Time To Refresh? Maybe The Twins Should Trade These 2 Players

No one will take Sano at his salary next year ($10 million) and give back compelling compensation. He is a 29 year old DH. You are stuck with him for 2022. Kepler might bring back value. He is an above-average outfielder at a market price ($15 million over the next 2 years).  As such he is a much better bargaining chip than Sano. The only caveat is that outfielders are experiencing a remarkable devaluation. The Braves reconstructed their entire outfield  on the cheap midseason this year on their way to a  a championship. (Lets all be happy for Eddie.) Players shouldn't be thought of as potentially possessing five tools but rather six. That sixth tool is affordability. 

Hopefully, the Cave and Garlick suggestion was made tongue-in-cheek. If you packaged them together, you might get a Lew Ford rookie card in exchange. 

Package Buxton, Sano, and Duffey for a solid SP and a solid utility player who can play short in a pinch until someone takes the job and runs with it ( a Pinto type).   Put Garver at 1st much more while still using him as the secondary catcher, and have Kirilloff rotate between 1st and left/right field.  Have Kepler platoon with whoever we feel the best center fielder of the future is, and still play right when needed.  Use the savings to buy more pitching, and hope one of the plethora of corner outfielders we have in waiting can take over left field permanently.   

We have to face the fact that Buxton is not going to sign on the cheap, and JP is not going to open the vault for the kind of money Buxton wants.  Not until he proves he can stay healthy, and by the time he does he will be a free agent.  Trade now while the value is high, and the package will attract attention.