Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Twins Rumors

Dodgers Interested In Harrison Bader

By | at

While the Dodgers are widely expected to focus their trade deadline on pursuing high-leverage help in the bullpen, they could also stand to add another bat given the paltry production they’ve received from Michael Conforto (79 wRC+) in left field. They’ve previously been connected to Cardinals super utility man Brendan Donovan, and this morning USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that Los Angeles has interest in another outfield option: Harrison Bader of the Twins.

Bader, 31, has enjoyed his strongest offensive season in years after signing in Minnesota on a one-year deal this past offseason. He’s slashed a strong .250/.332/.435 (115 wRC+) in 92 games for the Twins this year with 12 home runs, nine stolen bases, and excellent outfield defense. The gifted defender has typically been deployed in center field throughout his career, but has primarily played left field this year in deference to Twins franchise face Byron Buxton, an elite center fielder in his own right. Andy Pages is currently patrolling center field for the Dodgers and is performing well on both offense (126 wRC+) and defense, but Bader’s elite glove could push Pages into a corner and Conforto to the bench if acquired.

The addition of Bader would help bolster a rare weak spot in the Dodgers’ daunting lineup. For all the club’s star power and overall offensive ability, its outfield is pedestrian overall. Dodgers outfielders have posted a combined wRC+ of 102 this year (12th in the majors), with 3.3 fWAR (16th in the majors). Adding Bader’s excellent glove and solid bat to the mix would go a long way to help make up for the offensive malaise key contributors like Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernandez, and more recently Freddie Freeman have found themselves in at various points in the season.

Of course, Bader is far from the only player who could theoretically be an upgrade for the Dodgers in the outfield. As previously mentioned, they’ve already been connected to Donovan. A number of other intriguing outfielders are expected to be available this summer as well, including Ramon Laureano of the Orioles, Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, and Jesus Sanchez of the Marlins. Laureano and Robert (as well as Bader himself) would be particularly strong fits given that their right-handed bats can serve as a solid complement to the lefty Conforto, although even a left-handed outfielder like Sanchez or Mike Tauchman of the White Sox would offer a boost to the club’s production on the grass.

As for Bader, the Dodgers are the first team he’s been explicitly connected to but Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reported yesterday that he’s expected to have a “solid market” this summer as the Twins dangle their rental pieces. Teams like the Phillies, Padres, and Royals are in clear need of outfield help, and perhaps even clubs like the Yankees, Reds and Blue Jays with heavily left-handed outfield options could use another right-handed complement to those existing players as well.

Yankees Pursuing Righty-Hitting Infielder, Bullpen Help

By | at

The Yankees made one of deadline season’s biggest moves so far, acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon from Colorado for a pair of pitching prospects. That addressed their most glaring need on the position player side. It nevertheless might not be their only acquisition on the dirt.

Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports that the Yankees are looking to add an infielder who can hit from the right side. Kirschner specifically adds that New York is interested in switch-hitting Twins utilityman Willi Castro. He also floats Washington’s Amed Rosario as a player whom the front office has liked.

They’re two of a number of potential options. Old friends Thairo Estrada (Rockies) and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (Pirates) are short-term pieces on bad teams. The A’s Luis Urías and Baltimore’s Ramón Urías (Luis’ older brother) should each be available. The Angels could listen on switch-hitting rentals Yoán Moncada and Luis Rengifo.

Castro is the best of that group — and consequently, the one who should draw the most interest from various teams. He entered play tonight with a .257/.346/.429 slash line with 10 homers across 319 plate appearances. Castro has been a slightly above-average hitter in three consecutive seasons. He’d be a particular boost versus left-handed pitching, against whom he’s hitting .284/.341/.519. His .246/.348/.392 slash against righties is closer to average but hardly unplayable.

Minnesota is four games below .500 and five games out of a Wild Card spot. They’re open to offers on rentals. The 28-year-old Castro is playing on a $6.4MM salary for his final arbitration season. He’s not a great defensive player at any spot, but he’s able to move between second base, third base, and the corner outfield positions. He has plenty of shortstop experience as well, though he shouldn’t be playing there regularly.

If Castro fits the superutility mold, Rosario is more of a short-side platoon bat. He hits lefties well, including a .299/.333/.483 showing this season. He makes contact against right-handed pitching but almost never walks and doesn’t hit for power off righties. Rosario was a shortstop earlier in his career but is now mostly limited to second/third base. He’s playing on a $2MM salary and is an impending free agent.

The Yanks will give the majority of playing time between second and third base to Jazz Chisholm Jr. and McMahon. They each hit from the left side. Chisholm is a career .224/.286/.354 hitter against southpaws. McMahon has a lifetime .231/.307/.378 line without the platoon advantage. Oswald Peraza is their right-handed complement for now, but he hasn’t shown he can hit MLB pitching of either handedness. He’s a superior defender to Castro and Rosario but hasn’t provided anything with the bat. Peraza is out of options, so the Yankees would need to expose him to waivers before they could send him to the minors. If they acquire a right-handed hitting infielder, that’d almost certainly squeeze him off the roster.

Kirschner adds that the Yankees — like virtually every contender — are also pursuing bullpen help. He lists Pittsburgh’s David Bednar and the Minnesota trio of Jhoan Durán, Griffin Jax and Danny Coulombe among the presumably dozens of bullpen options whom the Yanks are considering.

Durán and Jax are each questionable to move; the Twins are reportedly demanding multiple top prospects for either controllable late-game weapon. Bednar, who is playing on a $5.9MM salary and arbitration-eligible for one more season, is likely to go but would require a big return in his own right. Coulombe would come with the lowest prospect cost of that group. He’s a rental playing on a $3MM deal. Pittsburgh and Minnesota are surely getting calls from a number of teams on those pitchers (as well as the likes of Dennis Santana and Brock Stewart).

Twins Release Jair Camargo

By | at

The Twins have released catcher Jair Camargo, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Minnesota designated him for assignment a few days ago when they claimed catcher Jhonny Pereda off waivers from the Athletics.

Camargo was placed on the minor league injured list on May 25th. He posted on Instagram about a month ago that he had undergone Tommy John surgery. The return timeline from that procedure can be shorter for position players than for pitchers, but throwing is very important for catchers as well. His timeline wasn’t explicitly laid out but he could be sidelined until the middle of next season. Injured players can’t be placed on outright waivers, which is why Camargo has now been released.

Originally an international signing of the Dodgers, Camargo came to the Twins as part of the Kenta Maeda deal in February of 2020. The Twins added him to their 40-man roster in November of 2023 to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft.

He got to make his major league debut last year, in very limited fashion. He got into five games and took seven plate appearances, with no hits, one walk and three strikeouts. He has been better in the minor leagues in the past but has struggled more recently. He first made it to Triple-A in 2023 and hit .259/.323/.503 for a 97 wRC+. Since then, he has a .220/.291/.389 line and 73 wRC+. Even when he has put up good minor league numbers, he has struck out around 30% of the time. Defensively, Baseball Prospectus ranks him as a decent blocker but a subpar framer.

With Camargo having had subpar results lately and now this extended surgery rehab ahead of him, it’s understandable that the Twins bumped him off the 40-man. It’s possible they will look to re-sign him on a minor league deal but Camargo will have the chance to talk to the other 29 teams as well.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn, Imagn Images

Latest On Twins’ Controllable Pitchers

By | at

The Twins are increasingly leaning toward the sell side of things as the trade deadline looms next week. Minnesota is open to moving rental players and reportedly will at least listen to offers on some of its more appealing and controllable pitchers, though the chances of a trade appear slim. Top starter Joe Ryan and relievers Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax — all under club control through 2027 — have drawn the most attention to date. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports, however, that the asking price on Duran and Jax has been so high that some teams aren’t even spending time contemplating a real run at Ryan, whose price would be even higher. Minnesota has been seeking “at least two top-100-caliber prospects” to part with either Duran or Jax, per Passan.

[Related: Minnesota Twins Trade Deadline Outlook]

It’s a steep ask, though an understandable one. Both Duran and Jax have power arsenals and elite bat-missing ability that’s coupled with good command. Both are affordable. Duran is earning $4.125MM in his first season of arbitration eligibility. Jax is earning $2.365MM.

