mike8791

If we look at Twins most pressing needs, the list is long, but I would say top 3 now are: 1.) Need for a potential cleanup hitter with 30/100rbi potential; 2.) a genuine closer; 3.) A long term SS. I have focused on a Cubs/twins trade featuring Ryan because the Cubs are in a win-now mode and Twins seem loaded with starters. So, with those assumptions, I feel the Cubs badly need Ryan and would overpay. Shaw tops the return list because he has shown his potential in his first full season and is expendable. But he is not enough, of course. My second demand would be Danny Palencia who showed good potential in 2025 as a closer with his 100mph heater. To complete the trade I would like to see Ben Brown added. If he is untouchable, I'll take Alcantara. While Twins have a crop of top OF prospects at AAA, Rodriguez looks very iffy with all his injuries and Gonzales's defense is shaky. While 1 of the 3(incl. Jenkins) should be a good bet to be starting in 2027, Alcantara would lift the ceiling of the Twins OF long term. If you think the Twins are really contenders this year, then no, you don't trade Ryan, but this hope is really a pipe dream. Trading Ryan for a package of Shaw/Palencia/ Brown and/or Palencia would, IMO, raise the ceiling for next year.

Strongly disagree on Shaw. With 13HR, 17SB, and a 3.1 WAR and excellent defense at 3B in his first full season, Shaw has shown excellent potential. Cubs signed Bregman so Shaw lost his position but has filled in as a utility IF and OF this year. He is blocked by high $ starters and so would be available. Not a one for one for Ryan by any stretch, but perhaps for someone like Ober + prospects. No doubt he would start for the Twins, be a long term addition and could blossom into a middle-of-the-order bat.

I absolutely do not trade Ryan for prospects - no matter how high they are rated! Maybe Ober and a younger pitcher for a top 50 IF prospect with middle-of-the-order potential(probably our biggest need at this moment). Ryan is one of only 2 or 3 potential starters that might be available in trade this summer - and who would fit in as #1 or 2 in a rotation. You do not give him up for a prospect, especially with a second season of availability before FA. Normally, you do not trade your top starter at all, but this is the Twins we're talking about. They are simply not a contending team this year, nor will this ownership pay $150-200MM for a long term extension. With some emerging pitching talent seemingly close, and Lopez returning next year, this is the time to be talking to other teams. If Zoll is not doing this, then we are looking at a Failvey 2.0 here. The Twins have so many glaring holes now that it is impossible to fill them all, but at least they could maximize their competitive trade advantage by talking to contenders needing rotation help about emerging players who maybe are blocked or who they deem expendable because of strong offenses already. There are certain candidates that stand out: Matt Shaw(Cubs); Caminero(Rays); CJ Abrams(Nats). The last two names are improbable, Shaw seems more likely. Any one of these players are likely to immediately bolster the middle of the lineup, as well as defensively. I'm sure there are other players available, but these are the types we should aim for.

Nice article Matt! While my expectations for 2026 were as low as they've been in years, as we approach the 1/3 mark of the season, the Twins are still very much in contention. Of course, this is much more attributable to the shockingly poor performance of the Tigers and Royals, but why kick a gift horse in the mouth? As you point out, sub performances by Lewis and Wallner have hamstrung the offense, as has the bullpen muddle. With Jeffers out now, the offense looks in worse shape. Still, there have been some surprising contributions from guys like Clemens, Gray, and in a small sample size, Kreider. No, this is not murderers row, but at least there's a glimmer of hope that with the sure outs removed from the lineup, there is a stronger possibility that this lineup could trend towards an average offense. And while the pen is still a mess, there has been some recent, albeit limited, success from guys like Morris, Banda, and Gomez. We'll have to wait awhile to see if they're just a flash in the "pen" , but at least we have a little more hope for improvement. But as you mention, despite the injuries, the rotation is cause for real optimism: Ryan is a s good as ever, Ober is at least serviceable, Mathews and Prielipp have given the rotation a big boost, and with Bradley and Abel on the mend, our SP looks like a strength. The big question: do we have enough SP to allow for a trade of Ryan? This is so important because Ryan is the one player on the team who could fill the glaring hole on this club - a bonafide cleanup hitter. Not sure if Zoll is capable of achieving such an outcome, but if he could, it could be a step forward to real contention, even this year. At least there's a glimmer of hope now!

