Huge Boost: Rocco Baldelli Announces Crucial Decision at Trade Deadline
At 3:30 PM on July 30, the Minnesota Twins made their pre-deadline move, acquiring right-handed reliever Trevor Richards from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for minor league infielder Jay Harry. An hour and a half later, the trade deadline closed, with the Twins having added only one player. The 31-year-old Richards is an intriguing arm, likely to slot into the fifth position in the bullpen hierarchy behind high-leverage pitchers Jhoan Durán, Griffin Jax, Jorge Alcalá, and Cole Sands.
However, the acquisition of a medium-leverage reliever left some fans disappointed, especially when frontline starting pitchers were theoretically available. This led to feelings of discontent among the fanbase, who felt let down by the team’s conservative approach.
I, too, felt a wave of frustration when MLB.com reporter Do Hyoung-Park confirmed that the Twins didn’t make any additional moves beyond trading for Richards. However, recent details have alleviated much of that angst. On the evening of July 30, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reported that the Twins were “in serious discussions with the Toronto Blue Jays about [Yusei] Kikuchi when Houston blew their offer out of the water late Monday.”
“Another issue facing the Twins,” Hayes continued, “was the lofty asks of in-division foes.” The Twins engaged the Tigers for Jack Flaherty and the White Sox for Erick Fedde, but both rival clubs centered their demands on packages including top prospects Brooks Lee, Walker Jenkins, and Emmanuel Rodriguez, a price the Twins considered too high.
Hayes reiterated this sentiment on the Foul Territory podcast, noting that Detroit and Chicago’s steep asking prices effectively blocked any potential trades. The Tigers and White Sox were unwilling to see the Twins win, creating unnecessary barriers by implementing an “intra-division tax.”
This approach by Detroit and Chicago is frustrating and highlights why they have struggled as franchises over the past decade. The Tigers acquired prospects Thayron Liranzo and Trey Sweeney from the Los Angeles Dodgers for Flaherty, while the White Sox received Miguel Vargas and 19-year-old prospects Jeral Perez and Alexander Albertus in a three-team trade that sent Fedde to the St. Louis Cardinals. None of these prospects appear on Baseball America’s Top 100 prospect list, whereas Keaschall ranks 54th.
It is frustrating that the Twins did not make any substantial moves at the trade deadline. Could they have pursued Kikuchi more aggressively? Perhaps. However, based on Hayes’s reporting, it appears the Twins’ front office genuinely wanted to engage in meaningful trade discussions. The reluctance of Detroit and Chicago to trade within the division is not Minnesota’s fault but rather indicative of which organizations are serious about winning and which are stuck in a cycle of rebuilding.
https://x.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/1819098002398855217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1819098002398855217%7Ctwgr%5Eb9ee271d254e5a17bd663765e457904624c47c05%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fzonecoverage.com%2F2024%2Fmn-twins-news%2Fthe-twins-did-one-thing-right-at-the-trade-deadline%2F
With the market not favoring the Twins at the trade deadline, the team faces uncertainty surrounding their fourth and fifth rotation spots. Simeon Woods Richardson has performed well this season, with a 3.74 ERA and 3.75 FIP over 91 1/3 innings. However, his peripheral numbers (3.95 xERA and 4.32 xFIP) suggest potential negative regression. His most recent start against the New York Mets, where he gave up six earned runs over 3 1/3 innings, has raised concerns.
On the other hand, fifth starter David Festa has performed well in his past two outings against the Philadelphia Phillies and the Mets, allowing only three earned runs while striking out 13 batters over 9 1/3 innings. The team will rely on rookies Woods Richardson and Festa as they aim to catch the Cleveland Guardians for the AL Central crown while fending off the Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox, and Seattle Mariners for one of the final Wild Card spots.
The Twins are spread thin in their starting rotation, and their decision to stay idle at the trade deadline highlights their most significant weakness. However, given the high asking prices, the team was wise to stand pat.
Leave a Reply