Since making his debut with the Twins in 2022, Duran has ranked among the game’s elite relievers. The 27-year-old sits north of 100 mph with his fastball and pairs it with an upper-90s sinker/splitter hybrid (“splinker”) that misses bats and piles up grounders. In 230 2/3 big league innings, Duran boasts a 2.46 ERA, 30.8% strikeout rate, 7.6% walk rate, 63.7% ground-ball rate and just 0.66 homers per nine innings pitched. He’s sitting on a 1.94 ERA in 46 1/3 frames this season and has 15 saves and a hold in 18 save opportunities this year.

Jax, 30, has a more pedestrian 4.09 ERA due largely to some early home runs but arguably has even more overpowering arrows in his quiver. He doesn’t sit 100 mph like his teammate but averages better than 97 mph and misses more bats. The former third-round pick has set down 36.4% of his opponents on strikes this season and walked only 6.4% of the batters he’s faced. Jax boasts a deep arsenal of six pitches but relies first and foremost on a sweeper and changeup that miss bats at elite levels. Among the 524 big league pitchers with even 10 innings pitched this season, Jax ranks fifth with a 19.4% swinging-strike rate, trailing only Josh Hader, Aroldis Chapman, Mason Miller and Fernando Cruz.

Understandably, the cost to acquire either pitcher is set at a lofty level. ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez nonetheless writes that he’s gotten the sense Minnesota will move at least one of the two. Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that the two relievers have been heavily scouted by contending clubs in all of their most recent appearances.

As for Ryan, it’d presumably take an even larger offer for the Twins to consider parting with him. The 29-year-old All-Star has been one of the best pitchers in the league this season, working to a 2.63 ERA with a 29.2% strikeout rate and 5.1% walk rate in 116 1/3 innings. He’s been consistent along the way, holding opponents to two or fewer runs in 15 of 19 starts and averaging better than six innings per start. Ryan is earning just $3MM this season and is owed two more raises in arbitration over the next two offseasons.

An alternative for teams inquiring with the Twins about their bullpen would be 33-year-old Brock Stewart, who’s also controlled through the 2027 season. Stewart has a lengthy injury history but has been excellent since signing a minor league deal with the Twins a few years ago. Injuries have interrupted each of his three seasons with Minnesota, but Stewart has a sparkling 2.38 ERA with a 31.9% strikeout rate and 9.7% walk rate in 75 2/3 innings dating back to 2023. He’s averaging 96 mph on both his four-seamer and sinker this season and is earning just $870K. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently listed Stewart among his nine under-the-radar bullpen targets for contending clubs.

Draft Signings: Schoolcraft, Watson, Russell, Quick, Flemming, Root

By | at

There were a handful of draftees who signed for between $2MM and $4MM on Wednesday. All signings were first reported by Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline. View pre-draft scouting reports from Baseball America, FanGraphs, MLB Pipeline, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN and Keith Law of The Athletic.

  • The Padres reached agreement with first-rounder Kruz Schoolcraft on a $3.6066MM bonus that matches the slot value for the #25 overall pick. A 6’8″ left-handed prep pitcher from Oregon, Schoolcraft was committed to Tennessee. Evaluators credit him with a potential plus changeup and the ability to run his fastball into the upper 90s on occasion, though his velocity varies between starts. Schoolcraft was a two-way player in high school and would have been a legitimate prospect as a first baseman, but scouts agree that he has greater upside on the mound. He placed between 19th and 41st on the linked pre-draft rankings.
  • The Reds went well above slot with a $2.75MM bonus for second-round pick Aaron Watson. The 51st overall selection comes with a slot value around $1.89MM. Watson is a 6’5″ prep right-hander who had been committed to Florida. He sits in the low-90s at present and has advanced command and feel for manipulating a potential above-average slider. The Reds saved a bit of money by going below slot for first-rounder Steele Hall, allowing them to reallocate some money to Watson.
  • The Rangers have a $2.6MM agreement with second-rounder A.J. Russell against an approximate $1.85MM slot value. A University of Tennessee product, he’s a 6’6″ righty who missed parts of the 2024-25 seasons recovering from elbow surgery. Russell had dominated as a reliever during his freshman year but only managed 70 innings in his college career. Evaluators suggest he has a potential mid-rotation ceiling, but he’ll face questions about his ability to stick as a starter until he builds more of a track record.
  • The Twins signed supplemental first-rounder Riley Quick for $2.692MM, matching the 36th selection’s slot value.  Quick is a 6’6″ righty from the University of Alabama with a power arsenal but a limited college track record because of Tommy John surgery.
  • The A’s signed second-round pick Devin Taylor. He’s an Indiana University product who hit .374/.494/.706 with 18 homers and 52 walks against 30 strikeouts in his draft year. The lefty-hitting Taylor is viewed as one of the best offensive players in the college class but projects as below-average left fielder who might be limited to designated hitter.
  • The Rays have an overslot deal with second-round pick Cooper Flemming. The California high school infielder receives a $2.2975MM bonus that comes in above the $1.8MM slot value. A left-handed hitter who was committed to Vanderbilt, Flemming ranked around 50th on Law’s and McDaniel’s boards but placed as low as 102nd at Baseball America. He projects to third base and has a well-rounded skillset with advanced hitting ability but doesn’t project for many plus tools.
  • The Dodgers signed 40th overall selection Zachary Root for $2.2MM, a little below the $2.43MM slot. They signed 41st selection Charles Davalan for exactly $2MM, also below slot. Root, a 6’1″ lefty from Arkansas, is viewed as a likely back-end starter on the strength of his secondary stuff. He posted a 3.62 ERA with 126 strikeouts in 19 starts this past season. Davalan was Root’s teammate with the Hogs. He hit .346 with 14 homers in his junior season. A short left-handed hitter, Davalan has plus contact skills with some bat speed and could project as an above-average defensive left fielder.

Note: This post initially called Taylor a Minnesota draft pick. MLBTR apologizes for the error.

Twins Sign First-Round Pick Marek Houston

By | at

The Twins have signed shortstop Marek Houston, reports Jim Callis of MLB.com. Houston was just selected with the 16th overall pick in last week’s draft. His $4,497,500 signing bonus is below the $4,929,600 slot value for that pick.

Houston, 21, spent the past three years playing for Wake Forest. Pre-draft rankings from MLB Pipeline, Baseball America, ESPN, FanGraphs and The Athletic’s Keith Law all put Houston in the 14-26 range of the class.

All outlets heap praise upon his defense. The larger question seems to be what he can do with the bat, where his contact is better than his power. He has shown some progress in the latter category, as his home run total went from four to eight and then 15 in his three seasons with the Demon Deacons. However, even that jump in power may need an asterisk. “The power is kind of an illusion, as Wake Forest plays in a shoebox, and 11 of Houston’s 15 homers this year came at home,” Law writes, “mostly wall-scrapers that would be doubles or outs in a typical ballpark.”

The Twins have Carlos Correa at shortstop now, with plenty of other guys capable of manning the position on the big league roster. As is the case with many clubs, there are a few notable shortstop prospects in the system who could factor into the future plans. Houston seems like a lock to stay at the position based on his defense, though he may get moved into a utility role if he doesn’t hit enough to be a regular.

Photo courtesy of Saul Young, Imagn Images

Poll: Who’s The Best Rental Reliever Available?

By | at

Virtually every contender is on the lookout for bullpen help at the deadline, and this summer should be no exception. The Dodgers, Tigers, Phillies, Yankees, Cubs, and Mets have all been connected to the relief market already this summer, and plenty of other clubs will surely be searching for upgrades to their relief corps as well. An unusual quirk of this summer’s trade market, however, is that the majority of the most frequently discussed names are elite arms controllable beyond the 2025 season. Jhoan Duran, Emmanuel Clase, Mason Miller, David Bednar, and Pete Fairbanks are just a handful of the high-end relievers with multiple years of team control who have found themselves in the rumor mill this July.

Many of those big names likely won’t be moved, however, and the ones that do get traded are likely to come with hefty price tags. For teams with less prospect capital to spend or other areas they’ll need to balance upgrading, perhaps adding rental relief help at a lower price could be a more attractive path to take. Who’s the most interesting pending free agent available to help a contender’s bullpen this summer? A look at some of the options:

Danny Coulombe

Coulombe, 35, has long been one of the better left-handed setup men in the game when healthy. With that being said, for the majority of his career the southpaw has carried a hefty platoon split. He’s a career 2.13 ERA arm against same-handed pitching, but righties have managed to post a 4.14 figure against him over the years. That has limited Coulombe’s abilities as a shutdown set-up man over the years, but he’s changed that narrative with the Twins this year. Not only has he posted a microscopic 0.63 ERA in 28 2/3 innings of work, he’s done so with a 1.23 ERA and a 1.93 FIP against right-handed hitters. Those utterly dominant numbers would be welcome in any contender’s bullpen, though Coulombe’s shaky track record against opposite-handed batters and his small sample of work this year could make him less attractive than his rate numbers would otherwise imply.

