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Twins pitching couldn't lock down a dangerous Reds lineup. Adding to the pain, Correa leaves game early as the Twins lose the series opener in Cincinnati. Image courtesy of Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK Box Score SP: Joe Ryan: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K (84 pitches, 54 strikes (64.3%) Home Runs: Royce Lewis (15), Alex Kirilloff (9) Bottom 3 WPA: Joe Ryan (-0.178), Matt Wallner (-0.096), Dallas Keuchel (-0.077) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) With the Guardians losing to the Royals earlier in the day, the Twins magic number hit five. The Twins hoped to lower that number even further as they prepared to take on the Reds, with Joe Ryan leading the way from the mound. Correa Exits in the Second The Twins had an early blow dealt to them as Carlos Correa was pinch-hit for in the second inning. Correa exited due to a flare-up of his ongoing struggles with Plantar Fasciitis. Kyle Farmer replaced Correa in the lineup and at shortstop in the field. Royce Lewis remained at third base to continue his development there. Top of Two Bad, Bottom of Two Worse While the Twins saw their shortstop leave in the top half of the inning, the Reds put runs on the board in the bottom half. Noelvi Marte put the first run on the board with a single to center field. As Michael A. Taylor fielded the ball, Joey Votto challenged him by going first to third on the single. A move that also allowed Marte to reach second and place two runners in scoring position. Will Benson tried to make it not matter where Votto or Marte stood on the base paths, but Taylor was involved again. Benson drilled what looked like a three-run home run. Instead, Taylor jumped and reached over the wall to turn a home run into a sac-fly, putting the Reds up 2-0. Lewis: Same Song, Different Verse While Connor Phillips hadn’t allowed any hits into the fourth inning, that was all about to change as Lewis stepped into the batter’s box. As Lewis had made a habit of doing when the Twins needed a big hit, he came through with one. He hit his 15th home run of the season to cut the Reds lead in half, making it 2-1. The "Great American Bandbox" A game in Cincinnati would only be complete with some more home runs. Benson got his revenge on Ryan and Taylor in the 4th inning. This time, he hit a two-run home run and placed it where Taylor could not bring it back in. Alex Kirilloff didn't want to be left out of the party and hit his own solo shot in the seventh inning. The home run was Kirilloff's ninth of the season and was his only hit of the game as he went 1 for 3. Keuchel Used Out of the Bullpen As the Twins shuffle their pitchers in an attempt to figure out roles for the playoffs, Dallas Keuchel had an opportunity to work out of the bullpen. His first inning went smoothly, only issuing a walk. His second inning turned ugly as he gave up three runs, and the Twins went down 7-2. Gray, Farmer Return to Cincy Over the past season, the Twins and Reds have lined up on several trades. Sonny Gray and Farmer were both part of those trades and fully enjoyed returning to the place where they once played. As mentioned on both television and radio, Farmer is very grateful for the Reds and their willingness to allow him to play shortstop. Gray used his familiarity to give an assist to his bullpen mates. He hooked them up with a great reservation and picked up the tab as well! On the Reds side, Spencer Steer wanted to show off his development has continued and went 3-for-4. Those three hits included a well hit double that bounced off the outfield wall. What’s Next? The Twins will look to even the series on Tuesday as they send Kenta Maeda to the mound. After a seven-inning outing last time out, Maeda will look for another strong appearance tomorrow. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet THU FRI SAT SUN MON TOT Keuchel 0 0 0 0 58 58 Winder 14 0 25 0 0 39 Jax 0 16 0 13 0 29 Varland 0 29 0 0 0 29 Pagán 0 0 0 22 0 22 Funderburk 0 16 0 0 0 16 Durán 0 0 9 0 0 9 Thielbar 0 0 0 0 0 0 Floro 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

The Minnesota Twins loaded up on pitching during this year’s Major League Baseball draft, and the eighth round arm they grabbed comes from a baseball pipeline in Oregon. Jace Stoffal is the latest Duck to join Twins Territory, and it sounds like he’ll fit in just fine here. Image courtesy of GoDucks.com Jace Stoffal pitched for the Oregon Ducks each of the past two seasons. He made a considerable jump in 2023 after seeing the Pac-12 competition for a second time, and he positioned himself well to be selected within the first 10 rounds. Minnesota is not a stranger to Oregon having recently drafted players such as Jake Reed and Spencer Steer. Obviously the latter was eventually moved for Tyler Mahle, but Minnesota would love to see Stoffal develop into a top starter as the Reds pitcher was when they coveted him. I had a chance to talk with him following the selection, here’s what he had to say: Twins Daily: Obviously Oregon is a very good college baseball program. How have the last couple of years there set you up for pro ball and readied you to make this jump? Jace Stoffal: We are a very good program, and I was very blessed to be able to spend two years there. Coach Wosikowski is unbelievable at what he does. He gets you very mentally ready. I feel like a lot of college programs don’t run as tight of a ship as he does. He gets you prepared for every game, and we go over every single detail. I think that’s what allows us to be so good, and I think you see the same type of preparation and mentality from all of the other teams succeeding at this level while getting ready for pro ball life. TD: You saw a big jump in success over the past two seasons. Where did that come from? Did you make big development or physical changes? JS: All of the above honestly. It makes it a lot easier when you’ve done it for a year. I did gain about 10 pounds during the offseason that helped to give a velocity jump. I got stronger and that gives you confidence, and knowing I can play at that level and be very successful helps. TD: There have been a few players taken by the Twins out of Oregon over the years, what do you know about Minnesota and the organization? JS: To be completely honest, I don’t really have a lot of knowledge. I don’t follow a lot of baseball to be honest with you. Kyle Blackwell is the area scout, and I know him through one of my old coaches. I have known him for a couple of years now. TD: Tell us about your repertoire, how you look to attack on the mound, and some pitches you feel