whosafraidofluigirussolo

Why lol Edit: In seriousness, I guess I'm excited about Culpepper and Houston and think they're likely to get Neto-like production with 6 years of control from one of them within the next year or so. So, not seeing it, but that's absolutely an armchair GM perspective.

Absolutely - seems like Gausman to the Cubs could be the single deal at this deadline that most makes me say "why couldn't the Twins do that?" The prospects going the other way seem modest (MLB is somewhat higher on them than Fangraphs.) Gausman is a rental, but so what? He's good!

In the upcoming pitching matchups for next week, I assume it should be Kremer (not Matthews) going against KC on Thursday?

I’m not sold that any single deal like this means convincingly that the game’s economics are broken—but it’s a bummer that someone other than one of the very biggest-market, biggest-payroll teams didn’t make this deal, regardless of the reasons. Among others, Fangraphs had a well written argument for the Brewers or Rays to deal for Skubal: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-rays-or-brewers-must-trade-for-tarik-skubal/ Certainly the Brewers’ player development is good enough that I’d expect they could replace the contribution of Hope and Ryan-like prospects in short order.

Here's hoping - like a prayer, if you will - that the Twins send Cecconi off to his bedtime stories early tonight.

Counterpoint: If Tom Pohlad wants to show he’s serious about taking steps forward in competitiveness rather than steps back, a QO to Jeffers would show that intent without hampering roster building or budget long-term.

Possibly interesting bit from a chat run by one of Fangraphs' prospect writers today: 2:09 richwp01: I know there are too many draft questions, but can you weigh in on time to MLB? Roguh approximation: Roch, end of 2027 to get feet wet Emerson, end of 2028 Lackey 2029 if he spends 2 years developing as catcher (Will Smith, Cal Raleigh, Adley Rutchsman, Drake Baldwin, Shea Langeliers all took 3 years in minors , Dingler 4.) 2:10 Brendan Gawlowski: Those all seem like reasonable baselines; we’ll know a lot more about each of them when they get to the minors. Obviously this is all just guesses, but maybe a reminder that even as an advanced college catcher, Lackey is likely not a Jeffers replacement next year.

Thankfully "who is the backup CF" is not the biggest question in Twins lineup and roster construction because Buxton has been relatively healthy - but seeing Kreidler in that spot is a reminder of how fascinatingly shifty that role has been, even in half a season. It seems that the current evaluation is they're better with Gray at SS, Clemens at 2B, and Kreidler in CF than with Kreidler at SS, Gray at 2B, and some combo of Clemens and Martin in CF/RF...? And/or maybe this is how they prioritize OF defense, based on Ryan's fly-ball tendencies?

Wait one day, apparently.

Ha, came here to post this too. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/05/marlins-designate-chris-paddack-for-assignment-dfa.html Most of the Twins Paddack experience was not great, but the MLBTR article does underline that he’s rarely been tried in short relief and he’s done well in that limited experience. Worth a call if he clears waivers?

Wow, not a great look

Not arguing that Arcia won't get the backup IF slot, but I'm curious how the 40-man roster decisions will shake out, the more veterans on minor-league deals that get spots. This roster has (IMO) a large middle tier of players who aren't reliable building blocks but have some upside, and players with a little less upside who have seemed at some point to be in serious consideration as MLB depth. In other words, it's not a great team as built now, but there's not a lot of true end-of-roster chaff. Potentially or likely they need to make room for: one or two relievers, if Chafin and Hendriks show anything even close to old form, or if someone else from the non-roster group (Altavilla et al) steps up; and then Arcia if he's really the best IF backup.... Cuts: Alex Jackson is likely (as covered in the article); Outman maybe, if the team trusts someone else to be the backup CF; Zak Kent was another team's 41st man a couple weeks ago and could probably be dropped. Hard to see a lot of other easy cuts, absent an unfortunate injury or a late trade.

Do they DFA Kent to make room for Altavilla? In the roster projection here, Jackson ends up DFA and Chafin needs a spot, so that series of moves is neutral, but the 40-man is currently full. I could see a late trade changing the calculus, but I'm not sure Altavilla (or any of the non-roster pitchers other than Chafin or a healthy Hendriks) offers enough promise to force a roster decision otherwise.

If one of the team's big bullpen acquisitions gives up a left-on-left grand slam to a minor-league infielder wearing #90 ... Is that good?

Gray is interesting, in that he seems to have some potential to hit enough not to be an offensive black hole for a utility guy, and that raises the floor of the bench. However, I remember talk when the Twins picked up Kreidler that he was capable of playing both SS and CF (he's currently listed as an outfielder on the official team roster.) If they decide in spring training that Kreidler can back up both spots, then I think he starts the year in the backup SS gig. It makes for an efficient use of a bench spot and gives them more flexibility to use corner-only (or corner-mostly) guys like Roden, Martin, Larnach, et al.