Nick Nelson

New ownership will likely be in place by the end of the season. Larnach, Wallner and Lee improving and having better seasons next year would not be "miracle development" it would be standard baseball development. Lewis already seems to be coming out of it. I'm asking again: what kind of trades are we making to change and meaningfully improve the roster? Trading rental players isn't going to do it - you'll get mid-tier prospects and lotto tickets. Are we entrusting this front office to trade good players with multi-year control and get back worthy returns, at the expense of even trying to contend next year with Buxton and Correa?

Who's going to come along and give the offer, at this moment in time, for either one of them? They are playing some of the worst ball of their careers right now! That was my point, not that I'm opposed to the general idea of trading either one. I don't think a lot of the ideas being proposed as deadline plans are actually sensible or realistic, other than selling off rentals. Which, I'm sorry, isn't going to upgrade the system all that meaningfully. A lot of people yelling at me for being unwelcoming of change while refusing to acknowledge the realities and implications of making those changes.

And in your opinion the best thing to be done about this is trading one (or more) of their best pitchers in their primes for prospects while entrusting this front office to target the right guys and develop them? Rather than shoring up the offense and trying to win around these very good pitchers? Again I don't see how this "rebuild" concept is doing anything other than giving ownership a pass to not try for a while. Having two ace-caliber starters atop your rotation is very obviously one of the single most important ingredients in building a championship contender,

They were a .500 team in 2024 and the first half of 2025. That's not bad, it's meh. Certainly not indicative of a hopeless team. (What was the Tigers' record in 2023 and the first half of 2024? What was the Twins' record in 2022 and the first half of 2023?) If the Twins had a 53-52 record right now they would be like 2 games out of a wild-card spot and very literally a contender. Again, you're welcome to just act negative and cynical at every turn, and I know there's a certain segment of people on this site and elsewhere who will happily join you, but most fans - and people in the game - understand that it's a sport of ups and downs, and things can change quickly. What happened last is not proof of what's going to happen next. If anything, with this team, quite the opposite.

Because two weeks ago advocating for selling at the deadline was lame. There was no bad faith. I said it then, I'm saying it now. I'm sick of people just assuming the team will suck and then saying "SEE I TOLD YOU." How about cheering for the team and hoping they do well, and then re-evaluating when they don't? It's what the front office did, it's what fans who actually like the Twins do. There's not some bonus prize for giving up as early as you can.

None of this qualifies as "breaking up the core" at the deadline other than kind of trading Wallner or Larnach (which is a horrible idea btw). Rentals and the manager are not part of the core you were referencing. If you wanna discuss trading Lopez, Ober or Ryan in the offseason sure, but understand you're just giving up on 2026 and giving ownership cover to cut spending.

"The writing on the wall" implies it was a foregone conclusion they were going to go 3-6 coming out of the All-Star break. Nah. They play the games for a reason. I watch the games for a reason. Sitting there in early July when they are a couple games under .500 and saying they should give up and sell is not some sign of savvy baseball genius. It's a quitter mentality. They played badly since then, they blew opportunities against teams they very easily could have beaten, and as a result, now they are in position where they need to sell. That's how this works. You "change your mind" based on the events that play out. It's literally what happened with the actual front office.