Law just published his top draft picks: #1-Cholowsky; #2-Lackey; #3- Flora. These rankings were only based on ability and are not related to teams' picks. Cholowsky has been #1 for most "experts" all year. Lackey at #2 seems unusually high, but Law is probably one of the most respected prospect analysts in the game. With TB's need for catching well known, might Lackey go #2? Seems a bit more likely than them going for a HS SS. Looking at Law's writeup on Flora, he would seem to be an ideal fit for the Twins, at least in terms of being ML ready, with his 98-100mph FB, excellent control and the #1 rated pitcher in Division 1. I, for one, would much rather add this top-of-the-rotation candidate who could probably advance rapidly thru the minors to MLB in '28 or '29 than a HS SS. Of course, if one of Cholowsky/Lackey slip to #3, then it's anybody's guess.

Normally, teams take the best player available in the first round. Lackey very well might be that player at #3. But isn't that overlooking Tait? Impossible to predict his major league future, but all reports I've read indicate he has the offense/defense chops to replace Jeffers, if not next year, certainly in 2028( at least that's the probable reason they signed Caratini to a 2 year contract). So would a Lackey pick fill a real need or would it be a move to enhance an already strong position? I would hope they try to fill a more immediate need, e.g., a future SS with both high offensive and defensive potential, a IB or 3B who looks like a badly-needed cleanup hitter or 100mph flamethrower who could slot in as atop-of-rotation arm or a Duran-like closer? Tough decision. A lot depends on how they view Tate's future - as a potential all star catcher or an average regular. The choice of Lackey would seem to indicate their lack of trust in Tait. As we have seen so many times with this FO, heralded rookies have stumbled badly. Not one All Star has emerged under Falvey's regime. This is a key time for Zoll and the entire Twins' organization to get it right. After all, hopefully, this will be the highest pick the Twins will see in the foreseeable future.

You've got to be kidding!! Either that or desperate.

If you really believe the Twins can compete the entire season with this bullpen then, no, Ryan shouldn't be traded. But with the pen's performance to date, coupled with the FOs feeble attempts to add "talent" with their waiver wire pickups, such a belief is totally unrealistic, especially when you add in the holes in the lineup and subpar defense. If Ryan returns to form in the next few weeks, then a trade should be considered, but only if it brings back one sure-fire major leaguer(either for 1B, 3B, or SS) plus one top 100 MLB prospect. There are a number of true-contenders, like Cubs, Astros, Padres, Tigers, who have been devastated by injuries to their rotations. We have the makings of a decent rotation, led by Bradley& Abel, with Ober,and Prielipp, plus either Mathews, SWR, or Rojas as possibilities for #5 spot. This is not a contender's rotation this year but with Lopez back next year, this could be an above average rotation in 2027, even without Ryan. I don't expect anything to happen before the trade deadline but at the very least this FO should be listening to offers and pull the trigger if they can greatly improve a below average lineup with one or two starting players.

Matt, nice analysis! But to me these articles are just grasping at straws. I like evaluating relievers at least partly by WHIP. Here are the stats so far: Banda1.62. Funderburk1.7. Rogers1.64, Orza1.43, Sands1.58, Topa 1.62, Morris(in only 3IP) - 2.0. Granted these are small sample sizes but WHIPs that high are indicative of tough times, especially in late inning, tight ballgames - which we have not had yet. I am thrilled with the Twins surprising start. The offense has far exceeded expectations, at least 3 starters look solid, and the team has slowly gained confidence in themselves. But realistically this bullpen is still the major achilles heel - one that will eventually drag this team down. Perhaps Lawyerson and Acton will develop into trustworthy arms and there is certainly some chance that at least one of Sands/Topa/Morris might also, but this current pen is woefully short of talent. Zoll should be on the phone now trying to pry at least one proven pen arm who has a better chance of succeeding in late inning, tight games. We have a major surplus of OFs, at least one of whom should land a decent arm. And TP must open his wallet to acquire someone like Kopech who is risky but more likely to be an improvement over the current lot. If ownership is truly committed to winning, now is the time to show fans and the players they are serious and augment the roster with badly needed help.

