The Twins have made a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for relief pitcher Kevin Jepsen.
In exchange, the Star Tribune reports the Twins parted with two minor league pitchers: Chin-Wei Hu and Alexis Tapia.
Sources confirm the Twins are sending pitchers Chin-Wei Hu and Alexis Tapia to the Rays for reliever Kevin Jepsen.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) July 31, 2015
Shortly after the Rays confirmed the report on Twitter.
Jepsen has a 2.81 ERA in 41-plus innings pitched, which is more than a run better than the Twins bullpen’s combined ERA of 3.97, which ESPN says ranks 24th in the big leagues.
Jepsen has a career 3.80 ERA with 305 strikeouts and 130 walks in 322 1/3 innings. Twins beat writer Rhett Bollinger for MLB.com notes that Jepsen’s fastball averages 94.4 mph and he also mixes in a curveball and the occasional change-up.
What did the Twins give up?
Hu, 21, was 6-and-3 with a 2.38 ERA to go with 79 strikeouts and 23 walks in 90 2/3 innings for Class A Fort Myers and Triple-A Rochester.
Tapia, 19, posted a 3.82 ERA with 33 strikeouts and seven walks in 33 innings with Rookie-level Elizabethton this season.
Chih-Wei Hu is ranked as the Twins' No. 20 prospect. Great Minor League numbers. Alexis Tapia not ranked among Top 30.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) July 31, 2015
FOX Sports says that Jepsen will likely work as a setup man for closer Glen Perkins.
Twins get Kevin Jepsen from Rays, per @Ken_Rosenthal
Jepsen has a 2.81 ERA in 41 2/3 IP this season. Twins bullpen ERA: 3.97 (24th in MLB)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 31, 2015
Jepsen has fanned at least a batter per inning in 3 of previous 5 seasons.
This year: 7.3 K/9 (career-low)
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) July 31, 2015
Hardball Talk doesn’t appear to be a big fan of the move. The report notes that while Jepsen should be an upgrade over Blaine Boyer and Casey Fien his strikeout rate is underwhelming and his control is poor.
But Twins G.M. Terry Ryan believes the move makes the Twins better for the stretch run to the playoffs.
Ryan on Jepsen: "This makes us a better baseball team." Said they sniffed around just about every available reliever. #mntwins
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) July 31, 2015
The right-hander is due to make $3.03 million this year and remains under team control for 2016.