The MLB Trade Deadline falls on Thursday, July 31st at 5:00 PM CT. The Minnesota Twins find themselves at the center of attention as a team with plenty of attractive talent — including arguably the most coveted target on the market — but whose contention hopes have faded to a fantasy. In the following primer you'll find a rundown of the latest rumors and buzz, as well as an overview of the overall deadline landscape and how the Twins fit into it. Bookmark this page and check back often this week, as we'll be updating it frequently! The Latest Twins Trade Deadline News Harrison Bader joins Jhoan Duran on Phillies, Twins get back two prospects (7/31): The Twins got back 21-year-old outfielder Hendry Mendez and 16-year-old righthander Geremy Villoria in exchange for the two-month rental. Twins send Jhoan Duran to Philadelphia in exchange for top catching prospect, talented young arm (7/30): The Twins received highly touted 18-year-old catcher Eduardo Tait and hard-throwing 23-year-old right-hander Mick Abel in exchange for Duran. Twins trade Chris Paddack and Randy Dobnak to Tigers for rookie-ball catcher Enrique Jimenez (7/28): Minnesota will take any organizational catching depth it can get at this point, but this looks like pretty much a salary dump, shaving $3.5 million from the 2025 payroll by unloading their remaining commitments to Paddack and Dobnak. Los Angeles Dodgers have expressed interest in Harrison Bader (7/27): Bob Nightengale lists Bader alongside Cardinals utilityman Brendan Donovan as a player whom the Dodgers have eyes on (via USA Today). Willi Castro drawing attention from New York Yankees (7/25): Chris Kirschner reports that the Yankees "had interest in Castro last offseason, and that interest remains" (via The Athletic). Industry belief that one of Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax will be traded (7/23): Alden Gonzalez of ESPN shared that his "sense" is one of Minnesota's big relief arms will move before Thursday's deadline, although he acknowledges asking price is very high (via ESPN). Quick Resources Twins Rumors: Find and discuss the latest trade rumors in real time. Top Prospect Tracker: Get up to speed on the state of the system, pre-deadline. Trade Deadline Blueprint Tool: Create your own plan to shake things up. Key Twins Trade Deadline Stories The Minnesota Twins are firmly in the "seller" category. For a while, it was up in the air and up for debate. But by going 3-6 in their first nine games out of the All-Star break, including series losses against two very bad last-place teams, the Twins players essentially sealed their fate. Their increasingly long postseason odds and continually listless play on the field give the front office little choice but to turn their focus to the future. The question is: how far into the future? Read more: The Twins Could Be Sellers and Still Make the Playoffs. (They've Done It Before!) Sell the present, or sell the future? That is the question. It is now a given that the Twins will unload at least one of their players with expiring contracts, and probably several of them. The big question that looms is how open they will be to trading players with one or more years of team control remaining beyond 2025, because that's where future plans start be impacted and disrupted. With the Twins on track to miss the playoffs for a fourth time in five years, a significant shakeup is arguably warranted, but the question is whether you trust this front office — potentially living on borrowed time — to oversee it. Read more: Should Derek Falvey Be Trusted to Make Trade Decisions on Jax, Duran and Ryan? Ownership situation in flux adds layer of decision-making complexity. The Twins franchise has been publicly up for sale dating back to the end of last season, and following a start-and-stop with Justin Ishbia, it sounds like momentum is building toward completion of a sale with a new buyer. This adds another complicating dynamic for the Twins and their front office: Do they really want to make a drastic move that affects the future product this new ownership is inheriting? Are they allowed to? Read more: Manfred Expresses Confidence in Sale of Twins, Which Could Be Drawing Near Twins Top Trade Candidates (Listed in order of likelihood to be moved, per this writer's humble opinion.) 1. Harrison Bader, CF TRADED TO PHILADELPHIA ON 7/31 FOR OF HENDRY MENDEZ AND RHP GEREMY VILLORIA Why trade him: Having one of the best seasons of his career on a one-year contract. Ownership will surely appreciate unloading a couple million in remaining salary owed. Why he's in demand: Can clearly help a lot of teams as a solid right-handed bat with renewed power stroke and elite outfield defense. Likely return: 1-2 mid-level prospects, likely ranking in the 15-20 range for another organization at best. 2. Danny Coulombe, LHP Why trade him: Why not? Veteran reliever due for free agency at year's end. Unlikely to factor into Minnesota's plans beyond 2025. Why he's in demand: Trusted bullpen help is always highly sought at the deadline. Coulombe has proven skeptics wrong by staying (mostly) healthy and (very) effective at age 35. Likely return: Nominal. Probably either a high-ceiling longshot young prospect or a low-ceiling minor-leaguer who is closer to readiness. 3. Willi Castro, UTIL Why trade him: Castro is set to become a free agent this offseason and unlikely to be retained. He also hasn't shown convincingly that he's going to be helpful toward whatever aspirations of a miracle resurgence the Twins might hold. Why he's in demand: The versatile utilityman profile is one that a whole bunch of different teams could use, which is why his name has been popping up frequently in rumors. He's having his best season offensively with a 110 OPS+. Likely return: Maybe somewhere between Bader and Coulombe, I would think. A mid-level prospect or two but nothing special. Read more: Three Under-the-Radar NL Teams That Could Trade for Willi Castro 4. Brock Stewart, RHP Why trade him: Opportunity to capitalize on an unprecedented healthy season for Stewart, whose high-octane late-inning arsenal has obvious appeal to contending teams. Why he's in demand: Aside from the big stuff and strikeout numbers, Stewart has two more years of remaining control after 2025, making him a long-term bullpen acquisition instead of a mere rental. Likely return: Unspectacular. Opposing teams are well aware of the factors that might make Minnesota apt to trade Stewart — his injury history and his age, turning 34 in October. It feels like you could maybe get a really interesting years-away prospect for a big ceiling, and that might be the kind of move worth making. Read more: How One Twins Reliever Is Under-the-Radar Before the MLB Trade Deadline 5. Jhoan Durán, RHP TRADED TO PHILADELPHIA ON 7/30 FOR C EDUARDO TAIT AND RHP MICK ABEL Why trade him: First name on this list capable of bringing back a package that would meaningfully upgrade the Twins' farm system. Durán hasn't really shown signs of slowing down on the field and he's been remarkably healthy, but his slowly diminishing fastball velocity offers one small motivator to sell high. Why he's in demand: All the requisites of a marquee deadline pickup for a contending team: dominant stuff, excellent current numbers, consistent track record, postseason experience. Under team control through 2027, Durán can become a bullpen cornerstone for any team willing to pay the price. The Athletic ranks him as the sixth-best player available. Likely return: Big. The Twins are said to be seeking two top-100 caliber prospects in exchange for Durán, and they have the leverage to hold out for such a package. They shouldn't be compelled to move him for anything less. 6. Griffin Jax, RHP Why trade him: Same reasons as Durán. Taking advantage of desperation for bullpen help at the trade deadline can be a savvy strategy for selling teams. Why he's in demand: Same reasons as Durán. He's a dominant late-inning reliever who has done it on the big stage, with two remaining years of team control after this. Likely return: Similar to Durán. Maybe a little lower because he's not having the greatest season and doesn't have the "closer" clout (for whatever that's worth anymore). But the Twins have reportedly set the same price: multiple top-100 prospects. Read more: The Pressly Paradox: Why Selling Relievers Is a Precarious Path 7. Christian Vázquez, C Why trade him: Zero reason not to, if there's any kind of receptive market. Why he's in demand: He's probably not, which is why he isn't higher on this list despite being on an expiring contract. Perhaps someone will opt to bring him in as a veteran backup, valuing the experience and defensive chops. The Red Sox have supposedly shown some interest. Likely return: Nothing of substance beyond financial relief. 8. Chris Paddack, RHP TRADED TO DETROIT ON 7/28 WITH RHP RANDY DOBNAK FOR C ENRIQUE JIMENEZ Why trade him: Much like with Vázquez, there isn't much reason not to trade Paddack if you can find a taker. He has a 4.95 ERA and is headed for free agency in the offseason. Why he's in demand: He's a veteran pitcher who finally seems to have shaken off the injury bug and there have been some flashes of excellence at times, like his most recent start. Likely return: Minimal. Like with Vázquez, the biggest benefit of a Paddack trade is salary relief for the owners, which does nothing to excite me. 9. Joe Ryan, RHP Why trade him: Opportunity to bring a transformative infusion of talent into the system. The Athletic ranks him as the #1 player available at this year's deadline. Painful of a loss as it would be for the 2026-27 teams, choosing to trade Ryan would mean the Twins got blown away by an overwhelming package that drastically elevates their future outlook. Why he's in demand: He's the best starting pitcher realistically on the market, performing at the level of a true ace, and he's under control for two years after this. It's somewhat rare that contending teams have access to an asset of this caliber at the trade deadline. Likely return: Massive. In order to be tempted into making a trade like this, the Twins would need to be getting back either one of the very best prospects in the game or a budding young star in the big leagues, and then some. Read more: These 4 Phenom Prospects Could Convince the Twins to Trade Joe Ryan 10. Trevor Larnach, OF Why trade him: Larnach is stagnating in his fifth year as a Twin, and moving him would present the opportunity for a relatively low-wattage shakeup the core. Why he's in demand: His underlying hitting talent is not hard to see, and he still has two remaining years of control at a reasonable cost. Likely return: Maybe a solid pitching prospect or two, but probably no more than a secondary arm in another system. Others To Watch: Ryan Jeffers (C), Pablo Lopez (RHP), Cole Sands (RHP), Ty France (1B), Louis Varland (RHP) Where do you stand on the Twins and their approach the deadline? Who should go and who should stay? Got any outside-the-box ideas for getting this wayward franchise back on track? Sound off in the comments and feel free to share the latest rumors and rumblings you come across for discussion. View full article

