Revisiting the Minnesota Twins nightmare trade deadline back in 2022

The trade deadline is fast approaching, and everyone is getting excited to see who the Twins might add to the roster for the playoff push.

The Twins have had good moments during past trade deadlines, but have also made some complete and utterly catastrophic moves.

In 2022, the Twins sat at 54-49 at the time of the trade deadline and had a slim lead over the Cleveland Guardians. They made a few trades addressing both the bullpen and starter positions. Now, just a couple of years removed, these trades should serve as a good reminder that buying at the deadline doesn’t always work out.

Tyler Mahle 

The Twins were looking to add to their starting pitching depth as they geared up for what looked like a playoff push. They found a trade partner in the Cincinnati Reds, acquiring Mahle, a starter with two years of team control.

The Twins gave up top prospects Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Steven Hajjar.

Mahle appeared in only four games for Minnesota in 2022 and posted a 4.41 ERA. In 2023, he pitched in only five games due to injury and posted a 3.16 ERA. Mahle is no longer with the Minnesota Twins.

For the Reds, Steer was in the Rookie of the Year conversation in 2023. He posted an impressive .271 batting average with 23 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. So far, in 2024, Steer has a .236 batting average with 15 home runs and 61 RBIs.

Encarnacion-Strand also produced for the Reds last season, hitting .270, 13 home runs, and 37 RBIs in just 63 games. In 2024, the 24-year-old struggled a bit, only hitting .190 before getting injured. As for Hajjar, he was later traded and currently is in the minors with the Guardians.

Grade: F

Jorge López

López had been a journeyman in the majors, but in 2022 he caught lightning in a bottle. He became an All-Star and dominated with the Baltimore Orioles. He had a 1.68 ERA and 54 strikeouts before being traded to the Twins at the deadline. At the time, this looked like a huge deal for the Twins who needed stability in the bullpen. 

The Twins completed the trade by trading three prospects and a struggling bullpen pitcher. Cade Povich, the most notable prospect, is currently in Triple-A for the Orioles and ranks in the top 10 in their farm system.

In addition to Povich, that once struggling reliever, Yennier Cano, figured it out in Baltimore. Cano was an All-Star in 2023 and has carried that success into 2024, posting a 2.75 ERA.

The same can’t be said for López, who lost the magic he had found with the Orioles. Once he got to Minnesota, he only produced four saves and had a 4.37 ERA. In 2023 the struggles continued, and he is no longer on the roster.

Grade: F

Michael Fulmer 

The final piece the Twins added was within the division, dealing with the Detroit Tigers and picking up Fulmer for prospect Sawyer Gipson-Long. Fulmer was undoubtedly the most productive out of the Twins 2022 additions, and sort of gets lost in the conversation about just how awful the Lopez and Mahle trades were.

He was solid for the Twins but was unable to move the needle. In a bullpen role, Fulmer tossed his way to a record of 2-2 with a 3.70 ERA. 

Gipson-Long showed promise toward the end of last season, getting four starts for the Tigers. He went 1-0 in those starts with a 2.70 ERA and picked up 26 strikeouts in 20 innings. He is currently injured for the Tigers and has yet to pitch in the majors in 2024.

Grade: D

The 2022 trade deadline will go down as one of the worst in Twins history. They sat in first place at the deadline and finished in third at the end of the year. 

In addition to the team falling out of playoff contention, the players given up by the Twins turned out to be excellent pieces for their trade partners, while the additions made by the Twins are no longer with the organization.

The Twins should look back on 2022 as an important lesson on what not to do at the deadline, and fans should proceed with caution no matter who the Twins might add next week.

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