Today the Pittsburgh Pirates swapped Sterling Marte to the
Arizona Diamondbacks for a pair of prospects. In completing that deal, it’s
another reminder that the trade market has yet to truly take off, and it makes
a good amount of sense that the Minnesota Twins be involved.
We still have yet to see any organizations move a big
pitcher. Nolan Arenado looks to be on his way out of Colorado, and Mookie Betts
could certainly be headed somewhere else if Boston is ready to deal. Going into
the offseason it appeared that the Twins were well positioned to make a move,
and nothing has changed to suggest otherwise.
Right now, there’s a decent level of redundancy in Minnesota’s
farm system, and there’s a strong mix of impact prospects alongside depth
talent. The organization is not only going to have a substantial amount of
decisions to make on the 40-man roster prior to 2021, but there’s going to be
more than a handful that are extremely difficult.
Expecting the Twins to land either Gerrit Cole or Stephen
Strasburg would have always been a pipe dream at best. Zack Wheeler and
Hyun-Jin Ryu would have completed Derek Falvey’s quest for an impact arm, but
one was an upside play while the other has significant injury concerns. Doling
out cash on either could have went up in smoke, and the long-term effects may
be more costly.
This is where we should again begin thinking about the trade
market. After Josh Donaldson was signed by Minnesota, it appeared to put a bow
on their offseason. Realistically though, neither Rich Hill nor Homer Bailey
represent the necessary addition to calm concern out of the gate. Bailey is
more a Kyle Gibson replacement than anything, and Hill’s impact may not be felt
until October. Just recently clearing the previous high in payroll, there
should still be room to squeak out a few more dollars.
We haven’t entered a scenario in which it becomes necessary
to move either Royce Lewis or Alex Kirilloff but listening on offers and
pursuing arms can be done knowing everything else is taken care of. Donaldson
is more than an exciting addition on his own, but he wasn’t brought here for four
years to sit back and carry the load. Minnesota made an aggressive move like
that with the idea that talent can be supplemented as a whole and getting the
entire 26-man help is a must.
I have no idea if the Twins are content with the rotation as
it stands today. It’s certainly not in shambles, but there’s also clear
opportunities for growth. Maybe they’ll play a handful of games before deciding
that something else needs to be done. What I do know is that making a trade
remains a very sensible action, the assets are there, the timing is right, and
the market is beginning to reveal itself.