The tweet he pulled up was not about what's the "right thing to do." The point of that tweet, unrelated to this article, was that I wasn't going to spend much time speculating about what the Twins might get in return for Willi Castro because I just don't care. I didn't, I don't. Like what is even your point here, are you just trying to manufacture an opposing argument? The actual content of the article you're commenting on is all about how the Twins are going to sell their rentals and should sell them at this point. I didn't want to resign to selling conversations "a few weeks ago" because the trade deadline was still a month away and I like to try to enjoy the baseball season. What does breaking apart this core of players look like, in practicality? Get specific with me here Van. You can't trade Correa or Buxton. Trading Lee or Wallner or Larnach with their value at a low point is unwise, I hope you'd agree. I'm not "holding onto this core." I'm being realistic about the situation. If you're saying you want them to trade all their best players away and commit to being bad in the name of some vague rudderless rebuild, then no, I reject that notion fully. They have to make it work with largely this talent nucleus going forward, and the prospects upcoming in the system, like it or not. As far as making a change at manager or anywhere else in the organization, I'm very open to that conversation. Something is obviously not working. But the idea of "breaking up the core" at this point in time is a fantasy. Sorry to burst your bubble!

I said in the tweet you referenced that I was not excited about the concept of selling and I continue to be very unexcited about it. So, no.

Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-Imagn Images The Weekly Nutshell: The Twins once again had an interesting opportunity in front of them. They entered the ninth inning of their finale in Los Angeles with a one-run lead, on the verge of capturing an unlikely series victory against the formidable Dodgers. Finish the job there, sweep the lowly Nationals at home over the weekend, and the Twins would be back above the .500 mark as we speak, ruling out any notion of a sell-off as we head into deadline week. Of course, that's not how it went. That's never really how it's gone when the opportunity for redemption has presented itself to this bunch. Instead, a familiar meltdown scenario played out in the bottom of the ninth against LA. Then the Twins managed to squeak by the Nats despite zero run-scoring hits on Friday, and were beaten soundly the next two days for a third consecutive series loss coming out of the break. This is the most disappointing Twins team I've followed in at least 10 years. Unlike so many others that have fallen short of expectations, this one can't point to an abundance of injuries or misfortune for its failure. Only a complete lack of heart and fight from a group of players that has fully earned whatever dismantling is about to come. Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 7/21 through Sun, 7/27 *** Record Last Week: 2-4 (Overall: 50-55) Run Differential Last Week: -11 (Overall: -19) Standing: 4th Place in AL Central (10 GB) Last Week's Game Results: Game 100 | LAD 5, MIN 2: Twins Fall Behind Early, Can't Fight Back Against Ohtani and Co. Festa: 5 IP, 4 ER Game 101 | MIN 10, LAD 7: Seven RBIs from Bottom of Lineup Fuel Much-Needed Victory Lewis, Vazquez: 6 RBI Game 102 | LAD 4, MIN 3: Jax Blows One-Run Lead in 9th, Freeman Delivers Walk-Off Jax: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 ER Game 103 | MIN 1, WAS 0: Zebby Mows Down Nationals, Buxton's Sac Fly Carries Twins Matthews: 6 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 7 K Game 104 | WAS 9, MIN 3: Big Hits Elude Twins and Mistakes Mount in Lethargic Loss Twins offense: 1-12 RISP Game 105 | WAS 7, MIN 2: Another Series Slips Away Behind Sloppy, Ugly Baseball Adams: 3.1 IP, 5 ER IF YOU'D RATHER LISTEN TO THE WEEK IN REVIEW THAN READ IT, YOU CAN GET IT IN AUDIO FORM! FIND THE LATEST EPISODE ON OUR PODCAST PAGE, AS WELL AS ON APPLE AND SPOTIFY. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNELS SO YOU DON'T MISS OUT! NEWS & NOTES On Friday night, Bailey Ober made his second rehab start with the Saints, and it once again went well in terms of results: 5 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 6 K. Is he ready to return? He certainly looks out of place in Triple-A, and there are no signs of anything amiss physically, so Ober should be back in the Twins rotation very soon. The rotation suddenly needs him after losing David Festa to the injured list on Wednesday due to shoulder inflammation. Travis Adams was recalled to fill in on the pitching staff for the time being. Losing Festa is tough given his talent and ability, but the reality is that his performance has been quite spotty this year as he's been unable to settle into any kind of consistent groove. Hopefully a little time off enables him to come back fresh and more effective. Joining Festa on the injured list two days later was reliever Anthony Misiewicz, who exited Wednesday's game with an injury and was later diagnosed with a shoulder impingement. Kody Funderburk is back to replace him as a lefty in the bullpen, and that could actually be an upgrade, although Fundy has struggled mightily in the past two seasons and had another rocky re-entry to the majors this time around, allowing three runs in two innings on Saturday. The Twins made a catching depth swap on the 40-man roster. Jair Camargo was designated for assignment and subsequently released, following Diego Cartaya out the door. With that, the Twins have parted ways with both Triple-A backstops that entered this season as the top organizational depth behind Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vázquez. Jhonny Pereda, a 29-year-old journeyman recently placed on waivers by the Athletics, was claimed and added to the 40-man roster to replenish the lost catching depth. The future of this position for the Twins is beyond murky with Vázquez headed for free agency this winter and Jeffers just one year behind. For now, the Twins made it clear that Mickey Gasper is third on the MLB catching hierarchy; he was called up on Saturday for a temporary stint while Jeffers is on the paternity list. (Congrats!) A final note of relief: Byron Buxton excited Saturday's game with what was described as soreness in his side, and sat out Sunday's series finale against Washington, but Rocco Baldelli shared postgame that an MRI revealed rib cartilage irritation rather than anything more serious, and Buck is considered day-to-day. HIGHLIGHTS For nearly a full calendar year, fans have been waiting for the real Royce Lewis to stand up. Hobbled by a series of lower-body injuries, which he recently admitted have taken a toll on him, Lewis was one of the least productive hitters in baseball over a stretch of several months in a stunning fall-off from his prodigious peak. As Royce himself grasped for answers and the numbers continued to flounder, it was only natural to wonder if the superstar capability was still in there. The past week provided some resounding affirmation on that front. Lewis appears to have turned a corner in sharp and sudden fashion. Springboarding off a two-homer game in Colorado to close out the previous week, Lewis went 8-for-22 with another homer, four doubles and five RBIs. He walked twice with just one strikeout in 24 plate appearances. It's not just the numbers that offer encouragement; there's a visible confidence and lightness that have returned to Royce. He looks like a different guy in the box than he did at the depths of his unrelenting slump. This could be a game-changer for the Twins if they can find a way to stay in the fight. The breakthrough performance from Zebby Matthews on Friday night also could portend favorably for the Twins going forward. Granted, he was going against a very bad last-place team with a sub-mediocre offense. But Matthews finally pulled it all together in his finest major-league start, striking out seven with only two hits allowed in six shutout innings. What really sticks out here is that Zebby finally put his famously masterful control on display at the big-league level, avoiding the lapses and misfires that have plagued him. He had issued at least one walk in 10 straight starts before keeping the BB column clean in this gem. The injury to Festa elevates Matthews's importance to this rotation. If he can answer the call like he did on Friday and Ober can come back looking stronger, they'll be in solid shape on the starting pitching front. LOWLIGHTS The Twins were on their way to what could have potentially been one of their biggest wins of the season on Wednesday in Los Angeles. Taking a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth, they were on the verge of securing an unlikely series win on the road against the mighty Dodgers, and negating the bad vibes from a series loss in Colorado to open the second half. With Jhoan Durán unavailable after throwing 29 pitches the previous night, it was Griffin Jax who got the call to come in and seal the deal. He did not. This was a prototypical Jax disaster outing with all the recognizable ingredients — a combination of factors inside and outside of his control. He was bitten by some bad luck on batted balls as well as an extremely questionable umpiring call, but once again this disappointment was defined by his inability to show resilience and overcome adversity. Let's be clear: this was a terrible outing for Jax. He induced zero swings and misses on 20 pitches. He inexplicably tried to dance around, and walked, LA's worst hitter (Esteury Ruiz) to put the winning run in scoring position. Then he gave up a rocket to Freddie Freeman on a well-earned walk-off hit, even though Harrison Bader came oh-so close to catching it. There are plenty of metrics that continue to portray Jax as one of the most dominant relief pitchers in the league, and he's shown that form often enough. There's a reason he's known to be in high demand among buyers with the trade deadline hovering. But despite his prowess, Jax has had way too many of these games, where wins turn into losses under his watch. Aaron Gleeman noted that Wednesday marked the seventh time this year in which Jax lowered Minnesota's win probability by at least 25%, leading the major leagues. Assuming he's still here on Friday, the Twins are going to need much more from Jax than they've gotten in high-pressure situations. Brooks Lee might be on the verge of a demotion back to Triple-A. He's been incapable of making any noise at the plate, with a low-power, low-discipline profile that doesn't offer much in the way of upside. He managed two singles in 12 at-bats last week and is 7-for-57 (.123) with one double, two runs scored and three walks in the month of July. On top of that, the quality of Lee's glovework has been deteriorating as his offensive struggles follow him into the field — his consequential dropped fly ball in Saturday's game enters the running for ugliest defensive moment in a season with all too many contenders. Luke Keaschall continues to progress in his rehab at Triple-A, now moving beyond DH restriction and making starts at second base. As he advances, the clock could and should be ticking on Lee, although obviously the Twins' deadline dealings will have an effect on any such shakeup. Shakeups are all but certainly coming in some fashion, and they've been earned by this lackluster ballclub. At a time where the Twins needed to give us (and the front office) any kind of reason to believe, they instead just gave us more of the opposite, putting forth another week of uninspired, sloppy, non-urgent play with everything on the line. Defensive plays were missed constantly, and not just by Lee. Big hits were nowhere to be found — the Twins went 1-for-21 over the weekend with runners in scoring position. Carlos Correa had one extra-base hit (a double) in 23 plate appearances on the week. Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach went a combined 4-for-27 with four RBIs. Serial rally killer Willi Castro grounded into four double plays in a 4-for-25 week that included seven strikeouts, one walk and zero RBIs. Much like he did in the second half last year, Castro is disappearing when the offense needs him to step up. It'd no surprise if he actually disappears from the roster within the next few days, and you know what? Whatever. He's had a commendable run in here in Minnesota after being signed to a minor-league deal but I'm ready to move on. TRENDING STORYLINE The trade deadline arrives this coming Thursday, July 31st, at 5:00 PM CT. As a team with slim contention hopes and plenty of useful contending pieces — including a handful on expiring contracts — the Twins will be open for business in the coming days. Their full mindset is unclear, but by now, at least some some level of light selling feels inevitable. If this season is ultimately destined to be a lemon, maybe the Twins can squeeze some lemonade out of it down the line. Given Minnesota's position in the standings and underwhelming play, I would be surprised if the front office didn't flip multiple rental players in exchange for future assets. Bader and Danny Coulombe probably top the list of likelihood, with Castro up there as well. I would be equally surprised if the Twins traded Joe Ryan, given his importance to a 2026 team that still has plenty of promise depending on how the offense gets addressed. Jax and Jhoan Durán, or another controllable reliever like Brock Stewart, are in a similar boat as Ryan but less off-limits should the right offer come along. Whether or not they choose to cash in on one or more of their highly regarded relief arms might be the most intriguing narrative surrounding the Twins front office at this deadline. Only a few more days to go. For additional reading, here's a rundown of some of our latest deadline-focused content. There will be plenty more to come in the week ahead, including Twins Daily's official deadline primer going live on Monday morning. How One Twins Reliever Is Under-the-Radar Before the MLB Trade Deadline These 4 Phenom Prospects Could Convince the Twins to Trade Joe Ryan Three Under-the-Radar NL Teams That Could Trade for Willi Castro Should Derek Falvey Be Trusted to Make Trade Decisions on Jax, Duran and Ryan? The Pressly Paradox: Why Selling Relievers Is a Precarious Path Twins Could Get Creative by Shopping 3 Former Top Prospects at the MLB Trade Deadline The Twins Could Be Sellers and Still Make the Playoffs. (They've Done It Before!) LOOKING AHEAD The Red Sox come to town looking to reinforce their presence in the AL postseason race as the Twins watch their last wisps of hope fade away. With the trade deadline land on an off day in between series, Minnesota may show up in Cleveland on Friday with a differently constructed roster. MONDAY, JULY 28: RED SOX @ TWINS — RHP Richard Fitts v. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson TUESDAY, JULY 29: RED SOX @ TWINS — RHP Lucas Giolito v. RHP Chris Paddack WEDNESDAY, JULY 30: RED SOX @ TWINS — RHP Brayan Bello v. RHP Zebby Matthews [MLB TRADE DEADLINE] FRIDAY, AUGUST 1: TWINS @ GUARDIANS — RHP Joe Ryan v. RHP Gavin Williams SATURDAY, AUGUST 2: TWINS @ GUARDIANS — TBD v. RHP Tanner Bibee SUNDAY, AUGUST 3: TWINS @ GUARDIANS — RHP Simeon Woods Richardson v. RHP Joey Cantillo View full article