Trying to be optimistic about 2026, but Lewis has given us no reason to believe he can turn things around. As NYCTK wrote, a <.300 OBP over his last 600ABs is pretty indicative of his future potential. No, I wouldn't send him down yet, but a short lease would be appropriate - maybe thru May before making the decision. After that, time to move Lee to 3rd and bring up Culpepper. This should be the season to determine who's the core and who's not. No one(other than TP) can really believe this is a competitive team in 2026. Bite the bullet on underperformers and bring up the rooks as necessary. These guys have had their chance(I'm looking at you Lee, Larnach, Wallner, Lewis, Ober, et. al.) If they continue their lethargic play in the first 2 months, don't waste another year on a dream. See what the future brings!

We need a little optimism on TD. One of the most glaring issues this spring has been the offense. Other than a 15-0 trouncing of the hated Yankees, Twins offense has been sorely lacking this spring. The last 3 games of the preseason has seen a reawakening. Keuchel has been a terror all spring, Wallner and Lee have been strong, and now Buxton, Jeffers, Caratini have started to warm up. Even Outman shows some life. This was against Roger Suarez, one of the better SPs in the Al. Can the offense continue clicking once the regular season begins? We'll soon find out but I, for one, feel more hopeful than I have all ST. Now maybe we might see some miracles in the pen.

Did anyone see Rogers performance today: 2/3 IP, 2H, 2BB, 4ER.,0K.? Nice warmup for your new Twins closer! And you thought the Joe/Derek combo was bad!!

Any noise about Kopech? This pen has no shutdown reliever as of now. Taylor and Hendricks are way past their prime and Sands has never shown the mental toughness to close out games. If Tom Pohlad has any credibility left(???) they have to sign Kopech who at least has some potential in the closer role.

Understand all the hype on this guy, but he has been totally unimpressive this spring so he will definitely start at AAA. When there, they should put him in the pen. The strength of this team is in the rotation. Abel, Bradley and yesterday, Mathews, have looked very good. With Ryan and OBER(?) set in the rotation and with Lopez back next year, what are the chances Pre breaks in to the rotation this year or next? We need some arms in the pen - and the sooner the better! Topa looks finished(couldn't even get AAA batters out yesterday), Orze hasn't been much better, and Taylor & Hendricks are most likely at the tail end of their careers. If we have any chance(as TP claims) to be competitive this year, why not push Pre and Festa into the pen early so that they might be of use by June 1st?

This! From everything I've seen/read on Lee, he is(and most likely never will be) a major league SS. This is just too important a position to gloss over. We have an excess of major league starters. If TP can be believed(a big if!), the only way this team can be competitive is by keeping Lopez/Ryan atop the rotation and trade one of the 4-5 starters who brings back the most value. My preference would be to trade Ober but chances are one of SWR, Abel, Mathews or Bradley(probably in that order) would bring back more quality. In any event, just one of these guys would not bring back a quality major league SS, which is why the FO should recognize there is excess in the OF and at C. Adding Wallner or Jeffers should increase chances for a significant SS upgrade. And throwing Lee into the trade package even more so. We have enough utility IFs already! The big question is who is available? I'm not able to come up with a best bet here, but that's why we have a FO. Time for Zoll to show his worth!

Whatever grades you want to hand out, the one thing that is clear is that ownership is trying to thread the needle in 2026 by relying on several players, mainly Wallner, Lee and Lewis, to markedly improve this year. This is a fool's errand, made more foolish by TP's assertion that the team can contend in 2026 without appreciably spending more money. Understandably, Falvey wanted out and Zoll stepped up as the next scapegoat. In essence, the roster looks like a hope and prayer without any chance of significant improvement. Leaving the bullpen sadly depleted all off season is the ultimate FU to the Twins fan base. We can only hope that a sale comes sooner rather than later!