comfortable with. JS: I throw a four-seam fastball, a changeup, curveball, and a slider. I’m fastball heavy to get ahead in the count. I like to throw them early and pound the zone with all four of my pitches. I don’t like to dance around the zone, I like to move barrels. If strikeouts come, they come. I like to throw strikes and not waste a lot of pitches. TD: What are you looking most forward to at the next level with regards to working with professional development, trainers, nutritionists, etc.? JS: The development of me and my skills is going to be awesome to see, to see where I’m able to go. I feel like I have a lot more in the tank. I personally feel like I have a very high ceiling, so I’d love to see where they can take me. The nutritionist side of it, I’m not sure what that entails, but learning more about my body and what it needs to do to prepare and be at its best is super cool. TD: What was draft day like for you yesterday? Did you expect the Twins may be a team to call? JS: I knew Kyle Blackwell, and he’s been really heavily talking to me throughout the college season. I had an idea that the Twins would be one of the top teams. The whole process was super cool, talking to all the teams beforehand. Yesterday (Monday), I had my family come, and we just kind of sat and watched. To hear my name called was a dream come true. Super exciting, I couldn’t be more happy. TD: Away from the field and looking to de-stress, what hobbies do you have off the field? JS: I hunt. I’m always hunting. I’m always in the mountains. I’m from Oregon. I’m big into hunting and fishing. That’s all I do if I’m not playing baseball. I’m somewhere in the mountains. That’s something I do to decompress and get away from baseball a little bit. Welcome to Twins Territory, Jace! View full article

One year ago, Jose Miranda was in the midst of a strong rookie campaign. It made it easier to deal away another third-base prospect, but now that decision looks like a mistake. Image courtesy of David Richard-USA TODAY Sports Entering the 2023 season, the Twins expected Jose Miranda to be part of the club's long-term plans. He was the team's minor league player of the year in 2021 and showed some solid offensive skills in his rookie season. Unfortunately, the season's start couldn't have gone much worse for Miranda. He struggled mightily on both sides of the ball before being demoted to Triple-A. In 35 games, he hit .220/.275/.318 (.593) with four doubles and three home runs. It was a disastrous start for a club lacking offensive production up and down the line-up. Miranda struggled initially following the demotion by going 8-for-54 (.148 BA) without an extra-base hit. It can be easy for players to struggle when demoted, especially with the expectations surrounding Miranda entering the season. However, he started making more consistent contact and drawing a few walks. In his next 26 games, he slashed .308/.378/.467 (.846) with a 17-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His power numbers were lower than what he produced in the past, but Royce Lewis' injury put him back in the big leagues. Miranda was the only infield option on the 40-man roster, so he gets the next couple of months to prove he can contribute to the Twins this season. Trading away prospects is a complicated endeavor. Some young players can never put it all together at the big-league level, while others obtain instant levels of success. Teams must trade away pieces of value to obtain other players with perceived value. Spencer Steer saw his prospect stock rose significantly last season, but now it's hard for fans not to imagine what he would mean to the Twins line-up. The Twins traded Steer to the Reds at last year's trade deadline as part of the package for Tyler Mahle. He got his feet wet in the big leagues at the end of last season (72 OPS+), but the team thought highly enough of him to hand him the starting third base job in 2023. His season didn't start ideally, but he's figured it out offensively after a slow start. In his first 37 games, he posted a respectable .758 OPS, but over his next 47 games, he combined for a .977 OPS. During that stretch, he is tied for 17th among MLB hitters in fWAR, with Willi Castro being the highest-ranked Twins hitter (54th). Steer has yet to carry the Reds' offense, but his value is impossible to ignore for a club sitting near the top of the NL Central. Miranda recently turned 25, which is when many players either make it or break it. He needs to produce strong offensive numbers to provide the team value because his defensive value is minimal. The Twins have Alex Kirilloff and Byron Buxton penciled in at first base and DH, so Miranda needs to produce enough to stick at the hot corner. Injuries can always change the line-up equation, but Miranda is beginning to have more limited opportunities. Miranda's outlook has changed significantly over the last 12 months, and things aren't going to get easier in the future. Looking to the future, it's hard to see where Miranda fits into the team's long-term plans. Royce Lewis already passed him on the organization's third base depth chart, and Brooks Lee is just a little behind. Miranda must find a way to consistently produce power numbers that make him impossible to keep out of the line-up. Otherwise, the Twins will need to go in a different direction. Steer was an unproven commodity at the time of the trade, and Miranda was thriving at the big-league level. The front office knew Steer had the potential to be a solid performer, but the Twins thought Miranda's production would match Steer's or be even better. The Twins made the decision that looked right at the time by trading from a position of depth for a position of need. Unfortunately, it looks like the team picked the wrong third baseman. What can Miranda do over the next two months to help his long-term value? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