Ryan Helsley

Helsley was one of the most talked about trade candidates in baseball for much of last offseason, though the Cardinals ultimately opted to hold onto him. Now that the club appears to be signalling that a sell-off could be in the cards this summer, however, Helsley appears more likely to be moved than ever before. The only problem is that he’s currently in the midst of by far his weakest season since his breakout All-Star campaign in 2022. While he posted a sterling 1.83 ERA, 2.35 FIP, and 34.6% strikeout rate across his last three seasons, Helsley’s 2025 hasn’t been nearly that special. His 3.18 ERA in 34 innings of work is still 32% better than league average, but a 3.77 FIP is downright pedestrian thanks in large part to a massive drop in strikeout rate. He’s punching out just 24.8% of his opponents this year, all while walking 9.4% of batters faced. The 30-year-old still offers premium velocity and is clearly an above-average arm with plenty of closing experience, but he’s not quite the slam-dunk superstar he would’ve been this time last year.

Raisel Iglesias

Iglesias isn’t having an amazing season on the whole but is in a strong groove at the moment. He has a 5.12 ERA on the season but most of the damage came earlier in the year. From June 9th until July 18th, he tossed 13 2/3 scoreless innings with a 37.5% strikeout rate and 2.1% walk rate. His most recent outing was a four-run clunker, but that still leaves him with a 2.45 ERA over his past 14 2/3 innings. Though it’s not his best year, he has 235 saves and a 2.99 ERA in his decade-plus career, so he’ll certainly garner interest.

Kenley Jansen

In the midst of his 16th big league season, the 37-year-old Jansen has begun to show his age with declining peripherals (4.24 FIP, 4.43 xFIP) but has generally remained as effective as ever at closing out games when looking at pure results. His 3.28 ERA across 35 2/3 innings of work has been enough to allow him to convert 17 of his 18 save chances, and virtually all of the damage he’s allowed this year was part of a six-run, two-out blow-up back on May 2. He had made eight appearances without surrendering a run prior to that outing, and since then he’s posted a 2.33 ERA and 3.02 FIP across 27 innings of work. It’s hardly reasonable to ignore that meltdown earlier this season entirely, but given Jansen’s Hall of Fame caliber track record and strong performance in every other outing this season, it’s not hard to imagine contending clubs believing he’ll be more valuable than his season-long peripherals might otherwise suggest.

Steven Matz

The 34-year-old Matz stands out from the rest of the rental relief crowd as a hurler with plenty of starting experience who was used as a multi-inning reliever and spot starter as recently as earlier this season. His 3.29 ERA and 2.90 FIP across 52 innings of work this year are certainly impressive on paper, but a closer look at his numbers reveals some reason for pause. Since the start of May, Matz has been used exclusively in short relief and hasn’t exactly taken to the role change well with a 4.82 ERA and 3.73 FIP in 28 innings of work over his last 20 appearances. Perhaps an interested club would look at that improved peripheral and see potential, but it should be noted that Matz carries a massive platoon split this year; while lefties have been held to a .182/.222/.234 against him this year, righties have slashed a much more robust .290/.321/.435. That’s not exactly what you want from a late-inning reliever, but Matz could still provide unique value to clubs as a dominant hurler against lefties who could be stretched out for longer appearances as needed.

Other Options

The aforementioned five names are hardly the only options worth considering. Caleb Ferguson of the Pirates, Seranthony Dominguez of the Orioles, and Jakob Junis of the Guardians are among a number of set-up men in the midst of solid seasons, though none have numbers or track records quite as impressive as the group listed above. Kyle Finnegan of the Nationals has a long track record of success in the ninth inning but didn’t get much interest in free agency this winter and he now has a 4.62 ERA this year. Diamondbacks closer Shelby Miller would have a strong argument as one of the top options on this list if not for a forearm strain suffered early this month that could require surgery, though a return later this year has not yet been ruled out.

