Minnesota Twins Rumors: Chris Archer is the answer for the Twins
The Minnesota Twins missed out on the top free agent starting pitcher this Winter and that’s bad news for Twins fans. However, Minnesota is still active in trade talks with hopes of making a deal.
The Minnesota Twins and the Tampa Bay Rays are reportedly discussing a possible Chris Archer trade. Minnesota is staying diligent in its pursuit of rotation upgrades and Archer would represent the upgrade of all upgrades.
Archer has been dominant for six seasons pitching in the American League East, one of the toughest divisions in baseball. After missing out on Yu Darvish, landing Archer would be a game changer for the Twins. However, acquiring Archer will come at a steep price but Minnesota should pony up whatever it takes to make a deal happen.
What Archer would mean for the Twins
Archer was 10-12 with a 4.04 ERA with the Rays in 2017. I know, those numbers are terrible, but don’t forget that he played for a bad Tampa team last season. However, If Archer had a defense as talented as the Twins those numbers would look significantly better.
Archer posted a career best 11.1 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 2017 with the Rays. He is as reliable as they come AVERAGING a staggering 34 starts and 220 strikeouts per season. That type of durability is hard to find, and Archer is a threat every time he takes the mound.
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Trading for Archer means the Minnesota Twins will have to part with top talent. Max Kepler is one name being mentioned, and that’s a tough pill for Twins fans to swallow. Kepler was solid in 2017 hitting .243 with a promising 19 home runs, but what they would really miss is his defense.
However, we’re talking about acquiring Archer here and very few players should be off limits in trade talks. Trading Kepler would create a crater in right field defensively. Eddie Rosario could possibly move to right, but he is not on the same level defensively as Kepler. Zack Granite could also see time in right but he’s young with a lot to prove.
However, Archer would instantly transform the Minnesota Twins rotation into a strength. Ervin Santana will come back early in the season, and together with Archer the Twins would have one of the top 1-2 punches in baseball.
The Twins have a chance to contend for more than just a playoff berth in ’18. Adding Archer will put this team on the same level as the Cleveland Indians or the New York Yankees. Deal or no deal, this will be an exciting year in the Twin Cities.
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