How have Derek Falvey and Thad Levine fared buying at the deadline? As the 2023 Trade Deadline approaches and the Twins sit in first place, let’s look at every time the current front office has bought at the deadline. Image courtesy of Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports Regarding things like making trades, no one wins every time, not even the Dodgers and Rays (see Yordan Álvarez and Joe Ryan, respectively). However, a good team wins their trades more often than they lose them. Deadline buys are especially complicated because a team almost always knowingly trades away valuable long-term pieces for short-term rewards. Deadline trades have been hot on Twins fans’ minds for the last month after Tyler Mahle got shut down for the season to get Tommy John surgery and Jorge López’s struggles reached a head. I, your humble narrator, have combed through every trade that the Twins have made since October 2016 (when Falvey and Levine were brought on) that involved at least one MLB player and was not for cash considerations or players to be named later. You, my only friends, can make your own judgment. Below, I’ve listed every trade that could be considered a buy near the deadline. These trades occurred in 2017, 2019, and 2022, as the team was in contention in each of those three years. Before we begin, some housekeeping. I provided stats for each player with their new team. Performance isn’t considered if they were again traded or signed elsewhere as free agents after the trade being discussed. Obviously, this analysis doesn’t include future performance, either. This information was gathered as a snapshot on June 23, 2023. Those with an * indicate that the player is still in the organization they were traded to, so the full picture isn’t available. I will also be providing some context for each trade. Comparing statistics does not necessarily indicate which team won the trade, so I have done my best to explain why the trade occurred. For an example of why comparing statistics isn’t ideal, let’s skip to the 2019 Sam Dyson trade. Statistically, the Twins won the trade. Dyson was worth -0.3 bWAR, but the players traded for him have amounted to -0.7 bWAR. No one truly won that trade, value-wise. Perhaps more importantly, the Twins paid an opportunity cost to acquire him, as he was their main addition that deadline. Trading for him stopped the team from trading a similar package for a different reliever. However, the stats do provide some background. Without further ado, here’s my subjective order, from best to worst. 1. 7/27/19: Minnesota acquires Sergio Romo (42.2 IP, 125 ERA+, 0.4 bWAR), Chris Vallimont (did not reach Minnesota) from Miami for Lewin Diaz (343 PA, 55 OPS+, 0.1 bWAR), +0.3 bWAR for Minnesota. Romo was one of two relievers acquired at the 2019 deadline, and he would be a mainstay in the back of the Twins bullpen for two years, as he was brought back for 2020 before having his option declined. Vallimont was waived in 2022 and is currently in Baltimore’s system. Diaz had some promise but failed to hit enough as a first baseman to stick in Miami 2. 8/2/22: Minnesota acquires Michael Fulmer (24.1 IP, 107 ERA+, 0.5 bWAR) from Detroit for Sawyer Gipson-Long* (has not reached Detroit), +0.5 bWAR for Minnesota. Fulmer was a quality setup man down the stretch in 2022, though the Twins did not resign him in the offseason. He’s struggled pitching for the Cubs since then. Gipson-Long is starting games at AA in Detroit’s system, so there’s time for this trade to swing back into Detroit’s favor, but it was a solid enough trade for now. 3. 7/27/17: Minnesota acquires Gabriel Moya (42.2 IP, 94 ERA+, 0.2 bWAR) from Arizona for John Ryan Murphy (299 PA, 62 OPS+), -0.2 bWAR), +0.4 bWAR for Minnesota John Ryan Murphy was most infamous in Minnesota for being the return in the trade that sent Aaron Hicks to New York. Moya was a decent reliever for a couple of years but was designated for assignment in 2019. 4. 8/2/22: Minnesota acquires Sandy León (65 IP, 65 ERA+, -0.3 bWAR) from Cleveland for Ian Hamilton (did not reach Cleveland), -0.3 bWAR for Minnesota. A simple veteran-for-veteran swap sent journeyman catcher León to Minnesota as catcher depth and Hamilton to Cleveland as reliever depth. León didn’t hit a lick, but the pitching staff appreciated him, and Hamilton never got called up prior to his release in 2022. 5. 7/24/17: Minnesota acquires Jaime Garcia (6.2 IP, 115 ERA+, 0.1 bWAR), Anthony Recker (did not reach Minnesota) from Atlanta for Huascar Ynoa* (122.1 IP, 85 ERA+, 1.1 bWAR), -1.0 bWAR for Minnesota In an effort to “go for it,” the Twins acquired the aging starter to fortify the rotation, sending over the 19-year-old prospect. He made one start. Ynoa had a solid 17-start stretch for Atlanta in 2021 but has not had a significant effect otherwise and is currently recovering from Tommy John. It’s hard to separate this trade from the one that sent Garcia away a week later, but the first trade wasn’t bad in itself. 6. 8/2/22: Minnesota acquires Jorge López* (49.2 IP, 87 ERA+, -0.2 bWAR) from Baltimore for Juan Rojas* (has not reached Baltimore), Cade Povich* (has not reached Baltimore), Juan Nuñez* (has not reached Baltimore), Yennier Cano* (41.2 IP, 150 ERA+, 2.0 bWAR), -2.2 bWAR for Minnesota. The Twins swung a deal for what was arguably the best reliever traded at the 2022 deadline in López, along with his 2.5 years of team control. However, he was rocky down the stretch in 2022, and after a hot start to 2023, the wheels have come off. Povich, Rojas, and Nuñez are all in the minors, but Cano has emerged as arguably the best reliever in baseball thus far in 2023 for the Orioles 7. 7/31/19: Minnesota acquires Sam Dyson (11.1 IP, 65 ERA+, -0.3 bWAR) from San Francisco for Prelander Berroa (did not reach San Francisco), Jaylin Davis (68 PA, 31 OPS+, -0.7 bWAR), Kai-Wei Teng* (has not reached San Francisco), +0.4 bWAR for Minnesota. This trade was a mess for all involved, as Dyson pitched a poor 11 innings, had a season-ending injury, and was exposed as a domestic abuser shortly thereafter. Berroa has not reached the majors and was traded to Seattle in 2022, and Teng is still in San Francisco’s system as a 24-year-old at AA. Davis played poorly in limited action over three years and is now in his third minor league system since the trade. 8. 8/2/22: Minnesota acquires Tyler Mahle* (42 IP, 116 ERA+, 0.5 bWAR) from Cincinnati for Spencer Steer* (414 PA, 106 OPS+, 1.3 bWAR), Christian Encarnacion-Strand* (has not reached Cincinnati), Steven Hajjar (did not reach Cincinnati), -0.8 bWAR for Minnesota. Mahle was one of the top available starting pitchers and was brought in to bring stability to a rotation. However, his preexisting injuries in 2022 and eventual Tommy John (not necessarily related to his 2022 injuries) limited him to 42 moderately-effective innings as a Twin. Steer was blocked from reaching MLB at the time, and is beginning to stabilize in his second season. Encarnacion-Strand is one of the biggest power hitters in the minor leagues, at AAA currently and soon to debut, and Hajjar has been traded as player to be named later in a trade for Will Benson Do you agree with this order? How do you feel about the team’s performance buying at the deadline? Do you hope that the team buys again this year? View full article