Who do MLBTR readers view as the best rental reliever available this summer? Should teams prioritize the strong track records of Helsley, Iglesias and Jansen, or the recent excellence of Coulombe? Or perhaps Matz’s flexibility to be used in multiple roles makes him most attractive of all? Have your say in the poll below:

MLBTR Podcast: David Robertson, Trade Chips For The O’s and A’s, And What The Rangers Could Do

By | at

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • What about a Duran Duran trade? Jarren Duran of the Red Sox for Jhoan Durán of the Twins? (29:55)
  • Should the Angels be buying? (37:30)
  • If the Cardinals are sellers, who should be untouchable? (44:50)

Check out our past episodes!

  • Rays’ Ownership, The Phillies Target Bullpen Help, And Bubble Teams – listen here
  • Firings in Washington, Bad Braves, And An AL East Shake-Up – listen here
  • Depleted Mets’ Pitching, The Pirates Are Open For Business, And More! – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron, Imagn Images

Twins Claim Jhonny Pereda, Designate Jair Camargo For Assignment

By | at

The Twins have claimed catcher Jhonny Pereda off waivers from the Athletics, per an announcement from the latter club, who designated him for assignment a few days ago. Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports that the Twins have optioned Pereda to Triple-A St. Paul and designated catcher Jair Camargo for assignment as the corresponding move.

Pereda, 29, has a major league track record which is both small and unimpressive. In 39 games with the Marlins and A’s, he has stepped to the plate 86 times and slashed .203/.267/.228. The Marlins designated him for assignment in the offseason and flipped him to the A’s for cash.

His minor league work is greater in both quantity and quality. From 2022 to the present, he has stepped to the plate 811 times at the Triple-A level. In those plate appearances, his 19.1% strikeout rate and 13.3% walk rate are both solid figures. His combined .302/.394/.427 batting line in that span leads to a 118 wRC, indicating he’s been 18% above league average. Defensively, Baseball Prospectus has ranked him as an above-average framer during his Triple-A time, though with his blocking a bit below par.

Camargo, 26, has a somewhat similar big league profile. He has only appeared in five big league games with seven plate appearances, leading to a .000/.143/.000 line. However, his minor league work hasn’t been as strong. Dating back to 2023, the first year Camargo reached Triple-A, he has a combined .237/.305/.439 batting line and 83 wRC+. That includes a rough .212/.258/.319 line here in 2025. He has been punched out in 32% of his plate appearances since the start of 2023 while only drawing walks at a 7.7% rate. BP ranks him as a decent blocker but a subpar framer.

Both players can be optioned for the remainder of this year and one additional season. It seems the Twins view Pereda as a better depth catcher, so they have dropped one backstop onto the roster and knocked out the other. At the big league level, they have Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vázquez. The latter is an impending free agent and theoretical trade candidate. Jeffers is only under club control through 2026. If Pereda performs well with his new organization, there’s a path to more big league playing time for him.

Camargo heads to DFA limbo, which can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Twins could take five days to see if there’s any trade interest. If he were to pass through outright waivers unclaimed, he would not have the right to elect free agency, as he doesn’t have a previous career outright nor three years of big league service time.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Sun, Imagn Images

Twins More Seriously Listening To Offers On Rental Players

By | at

The Twins have stumbled out of the gate with a 1-3 record in the second half and are beginning to more seriously weigh trades of their short-term players, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Utilityman Willi Castro, outfielder Harrison Bader and left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe are the team’s three most appealing free agents, but the Twins also have righty Chris Paddack, first baseman Ty France and backup catcher Christian Vazquez set to hit the market at season’s end.

[Related: Minnesota Twins Trade Deadline Outlook]

Of course, more of the focus for contending clubs will be on Minnesota’s more controllable and higher-profile talents. Top starter Joe Ryan and high-leverage relievers Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax will draw widespread interest. Heyman notes that Twins brass won’t turn interested clubs away without hearing them out, but the they would understandably need to be bowled over to consider moving anyone from that group. All three pitchers are controlled for two additional seasons beyond the current campaign.

