Minnesota Twins Division Spotlight: Deals and Rumors in the AL Central
The Minnesota Twins have made one trade in this trade season. How are things going in the rest of their division?
The Minnesota Twins have jumped into the foray of the trade deadline this summer as they are competing in the American League Central currently. However, they are part of a division with five intriguing teams in the trade deadline, so it’s wise to take a look around the division as we are just four days from the deadline on Monday.
We’ll start with the home club, the Minnesota Twins
Moves already made
May 8: Traded Danny Santana to the Atlanta Braves for minor league reliever Kevin Chapman (Chapman was released June 14th)
June 7: Chris Heston selected off waivers from Los Angeles Dodgers
June 12: Tim Melville signed as free agent
June 22: Dillon Gee signed as free agent
July 7: Bartolo Colon signed as free agent
July 21: Michael Kohn signed as free agent
July 24: Traded Huascar Ynoa to the Atlanta Braves for Jaime Garcia, Anthony Recker, and cash
Obviously, the big deal was the most recent one to acquire Garcia from the Braves to fill a rotation spot, but there have been multiple deals along the way to provide depth in starting pitching options with Melville, Gee, and Colon along the way, along with other arms, whether or not they’ve worked out.
Players/needs still to address
The Twins still struggle as to whether to sell on some of their veteran pieces, like starter Ervin Santana or reliever Brandon Kintzler, or whether they should be buying at the right price for controllable pitching, both starting pitching and relief pitching. The 2017 team certainly needs help in the bullpen, so that would be a target if the team hopes to continue contending this season, but the team will certainly need bullpen help in 2018, whether that’s interior help or outside help, and that could be a target. Of course, the trade market on Brian Dozier could also open up as well.
Next: Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox: Moves already made
April 8: Signed Mike Pelfrey
April 8: Signed Ryan Raburn
May 26: Traded Ryan Raburn to Washington Nationals for PTBNL or cash
June 6: Signed Bobby Parnell
June 9: Claimed Alen Hanson off waivers from Pittsburgh Pirates
June 21: Signed Grant Green
July 13: Traded Jose Quintana to Chicago Cubs for Dylan Cease, Bryant Flete, Eloy Jimenez, and Matt Rose
July 19: Traded Todd Frazier, Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson to the New York Yankees for Ian Clarkin, Tito Polo, Blake Rutherford and Tyler Clippard
July 24: Signed Danny Farquhar
July 24: Purchased Mark Lowe and Jean Machi from Seattle Mariners
July 26: Traded Anthony Swarzak to Milwaukee Brewers for Ryan Cordell
July 27: Traded Dan Jennings to Tampa Bay Rays for Casey Gillaspie
The White Sox have been busy for sure, starting in the offseason of last year, when they traded away ace Chris Sale and outfielder Adam Eaton. This season has seen the team bring in multiple relievers as they’ve traded more away, along with the major trade of Quintana.
Chicago White Sox: Players/needs still to address
Avisail Garcia likely hurt the White Sox trade opportunities with him when he was recently injured and will be on the DL through the trade deadline, requiring extra clearance to move. Otherwise the only other position player that’s really likely to be shopped is outfielder Melky Cabrera.
The White Sox have cleaned out their bullpen, but there are some interesting options in their starting rotation to move in Derek Holland, Miguel Gonzalez, and Mike Pelfrey. As Carlos Rodon is healthy and pitchers like Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito begin to show their readiness in AAA, opening a spot for them to get some major league time this season could be a push, if not at the non-waiver deadline, certainly by August 31st’s waiver trade deadline.
Next: Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians: Moves already made
May 18: Traded Michael Martinez to the Tampa Bay Rays for PTBNL or cash
May 23: David Lough signed as free agent
June 1: Josh Wilson purchased from Texas Rangers
June 25: Michael Martinez signed as free agent
The Indians have been fairly quiet, though they’ve definitely been involved in numerous talks recently. They traded away Martinez and then signed him back after he was released, and that’s really been as much activity as they’ve seen this year.
Cleveland Indians: Players/needs still to address
With the injury to Lonnie Chisenhall, the Indians have been active in pursuing available outfielders. There are not a ton of available outfielders on the trade market, but the Indians have been very interested in Jay Bruce. They’re also in the market for a second baseman as Jason Kipnis is injured and struggling this season. One possible deal could be move that brought both Bruce and infielder Asdrubal Cabrera to the Indians from the New York Mets.