The Minnesota Twins have arguably the best roster in the American League Central, but they have done very little to capitalize on opportunity and put distance between them and the competition. Looking at the trade deadline as an opportunity to improve, does the roster actually allow them an ability to do so? Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports Coming into the season Derek Falvey and Thad Levine did plenty to put a strong foot forward with 2023 being an opportunity to rebound. Joey Gallo was a decent bet as a comeback player, and Carlos Correa was signed to a long-term deal. Donovan Solano has proven to be a great utility option, and Kyle Farmer has been the glue guy you want in a clubhouse. If there were glaring areas that went untouched, it was the addition of a right-handed outfield bat, and the bullpen. Now though, with slightly more than a month until the Major League Baseball trade deadline, is there truly an opportunity for Minnesota to get better? The first part of the equation is what the club would be willing to give up. A season ago we saw aggressive moves made when parting with prospects like Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cade Povich, and Yennier Cano. Those types are less evident across the Twins current top prospect landscape. Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee aren’t going anywhere. Edouard Julien and Emmanuel Rodriguez are likely untouchable as well. Dipping down beyond that, you get into players like Matt Wallner, Simeon Woods Richardson, Jose Salas, and David Festa. The former is really the only one that is currently producing, and he could find immediate time with the Twins should they move on from Max Kepler. Dealing anyone else at a depreciated value seems less than ideal. You could attempt to put Jose Miranda in this group as well, but piecing him out at pennies on the dollar doesn’t seem like a wise move. Then there is the current roster construction for Rocco Baldelli’s big league club. The infield spots are all but established with Alex Kirilloff at first, and Julien at second while Jorge Polanco is shelved. The left side isn’t changing, and catcher is already a committed spot with Ryan Jeffers eating into Christian Vazquez’s time despite his $30 million offseason deal. In the outfield there is need for center help behind Michael A. Taylor since Byron Buxton can’t play the field. On the corners though, there are more than enough suitors to make things work. Minnesota built rotation depth behind their top starters thanks to the emergence of Bailey Ober and Louie Varland. The latter is not quite there, but he can continue to be a security blanket for Kenta Maeda with the veteran returning from injury. Another arm may make sense, but it would need to be one near the top of the stable. If anything, the bullpen is where you have the most straightforward path to add. Behind Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and the nice surprise that has been Brock Stewart, leverage spots generate nail biting for the Twins. Jorge Lopez has regressed and may not work his way back, while Emilio Pagan has continued to show he can’t be trusted in key spots. Minnesota continues to work arms through, and while Caleb Thielbar has a spot when healthy, he’s been limited with injury of late. A season after going gangbusters at the deadline, it seems unlikely for Minnesota to have a similar path this time around. Both in assets they want to part with, and places to put new talent, there are more questions than answers. Adding a right-handed outfield bat and a reliever this offseason seemingly would’ve been much more straightforward simply dealing in dollars. The front office will need to acquire reinforcements of some sort if they want this group to hang onto the division, and make noise in the postseason. However, the way in which they find avenues to make it work could take a great deal of juggling. View full article

Or, when the ecstasy of the deal wears off, what are you left with? Image courtesy of Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports Typically, analyzing deals less than a year after they occur is bad process. Players often make massive, gigantic strides in their game, and performance fluctuates—lagging before suddenly clicking, perhaps. But the outcomes of two of the trades are already mostly apparent, allowing us to play anthropologist and unearth what happened on August 2nd, 2022. But first: the historical context. It’s always easy to admonish trades long after the fact, but with some exceptions (hello, Pirates and Chris Archer), every trade makes sense at the time. Front office executives aren’t fools; they may be desperate to varying degrees, but the heat of the moment will always justify whatever eventual poor trade they make. And so we must travel back in time a little to where the Twins were at the trade deadline. Sitting six games above .500—comfortable, perhaps not cozy—Minnesota could easily command the AL Central crown over yet another tepid division. Things weren’t perfect, but they were good, and sometimes that’s all one can get in baseball. Still, the duel swear words “Dylan Bundy” and “Chris Archer” (there he is again!) made up 40% of the starting rotation, and Emilio Pagán was Emilio Pagán-ing, leaving the Twins hungry for upgrades to the pitching staff. Traded by the Baltimore Orioles with cash to the Minnesota Twins for Juan Nunez (minors), Cade Povich (minors), Juan Rojas (minors), and Yennier Cano. The Jorge López deal was the first to break that day. I was still sleeping when news hit Twitter—I’m on the West Coast; not lazy, mind you—so waking up to a sudden All-Star influx of closing ability was more pungent and invigorating than the first cup of coffee. The deal hurt, given that Cade Povich was a tremendous talent laying waste to minor-league hitters, but that’s the price the devil extracts when you don’t plan your bullpen well. And López would be worth it, right? This was a blatant breaking of a very serious rule the A’s have known about for decades: closers are built, not bought. High-octane relievers are alluring, but like a sports car purchased to flaunt opulence, they can break easily. López’s ERA has jumped almost two runs since his half-season of elite play in Baltimore, while Yennier Cano currently leads MLB in reliever fWAR. That’s the kind of swindle that appears in documentaries with Very Smart people wondering how the hell a team could get duped that badly. For your health, don’t look up Povich’s peripherals at AA this year. Traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Minnesota Twins for Christian Encarnacion-Strand (minors), Steve Hajjar (minors), and Spencer Steer. The monkey’s paw curled once more