Image courtesy of Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Trade deadline season is fully upon us, and the Minnesota Twins are considered by many (including opposing scouts who are flocking to Target Field) to be "open for business." Naturally, the team's assortment of controllable high-octane relief arms are known to be drawing a large share of the interest. There is an undeniable logic behind selling high on relief pitchers at the deadline. Contending buyers feel a sense of urgency to shore up their rosters for the stretch, and bullpen help is always in high demand. This leads front offices to pay a premium for widely sought targets. Add in the volatility of relief pitchers in general, and you see why big offers can prove hard to resist. Jhoan Durán and Griffin Jax are undoubtedly drawing a steady steam of calls with the trade deadline now just days away. Probably Brock Stewart and Louie Varland as well. All are high performers with excellent raw stuff, all are free of injury flags at the moment, and all are controllable for multiple years beyond 2025. The Twins are in position to cash in right now in a big way, if they so choose. Plenty of teams have benefited immensely in the past from taking advantage of moments like this. The most famous recent example would have to be Kansas City sending Aroldis Chapman to Texas in 2023, one month ahead of the deadline, receiving back a left-handed pitcher named Cole Ragans. The move worked out in the short-term for the Rangers, who won the World Series, but Ragans became Kansas City's ace almost immediately, helping propel them to the playoffs in 2024 for the first time in nine seasons. Seven years earlier, Chapman was also involved in a memorable win/win deadline swap, going from New York to the Cubs (where he also won a World Series) in exchange for Gleyber Torres. The latter example is probably more pertinent to Minnesota's current situation, because back in 2016 Chapman was 28 and at the height of his powers. Even then, he was only a rental — the Yankees would re-sign him the following offseason — but New York still managed to score a prospect on his way to consensus top-10 global status. It took less than two years for Torres to become an All-Star regular in New York. Those are the kinds of precedents that illustrate why Minnesota's front office would be foolish not to keep an open mind about trading someone like Durán or Jax. The idea of acquiring a game-changing talent who could enter the mix within a relatively short timeframe is enticing, and Minnesota's probably got enough bullpen depth to survive without one of them, especially with Varland's emergence. But there's a downside and a cost to these types of moves also. Twins fans have seen that, up close and personally. I've written before about the Ryan Pressly trade, which I consider to be the most regrettable move this front office ever made. In 2018, Pressly was not quite fully established as an elite reliever but well on his way, with spectacular swing-and-miss numbers and swing rates. Still under control beyond the 2018 season, Pressly was an alluring target in the same vein as Durán or Jax — especially to an analytically driven team like Houston. The Astros made an offer that Derek Falvey and the Twins decided they could not refuse: hard-throwing right-hander Jorge Alcalá and athletic outfielder Gilberto Celestino. Neither of those prospects amounted to much in a Minnesota uniform. Meanwhile, Pressly blossomed into an instant bullpen ace for the Astros. He posted a 0.77 ERA the rest of the way in 2018. More painfully, in 2019, which would have been his last year under control with the Twins, Pressly was an All-Star who dominated the late innings as Houston won 107 games and the pushed the World Series to seven games. That year's Twins team, of course, was the Bomba Squad, which one 101 games and the division but fell short in the postseason, in part, because their relievers posted a 9.00 ERA against the Yankees. Man, could that 2019 team have used Ryan Pressly. I don't want to overstate things but it very well might have been the difference between getting swept out of the first round and making a deep run in the playoffs. That's a missed opportunity that will always gnaw away at me. Especially because the very next year, Minnesota's bullpen once again flopped in the playoffs, this time against Pressly's Astros as they cruised to yet another ALCS. While the Twins watched their season slip away with a 37-year-old Sergio Romo on the mound in crunch time, Pressly posted a 2.46 ERA and tallied four saves for the Astros as they marched through October yet again. I share these cautionary tales to underscore why trading any of their top relievers is a precarious path for the Twins, and far from a no-brainer even if the offers feel overwhelming. Dominant late-inning relievers are in short supply, and can make a difference when the stakes are highest like few other players. We've already seen that in the cases of Durán and Jax, whose contributions in tight games were instrumental when the Twins finally broke through and won a playoff series in 2023. I'm personally not quite ready to give up on this 2025 season, as sour as the outlook may be right now. I fully understand why anyone would be, including the front office as they evaluate their options and their future. But 2026 is very much still in play, with all the requisite pieces in place to put an aspirational World Series contender on the field, led by Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis and a hopefully rebounding Carlos Correa. Having a stable of high-end relievers to support this group will be vital to maximizing the opportunity. Subtract from it at your own risk. View full article

