Twins Rumors: Best remaining relievers Minnesota can trade for

If the Minnesota Twins are looking to upgrade one specific area at the MLB Trade Deadline, it's in the bullpen.

A unit that wishful thinking didn't make better -- to the surprise of absolutely nobody outside of the front office -- appears to be in the need of an upgrade. Even the electric Jhoan Duran is going through a rough patch, and the bullpen has been on the wrong end of blown leads far too many times this season.

Given how anemic the offense has been, the Twins upgrading the bullpen almost feels like a necessity if the team wants to be at all serious about contending in the postseason.

Twins Rumors: Best remaining relievers on trade market for Minnesota

Note: Players who are traded will remain on this list, but with information about the trade they were involved with.

• 0.90 ERA
• 2.0 WAR
• 42 appearances
• 0-1 record

This one almost goes without saying, but if the Twins are going to trade for a bullpen help then they have to consider a deal for Hader. He's the best relief arm on the market, and would instantly give Minnesota an upgrade it badly needs in late inning situations.

We'll assume that Jhoan Duran is going to stabilize after a rough stretch out of the All-Star Break, and having both him and Hader is a sure-fire way to not only hang onto slim leads from the offense but would be a dynamic duo in the postseason.

Chances of a trade: Low-ish

• 1.27 ERA
• 2.1 WAR
• 41 appearances
• 0-1 record

Among all of the relievers who have been linked to the Twins in various lists, it took a while for David Bednar to find his way onto one. It highlights how underrated he is on the relief market, but he's a guy who might end up becoming a top target as the deadline nears.

Minnesota should absolutely be in on a trade for him, not only because of what he brings to the bullpen this season.

Bednar has an ERA under 2.00 heading into the 11th hour of the trade deadline, allowing only six earned runs in over 40 innings of work. It's not a surprise that he ended up on the NL All-Star team this year, and he's just two seasons removed from finishing eighth in Rookie of the Year voting.

Not for nothing, but his All-Star selection this year is already the second time he's received the honor, pulling off the feat in back-to-back seasons.

Of course, there's lingering PTSD from what happened at last year's deadline when the Twins went all-in on an All-Star reliever only to have the whole thing blow up in their face. Jorge Lopez was traded for pennies on the dollar less than a year after Minnesota traded three prospects -- including All-Star pitcher Yennier Cano -- which is something that no doubt will dictate the front office's approach.

Bednar offers more than being just a half-season rental in the bullpen. He's under club control through 2026, which means the Twins would be able to slot him into their bullpen plans for the next handful of years. That sort of team control isn't going to come cheap, though, which is why trading for Bednar might breach a line the front office doesn't want to cross when it comes to what price to pay.

Chances of a trade: Medium-Low

• 2.37 ERA
• 1.3 WAR
• 46 appearances
• 0-1 record

We've reached the first truly realistic candidate the Twins might trade for to bolster the bullpen. It's not that Hader or Bednar are impossible options, but there's a pretty sizable reality gap between those two and guys like Brooks Raley.

That's not a knock on Raley, more a reflection of the price Minnesota would have to pay to land him before the deadline.

Raley isn't a name that jumps out, but he's been able to manage situations in late innings when he takes the mound. He boasts a 1.3 WAR, a 1.243 WHIP, and an impressive 4.5 RE24, which rates how effective a pitcher is in saving runs given a bases-occupied situation.

Aaron Gleeman mused over at The Athletic that Raley might only be an option for the Twins if they're worried that Caleb Thielbar won't be healthy enough to make a meaningful impact down the stretch.

While it's not the exact same situation as Bednar, the fact that Raley has a $6.5 million team option for 2024 certainly doesn't hurt when it comes to thinking of how he could impact the team beyond just the second half of the year.

Chances of a trade: Medium-High

• 5.35 ERA
• -0.4 WAR
• 38 appearances
• 2-4 record

Barlow feels like a Twins reliever right now, which isn't necessarily a comliment.

That being said, he was at one point boasting a 3.35 ERA with 344 strikeouts and has shown the ablity to be a guy who can be relied on.

What could end up holding this deal up is the divisional premium the Royals would ask Minnesota to pay. Given how Barlow has trended the wrong direction after the All-Star Break, it might be too much to pay even if he's under team control through 2024.

Chances of a trade: Low

Update: The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired Paul Sewald.

• 2.93 ERA
• 0.8 WAR
• 45 appearances
• 3-1 record

Here's another guy who is under team control through next season, which naturally sweetens the pot in terms of what the Twins might feel comfortable giving up to get him. Sewald is a veteran option who has posted a respectable ERA this year and an opponent batting average of just .168 over the last three seasons.

It's hard to see anyone complaining about adding that to the Twins bullpen.

The issue might be that year of team control, which would likely mean a bit of a premium price to land Sewald. Would the Twins be willing to part with a younger prospect in order to land a 30-year-old reliever who might not factor into the long-term future?

He does checks a lot of boxes though, so a trade would make sense.

Chances of a trade: Medium

• 1.93 ERA
• 1.3 WAR
• 29 appearances
• 3-1 record

Chances of a trade: Low

Earlier this spring the Twins had a chance to sign Matt Moore while looking for some bullpen help. They elected to not make any veteran signings, which created a Thanos moment for Minnesota.

All of the convincing themselves that the bullpen would be fine in the spring merely led the Twins front office back to needing to find help.

Moore was a great option then and remains so as the deadline nears. He's been incredible for Los Angeles this season, with an ERA under .200 and a 1.3 WAR in just 29 appearances. He's come a long way from his days as a starter, but he's settled into a great relief role for the Angels and would be a huge upgrade for the Twins bullpen.

The only question is whether the Angels would be willing to trade him. After pulling Shohei Ohtani off the trade block, Los Angeles has been aggressive in adding pieces to try and contend in the American League, which begs the question of whether trading Moore makes sense anymore.