably $5 million or more next year) the Twins can get SO MUCH MORE in a Ryan Trade. Ryan and Lopez are practically the same age. There is the certainty of cost for Pablo, The Twins need his talent and leadership. We could contend in the "less than stellar" A.L. Central with Lopez at the top of our rotation. With neither Lopez or Ryan, we won't contend for a couple of years. I suggest the Twins offer the White Sox Matt Wallner (29.5 BBTV) for Kyle Teel (24.8 BBTV). The White Sox are rotating Teel and Edgar Quero at C & DH. That's not maximizing the production for either. I'd consider expanding the deal to sweeten the pot for the White Sox. But I'm willing to move Wallner for a position of NEED and I see Walker Jenkins and E-Rod, not to mention Gabe Gonzalez being a Minnesota Twin sometime in 2026. Maybe sooner than later. I'd trade Ryan 68.2 SWR 15.0 and Larnach 5.1 (Total 88.3) to the Red Sox for Jarren Duran 64.4 Payton Tolle 20.0 and Tristan Casas 0.0 (Total 84.4). I overpay to compensate for the zero value for Casas. The Red Sox do it to get Ryan primarily, but they get SWR to bring back a young controllable pitcher to replace Tolle. They get Larnach to replace Duran and a bat that at $5 million is a drop in the bucket to them but valuable to them at $5 million. I trade for Yandy Diaz to play 1B. His value is only 6.2 in BBTV. Cody Clemens 8.4 would do the trick. The Twins, after these 3 trades have: (In each case I've slightly overpaid to increase the probability of these trades being completed. Lineup: 1. Duran LF, 2. Keaschall 2B, 3. Buxton CF, 4. Yandy Diaz 1B, 5. Jeffers/Teel C, 6. Casas DH, 7. Royce Lewis 3B, 8. Brooks Lee SS. 9. Jenkins/E-Rod RF. (I know they both bat LH. One or the other will break camp in 2026 a Minnesota Twin. I would expect Lewis to hit like our cleanup hitter in 2026. Knowing that might not happen, or he gets hurt, he's not there to begin with. We might have Roden/Outman in RF to begin the year until Jenkins/E-Rod arrive. But consider the OF defense with Duran, Buxton, Roden/Outman and then Jenkins/E-Rod. THAT'S a BIG UPGRADE. Teel/Jeffers at Catcher is an UPGRADE. Casas might not be ready to begin the season, in which case DH is a mix and match position. Rotation: Lopez, Ober, Tolle, Matthews, Bradley. (Festa & Mick Abel provide depth, maybe BP arms). Marco Raya, Connor Prielipp and a host of other minor league arms join Sands, Funderburk, Topa and Hatch in the BP. Ryan Helsey is signed to be the Closer. With the Tigers staring at Skubal being a FA in 2027 (and the fact that 2027 may not happen or be a half season of sorts) they may have him for one more year, sign him to a HUGE extension, or also need to trade him. I think the above lineup, offensively and defensively as well as the rotation, could contend. Could they contend with that BP even if they signed a good Closer like Helsley? I don't know. Sure wish they still had Varland for the 8th inning.

I welcome this. I'm very much a traditionalist in many things, but I can see the benefit of this type of realignment. And like the Great Hambino, I immediately saw the absolutely LOADED A.L. Northeast. Fans in the N.L. got over the adoption of the DH and if you're a Dodger fan, you have to love it. We as baseball fans in general got over the making of divisions in baseball instead of an "American" and "National" league. Fans got over the NFL merger with the AFL and the semi-merger of the NBA and ABA. Basketball fans quickly adopted the integration of the 3-point shot to the NBA. The point is, we as fans will adapt. We always do. I love BASEBALL, not the way it's currently structured or may be in the future. There will STILL be an A.L. and an N.L. Look, the fans of the Brewers have had to endure being an A.L. team and then an N.L. team. MLB didn't realize that Milwaukee is a National League town. It's not like this realignment would move the St. Louis Cardinals into the American League. (However, it is kind of strange to see a National League Central consisting of 3 A.L. teams and only one N.L. team. The other thing that has needed addressing for a long time is the length of the season. Especially since the playoffs have so many layers. I think a 154 game schedule with the goal of having the World Series played in MID October rather than the end, when a game #6 or #7 can be played in NOVEMBER is essential. It may affect a HR record here or there but it would be for the good of the game. With 32 teams and 8 divisions you could have all 4 division winners in each league automatic playoff qualifiers regardless of win-loss record. the next 4 qualifying teams would be strictly by record. Then you would seed the playoffs #1-#8. This way, it would be possible to see all 4 teams in the A.L. Northwest could possibly qualify. Change is coming. Let's just hope the change is palatable. I could live with the divisions as they are set up in the article. I could like a couple of other versions better. I'm open to all ideas.

