Twins reportedly trying to steal veteran free agent away from Marlins after Luis Arraez trade
By Josh Hill
When the Minnesota Twins signed Carlos Correa, it was clear they weren’t done making additions to the lineup. Trading All-Star slugger Luis Arraez was the next big move made, but there seems to be a few more on the horizon.
Trading Arraez was a pretty seismic move, and not the deal fans expected to hear first. Max Kepler has been entrenched in trade rumors for most of the winter, and there was a chance that he was involved in a package that returned Pablo Lopez.
That package ended up centering on Arraez, instead.
Aside from what seems like an inevitable Kepler trade, most of the moves ahead for the Twins will likely be veteran free agent additions. It appears one might be on the horizon.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Marlins are closing in on free agent first baseman Yuli Gurriel, which would pair him with the recently acquired Arraez on the right side of the Marlins infield.
Yuli Gurriel appears to be moving toward a deal with the Marlins, sources tell me and @brianmctaggart. Nothing finalized.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 21, 2023
But the Twins are apparently trying to get involved before anything comes together. Miami-based MLB insider Daniel Alvarez-Montes is reporting that Minnesota is among a handful of teams also interested in Gurriel.
The #Twins are also in on Gurriel after the Arráez’s trade, sources tell @ElExtrabase. Gurriel lives in Miami and would he the ideal spot for him, but others teams are in too. https://t.co/Q59gFA9HBO
— Daniel Álvarez-Montes (@DanielAlvarezEE) January 21, 2023
The Twins trying to sign players from teams that have routinely owned them in the postseason? You don’t say.
In all seriousness, the move is a bit peculiar but also makes some sense. Gurriel would likely play at first or slot in as the designated hitter, two roles that Arraez filled while he was in Minnesota. Putting Gurriel at first might allow Rocco to put Alex Kirilloff out in right field, especially if a Max Kepler trade comes to fruition — which is still extremely possible.
Even if the Twins don’t end up stealing Gurriel away from the Marlins, it gives a pretty clear indication that the front office still has a few moves left in it. It’s also a play that may slightly show their hand in terms of finding help that could offset a move off Kepler in the near future, but at the very least shows the aggressiveness of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine.