The Minnesota Twins have only lost two games since the All-Star Break and are on pace to win the AL Central. They could use a right-handed outfielder and another reliever. Paul Goldschmidt theoretically would be a great fit, for example, but ESPN insider Jeff Passan doesn’t expect ($) the Twins to make a big splash at the deadline.
Minnesota could be a bigger factor in another year, but its taste buds for deadline deals are, for now, deadened. Last year, in deals to get right-handed starter Tyler Mahle and right-handed reliever Jorge Lopez, they sent utilityman Spencer Steer and infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand to Cincinnati and All-Star reliever Yennier Cano and left-handed pitching prospect Cade Povich to Baltimore — both deals that, in hindsight, look brutal.
The Twins are probably better off making low-wattage moves, like adding another reliever to bolster their bullpen depth, at the deadline. The Mahle and López moves looked good at the time, but they haven’t worked out as expected.
Minnesota has a strong roster when healthy and many prospects, like Brooks Lee, who are likely to make an impact soon. They are probably better off working around the edges. They’re in position to make the postseason and have good enough pitching to win once they’re there.
