There are a few things the Minnesota Twins need to do this offseason, but perhaps nothing is more important than properly replenishing pitching.
For the first time in what feels like forever, the Twins counted pitching as a strength last season. Pablo Lopez pitched the team to its first postseason win since 2004 and Sonny Gray finished as the Cy Young runner-up.
Gray parlayed his season into a three-year, $75 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals in free agency. The biggest task of the winter is finding a way to replace Gray, which is easier said than done but also not as daunting as it seems. There are more than a few options out there the Twins can pursue, but the longer they sit things out the less likely it is that those options will remain open.
One of the top names kicked around is Tyler Glasnow, and while he hasn't been widely connected to the Twins he's someone who fits the bill as a replacement in the rotation for Gray.
Minneota isn't the only team looking for pitching, and are hardly the only ones trying to find it in the trade market. Gray already got a massive deal, as did Aaron Nola, and guys like Blake Snell and Marcus Stroman won't come cheap.
It's created a traffic jam in the trade market, one that might prevent the Twins from reaching a destination it likes.
Twins Rumors: Latest Tyler Glasnow update is bad news for Minnesota
According to MLB insider Jon Morosi, the Twins don't appear to be in the final mix for a Tyler Glasnow trade. It feels like they should be, though, as the Cubs are joined by the Reds as the two expected finalists.
The Cubs and Reds are among teams in talks with the Rays about Tyler Glasnow.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 5, 2023
A Glasnow trade could happen soon after Ohtani's decision. @MLBNetwork @MLB
If the Reds are in on Glasnow, there's no reason the Twins shouldn't be involved near the top. We've heard how Minnesota is going to use its positional depth to try and find a 'front-end' starter, and Glasnow fits the bill in more than a few ways.
He didn't finish with as many innings as Gray, but posted a 1.083 WHIP alongside a 2.91 FIP and 2.0 WAR. He's a dominating force on the mound, and someone who would create a nasty two-headed moster with Pablo at the front of the rotation.
All of this and more is why he's in demand, but the Reds are pretty far behind the Twins in terms of being ready to contend for a World Series. Minnesota also has a fantastic farm system that at the very least matches what Cincinnati could offer in terms of prospects for Glasnow.
We'll see how things end up playing out, but it's a little bit of a bummer to see the Twins talk a bug game about acquiring pitching and then get boxed out by the Reds on the first attempt.