before the day ended, and suddenly the common troubles of a talented and underperforming starter became Minnesota’s problem to figure out. They didn’t. Or, rather, they never got the chance to: Tyler Mahle’s Twins career lasted 42 innings (less than Gabriel Moya’s), and he will likely spend 2024 on a different team—one fine with eating a few months of Tommy John recovery in the hopes that he can be an effective pitcher in the nebulous sometime future. As tragic as this deal was as well, it had to be done, sort of. The value of a competent starter has never been higher than now; the vast dearth of arms capable of eating five, six innings with any consistency has created a market of desperation where teams are taking risks on players in the hopes that the low odds of them breaking out turn favorable. They have to; there’s no other choice. It’s why Minnesota stirred up all the hoopla over acquiring Chris Paddack; it’s why Toronto sends Yusei Kikuchi out to the mound every handful of days. The Twins were burned—obviously—but so were the Yankees when they signed Carlos Rodón and traded for Frankie Montas. And I think if you ask any team with a similar situation, they would say that they remain fine with the chance they took. Ironically, the depth Minnesota sought to avoid and protect now appears to be the answer in front of their face: Bailey Ober and Louie Varland are solid rotation fixtures. So let this be the lesson: risks are good and necessary, but the Twins may best avoid future disasters if they choose to trust themselves. They’ve proven excellent off-season identifiers of pitching talent, but their nervous in-season trade decisions have almost always bitten themselves, save for one awesome Sergio Romo addition. Hopefully, they realize this before it’s too late this season. View full article

At the 2022 trade deadline the Minnesota Twins traded for starting pitcher Tyler Mahle. While Mahle’s elbow injury threw water on the blockbuster deal, the stellar play from two of the prospects the Twins traded away will be what could haunt them for years to come. Image courtesy of Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports While the Minnesota Twins paid a steep price when they traded for Tyler Mahle (three top-20 prospects), most considered the deal to be a good one as the Twins avoided trading away any of their top-five prospects in the deal. After all, there’s nothing more haunting for a fan base (or a front office) than trading away a future star and watching that player do damage for years on another team. Unfortunately for the Twins, not only did the Mahle Era in Minnesota go completely sideways, but it’s looking like two of the prospects that the Twins gave up in the trade could be guys who do damage on another team for years to come. Spencer Steer was the prized prospect that was traded away to the Cincinnati Reds in the Mahle deal. At the time of the trade, Steer was the sixth ranked prospect in Twins Daily’s prospect ranking as he was performing well at Triple-A at the time and was extremely close to the Majors. Steer got his feet wet in the big leagues late last season, but didn’t knock anyone’s socks off with a meager .632 OPS in 28 games to end the 2022 season. The 2023 season has been a completely different story for the right-hander. Through 50 games, Spencer Steer is slashing .288/.353/.485 with seven home runs and 26 RBI. Steer’s 23 extra base hits and .838 OPS would be first and second, respectively, on the Twins this season. Perhaps the most impressive part of Steer’s offensive numbers is that he had a slow start to the year. Through May 2, Steer had a .699 OPS. Since then, over his last 23 games, Steer has posted a .984 OPS with 14 extra base hits. While Steer’s defense certainly leaves more to be desired, his offensive arrow is pointing upward, and he is certainly someone that the Twins could be kicking themselves for trading away for a long time. The next highest-rated prospect that the Twins traded away for Mahle last July was corner infielder/designated hitter, Christian Encarnacion-Strand. At the time of the deal, Encarnacion-Strand was Twins Daily’s 16th ranked prospect. His bat was always a strength, but his limited defensive abilities hampered his ability to climb higher up the prospect ranks. While Encarnacion-Strand is still likely headed for a career at first base or designated hitter, his numbers at the plate in Triple-A this season have lessened the concerns about his defensive future and instead heightened the excitement about his future at the plate. In 31 games with the Louisville Bats, Encarnacion-Strand is slashing .341/.387/.710 with 13 home runs and 32 RBI. His 1.097 OPS leads all active minor leaguers and his call-up to the big leagues appears to be imminent. CES certainly needs to work on his eye at the plate, as his 39/9 K/BB ratio is less than ideal, but Encarnacion-Strand is mashing at the plate right now unlike any other player in the minors and, similar to Steer, is looking like a guy that could haunt the Minnesota Twins for years to come. How do you think that Steer and Encarnacion-Strand’s careers will play out in Cincinnati? Do you think these players will haunt the Twins? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View full article

The Twins would likely redo the Tyler Mahle trade if given the opportunity. As the 2023 season begins, Minnesota still hopes to gain some value from this trade. Image courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports The Minnesota Twins front office did something fans have wanted for years. The team was in first place with some holes on the roster, and the club traded for a frontline starting pitcher and a high-leverage bullpen arm. It takes significant prospect capital to acquire these types of players, and many national outlets praised the Twins' aggressive approach at the deadline. However, Twins fans are starting to have buyer's remorse when following the prospects that were part of the Tyler Mahle trade. Twins Perspective The Twins thought they were trading for one and a half seasons of Mahle. That likely meant he'd provide the team with roughly 45 starts, but that number has likely dropped to 35 starts if he stays healthy for 2023. Shoulder issues limited him to four starts with Minnesota following the trade, and he has only made more than 30 starts in one big-league season. There is hope that his performance will improve with more innings outside Great American Ballpark, known for surrendering home runs. His fastball is critical to his success, and things could have gone better for him at spring training. Mahle had a rough spring. He allowed nine earned runs