The Minnesota Twins may be out of contention but they could be one of the most interesting teams in baseball over the next several weeks.
In a roundtable with MLB.com’s Matt Meyers, Mark Feinsand and Jon Paul Morosi, all three agreed that the Twins will have plenty to offer contending teams ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Feinsand in particular singled out the Twins, saying they could be one of the most aggressive teams leading up to July 31.
“For several weeks now, I have assumed that the Twins were going to be a big seller come July,” Feinsand said. “Nothing that has happened in recent weeks has made me change my mind about that.”
One of the more popular targets will be José Berríos, who currently has a career-low in ERA (3.56) and WHIP (1.09). Although the 27-year-old won’t be a free agent until after the 2022 season, Berríos will be in high demand.
“It doesn’t appear that there’s going to be a lot of good starting pitching available on this market, which could change somebody’s mind if an offer comes in that’s too good to turn down,” Feinsand explained. “Virtually every contender out there could use another starting pitcher, so I think that list is quite large.”
Morosi believes that one name on the list could be the New York Yankees as they could make a “major bid” for Berríos as they wait for the return of Corey Kluber. But Feinsand believes another team to watch is the Tampa Bay Rays, who currently own the best record in the American League.
“Berríos to the Rays is very intriguing,” Feinsand said. “But he is approaching an area of his control that the Rays generally trade away, not acquire. His salary situation will be interesting if they decide to acquire him.”
Another name that could be on the Rays’ radar is Nelson Cruz, who is also on a one-year contract.
“They’ve liked him in free agency in the past,” Morosi explained. “The Rays have a deep enough farm system to give up a quality prospect. Financial considerations are a question for Tampa Bay at the deadline, but the Twins can absorb a greater portion of the salary to improve the return they receive.”
Cruz is hitting .306 with 16 homers and 38 RBI but at 41 years old, he may not be in the Twins long-term plans. Despite his $14 million salary, the Oakland Athletics could be interested as they look to bolster the middle of their lineup.
The roundtable also mentions that several other players could be available including Byron Buxton and Taylor Rogers, who both have a year of control before hitting free agency after the 2022 season.
Whatever the Twins decide to do will dominate headlines in the coming weeks but it appears they will have no shortage of suitors if they decide to make a deal.
