After completing a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul, Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers returned to Minnesota's clubhouse before Thursday's 5-2 loss against the Cleveland Guardians at Target Field, according to Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com. During his rehab assignment, Jeffers went 6-for-16 with two home runs, one double, two walks and two RBI.
The Twins didn't activate Jeffers for Thursday's game, but it appears they will for Friday's matchup with the Los Angeles Angels at Target Field. Following Thursday's loss, the Twins optioned outfielder Kyler Fedko to Triple-A St. Paul (according to their MLB.com transaction log), presumably to clear a roster spot for Jeffers. Fedko, a 26-year-old rookie, went hitless in 16 at-bats with Minnesota.
Jeffers, who has been out since mid-May with a broken left hamate bone, has slashed a remarkable .295/.408/.541 (165 wRC+) with seven home runs and 26 RBI over 37 games this season.
Should the Twins trade or keep Ryan Jeffers?
The Twins catcher is viewed by many as one of the top trade candidates ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline. Jeffers is set to be a free agent at the end of the year, so there's a good chance Minnesota will want to trade him before he hits the open market. The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays are both contending teams that reportedly want to acquire a catcher at the deadline(per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal), and Jeffers appears to be the top backstop on the market if he is made available.
However, the Twins are just one game behind the Seattle Mariners for the third American League Wild Card spot and two games behind the Chicago White Sox and Guardians for first place in the American League Central. Minnesota may have a losing record (46-48) and a -17 run differential, but with how weak the AL is this season, the team appears to have a legitimate chance to reach the postseason.
Therefore, it may be in Minnesota's best interest to keep Jeffers for the rest of the year. Obviously, if the team falls out of contention within the next few weeks, dealing him would make sense. But if the team sticks around in the playoff race, holding onto Jeffers and other trade candidates such as Joe Ryan and Josh Bell while adding bullpen help could be enough for the Twins to sneak into the playoffs. Also, the Twins could still get value out of Jeffers by extending him the qualifying offer, which would allow the team to receive a compensatory pick in the 2027 MLB Draft if he signs with another team.
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