Image courtesy of Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images The Weekly Nutshell: The Minnesota Twins knew the stakes this past weekend in Colorado. The players knew. Rocco Baldelli knew. The front office certainly knew. In order to build on the momentum that was percolating before the break, and plant themselves in the "buyer" (or at least "non-seller") category with 10 days until the deadline, the Twins needed to win this series, and ideally sweep it. The assignment couldn't have been much easier, going up against a Rockies team those season is in contention for the worst in MLB history. Despite all this, the Twins came up short. They came up more than short. They got completely outclassed in the first two games by a Colorado team that's been a laughing stock all year. Minnesota was able to recover and pick up a victory on their way out of town, but the damage was done. The upcoming trade deadline instills a real sense of urgency as the Twins try to save their wayward season. Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 7/14 through Sun, 7/20 *** Record Last Week: 1-2 (Overall: 48-51) Run Differential Last Week: +0 (Overall: -8) Standing: 3rd Place in AL Central (11 GB) Last Week's Game Results: Game 97 | COL 6, MIN 4: Twins Unable to Recover After Rockies Ambush Paddack Paddack: 5 IP, 5 ER, 8 H Game 98 | COL 10, MIN 6: No Signs of Life in Lopsided Loss to League's Biggest Losers Matthews: 4 IP, 5 ER, 8 H Game 99 | MIN 7, COL 1: Twins Save Face, Escape Colorado with Win Behind Ryan's Gem Ryan: 7 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 11 K IF YOU'D RATHER LISTEN TO THE WEEK IN REVIEW THAN READ IT, YOU CAN GET IT IN AUDIO FORM! FIND THE LATEST EPISODE ON OUR PODCAST PAGE, AS WELL AS ON APPLE AND SPOTIFY. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNELS SO YOU DON'T MISS OUT! NEWS & NOTES Zebby Matthews made his return to the Twins rotation on Saturday, following a single rehab start in Triple-A. It did not go well. Travis Adams was optioned to the Saints as the corresponding move. Also arriving on St. Paul's roster over the weekend: Luke Keaschall and Bailey Ober, who initiated their own rehab stints. Ober tossed four scoreless innings with slightly improved velocity on Friday night. Tough to make much out of that. Keaschall had four hits, three walks and two stolen bases in three games. He's playing DH exclusively, for now. Over the All-Star break, the Twins acquired 28-year-old right-hander Noah Davis for cash in a minor trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers (whom they'll now have the displeasure of facing on the road). Davis has an ugly MLB track record (8.95 ERA in 57.1 IP) but there's some intrigue in his arm. The Twins are using their open 40-man spot to stash Davis at Triple-A. HIGHLIGHTS Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan both had strong showings in the All-Star Game and followed up by flashing All-Star form in their returns to meaningful action. Buxton belted his 22nd homer on Friday as part of a three-hit night, his fourth multi-hit game in a row. Ryan was flat-out brilliant on Sunday, ensuring the end of a three-game skid by firing seven innings of one-run ball with 11 strikeouts and no walks. Ryan improved to 10-4 with a 2.63 ERA on the season. With Pablo López on the way back, the Twins would have a heck of a co-ace setup atop the rotation if they could find their way into the playoffs. The usual suspects made some noise in a largely underwhelming weekend for the offense. Willi Castro drilled a three-run homer in Friday's contest that threatened to make a game out of it. Ryan Jeffers notched four hits on Saturday, while Kody Clemens doubled, tripled and drove in three, continuing to work his way into more playing time, and higher placement in the batting order. Clemens batted cleanup on Sunday, and went 2-for-4 with another triple. It was shaping up as a rough weekend for Royce Lewis, who was 0-for-3 on Friday when he got subbed out for a pinch-hitter late in a close game. He was on the bench the next day, and on Sunday found himself batting eighth in the lineup — more than justified based on his relapse into lackluster production. Then, in the finale against Colorado, Lewis finally did what we've been waiting to see for nearly a full calendar year: he looked like Royce Lewis. Granted, it was against low-leverage relievers on the worst team in the league, in the most hitter-friendly environment. But Lewis popped off for two no-doubt home runs, going deep to left-center in the fourth and eighth innings to equal, on two swings, his long-ball output from the past 85 games combined. You could almost physically see the metaphorical weight being lifted off his shoulders. Caveats aside, we'll take whatever signs of progress we can from Royce. It's been said before, but no one on the team (and really, few players around the league) has the ability to individually impact their team's fortunes in the same way as a locked-in Lewis. If he can get going, the Twins aren't dead. This was a much needed boost at the end of a really demoralizing weekend. LOWLIGHTS In Minnesota's first inning out of the All-Star break, Chris Paddack took the mound against the worst team in Major League Baseball, and proceeded to allow four runs on four consecutive extra-base hits before recording an out. It set the tone for a disastrous series in Denver that leaves the Twins' contention hopes in a dire state at a pivotal moment. As Twins pitchers gasped for life in the Rocky Mountain air, the lineup could do little to take advantage of the favorable setting and provide support. On Friday, the top three hitters in the order — Buxton, Jeffers, Castro — combined for eight hits, two homers and four runs scored. The rest of the Twins lineup was 2-for-21 with zero runs scored and zero batted in. Saturday somehow unearthed new lows, with the offense flailing away futilely against arguably the worst starting pitcher in baseball, Antonio Senzatela. This was a get-right spot if I've ever seen one, but the Twins got right back to fumbling away their fate. They managed three runs over seven innings against Senzatela — his longest start since 2022 — as the Rockies piled up runs against Twins pitchers. It was the same old story for Zebby Matthews on Saturday: visibly good stuff, plenty of swings and misses, but way too many hits, way too much hard contact. The ability is clearly there and, importantly, Matthews looked fully healthy in his first start coming off the shoulder strain. But his consistency in execution continues to falter, leading to mistakes you simply can't afford at the big-league level. Matthews gave up eight hits in four innings and paired with Brock Stewart, who surrendered a back-breaking three-run bomb in relief, to dig Minnesota a deep hole in this game they desperately needed to win. Whatever the Twins aspire to do in the second half, it's going to be dependent on exceptional pitching that makes almost every game winnable, even with an unreliable offense. That was the missing piece in June, but was starting to materialize again in July up until the break. This makes Friday and Saturday's displays, surrendering 16 runs against a lousy Rockies team, so disheartening. Having said that, offense is clearly what's holding the Twins back. After scoring one run in a crushing 2-1 loss heading into the break, Minnesota's bats couldn't make noise until it was too late in a pair of devastating defeats to open this series. Brooks Lee went 0-for-7 at Coors. Ty France went 1-for-8. We're still waiting for Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner to heat up, though Wallner did launch a homer on Sunday, his fourth this month. When will some of these guys truly step up? Ever? TRENDING STORYLINE The trade deadline is all but upon us. Buzz is going to heat up significantly in the coming week, and the Twins will undoubtedly be receiving relentless calls on their numerous intriguing assets. Even as someone who has been adamantly against the idea of full-on "selling," it's getting harder to make an argument toward clinging to the fading dream of contention in 2025 after what we just saw in Colorado. I'm still very opposed to the idea of selling off key parts of the 2026 team, which is why I'm out on the idea of trading Ryan, and unenthused about shopping Jhoan Durán and Griffin Jax (though you've got to listen on relievers overpays at the deadline). Those players who are due for free agency after this year, however, have a much tougher case for retaining as the suitors come calling. Unless the Twins can rapidly resuscitate themselves in the next week or so — and, the other direction feels more likely given who they're about to face — the front office will probably take what it can get for one or more of Castro, Harrison Bader and Danny Coulombe. The coming week might be the last chance for this Twins team to avert a sell-off that strips away the help they need for an unlikely, but not impossible, push to the postseason. LOOKING AHEAD The Twins have played nine straight games against National League opponents and will extend that number to 15 with six more lined up against the Senior Circuit. That includes one of the toughest match-ups on the entire schedule to open the week, as the Twins travel to Los Angeles for three games against the high-priced, high-powered Dodgers. The Twins will face Shohei Ohtani as pitcher in the opener, and they'll have to deal with his bat for the whole series, along with plenty of other top-tier arms. Things theoretically get easier when the Twins return home to face the last-place Nationals, but no opponent can be dismissed based on what we just saw in Colorado (especially with two lefty starters in the queue), and besides, by the time that series rolls around, the meaningfulness might have already been lifted. I sure hope not. MONDAY, JULY 21: TWINS @ DODGERS — RHP David Festa v. RHP Shohei Ohtani TUESDAY, JULY 22: TWINS @ DODGERS — RHP Simeon Woods Richardson v. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto WEDNESDAY, JULY 23: TWINS @ DODGERS — RHP Chris Paddack v. RHP Tyler Glasnow FRIDAY, JULY 25: NATIONALS @ TWINS — LHP Mitchell Parker v. RHP Zebby Matthews SATURDAY, JULY 26: NATIONALS @ TWINS — LHP MacKenzie Gore v. RHP Joe Ryan SUNDAY, JULY 267: NATIONALS @ TWINS — RHP Jake Irvin v. RHP David Festa View full article

