What do twins need before the trading deadline?

So far, the Minnesota Twins have been successful this season. They are in a position to open the second half of the American League Central and play meaningful games at once.

But if you want to keep the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox on the division title, you can get help.

It should be a busy week for Twins as there are some needs ahead of the August 2 trading deadline. Which name could be on their radar?

Bullpen reinforcements

Jhoan Duran was spectacular for the twins, but their bigger problem was finding the right arm to reach him ninth. The Twins Bullpen is ranked 15th in the 3.58 ERA this season, but is in 2nd place with 55 home runs allowed.

Even if the twins want to be conservative in their outlook, they have to know that their current bullpen isn’t enough. So which weapon can you target?

According to the MLB Trade Rumors Top 50 Trade Candidates list, Chicago Cubs’ David Robertson and Detroit teammates Michael Fulmer and Andrew Chafin are the top options on the market, but the Twins are solid enough to get out. You may settle down with someone. Larger transaction prospects.

Daniel Bard, Colorado, Steve Cishek, Washington, and Jorge Lopez, Baltimore all stabilized the bullpen and provided Rocco Baldelli with a reliable set of arms.

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Backup catcher

The Twins entered the season, believing that Ryan Jeffers and Gary Sanchez could form a solid platoon with catchers, but neither met their pre-season expectations.

Sanchez smashed 10 Homers, but also has .685 OPS. Jeffers has hit .316 with .932 OPS in the last 17 games but will miss the next 6-8 weeks with a broken thumb. Caleb Hamilton was summoned on July 15th, but the Twins need some help because his name has one major league turn at bat.

Willson Contreras is the top catcher available on the market, but it takes a large prospect to win the Cubs All-Star. The Twins could also target Athletics catcher Sean Murphy, but with 3.5 years of team control he would be a longer-term solution.

This is Twins’ minimum need, but it’s still a deal that needs to occur. Minnesota needs some help behind the plate until Jeffers is off the injured list. Still, it helps to have a more reliable bat in that position.

Frontline starter

If the twins make a big move, it probably involves a start rotation. The Twins added depth to this offseason by signing Dylan Bundy and Chris Archer and exchanging for Chris Paddack, but injuries and inefficiencies left a lot of room for rotation. I did.

The Twins had a relationship with Oakland Athletics right-handed Frankie Montas before the season, but the deal wasn’t signed. Montas continues his strong season (3-9, 3.18 ERA, 1.06 WHIP), but he is currently working on a shoulder injury. Still, the right-handed player is one of the top names on the market, hitting five batters in three innings on Thursday night’s return.

The Twins may also be interested in Cincinnati Reds right-handed Luis Castillo (3-4, 2.77 ERA, 1.07 WHIP). He loves Montas and is in control throughout the 2023 season. But the price of Castillo will be just as high, and the twins may not have the capital to complete the deal unless they let go of their best prospects.

Otherwise, it could leave the Twins in the lower tier over names such as Martin Perez of Texas, Jordan Lyles of Baltimore, and right-handed Noah Syndergaard of the Los Angeles Angels. No matter what the twins decide to do, pitching must be their number one priority.

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