Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Trading Nelson Cruz is a start, but the Minnesota Twins should trade these five players to complete their deadline fire sale.
There may be no more disappointing team in baseball this year than the Minnesota Twins. Expectations for a run at a third straight AL Central title have dissolved into a 41-56 record and being 17.5 games back of the Chicago White Sox entering Friday.
The Twins are a clear trade deadline seller, even if they may be hesitant to be one under the idea they can be competitive again in 2022. Thursday brought a start to a sell-off though, as Nelson Cruz is on his way to the Tampa Bay Rays. But Derek Falvey and Thad Levine should not be done, if the right opportunities are out there.
Even if the Twins don’t want to trade anyone who has contract term left beyond this season, they have players contenders should be interested in. Virtually no one should be off-limits, regardless of time left on contract, looming extensions, etc., but deals have to be right too.
Here are five players the Twins should trade to complete their fire sale.
5 more players the Minnesota Twins should trade before the deadline.
5.
Kenta Maeda
SP, Twins
After finishing as AL Cy Young runner-up in 2020, Maeda has had a fairly rough 2021 campaign (4.63 ERA over 16 starts-79.2 innings). But he has pitched well of late, with a 2.35 ERA, 31 strikeouts and just four walks over four July starts (23 innings).
According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune, the Padres reportedly have had talks with the Twins about Maeda. He’s under contract for $3.125 million a year through 2023, and he’s no stranger to the National League (and the NL West) from his time with the Dodgers.
With how well he’s pitching lately, the Twins have a potential sell-high opportunity on Maeda. The two-plus years of team control he has left at a bargain rate could bring a surprisingly solid return.