Image courtesy of Jim Rassol-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins are a team of extremes: from hot to cold, from impressive to embarrassing, from confident to bamboozled. There never seems to be much middle ground, or at least, there hasn't been for the past couple of seasons. No one singularly embodies this trait quite like Royce Lewis. Not so long ago he was one of the most feared and revered sluggers in the game, showcasing his prowess on the biggest stage. Now he's turned into one of the league's weakest, least powerful hitters. It's almost impossible to comprehend: Dating back to August 13th of last year, a span of his past 85 games played, Lewis ranks 327th out of 331 players (200+ PA) in slugging percentage, ahead of only Matt Thaiss, Nick Allen, Josh Rojas and our guy Christian Vázquez. Not the company you want to be grouped with. No player during this time period has more at-bats than Lewis with a worse OPS. In 321 plate appearances, he has three home runs. Now, let's juxtapose that against the player Royce Lewis was BEFORE he started doing the slump thing. From the date of his major-league debut (May 6, 2022) through August 12th of 2024, Lewis ranked third among all MLB players (400+ PA) in slugging percentage at .589, trailing only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. He crushed 32 homers in 397 plate appearances. An astonishing drop-off from a 26-year-old player who should ostensibly in the heart of his physical prime. Of course, by this point we're not covering new ground by mentioning the "what" (Lewis has been in a spiral for nearly a full calendar year); what matters is figuring out the "why." For the Minnesota Twins, the stakes are incredibly high. Their underperforming offensive unit is threatening to sabotage a rare moment of opportunity for the Twins. They led the American League in pitching fWAR in the first half, and Byron Buxton is playing at a legitimately MVP-caliber level, putting forth one of the best seasons in franchise history. To be three games below .500, and staring at an uphill battle to reach the playoffs, in spite of these factors is pretty outrageous and unacceptable. Needless to say there have been plenty of culprits in dragging this team down, and no one player is responsible. Carlos Correa has obviously been an issue, nut his struggles look quaint by comparison to Lewis; Correa's sub-par OPS is 120 points higher, and he at least contributes as a defensive standout at a premium position. The inescapable reality with Lewis is that he's a gaping void of production for the Twins, one they cannot afford, and it's made all the more vexing when you consider his potential (proven!) impact at the opposite extreme. Targeting significant acquisitions at the deadline is likely a pipe dream to begin with, but no pickup could even remotely compare to the transformative effect of Lewis at the height of his powers. He's so far from that right now. On the surface, de doesn't really seem to be making meaningful progress in the right direction. A modest hot streak in 10 June games (.367 average, .990 OPS) has given way to a .540 OPS in July, and Lewis is now one-for-his-last-14. On the one hand, you can make a case that Lewis has been extraordinarily unlucky. He's putting the ball in play a ton and just getting no results, with a .237 BABIP that is near the bottom of the league. His underlying metrics, per Statcast, are really not that bad: Royce's xwOBA (.337) – while still far from amazing – is 80 points higher than his dreadful .257 wOBA. The quality-of-contact measurements also paint a pretty favorable picture of momentum, in contrast to Lewis's stagnating offensive production. His rolling xwOBA has been steadily creeping up over his past 100 plate appearances: On the other hand ... these narratives get a little stale and unsatisfying when you're actually watching the games, seeing Lewis churn outs as games slip away and postseason hopes grow dimmer. He's definitely had some hits taken away by the defense, but Lewis doesn't really look like a player who's raking and getting robbed. He looks unstable in the box, tentative in his approach, and extremely vulnerable to the whims of opposing pitchers. For all the ups and downs, all the luck-based metrics, that hasn't changed all year. The Twins' strategy with Lewis has been to wait and hope for a breakthrough. When he suffered a minor hamstring injury in mid-June, the team had an opportunity to take a beat, and perhaps send Lewis on an extended rehab to the spring training complex where he could focus on strengthening and physical reset.. They opted instead to rush him through a quick Triple-A rehab, returning him after two weeks, and his results have been much the same. Maybe that's only sensible. The Twins understand that Lewis is one of the few individuals with an outsized capability to save their wayward season. But right now he's sinking it, and no one involved appears to have much of an idea how to straighten him out other than crossing their fingers and hoping. So I guess I'll do the same. View full article

