With the MLB Trade Deadline less than two weeks away, the Twins are checking in on starting pitcher targets.
According to MLB Insider Jon Morosi, the Twins had scouts at the Giants-Mets game on Thursday evening, in which Madison Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard started for their respective teams.
Minnesota’s been linked to Bumgarner for the majority of the season. In 20 starts this year, Bumgarner is 5-7 with a 3.86 ERA with 121 strikeouts and 25 walks in 116.2 innings but will be a free agent by year’s end.
Bumgarner, who turns 30 next month, has a no-trade list but the Twins aren’t included in that, which would make pulling off a trade a lot easier.
Because Bumgarner is a rental, he probably wouldn’t cost a top prospect like Royce Lewis or Alex Kirilloff, but he obviously wont come cheap either.
Syndergaard on the other hand, probably would cost more in return due to the fact he’s 26 and is under team control through 2021.
In 18 starts this season, the one they call Thor, is 7-4 with a 4.55 ERA with 110 strikeouts and 30 walks in 112 innings. His ERA has been ballooned by the fact the Mets have one of the worst defenses in baseball.
He’s still pumping out big-time heat as his fastball still touches 98 miles per hour.
ESPN’s David Schoenfield wrote a piece this week that Minnesota should offer top prospects to land Syndergaard. So that means the asking price probably would be centered around Lewis or Kirilloff.
The Twins’ 40-man roster is currently at 36 players after designating multiple pitchers for assignment. Which suggests the team could be clearing space to acquire players via trade.
Related: With the Twins creating roster space, trades could be on the way