Doc Bauer makes a lot of good points. I like Matt Wallner. I think it's incredibly stupid, no matter what "analytics" tell you, to bat a player like Matt Wallner LEADOFF. Wallner belongs in the #4-#6 spot in the order. This is like hitting Harmon Killebrew leadoff. Harmon had a lot of power and a high OBP & OPS. Would you bat Killebrew leadoff because of that??? Granted, Killebrew consistently hit for a higher average which allowed him to drive in runs much more consistently than Wallner ever has. But something in the "analytics" encourages Rocco to hit guys like Jeffers, Larnach and Wallner at the top of the order. And it hasn't worked. Maybe Wallner or Larnach could become at least league average fielders at 1B, maybe not. But with all the OF coming up sooner, rather than later, a position switch wouldn't be a bad idea. One thing is certain. We can't play everyone in RF or LF. Someone suggested Wallner's trade value is only that of a middling prospect. Wrong. That guy is Larnach. Wallner, in a straight up, one-for one trade would bring back our choice of Kyle Teel or Edgar Quero from the White Sox. The White Sox can't play both Teel and Quero at Catcher at the same time either. Maybe the Twins should consider a Wallner for Teel trade? It would give the White Sox a OF/DH power bat while the Twins get a Catcher to pair with Jeffers for a couple years until Tait is ready.

I loved watching Arraez battle thru his Twins AB's but all his negatives have been accurately listed. 1B/DH is a position for power. Luis is NOT that. I agree 100% that it comes down to what he would cost. But Yandy Diaz, a career .288 hitter with 22 HR's this year is older (34) but a better option. Why the Twins haven't tried to work Wallner or Larnach into a 1B role confounds me. Especially with Walker Jenkins, E-Rod and Gabe Gonzalez coming soon. Fedko, if he really has put some time in at 1B for the Saints should get a look come September 1st. He's hot as a pistol, give him a chance to impress. I would also posit that Tristan Casas, the injured Boston 1B would be a better option with 30 HR power once he's returned from his knee injury. Boston is lusting after Joe Ryan. Get a premium price with Jaren Duran headlining the trade. Red Sox Get: Joe Ryan 68.2 Matt Wallner 29.5 and Cody Clemens 8.4. Total Value: 106.1 Twins Get: Jarren Duran 64.4 Payton Tolle 20.0 Tristan Casas 0.0 and Franklin Arias 22.1 Value: 106.50 The Red Sox get Ryan. They get a power bat to platoon with the loss of Duran and they get the son of Roger Clemens to be a utility guy. The Twins get an All Star caliber OF to put next to Buxton (and provide CF insurance) at the top of their order. They get a young LH SP in Tolle who just made his major debut in fine fashion. Tolle competes to replace Ryan in the rotation. Casas is a young 1B with a below average glove but tremendous power. He replaces Wallner in the lineup with equal power potential but better and more consistent contact. The Twins also add an 18 year old SS prospect in Franklin Arias who has a great chance to stick at SS and loads the Twins up even more at SS with Houston and Culpepper. The value is equal. Casas currently sits at zero for value until he proves his comeback from knee surgery is on track. The Red Sox Sox do this because they are desperate to get Ryan. Twins rotation: Lopez, Ober, Tolle, Abel, Matthews (Festa, SWR, Bradley). Lineup: Duran LF, Keaschall 2B, Buxton CF, R. Lewis 3B, Casas 1B, Walker Jenkins RF, Jeffers C, Brooks Lee SS, Take your pick for DH. Sign a Closer like Helsley for $6-$7 million and you've got a team to compete with the Tigers in their final year (half year?) of having Tarik Skubal.

The higher the pick, the more flexibility they have to pick who they like the best and the opportunity presents itself to sign a player under-slot which opens up money to sign someone later over-slot that other teams shied away from due to cost.

