One (or maybe two) of their relievers
The Twins have had a good bullpen this year, but as all baseball fans know you can never have too many arms back there. The Blue Jays have some arms that could bolster the pen which is even more crucial with the starting rotation questions that have been magnified in recent weeks.
Chad Green is the best option here, a guy who has proven he can pitch on the biggest stage in New York and is having a good season for Toronto. During his Yankees prime, he was utilized as a multi-inning reliever, an opener, a set-up man, and an “any inning” fire-extinguisher. He can fill pretty much any role the Twins might need and has the versatility and experience to thrive.
Green has been fantastic this year pitching to a 1.88 ERA. He’s due to make $10.5 million next year on a club option the Blue Jays have already picked up, which could mean they plan to hold onto him. If willing to deal, he’s a guy that has flown under the radar and wouldn’t be an immense contract to take on next year like Gausman or Bassit’s might be.
Here's a potential wild card option: Nate Pearson.
We’ve heard about Pearson for years since he was a mega prospect starter known for throwing gas. Those days are over and he’s been moved to the pen since (although he still throws gas) where he’s had mixed results. This year it has not been pretty, as he’s pitched to a 5.54 ERA in 39 games.
However, he oozes velocity and there’s a world where he could turn into a dominant late-inning reliever. It may not be likely at this point and it could easily blow up in the Twins face, but if it works, the team could be set up for the playoffs with a mega bullpen consisting of Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Brock Stewart, Jorge Alcala, Pearson (and Chad Green maybe?).
It’s heavily right-handed but we’re hoping Caleb Thielbar can’t figure things out and make a really impressive bullpen. I’m probably dreaming too big but it could make the Twins legitimately dangerous playoff contenders, with quite possibly the best bullpen in baseball, without breaking the bank.
Honorable Mention: Justin Turner
This one is kind of a “how much do you believe in Carlos Santana” question. Santana has actually been pretty solid, hitting .241 with 14 home runs and a 112 OPS+ compared to Turner’s .228, five, and 91. The upside with Santana is that his first base defense grades out well, helping him accumulate his 1.4 WAR thus far.
All of this points to Santana being a better option down the, but if you don’t believe it will last and would rather take a chance on Turner’s postseason experience, the Twins could look to pick him up at a low cost.
Realistically, he can’t be any worse than Kyle Farmer and if it doesn’t work out it wouldn’t be that difficult to cut bait.
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