Among the rental players, Castro fits the broadest number of teams, given his versatility. The 28-year-old switch-hitter is enjoying a nice season at the plate, hitting .258/.350/.435 with 10 homers, 14 doubles, two triples, eight steals (ten attempts) and a career-best 10% walk rate. He’s been productive from both sides of the dish, has above-average speed (74th percentile, per Statcast) and is capable of playing second base, shortstop, third base and the outfield (although defensive metrics have panned his work at shortstop and in center). Castro is earning $6.4MM, making him affordable for virtually any contender.

Bader’s defensive excellence and bounceback year at the plate ought to garner plenty of interest as well. He’s hitting .249/.330/.438 as Minnesota’s primary left fielder, but he’s only in left because of Byron Buxton’s presence in center. Bader still grades out brilliantly at any outfield slot, and while he’s typically showed notable platoon splits, he’s posted nearly identical numbers against righties and lefties alike in 2025. By measure of wRC+, Bader has been 15% better than average at the plate. He’s sporting his highest walk rate in a 162-game season since 2019 and hitting for more power than he has since 2021 (12 home runs, 11 doubles, .189 ISO in 282 plate appearances). He’s on a one-year, $6.25MM contract with a mutual option that obviously won’t be exercised by both parties.

Coulombe has been quietly terrific. He missed three weeks earlier in the season with a forearm strain but has shown no ill effects. His 0.65 ERA in 27 2/3 frames is the best in baseball among the 433 pitchers who’ve tossed at least 20 innings, and Coulombe has fanned 26.9% of his opponents against a 6.5% walk rate. He doesn’t throw hard (90.2 mph average fastball) and isn’t going to make it the whole season without surrendering a home run — he’s currently yet to do so — but there aren’t many better left-handed options on the market. He’s playing on a one-year, $3MM contract.

The rest of the Twins’ rental options have some track record but are in the midst of poor seasons. Paddack still has good command, but he’s sitting on a 5.14 ERA and career-worst 16.4% strikeout rate. He had a nice run from mid-April to mid-June, but Paddack has never really held up for a whole season under a starter’s workload and has been hit hard since mid-June. He looked impressive in relief when he came back from Tommy John surgery in 2023 and is making a relatively affordable $7.5MM this season, so perhaps a club might roll the dice on him as a bullpen option. Otherwise, his appeal as a fifth starter is fairly limited.

France had a nice start but has seen his role decrease and is now mired in an awful 5-for-41 slump that’s dropped his previously solid batting line to .245/.309/.348. He’s not striking out and has played a strong first base, but he’s a bat-first player who’s in his third straight down year at the plate. France’s $1MM salary is low enough that another club could well roll the dice on adding him to its bench, but he’s not going to net the Twins anything of substance in a trade.

The 34-year-old Vazquez is in the final season of a three-year, $30MM contract that hasn’t gone as hoped. He was always signed to be a glove-first catcher and remains a plus defender, but his once-passable offense has cratered and he’s been thoroughly outplayed by Ryan Jeffers, who has long since claimed the starting role in Minnesota. Vazquez’s .182/.249/.260 batting line in 159 plate appearances is among the least-productive in baseball. He’s still such a good defender that another club might take him on if the Twins ate most of the money he’s owed, but like France and Paddack, he’s not going to net a prospect of any real note.

There are other players the Twins could conceivably market. Right-handed reliever Justin Topa has pitched decently on a $1MM salary and has a cheap $2MM club option for the 2026 season. The aforementioned Jeffers is in his penultimate season of club control, but the Twins lack an heir apparent in the upper minors and starting catchers rarely change teams midseason. Trevor Larnach has been a roughly league-average bat at DH and in the outfield corners and is controlled two more seasons beyond the current one. Righty Brock Stewart has been excellent since the Twins signed him to a minor league deal a couple years back (2.44 ERA, 32.6 K% in 73 2/3 innings since 2022), but he’s frequently been injured. He’s being paid $870K and has two seasons of club control remaining. He could be a nice bullpen piece in future Twins seasons, but if a team is willing to make a decent offer, there could be some temptation to sell high as well.

One player clearly not going anywhere is Buxton. The 2025 All-Star is signed for three more seasons, has a full no-trade clause, and during last week’s All-Star break called himself a “Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life.”

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top