Hate to use such a hackneyed expression, but "lipstick on a pig" aptly describes this picture. There is no one on this list who can legitimately fill tight situations in the 7th or 8th, no less as a closer. To hope for more is a fool's game. I can understand the need for an attempt to inject optimism at this late stage in the offseason, but this FO has given us little reason to be believers. Seems there is little difference between Fail-V and Zoll, not to even mention the absurdities emanating from TP's mouth.

Nick, you've hit the Bullseye on a realistic plan going forward. Trade Ryan and Jeffers for ready major league talent that can improve glaring weaknesses in defense and offense. We have enough depth to absorb their losses, particularly with almost zero chance of contention in 2026/2027 with the current roster. I like Top Gunn's proposed trade for Lawler and partially like his suggestion of acquiring Duran for Ryan(though not seeing the need for Early as much as adding a !B - maybe Casas?). Better bet would be to trade Jeffers + prospects for a regular emerging 1B from another team with a lesser risk than Casas. And yes, Kopech seems like a natural, albeit risky signing. Would try to nab JoJo Romero from Cards even though he's LH. Would they be interested in one of our near-major-league ready starters or Larnach? Those two additions could at least bring our pen up to near league average. The dysfunction in ownership now is so dishearteninhg. To trade away our entire bullpen in July, then do a 180 deg. turn and say we can still contend in 2026 with a limited budget is idiocy. With 2027 looking like a strike-filled year, there is little reason to hold onto Ryan while his trade value remains high. A total rebuild makes so much more sense now, it's a wonder that even tone-deaf Tom can't see it!

Why spend scarce resources on a rotation that is considered the single strength of the team as currently rostered? If there is any surplus, it should only be spent on the pen which, as it currently stands, will most certainly doom the team to 5th in a weak AL Central.

I always enjoy Law's rankings, not so much to see the numbered rankings, but his summary of the players. To summarize - 4 Twins made the top 100: Jenkins, #11; Rodriguez, # 57; Culpepper, #82, and Tait @ #93. Although Jenkins fell from #5 ranking a year ago, Law still projects him to emerge as a standout, if not a star. His rankings fall was mainly attributed to his injury history and, to a lesser extent, his perceived role as a RF rather than CF due to lack of speed, ala Buxton/Trout. While rating 4 Twins in his top 100, the fact only one made his top 50 is not that encouraging, particularly after the big trade deadline selloff that brought in several more "prospects." Rodriguez was dinged mainly for his injury history, but also because of his tendency to be passive in swinging at strikes and swinging at pitches outside the zone. Law sees him as needing a full injury-free season at AAA to establish his bonafides. Law also questioned whether Culpepper and Tait had the chops to defensively handle SS and C, respectively. Obviously, their failure to do so would reduce their future value considerably. Law is widely considered one of the top scouting reporters. His capsule summaries of each player are succinct, non-biased and perceptive. No, he is by no means infallible, but he's one of the best currently out there. My takeaway from his 2026 prospect ranking is that our farm system is nowhere near a top 5, or even top 10 ranking and that it's a long shot to expect any substantial contribution from this group in 2026. We desperately need an offensive shot-in-the-arm but for that to happen in 2026 would take a rebound from several of our under-performing regulars.

