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2 relievers the Twins should target at trade deadline to boost the bullpen

With a couple of additions at the deadline, the Twins bullpen could be lights out.

By John Kuziej |
The Minnesota Twins could make a trade for a reliever to help out the bullpen for a postseason push.
The Minnesota Twins could make a trade for a reliever to help out the bullpen for a postseason push. / Lauren Leigh Bacho/GettyImages
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A good bullpen is one of the best weapons a baseball team can have, especially down the stretch and into the playoffs.

In the offseason, the Minnesota Twins made some moves to help strengthen their bullpen. They traded away Nick Gordon to bring in left-hander Steven Okert and added Josh Staumont from the Kansas City Royals. Both those moves have helped the Twins bullpen so far.

But not all the moves worked out so well. Jay Jackson was an offseason addition who is no longer with the team. According to Fangraphs, the Twins bullpen was ranked third going into the season but things have fallen off a cliff it seems -- something that Minnesota needs to correct before it's too late.

With a few trades at the deadline, though, they could be ranked first.

2 relievers the Twins should target to give them the best bullpen in the league

Mason Miller, Oakland A's

The Oakland Athletics are constantly rebuilding and are taking offers for some of their best players at the trade deadline. 

Despite their willingness to sell, Miller would cost the Twins a lot, but it would be worth it.

The 25-year-old has been nearly unhittable this year, posting a 2.21 ERA, a 0.836 WHIP, and striking out 70 batters in just 40 2/3 innings. In addition to his fantastic numbers, he is not a rental, he’ll be under team control until 2030 and on a cheap contract.

To bring in Miller, the Twins will face a lot of competition but have the pieces to complete the deal. It would cost the Twins a couple top prospects, starting with Emmanuel Rodriguez and adding on from there. But it would give them the best bullpen in baseball for years to come.

The Twins already have Griffin Jax, who has been pitching at an All-Star level this season, Jhoan Durán, who is already one of the best closers in baseball, and good secondary pieces in Staumont, Okert, and Jorge Alcalá. 

Miller would instantly give the Twins the star power to be the most feared bullpen in the league, as Miller has dominated some of the league's best hitters. 

In addition, it would help protect them from any potential injury issues that could arise. Miller would cost a pretty penny at the deadline, but young talent with team control doesn't come available too often.

Héctor Neris, Chicago Cubs

As mentioned above, the Twins have a solid bullpen. However, they are young and need a player with some big-game experience. Luckily for the Twins, Neris is on a struggling Chicago Cubs team and could provide much-needed veteran experience to the Minnesota bullpen.

The 35-year-old is a World Series champion and has appeared in 15 postseason games in his career. 

The Cubs have had an up-and-down season so far and look out of the playoff race. They will probably look to move on from some of their older players. Neris currently has 14 saves, a 3.63 ERA, and a 1.5 WHIP. 

His numbers aren’t as good as Miller’s, he is 35 and currently on a 9 million dollar deal with a club option for another year, so he’s not exactly a rental, but given his age, numbers, and contract, the Twins should be able to bring him in for a reasonably cheap price.

The Twins bullpen has been a pleasant surprise this season and could be an important piece for them if they want to make a deep playoff run this year. Miller would be a big splash that could pay off big this year and into the future.

Neris wouldn’t be as exciting but could be a savvy addition by the Twins front office.

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