Grading all of the Minnesota Twins Trade Deadline Deals (and No-Deals)
By Otto Johnson
Minnesota Twins Trade Deadline Non-Move No. 1: Holding on to RHP Michael Pineda
Grade: D+
We start off with the most surprising move the Twins didn’t make. Michael Pineda is a free agent at the end of 2021, and for a team that’s completely out of the playoff hunt, Pineda’s 3.86 ERA and 64-16 K-BB ratio should have been attractive to a contender.
His departure was seen as an almost certainty, so why, when the trade deadline is over, is Pineda still here? Maybe the Twins feel they can ship him out through waiver trades or believe he will re-sign this offseason. If either of those things happen, this grade will change.
Neither of them are likely, meaning that the Twins likely just held Pineda for nothing, and as one of the best rental arms available, they should have been able to move him. The fact that he wasn’t was easily the worst move the team made.
Minnesota Twins Trade Deadline Non-Move No. 2: Holding on to SS Andrelton Simmons
Grade: C
This move seems a little more plausible. Andrelton Simmons is slashing just .214/.284/.279, so the fact the team couldn’t find a suitor for him isn’t extremely surprising. His defense has declined as well, so it’s no surprise that teams were hesitant.
Despite this, it’s still a little surprising he wasn’t moved. Simmons should have been shipped out earlier in the year, but he still would have offered value to a playoff team as a depth player who could defend well. The A’s were the best fit, but they added Josh Harrison.
Trevor Story is a rental too though, and with the Rockies being unable to move him, it suggests the Twins wouldn’t have had a market for Simmons either. Finally, the team really didn’t have a replacement for him other than Nick Gordon, so just holding onto him doesn’t wind up hurting the team.