I understand that but Phil Miller doesn't just throw those kinds of comments around casually. And as his reporting throughout the process has reflected, he knows what's going on.

Image courtesy of © Brett Davis-Imagn Images Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan are representing the Minnesota Twins at the All-Star Game in Atlanta on Tuesday night. Will a new owner be representing the franchise at next year's MLB Owners Meetings? That was in some doubt after momentum collapsed earlier this year, with Justin Ishbia ending his well-publicized pursuit of buying the Twins and pivoting to the Chicago White Sox, where he now has an agreement in place to take over from Jerry Reinsdorf within the next decade. This development seemed to force the Twins back to square one. News and even rumors went quiet for months. As recently as late May, longtime Pioneer Press columnist Charley Walters was describing the prospects for a Twins sale as "dismal." But days later, a Star Tribune article countered this perception, with beat writer Phil Miller reporting that a sale of the team was very much in progress, and "closer to the end than to the beginning." All due respect to Walters, I was more inclined to believe Miller's reporting on the matter. In the nearly two months since these dueling portrayals were published, updates and details have been mostly scant. The sale of the low-revenue Rays in mid-June at a price point of $1.7 billion seemingly boded well for the Pohlads, who were known to be targeting a similar range for their own franchise. Sure enough, as of about a week ago, Walters was singing a very different tune: "Industry sources say the Twins, who began exploring a sale last October and have sought $1.7 billion for the team, have a deal on the table and that bidding to line up financing is underway." On Tuesday in Atlanta, Miller spoke with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and received a message that reinforced his earlier reporting, tweeting: "MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says bidders to buy Twins backed off when it became evident Justin Ishbia was 'the leader in the clubhouse,' but now that he’s out, Manfred is 'confident that a transaction will take place,' presumably soon." For Manfred to speak so openly and assertively about a still-in-play sale of a franchise seems telling, although naturally it is in his interest to do so. There are indicators coming from every direction that a transfer of ownership is not only likely but inevitable, and right now it only feels like a matter of time before some names start bubbling to the surface and we get a clearer view of what the Minnesota Twins franchise's future looks like. View full article

Yeah. I'm taking the FG projection over BR because I trust the system more. Also maybe it's just me but I'm really bored with treating these playoff projections as gospel. We've all seen how much they can change in a matter of days. Less concerned with what they've done vs what they will do, and I think WAR (in which Twins RP lead MLB) is better for that purpose than WPA. We saw what this bullpen can do over the past week, as highlighted in the column.

Ownership would love this plan. Why spend money and try to compete when you can be cheap and suck?!

Okay. Then what's your plan with these guys?