in five games (13 2/3 innings), including three home runs and 23 hits. He did post a 12-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio, but all eyes will be on the radar gun during his starts. His fastball was in the 89-93 mph range In his second-to-last spring start, but he improved to 92-94 mph in his last start. Mahle is in his last year of team control, so he is heading to free agency for the first time. He will want to prove that he is healthy, and that will allow him to sign a lucrative free-agent deal next winter. Reds Perspective The Twins knew they were surrendering nearly big-league-ready prospects, and that has come to fruition so far this spring. Spencer Steer earned the Reds starting third base job in his age-25 season. During spring training, he hit .271/.364/.500 (.864) with five doubles and two home runs in 18 games. Defensively, he struggled at third with four errors in his first 12 games this spring. Steer made his big-league debut in September 2022 and played in 28 games. His first taste of the majors had some struggles, as he posted a 72 OPS+ and a 26-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Through his first four games in 2023, he went 4-for-12 with a home run and four walks. The Reds hope he can continue to improve on defense while locking him into third base for multiple years. Christian Encarnacion-Strand was the other prospect sent to the Reds for Mahle, and MLB.com currently ranks him as the organization's seventh-best prospect. Last season, he hit .304/.368/.587 (.955) in 122 games between High-A and Double-A. During spring training, he put up impressive offensive numbers by going 15-for-26 (.577) with a 1.748 OPS. The start of his Triple-A career will be delayed because he suffered a slight disc herniation in his back. The Reds hope he can return to full-time action by the end of April. Like Steer, he will likely become a regular for the Reds in the years ahead. Steer and Encarnacion-Strand have provided the Reds with negative value at the big-league level, so giving this trade some time to see the full value for both teams is essential. Mahle has a chance to be one of the Twins' best pitchers this season, which will help the club get back to the top of the AL Central. Both prospects look poised to help the Reds in 2023, but there are no guarantees when it comes to young players transitioning to the big-league level. Mahle still has a chance to be a stud, and the Twins hope he can provide tremendous value in 2023. How would you grade this trade in hindsight? Will Steer and Encarnacion-Strand become above-average regulars at the big-league level? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Needing help on the starting pitching front, the Minnesota Twins teamed up with the Cincinnati Reds at the 2022 trade deadline to acquire Tyler Mahle. He made just four starts for Minnesota before succumbing to a season-ending injury, but how good can he be with a clean bill of health? Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports There’s no denying that the Twins and Reds front office have found favor with one another. After dealing for Sonny Gray prior to the 2022 season, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine sent, Steve Hajjar, Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand to Cincinnati in exchange for Tyler Mahle. Heck, the two sides continued making moves this offseason when Casey Legumina was flipped for Kyle Farmer. It’s clear the two organizations see ways to help one another. Although Mahle was unable to provide much of a boost for Minnesota down the stretch as he dealt with a shoulder injury, the hope is that he enters Spring Training at 100% and ready to go. If that is the case, then there’s a lot of excitement to dream on should the Twins be able to unlock the talent. Over the previous three seasons coming into 2022, Mahle owned a 3.95 ERA with the Reds, and it was backed by a 3.84 FIP. His 10.2 K/9 was plenty exciting, and he was producing at that level despite allowing a 1.2 HR/9 playing in the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark. In over 400 innings with Cincinnati last season, his 4.40 ERA equated to a career best 3.60 FIP. Although the velocity dipped slightly to a 93 mph average, he maintained strong chase and whiff rates. Plenty of the excitement surrounding Mahle has long been tied to expected numbers. He has controlled hitters and found himself unlucky at times. That could be a byproduct of playing in a less-than-ideal stadium, or pitching in front of bad teams. Either way, there’s a path to unlocking more if the Twins can figure him out. In Mahle, Minnesota was looking for a pitcher under team control that they can work with and attempt to find another level. The former Reds starter isn’t a free agent until 2024, and this may be a decent time for the sides to hammer out an extension if they so choose. Although the shoulder issue popped up last season, Mahle threw 180 innings in 2021. Suggesting a pitcher can be an ace is tough. While each team has their best arm, there’s probably only 10 or so arms across the entirety of the game that earn the definition of true Ace. Even at his best, Mahle becoming peak Justin Verlander seems unlikely. He could, and maybe even should, outperform anyone on the Twins staff though and that then allows a more nuanced conversation to happen. We won’t see the best of Mahle until he’s healthy, but if the Twins spend the offseason making sure he is, then helping to unlock what the numbers say is there gets increasingly more exciting. View full article

The trade deadline really heated up for the Twins, and it was exciting to say the least. The front office did not hold back getting pitching that the team so desperately needed. All season fans have been clamoring and hoping that Tyler Mahle would be available and on Tuesday that’s exactly what he was, giving the Twins an opportunity to make a trade. Jon Heyman was the first to report that the Twins had acquired RHP Tyler Mahle from Cincinnati for three top prospects, infielders Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and starting pitching prospect Steve Hajjar. The 6’3 210 pound right-handed pitcher has been a solid starter with the Cincinnati Reds. In his most-recent game, three days ago, he recorded his fifth win of the season. He pitched six innings and had seven strikeouts, just two days after coming off the IL. While he had to go on the IL due to shoulder issues right before the All-Star break. He made two starts before the deadline and his medicals must have been to the Twins' liking. Mahle is 27 years old and is under team control through the 2023 season. In 