"I wouldn't trade for Matt Shaw if the price was Royce and either of Ober/SWR. I would send Larnach and Julien, which is just disrespectful on my part. No to Shaw." - T/R "The Cubs would jump at a Royce Lewis & SWR or Ober trade." - Bean T/R: can't understand your aversion to Shaw. Yes, there's a risk he could backslide and his politics might be abrasive, but this guy showed flashes of stardom - certainly more than Lee has shown. If there was a chance this team as currently constituted could contend in 2026, then no, I wouldn't give up Ryan, but what is the likelihood of that happening? Better to build for post 2026 with star talent than maintain this feeble offense. Starters are our strength; we can afford to lose Ryan in hopes of a solid replacement among Abel, Bradley, SWR and/or Mathews. Bean: Doubt if Cubs would jump at Lewis + Ober or SWR. Where does Lewis fit? And of our 3 underachievers(Lewis, Lee, Wallner), doesn't Lewis still have the most upside? I'd give him one more year to prove he belongs. No, what the Cubs badly need is an ace. Ryan fits the bill and while I'd hate to lose him, it's a risk worth taking given the team's budget limitations and rotation strength. Not to say, I wouldn't try a package headlined by Ober or SWR but we don't have any other position players that Cubs need. Now that Caratini has been signed, perhaps Jeffers would entice the Cubs, as he would be a likely upgrade over Kelly/Amaya. Quote Quote selection tony

Just a few comments: 1. Glad to see Gonzalez on this list. In my view, he would fill a major hole in one of the corners if he continues his rapid ascent. 2. What about Culpepper. Lee is certainly not rock solid at SS. Granted, Culpepper hasn't had much experience at SS but his tools seem superior to Lee. A strong spring training could propel him to the bigs. 3. You have 3 minor league arms as possibles for the pen. While one might contribute(probably Prielipp) the odds are against more than one contributing. Just no experience in the pen even in the minors. So some lineup help possible, but the pen is a big hole with slim chances for adding quality prior to opening day. Truly unbelievable!!

Thanks to all of you responding! Many good ideas here! Yes, it would take a sizable package to acquire Shaw - more than any 2 of Ober, SWR, Mathews, Abel, if the BBTV of 44 is realistic. I think that is an overvaluation but what do I know! The signing of Bregman and trade for Cabrera shows Cubs are going all out for a WS. What they clearly lack is a championship quality rotation. They have no clear ace with a top five of Boyd, Cabrera, Taillon, Horton and Imanga. Joe Ryan would provide a much-needed jolt to Cubs' WS chances. No doubt losing Ryan would be a blow, especially in 2026, but the FO's reluctance to build a competitive bullpen this offseason indicates a lack of seriousness about competing this year. This fact has become all too obvious by now, despite blather from Tom and his FO stooges. Couple this inaction with their refusal to come to a salary agreement with Ryan over a mere $600K difference and the die is cast for Ryan leaving after 2007. Now the question becomes: is Shaw a reasonable return for Ryan? The answer is clearly no, but the Cubs have enough value to sweeten the pot, e.g., Ballasteros, Wiggins, or Amaya are all intriguing adds to a Twins roster. Is Shaw a risk? Certainly, but a forward-looking FO should be looking more at the future than just 2026. Frankly, I would rather see Michael Bush than Shaw but since he has become such a key piece in the lineup, chances of him being included in a trade are much less than Shaw. The simple fact is holding on to Ryan is a loser's game. Unfortunately, this losing strategy describes Twins org to a tee, so I confess to whistling in the dark here.

Shaw is the real prize due to controllability, power potential and position flexibility. Hoerner is the better player now but this is one reason that Shaw is the more likely trade prospect. Hoerner is an institutional favorite here in Chicago. After making big moves to get Bergman and Cabrera, trading Hoerner would be an extremely unpopular move. And his trade value is about half of Shaw's so the return would likely be far less. This is all speculation, of course, but Shaw fits the bill of a long term asset the Twins need to compete over the next 5 years.

After agressively signing Bregman and trading for Cabrera, the Cubs are going all in this year. Their rotation is iffy; Steele's absence still leaves a big hole. There is no ace and Cabrera, Boyd, Imanga, Byrd, and Taillon each have some question marks. This is not a championship staff currently. So Ryan would undoubtedly trigger Cub interest. With the FOs awful handling of Ryan(see arbitration) maybe the atmosphere is too poisoned to retain him. If so, Shaw plus a couple other prospects could be had. It would be a very tough call.