Adam's article has led to some interesting conversation. I think any specific, single trade is hard to quantify, especially if you're looking at it from the context that the Twins should certainly be looking to make a series of deals this winter where one of Ryan, Lopez or Ober is dealt to add some hitting to the lineup. There are plenty of other players who I'd consider trading if the return was right. Wallner, Larnach, Julien, Miranda, even Jeffers if the return was what Doc Gast proposed with a 3 team deal on BBTV. Notice that Rutschman's trade value is only 15.0. It's been pointed out that his offense has trended down the last 2 seasons. I agree, that is concerning. But he could easily bounce back with an All Star season. That his defense is FAR superior to Jeffers, even if it's slipped the last couple seasons is a significant plus for acquiring him. Baltimore: Joe Ryan 68.2 30 yrs old Luis Robert -.10 Aaron Civale 1.4 Total: 69.8 Trade Value. CWS: Enrique Bradford 9.1 21 yrs old CF Esteban Mejia 11.3 19 y/o SP Total: 20.4 Trade Value. Twins: Adley Rutschman 15.0 27 y/o Coby Mayo 15.8 1B/3B 22 y/o. Edgar Quero 18.8 21 y/o C. Cade Povich 18.6 24 y/o LH SP. Total: 68.2 Trade Value. In this trade, the Twins give up Joe Ryan (68.2) and get back FOUR players. A vet Catcher who's 27 y/o and has been an All Star. A 21 y/o Catcher who looks like a potential future All Star. A corner IF with RH Power who is 22 y/o and a 24 y/o LH SP who the organization is very familiar with. The The White Sox do it because they get a speedy CF to replace Robert and a 17 y/o SP with the kind of potential we assign to Charlie Soto and they get to unload Robert. Baltimore does it for Ryan. The Twins do it because Ryan will be 30 next season and they probably don't want to have to pay him a ton for his age 34, 35, and 36 year seasons. The Twins solve their Catcher dilemma for 2026 and STILL have Tait waiting in the wings. Plus, they add an improving LH SP to their rotation to replace Ryan and get a 22 year old corner IF with RH power. Colby Mayo could solve the 1B problem. If the Twins are going to trade Ryan they need to get young bats that can step right into their lineup and it certainly doesn't hurt to add a LH SP 6 years younger than Ryan to the rotation. The package Doc Gast gets back is the exact 68.2 trade value Joe Ryan has. Maybe Rutschman is a has-been. But to me, he's entering his "magical" age 27 season. Baltimore has Basallo and a desperate need for an Ace. They wouldn't hesitate to make this trade. The key to this trade for me is adding Edgar Quero from the White Sox. The Twins could hit the jackpot with Rutschman...or not. But I think Quero is a future All Star.

I could see either scenario playing out. I remember how badly Frank Viola struggled as a SP early in his Twins career. And then, seemingly in the blink of an eye...he figured it out. Probably because he finally was able to command his change-up. Festa needs to keep working on his change-up to make it a pitch he's consistently "GOOD" with. However, even if we trade one or even two of Ryan, Lopez or Ober, there are still LOTS of arms to consider for the rotation. The young pitchers I have my eye on for the Twins are Matthews, Festa, Abel and Bradley. That's 4 guys. Each of them has flashed excellent strikeout potential and each of them has shown an inability to pitch with command and control, leading to giving up crooked numbers in an inning consistently. It's frustrating to see Matthews and now Abel literally get shelled. It's too early by conventional baseball thinking to give up on any of the 4 guys I listed as SP. Yet, circumstance is probably going to require it. The Twins can't use ALL of these guys in the rotation but they shouldn't be wasting bullets in the minors either. And guys like Prielipp and Raya are also prime candidates for bullpen roles who could still "graduate" to a rotation spot. Festa could indeed be a good closer. He's got a Joe Nathan like pitch mix. But if I'm in the Twins FO and I want to build a team capable of contending in the shaky A.L. Central, I'm not putting someone like Festa, Bradley, Abel or Matthews as my closer. The Twins elected to gut their BP. They could have kept Varland as the closer in waiting. They chose not to. The Twins need to either sign or trade for a veteran closer to anchor a BP that would have potential but also some growing pains. Sign Helsley or Yates. Trade for Camilo Doval or Ryan Walker. Walker was sensational in 2024 and has been so/so in 2025. Doval lost his closer job to Walker, then regained it before being traded to the Yankees. Yates was second only to Clase in 2024. The Dodgers signed him to a $12 million dollar contract, only to shove him into a setup role. He's been so/so this season. Helsley is a GREAT closer. He's been mediocre as a set up man for the Mets. Each of these guys aren't going to command half of the $12-million Kirby Yates is making this year for the Dodgers as a set up man in 2026. Closers can be great, have an off year, and then bounce back with a sensational year. If the Twins choose the right veteran to anchor their BP they could then handle Festa, Bradley or whoever with a little more flexibility. They have about $25 million to play with this winter. They should certainly be able to use $5-$6 million of that to secure a solid veteran option to close games. It's ironic, the Twins could have used that $5-$6 million to sign Duran or Jax but chose to go a different direction. They could still build a decent BP with some of the young arms in their system who are struggling to become solid SP due to lack of consistent control or a pitch mix found lacking. But to do the young pitchers justice as well as the TEAM, a veteran closer should be pursued with urgency this winter. Even if it's just a one-year "prove you've got the goods again" deal. If the Twins actually contend next year and someone like Helsley or Yates is shining as our closer the Twins can consider an extension. If we're not contending, but said veteran closer is pitching well, you can always deal him at the deadline if an extension seems unlikely. Either way, you build in a season that acts as a cushion. You give Festa, Matthews, Bradley and Abel one more season to clarify what they've got to offer. Then the Twins can approach 2027 (provided we don't have a strike) with a better idea what their plan should be for that season and going forward.

