When the Minnesota Twins acquired right-handed starting pitcher Dean Kremer from the Baltimore Orioles, it seemed like an underwhelming deal for the Twins. Sure, it addressed a need for Minnesota, but Kremer isn't a highly regarded starter like others dealt at the deadline, such as Kevin Gausman and Casey Mize. The Twins were never going to get a pitcher like Tarik Skubal, but it would've been nice if they acquired a top-of-the-rotation arm.
But now that the Twins are very unlikely to make the playoffs, fans should be happy the Twins acquired Kremer, who is under team control through next season, rather than a rental like Gausman or Mize. And while Kremer has had a few rough starts for Minnesota, the deal already looks like a steal for the Twins.
Since joining the Twins, Kremer has posted a poor 4.79 ERA in 35 2/3 innings across seven starts. However, his 3.99 FIP suggests he's pitched better than his ERA. The right-hander has recorded a 1.23 WHIP with 31 strikeouts and 14 walks with the Twins so far.
Kremer has had a few rough starts with Minnesota, allowing four runs in two of them and five in another. But he's been outstanding in his other four starts with his new team, surrendering two runs or fewer in each. He's coming off a strong start against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Tuesday, in which he allowed two earned runs on five hits and a walk over five innings en route to earning the win.
Kremer doesn't appear to be an ace by any means, but it looks like he can be a solid back-end rotation arm for Minnesota in 2027. The Twins have found out just how important starting pitching depth is this year after suffering injuries to Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Mick Abel and Taj Bradley. The Twins should feel great about having a veteran arm like Kremer heading into next season.
Checking in on former Twins prospect from Dean Kremer trade with Orioles
Another reason the trade looks like a steal for Minnesota is that the club only surrendered an 18-year-old outfield prospect, Jhomnardo Reyes, to acquire Kremer from Baltimore. MLB Pipeline projects Reyes won't reach the majors until 2030. He is the Orioles' No. 24 overall prospect.
Reyes has struggled since joining the Orioles organization, slashing just .217/.325/.245 with 29 strikeouts in 106 at-bats across 28 games with the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds. Not that a small sample size in Single-A indicates that Reyes won't pan out, but it shows that he isn't anywhere near ready for the major leagues. Giving up a young lottery-ticket prospect for a veteran starter with more than a year of control was a smart move by Minnesota.
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