Danchat

Source: Fangraphs RP Erasmo Ramirez contract selected from minors RP Jose Ureña contract selected from minors SP/RP Pierson Ohl recalled from minors OF Alan Roden recalled from minors

They definitely don't think he's worse than Kiersey, given his 2023 season in the majors. It has to be about playing every day, which is why Kiersey collects dust on the bench most games. Austin Martin is going to get Bader's ABs for now and Outman will get Martin's AAA reps.

I assume they definitely believe in Jenkins and Buxton isn't going anywhere yet... so I think Larnach is toast, Wallner will get chances but maybe he starts getting more DH reps. Outman gets auditioned for the 4th OF/Bader role. I have to think one of these guys - Roden comes to mind first, then Gonzalez - ends up playing 1B because they still have nobody to play that unless Julien/Miranda turn their careers around. I dunno about Rodriguez, just seems like he can't stay healthy. They probably believe in him to a degree but far less than Jenkins. On Austin Martin, I'm guessing they're close to waiving the white flag on him. He has to show he can be able to handle playing the outfield first.

Their relievers weren't mediocre, but they got mediocre returns for them compared to other deals that were and have been made.

As one who was all for a tear-down... I just never expected it at this level, I didn't think Falvey had it in him. And while I think the Pohlads had a hand behind the Correa move, I think the rest of it was all him, especially the Stewart and Varland trades. As mentioned by others, it's a strange mix of very young and MLB-ready fix-er-uppers. I just don't like the returns for the Duran, Jax, and Stewart trades (Coloumbe and Correa trades also stink but that figures). I think the Varland deal reveals the intention behind the deal, there simply aren't enough reinforcements coming from the minors the next couple years when Falvey knows he won't have much FA money to spend, so he's got to try and split one quality player into two. Our minor league system before this week was frankly not very good and needed depth. What I don't get is the choice of return in some of these deals... the biggest piece in the Duran trade is a non-consensus top 100 prospect whose future at catcher is shaky and is only 19? Don't get me started on the Twins' success rates with international prospects at that age, who remembers the likes of Wander Javier and Misael Urbina? How does Jax go for a straight-up one-for-one trade for a starter that the Rays can't figure out and will be up for arbitration soon? The heck is the plan for the outfield with adding three lefties in Outman, Roden, and even Mendez? I just wonder if Falvey and his minions have a strange taste for prospects because I wholeheartedly believe that other teams made offers for Duran and Jax that we would have liked a lot better.

Seems like a fair return for two months of Castro - I think the Bader and Castro deals have had the best returns based on what we gave up.

The plan is obvious: 1) Sport an outfield of all lefties with Larnach, Wallner, Outman, and Roden 2) ??? 3) Profit!

I think they plan on trading one of the vet starters over the offseason, then in the open spot you have Matthews/Festa/Rojas. My guess would be Lopez.

Enns making a comeback was strange and that was a DFA trade, but Littell has been the Rays top starter thanks to their wizardry. It's been a strange career for him, he had a solid year as a reliever for us but then we gave up on him, Giants scooped him up and it was the same one year of success then a swoon, then the Rays made him what we thought he always could be... because of course they did. Another funny one was Taylor Rogers and Ben Rortvedt involved in a three way trade. Levine's deal ran out and the Twins didn't want him back, and no other team hired him... so while your second part checks out, it's not as if Levine wanted to go. He would still be here if they wanted him back. I heard he's doing a podcast now with another former GM.

I guess the logic on moving Varland - which as stated by others is clearly not about clearing payroll - is trying to turn some "found money" in a later draft pick and failed starter into a quality reliever into two prospects who are both close to contributing to the team. The Twins needs a lot of young talent and despite what some say, before the trades I think the minors were in fairly bad shape, now if things pan out right, they have a quality starter and another arm (finally a good lefty reliever prospect?!). So Falvey is trying to turn one success into two to account for all of the lack of quality prospects in the high minors. I think it's decent value for what Varland is and I actually like it better than the return for Duran and Jax based upon how valuable those two supposedly were.