That's part of the fun tony&rodney. The Speculation. MAYBE the CWS say no on Teel. But with both Teel and Edgar Quero they have a surplus of talented, young Catchers, an asset they can leverage. In the trade that was suggested on BBTV it would come down to what the White Sox think of Bryce Eldridge. He's the key to any White Sox interest. But you can't deny the Giants would love to have Joe Ryan. I like looking at the proposed trades on BBTV and yes, some of them are ridiculous. But some of them make some sense and in the broader sense, it's clear the Twins need to make some more moves this winter if they hope to compete. As the roster sits now, they won't compete and in the A.L. Central that is a sin that cannot be forgiven. One way or another, the Tigers have to do something with Tarik Skubal. Sign him for a huge amount and see the deleterious effect that could have on the rest of their roster, or, trade him for a package that allows them to compete beyond 2026. The Twins did it with Correa, and now have Brooks Lee in the present and Kalen Culpepper and Marek Houston in the near future. The Twins have the same issue with Joe Ryan. Sign him to an extension, or use him to plug holes on the major league roster. The Tigers are going to have to pay Skubal a LOT more than Joe Ryan. How the Tigers handle the Skubal FA after the 2026 season could make or break them.

As the Twins are currently constituted they will finish 4th in the A.L. Central next year, exactly where they are now. However, when you play in the A.L. Central, you should ALWAYS be in contention. This is the sad situation we Twins fans find ourselves with our present ownership, FO and Manager. Despite playing in a division that is always in play, the Twins, as currently constructed, are a 4th place team with the 5th place team being one of the 2 worst teams in baseball. However, after the trade deadline bloodletting, there are particular areas of depth and particular areas of massive holes. It remains to be seen if the current leadership group of the Twins can make the needed trades and possibly FA signings to put together a contending team. Here are a couple moves as suggested by people on BBTV that would balance the Twins roster and make them better. Cactus1017 posted this 3-way trade: Giants get: Joe Ryan 29 y/o SP 68.2 value Mets get: Jarren Duran 28 y/o OF 64.4 value Twins get: Nolan Mclean 23 y/o SP 19.7 Jett Williams 20 y/o SS 23.1 Kyson Witherspoon 20 y/o SP 17.6 Carsen Benge 21 y/o OF 19.9. The Twins give up 68.2 of value with Joe Ryan and bring back 80.3 in value. It's the expected overpay for a quality veteran SP on the right side of 30 years old. McLean just made his MLB debut with the Mets and was IMPRESSIVE. The other 3 are all very close to the majors and solid talents. Jett Williams is blocked by Lindor. He wouldn't be blocked by Brooks Lee. The Twins bring back TWO young pitchers as well as a SS and OF. Our own Doc Gast posted this trade: Giants get Joe Ryan 68.2 White Sox get Bryce Eldridge 51.5 and Dakota Jordan 8.2 (59.7 total) Twins get: Kyle Teel 22 y/o Catcher 24.8 value. Jose Butto 26 y/o LHRP 11.1. Colson Montgomery 22 y/o SS 15.7. Jon Cannon 24 y/o SP 16.9. Total Value returned 68.5. The Mets trade brings back more overall value and I like it because it brings back 2 quality young arms, especially Nolan Mclean who has already debuted in MLB and impressively at that. I like Doc Gast's trade because it primarily brings back Kyle Teel, our Catcher of the Future (who the White Sox can afford to trade) as well as 3 other talented young players, each of whom has made their MLB debut. SS Colson Montgomery is especially intriguing. I would toss out this potential deal as well: Red Sox get Joe Ryan 68.2 and SWR (value unknown) for Jarren Duran 64.4 and 20 y/o LHSP Payton Tolle 20.0. We get 84.4 value back. Duran is a fixture in LF and at the top of the order and Buxton insurance. Tolle is already at AAA Worcester. He would start at St. Paul next spring but I'd bet on seeing him in the Twins rotation no later than June 1st. He would give us a LH in the rotation and he's NINE years younger than Ryan. The Red Sox get Ryan to slot behind Crochett in their "Win Now" rotation with Bello as a solid #3 and whatever value SWR provides them, either as a somewhat dependable #5 SP or a long relief option. Joe Ryan currently has a value of 68.2 in BBTV. Tarik Skubal is at 68.6. Would you trade Ryan straight up for Skubal? I would. Pablo Lopez is only valued at 17.8. Lopez could easily be the equal of Ryan next season or better. He just costs more. With all the depth the Twins have as rotation hopefuls, it may very well be time to trade Ryan to fill massive gaps in the current Twins roster. His value will never be higher. One or two trades this winter won't put the Twins over the top. I could see 4 trades being made to plug the holes and improve our overall talent. Trading for Yandy Diaz who is a solid RH bat at 1B and carries a BBTV of just 6.2 would be an excellent acquisition. If Catcher and 1B was settled with a rotation that retained Lopez with guys like Ober, Abel, Matthews, Bradley, Festa and others and one trade or FA signing to bring in a veteran closer like Ryan Walker 11.2 value SF Giants, Ryan Helsley, Kirby Yates etc... then I could see the Twins competing for a division title or Wild Card. It is highly unlikely the Tigers will pay Skubal what he wants after the 2026 season. With a strike looming in 2027 the Tigers could actually trade him this off season. How formidable are the Tigers without Skubal at the top of their rotation?? And if they DO pay him, what are the ramifications for the rest of the Tiger roster in 2027 and beyond. Again, when you play in the A.L. Central, you should NEVER be out of the running.