2022, he's 5-7 with a 4.40 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 1.25 WHIP and 114 strikeouts in 104 1/3 innings. He was 13-6 with a 3.75 ERA and 210 strikeouts in 180 innings last season and has resembled a mid-rotation workhorse for the last three seasons or so. Mahle was the lone starting pitcher added by the Twins at the deadline. They also added two, late-inning relievers at the deadline. What did the Twins give up? The Twins gave up three top-20 prospects to make the trade happen. Spencer Steer, a St. Paul favorite, will be a great asset to the Reds and is likely to be called up sooner than he would if he stayed with the Twins. He hit .269/.361/.528 with 20 home runs and just a 17.0 K% in 388 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A. He is a very nice prospect, but as a third baseman. he is currently blocked by the likes of Jose Miranda, Gio Urshela and others. Steer has seen time at third base, second base, and even shortstop this season. Christian Encarnacion-Strand is a huge bat on the Wichita team. He was named the Midwest League's Hitter of the Month in two of the three months he was with Cedar Rapids. Overall, he hit .302/.374/.612 with 25 home runs and a 33.1 percent hard-hit rate in 390 plate appearances between High-A and Double-A. He is only 22-years-old and has seen time at third base, first base and designated hitter this season. The 2021 fifth-round draft pick's best position defensively is DH. Steven Hajjar is the only pitcher sent in the package to Cincinnati. Hajjar is a young left-handed pitcher. He was the Twins second-round draft pick in 2021 out of Michigan. He has spent this season with the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels where he has posted some outstanding numbers. Through 12 starts, he has logged a 2.47 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 71:22 K:BB in 43 2/3 innings. He has been limited by a couple of stints in the Injured List this year. His potential to move up in the Reds system looks good and could potentially start at High-A. The Twins front office has been making stealthy deadline-day moves and keeping fans on their toes. Do you think the Twins have made the right moves? What do you think of giving up three top-25 prospects for Mahle? View full article

The Twins have at least seven prospects they'd need to be added to the 40-man to protect from this winter's Rule 5 Draft. How will those names play into the team's trade deadline strategy? Minnesota is going to have some tough decisions to make this winter when it comes to protecting players from the Rule 5 Draft. Multiple top prospects will be added to the 40-man roster before the deadline, but there are only so many prospects a team can protect. One way to avoid some of these decisions is to include these players in trades before the deadline. Simeon Woods Richardson, SP Woods Richardson is no stranger to deadline deals as he has been part of two blockbuster trades in the past. He is also arguably one of the team's top pitching prospects after a breakout season at Double-A. The Twins will undoubtedly add him to the 40-man roster, but his stock has risen since last year's trade deadline. Can the Twins use him as a part of a trade for a veteran starting pitcher? Matt Canterino, SP Canterino has dominated the minor leagues when he has stayed healthy. However, he has been limited to fewer than 90 innings in three professional seasons. Teams looking to deal for prospects at the deadline might not be interested in someone who misses as much time as Canterino. Minnesota might also need to consider moving Canterino to a relief role to keep him healthy for the long term. Spencer Steer, INF Steer has been one of Minnesota's breakout prospects this season as he has an OPS over .900 at Double- and Triple-A. When looking at Minnesota's roster, it's easy to see why Steer might be a more easily tradable asset. He plays a lot of defensive time at second and third base, where the Twins have other players ahead of him on the depth chart. His defensive flexibility (over 100 innings at three infield positions) could be intriguing to other organizations. Matt Wallner, OF Wallner put his name on the national stage when he hit a powerful home run during the Futures Game. He has been destroying baseballs all season at Double-A, where he had 15 doubles and 21 home runs in 78 games. Minnesota promoted Wallner to Triple-A following his Futures Game heroics. He's clearly a right fielder who will also get some DH time, so does that have a lot of value on the trade market? Louie Varland, SP Varland surprised many by being named the TD 2021 Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. He posted a 2.10 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP and 142 strikeouts in 103 innings. Minnesota was aggressive with him and moved him to Double-A this season, where he is younger than the average age of the competition. In 2022, Varland continued to strike out more than ten batters per nine innings. Currently, he doesn't rank as one of the team's top-5 pitching prospects, which might make the team more likely to part with him. Edouard Julien, INF Minnesota selected Julien in the 2019 MLB Draft, so he didn't make his professional debut until last season in Fort Myers. In 112 games between Low- and High-A, Julien hit .267/.434/.480 (.914) with 28 doubles and 18 home runs. An eye-popping 110 walks helped his unbelievable OBP. This season at Double-A, he has continued to get on base over 40% of the time while playing exclusively at second base. His college experience and plate discipline might be intriguing to other organizations. Misael Urbina, OF Urbina was one of the top prospects in the 2018-19 international signing class as he got $2.75 million from the Twins. Minnesota was aggressive with him last season and sent him to Fort Myers, where he was over two years younger than the average age of the competition. He posted a .585 OPS but showed reasonable control of the strike zone with 54 walks. So far in 2022, Urbina has been limited to fewer than 20 games, so it seems unlikely that a team would take him in the Rule 5 Draft. Do you think any of these players will be included in trades before the deadline? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Everyone's favorite player, Miguel Sanó, ended his rehab assignment with a bang and a blunder. Read all about that and more in this edition of the minor league report. TRANSACTIONS With Caleb Thielbar going in the IL, the Twins recalled RHP Yennier Cano. Minnesota Twins sign RHP Michael Feliz to a minor-league deal, assign him to St. Paul The Saints placed RHP Josh Winder on the 7-Day IL (right shoulder impingement syndrome) LHP Brent Headrick promoted to Wichita RHP Tyler Palm transferred to Cedar Rapids INF Daniel Ozoria transferred from Wichita to Fort Myers OF Emmanuel Rodriguez transferred from 7-day IL to 60-day IL RHP Logan Campbell transferred from 7-day IL to 60-day IL C Jair Camargo reinstated from 7-day IL INF Ernie Yake reinstated from 7-day IL C Roy Morales transferred from Wichita to St. Paul Saints Sentinel St. Paul 6, Indianapolis 7 Box Score Jordan Balazovic: 2 2/3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K HR: Spencer Steer (12), Miguel Sano (3), Curtis Terry (9) Multi-hit games: Spencer Steer (2-for-5, HR, R, RBI), Jake Cave (2-for-5, R), Miguel Sanó (3-for-3, HR, R, 2 RBI), Curtis Terry (2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI) The Saints lost on a walk-off Saturday. Jordan Balazovic could not exorcise his first-half demons; the righty allowed four runs while netting just eight outs. Triple-A has been a nightmare for the top prospect, as advanced batters have knocked Balazovic around to the tune of a 10.41 ERA. The top of St. Paul’s lineup had the good vibes going; all three batters recorded multiple hits, and half of the team’s runs came from this triumvirate. Spencer Steer kicked off the scoring quickly with a lead-off homer. Then Miguel Sanó blasted his own bomb in the 4th inning. Curtis Terry capped the firework show with his home run in the sixth frame. The bullpen held their own until the final frame; Dereck Rodríguez shouldered most of the burden, allowing one run over 3 1/3 innings. The arms only wobbled when it mattered the most, as Indianapolis hopped all over Wladimir Pinto in the 9th inning, plating a game-winning run with some help from a Sanó error. Wind Surge Wisdom Wichita 4, Tulsa 10 Box Score Louie Varland: 4 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K HR: Jair Camargo (3), Chris Williams (17) Multi-hit games: Jair Camargo (2-for-4, HR, R, RBI), Anthony Prato (2-for-4, 2B, R) The Wind Surge lost handily on Saturday. Louie Varland could not win against Tulsa’s bats. He allowed eight hits and a relatively-low total of three runs over four innings. It appears the Dodgers’ typically elite minor league talent shone through once again. Wichita’s offense put up a fight, as both Jair Camargo and Chris Williams homered in the effort. Williams’ blast was expected—the catcher now has seven homers in his last seven games—while Camargo’s home run ballooned his Double-A OPS to 1.000. Leobaldo Cabrera, Edouard Julien, and Anthony Prato doubled on Saturday. Brent Headrick met his Double-A debut with a trip and a faceplant; the Drillers dropped 10 hits, and seven earned runs on the fresh lefty before he could net his eighth out. In his first inning, the fifth, he gave up homers to the first two batters he faced. He gave up some soft contact on a couple of singles after that, but with two outs, he served up a three-run homer. Hopefully, this outing is just the result of unruly nerves. Kernels Nuggets Cedar Rapids 8, Peoria 11 Box Score Cade Povich: 4 IP, 6 H, 8 ER, 4 BB, 2 K HR: Yunior Severino (6), Jeferson Morales (5), Aaron Sabato (11) Multi-hit games: Seth Gray (3-for-5, 2 R, RBI), Yunior Severino (3-for-4, HR, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB) Cade Povich pitched one of his worst games as a young professional; it was a textbook clunker. The lefty allowed runs at a 2-1 pace compared to his innings. Hopefully, Povich can throw the memory of this start away and start fresh the next time he climbs the mound. Cedar Rapids’ bats were efficient, mirroring eight runs with eight hits; nearly the entire lineup contributed to the impressive showing, as six batters claimed hits on Saturday. Yunior Severino, sitting in the heart of the lineup, stole the show, knocking a homer and speeding for a triple in a three RBI effort. Wander Javier also tripled. The Chiefs pounced on multiple Cedar Rapids pitchers; Bradley Hanner and Derek Molina felt their wrath, allowing three runs each long after Povich exited the game. Molina suffered through three homers. He had given up just two homers in 24 previous outings (33 1/3 innings). Sabato blasted a two-run homer in the final frame to pull the game within four while ensuring that the team scored in all but two innings. Mussel Matters The Mighty Mussels started play on Saturday, but early rain pushed the game to tomorrow as part of a double-header; Keoni Cavaco hit a two-run homer in the first inning. Complex Chronicles FCL Twins 0, FCL Red Sox 3 Box Score Juan Nunez: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The FCL Twins were silenced on Saturday. Juan Nunez was a bright point; he did not allow a run over four innings while striking out six. Danny Moreno and Isaiah Rivera also had scoreless outings. FCL Twins hitters were flummoxed, with just three hits and four walks to their name; no knock went for extra bases. Dominican Dailies DSL Twins 6, DSL Brewers 2 Box Score Cesar Lares: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K HR: Yasser Mercedes (3) Multi-hit games: Yasser Mercedes (2-for-4, HR, R, 4 RBI), Isaac Pena (2-for-3, R, BB) The DSL Twins won easily on Saturday. Breakout arm Cesar Lares pitched wonderfully again; the lefty struck out seven batters on his way to nabbing 12 outs. Just one score blemishes his performance. Yasser Mercedes continued his impressive first impression, launching a game-breaking grand slam in the 4th inning; Mercedes already collected a single in the previous frame. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Cesar Lares Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Miguel Sanó PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #6 - Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 2-for-5, HR, R, RBI, K #7 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - 2 ⅔ IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K #8 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - Suspended game #10 - Cade Povich (Cedar Rapids) - 4 IP, 6 H, 8 ER, 4 BB, 2 K #11 - Louie Varland (Wichita) - 4 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #12 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-3, BB #15 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-4, 2B, RBI, K #16 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Wichita) - 0-4, 2 K #19 - Steve Hajjar (Ft. Myers) - Suspended game SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (12:35 PM) - RHP Cole Sands Wichita @ Tulsa (1:05 PM) - RHP Daniel Gossett Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 PM) - RHP David Festa Clearwater @ Fort Myers (DH @ 11:00 AM) - RHP Travis Adams View full article