Many have linked the Indians to starting pitchers, and that could be an interesting market, as I could see the Indians getting into the market for a rental starter at a fairly cheap price, but I don’t see the team going in heavy for a Sonny Gray/Julio Teheran/Marcus Stroman trade
Last, though they have Andrew Miller as a primary lefty out of the bullpen, the Indians have been in the market for a LOOGY type. Interestingly, the Mets do have a couple of guys that would work there as well in Josh Edgin and Jerry Blevins.
Next: Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers: Moves already made
June 23: Francisco Rodriguez released
July 18: J.D. Martinez traded to Arizona Diamondbacks for Sergio Alcantara, Jose King, and Dawel Lugo
Martinez was certainly the first move in what has been rumored to be a significant tear down for the Tigers. The move to release K-Rod was warranted based on his performance and stuff this season. Many were surprised at the lack of quality in prospects that the Tigers got in the deal for Martinez, though dealing with the Diamondbacks is working with one of the 2-3 worst farm systems in the league, so it’s rough to find prospects of quality to acquire.
Detroit Tigers: Players/needs still to address
The Tigers look to be extremely busy in the next few days…
Alex Avila is having a big year in a year where he was expected to be a back up catcher. He’ll likely be a valuable piece on the backup catching market, with a lot of rumors pointing to the Cubs as his logical destination.
Ian Kinsler is being shopped fairly heavy, though he is owed either a $12M team option for 2018 or a $5M buyout, which the Tigers may have to eat as part of the deal.
Justin Verlander has also been shopped heavily, but his $56M owed over the next two seasons is a tough to sell to other teams for his age 35-36 years. The Tigers are also attempting to market Jordan Zimmermann and Anibal Sanchez, though the bites are much fewer and farther between. Teams are heavily interested in Michael Fulmer, but so far, the team hasn’t seemed to want to commit to putting him on the trade market.
The Tigers have also seen Bruce Rondon finally throw well, and that has allowed them to consider moving Justin Wilson and Shane Greene, who have been their two best relievers this season. Wilson should have some very good value as a lefty that has experience closing this year and has shown dominance in his performance as well.
Next: Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals: Moves already made
May 16: Christian Colon selected off waivers from Miami Marlins
May 16: Peter O’Brien selected off waivers from Cincinnati Reds
June 23: Signed Neftali Feliz
June 24: Released Chris Young
July 24: Traded Esteury Ruiz, Matt Strahm, Travis Wood, and cash to the San Diego Padres for Ryan Buchter, Trevor Cahill, and Brandon Maurer.
The Royals entered the season needing to decide if they were making one final run with their core group or blowing things up, and with a recent run, they’ve definitely decided to pursue the final run. Their first move was to shore up their pitching, and they’ve pursued the tried and true path of building a ton of monster arms in their bullpen again. A bullpen with Kelvin Herrera, Mike Minor, Joakim Soria, Neftali Feliz, Brandon Maurer, and Ryan Buchter is a bullpen with hard throwers that can all strike batters out.
Cahill rounds out a deep staff that will be able to mix and match in the playoffs among a staff full of #3/4 starters behind the one starter with frontline “stuff” in Danny Duffy.
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Kansas City Royals: Players/needs still to address
The offense has really been balanced in individual performances, but until recently, none of those individuals have performed all at the same time. The two big holes right now are Alex Gordon, who won’t likely be replaced, and Brandon Moss at DH. The play of Whit Merrifield and presence of a number of options in the minor leagues to fill the spot makes second base an unlikely spot to pursue.
It would not surprise if the Royals pursued another player who could play outfield and/or DH, unless they feel confident that Jorge Soler could come up from the minor leagues to perform, and he’s showing well at AAA, but struggled at the big leagues this year. The Royals could get involved with their in-state neighbors, the St. Louis Cardinals, who have recently been rumored to make Tommy Pham and Randall Grichuk available for trade.
Next: Jermaine Palacios Scouting Report
It will be a very fun week to watch around the division. Keep your eyes open to see how the Twins and their closest competitors handle this next four days!