The Minnesota Twins are fighting for their postseason lives but even the most loyal fans can admit that this isn’t a team that’s going to win the World Series. The Twins are a young team with several key pieces that could be on the way. But their emphasis is going to be on the future, especially as they look for pitching next offseason.
The cost for pitching on the free agent market has gotten out of control and making a trade might be the only way for the Twins to stock the cabinet. With that, the Twins' best option may be to think outside of the box and it could turn Luke Keaschall from a potential cornerstone into trade bait next winter.
Doing so would be an unpopular move for fans who have baked Keaschall into the future. But it could also follow the path the Twins took with Luis Arraez a few years ago in a deal that helped the Twins acquire Pablo López.
Twins’ 2023 Luis Arraez trade could foreshadow Luke Keaschall’s future
Like Keaschall, Arraez was projected to be a big part of the Twins' future after making his debut in 2019. He hit .334/.399/.439 with four homers, 28 RBI and two stolen bases in his rookie season and hit .314/.374/.410 with 14 homers, 132 RBI and eight stolen bases over his four years in Minnesota (389 games). But while there were no doubts over his offense, his defense made things complicated.
Arraez was an average defender during his time with the Twins, but his biggest challenge was at second base. After logging a minus-9 in defensive runs saved during his rookie season, he improved to a plus-one during the COVID-shortened 2020 season and broke even in 20201. He also was a plus-3 in DRS during the 2022 campaign, but the Twins moved him all over the diamond, playing first base, third base and even some outfield in his four seasons.
After winning his first batting title, the cost to keep Arraez continued to grow and with no obvious spot in the outfield, the Twins traded Arraez to the Miami Marlins in exchange for López. The deal was heavily criticized by Twins fans at the time but López won the fans over by posting a 31-22 record with a 3.68 ERA over three seasons (78 starts) in Minnesota.
Arraez went on to win two more batting titles since the trade and could be on his way to another as he leads the National League with a .315 average entering Monday. But López gave the Twins more value at a premium position, which is the goal the Twins could be looking for if they put Keaschall on the block this winter.
The Twins could turn Luke Keaschall into the pitching help they desperately need
There are a few key differences to point out in this comparison. First, Keaschall has yet to win a batting title. Second, Keaschall isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2031 season, creating some flashbacks of trading Louis Varland to the Toronto Blue Jays for a left-handed starter (Kendry Rojas) and another left-handed outfielder (Alan Roden) at last year’s trade deadline.
But when you look at Keaschall’s future, putting him on the block could be a good move.
Keaschall began this season as the Twins’ second baseman, but his defense moved him to the outfield after logging a minus-5 DRS over 636.1 innings. But things got worse when he moved, logging a minus-11 in 343.1 innings as an outfielder. With an MLB-high eight errors at second base, moving him back isn’t an option and becomes even more difficult with the Twins infielders coming through the pipeline including 2024 first-round pick Kaelen Culpepper and 2025 first-round pick Marek Houston.
The Twins could also install Keaschall as their designated hitter or first base if they decide to trade Royce Lewis this offseason. But his .395 career slugging percentage isn’t high enough to hold either of those roles and it’s becoming more likely he’s a player without a position even if there’s room to improve after turning 24 last weekend.
With that in mind, Keaschall could be a solid centerpiece in a deal for a young, controllable arm. Playing in 49 games due to a broken forearm, Keaschall looked good when he wasn’t on the shelf, hitting .302/.382/.445 with four homers, 28 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 2025. His bat has also picked up after a slow start this year, hitting .266/.362/.372 with seven homers, 36 RBI and 14 stolen bases over 116 games including a .321/.439/.514 line with five homers, 12 RBI and two stolen bases since July 1 (35 games).
Obviously the Twins would love to make it work somehow but with Emmanuel Rodriguez out of minor league options next season and Walker Jenkins on the way, Minnesota needs to clear room that could have Keaschall and potentially another outfielder including Trevor Larnach being put on the trade block.
In addition, the Twins could need plenty of pitching next season. Joe Ryan will likely be thrown into trade talks as he enters his final year of team control and López is in a similar situation although he’s working his way back from Tommy John surgery.
Mick Abel’s elbow injury also feels like it’s destined for the operating table and while Taj Bradley has broken out, there are serious questions behind him with Bailey Ober, Dean Kremer, Zebby Matthews and Rojas as options unless they decide to move Andrew Morris from the bullpen to the starting rotation.
Trading Keaschall would not be a popular move. But like Arraez, Twins fans would quickly get over it if the pitcher coming back is as effective as López has been since his arrival. It makes the final stretch of the season very interesting for Keaschall and the possibility that he could be auditioning for a new team if the right trade comes along.
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