There's a LONG list of Twins who are on already AT make or break status. These guys are running out of runway. Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner: Now that Roden and Outman are in-house and both are far superior defensive players, not to mention ALSO LH hitting OF's, Larnach and Waller could be traded this off season. Both have tantalized with the bat, but neither, especially Wallner, can seem to show any kind of consistency or put together an entire season. The only way I see one of them on this team next year is if they learn how to play 1B, or Alan Roden is traded once he proves he's healthy. Eddie Julien: He's no longer a viable 2B (and I would suggest he never was). Luke Keaschall is there with Brooks Lee and Cody Clemens ahead of Eddie. Clemens is also a better 1B than Julien. I can see Julien being traded this winter as well. His BBTV has sunk to 4.2. Throw Jose Miranda on this scrap heap as well. Austin Martin and Cody Clemens could be a versatile and decent bench in 2026. The only future SWR has with the Twins is as a long reliever. He's a trade candidate as well if another team needs a back end SP. The SP lineup is just too deep for SWR now. Zebby Matthews & David Festa. These guys aren't going anywhere unless the opportunity to acquire a catcher like Kyle Teel or one of the Quero's (Edgar or Jefferson) presents itself and the White Sox or Brewers demanded one of them. But it's frustrating to see Matthews (and Festa before his injury) flash the kind of stuff they have but lose command batter to batter and then give up a 2-run homer to tie the game like Zebby did last night. Sooner, not later, these 2 guys better start figuring it out. With Kalen Culpepper zooming toward a major league debut, it will be interesting to see what happens with Royce Lewis. Tony&rodney listed several teams who may be interested in Lewis and I'll add Boston (if they can't re-sign Bregman) and maybe even the L.A. Dodgers as the only player Lewis seems to be healthier than is Max Muncy. After the trade deadline purge, it was clear to me that more moves were going to happen this winter. There should be a lot of moves yet to come. I wish I had more confidence in Falvey.

Chowlowsky is certainly the early favorite Cory, but every year there are a handful of guys either in College or High School who seem to just put it together. Their power emerges. Their fastball adds 5mph, their slider/sweeper adds more spin. The article listed 2 College SS and a High school Pitcher (I think...). There will be other names added to the list and then dropped and then a couple more added and dropped before the draft actually takes place. At this point, it doesn't appear we desperately need: SS. C. Corner OF. SP. But if that's where the best player is when the Twins are on the clock they could still pick one. Let's say a College Corner OF bat emerges and the bat could be big league ready SOON. It will be interesting to see what the FO and scouting department decide. bunsen82 also made a great point about signing somebody under slot to use money for someone special later in the draft. jorgenswest makes a good point about the need to get Mick Abel up and in the rotation as well as Taj Bradley in the BP. I'd love to see Bradley get an opportunity to close some games out. I wouldn't be willing to just flush Bradley as a SP just yet. But I'd love to see him get a mini audition as a closer to see how he performs. Adding Pablo Lopez back into the rotation for the remainder of the season will also better our chances of winning a few more games, as will continued improvement from Bailey Ober. Maybe top 8 (rather than top 3 or 4) is more realistic to hope for.