Good luck to Sands and Topa figuring out how to pitch in high leverage situations the next two months! Perhaps this is the point where they transition their mediocre AA/AAA starting pitching prospects into becoming relievers and are able to piece together a bullpen next year out of young cheap arms? That's the most positive take I can pull out of what's left of this group. Maybe they just don't believe in Varland long term? Because if they did, he'd still be a super valuable trade chip in 2/3 years time.

They say that, but the price for Duran and Jax were supposedly sky-high and didn't end up bringing back as much as we thought. May as well hold onto Ryan for now if they don't receive a king's ransom.

It's gonna take some time for me to collect my thoughts on all this... so much action. Bradley for Jax straight-up is odd, not that Taj doesn't have value but I thought the price on Jax was "sky-high" after moving Duran? Bradley has upside but he's been sub-replacement level this year, and do we really need another starter to fix up? Is Lopez getting moved this offseason, then the rotation is Ryan-Ober-Bradley-Abel-SWR/Festa? Moving Varland despite having 5 years of control of him is wild, given I thought he was going to inherit the closer role... I guess they need hitting and Roden probably winds up at 1B. Fangraphs has those two Jays prospects as their #3/#6 prospects, so that's a good value for Varland (France is worth nothing) if they pan out. Wowza!

Jax and Varland? Wow, I wouldn't have believed it if you'd had told me this yesterday. 10 major leaguers have been traded! I didn't think Falvey had it in him to nuke the roster but sans moving Buxton and Ryan, he has done it.

They're not, but then MLB.com has him as their #8 prospect... which is it? Is there really that much discrepancy between prospect ratings?

Horn didn't crack Fangraphs' top 45 prospects for Texas, but he did get an honorable mention: Geez, you'd think we would get something for Coloumbe given his numbers, but we got a guy who isn't even a top 50 prospect in the Texas organization. Horn is already 22 (college draft pick) and only at low A with 18 innings pitched...

I don't think Ryan or Jax are getting moved... Castro will definitely go quickly here. And it might not be a guarantee that Correa fully passes the physical...

Hear hear. The ownership stinks but other teams like the Brewers can contend with similar payrolls, Falvey is the root of the issue.

Methinks the Twins have earned this reputation now... you got your material for your next article!

So no prospects for Stewart, just a reclamation project in Outman... hmmm. Hitting about .130 the past 200 PAs after nearly winning Rookie of the Year in 2023. Strikeouts look like a big problem, and he's another lefty OF. Seems to be very good defensively. Four years of control on Outman vs 2.33 on Stewart... gotta say I thought Stewart was worth more than that. I'd love to see them fix Outman but it's hard to have faith in this coaching staff with the majority of the younger bats flailing away in the majors. He has to improve big time just to earn that 4th OF spot... I guess you play him every day the rest of the year and see if you get can him fixed up to be the Bader replacement for 2026.

They have 3 roster spots to fill in the majors... have to imagine Ober will be back and Martin will take Bader's spot.

I'm on board with moving Stewart while his value is at its (likely) highest, given I didn't expect him to be healthy for this long. Dodgers get a lot of control of him, but it wouldn't be shocking if the injuries return and he starts to lose his stuff in his mid 30s. Of course, we need to see what the return is...

Mendez didn't even get a honorable mention in Fangraphs' Phillies prospect rankings, but then MLB.com has him as their 12th best prospect. I will take a guy who is hitting decently well in AA at the age of 21. Would be cool if he isn't a defensive liability in the outfield. If you go by Fangraphs then this isn't a good return, but if you go by MLB.com then it seems alright. That's 4 international prospects they've traded for in the past few days... I guess Falvey's making up for the nearly total lack of any international prospect contributions the past 9 years (anybody outside of Arraez?). Can't wait to see these guys in 2030!

I wonder who the outfielder they asked for was?