After losing Pablo López, the Twins’ starting rotation is far from full strength. There was plenty of hope for Zebby Matthews, until he went down himself. Meanwhile, the lineup remains mired in mediocrity, with several positions that could stand an upgrade. Despite these needs and the Twins remaining in the middle of the playoff hunt, however, it may not be worth it for fans to get their hopes up at the trade deadline.
The last time the Twins operated like a team that wanted to compete for a championship at the trade deadline was 2022. Unfortunately, their attempts are not fondly remembered. The Twins acquired Tyler Mahle, Jorge López, and Michael Fulmer. Fulmer was a valuable setup man, but the other two acquisitions turned out to be painful reminders of how going “all-in” can backfire.
Even if the prospects the Twins gave up in 2022 haven’t developed into superstars, the Twins’ gamble at that deadline turned out to be a painful one. The team fell out of contention, and the team control of the Mahle and López turned out to be worth very little. It’s fair to wonder whether the brutal return on the 2022 trade deadline continues to influence their decision-making to this day.
In 2023, the team found itself in need of a right-handed hitter, as usual. They could also have used relief help, after the previously acquired Jorge López imploded and Brock Stewart suffered a setback on his IL stint, making the future of his season murky. Instead, they made one sole move, flipping López for Dylan Floro, who was a non-factor down the stretch. The team was proven correct in their assessment of the roster, as they went on to make the playoffs and break their postseason win drought.
In 2024, the story was much of the same. The roster had sustained several injuries, including Joe Ryan, Byron Buxton, and Carlos Correa. Still, the team remained afloat and in contention into mid-August, when it all finally fell apart. Despite their needs, the Twins acquired Trevor Richards as their lone addition, then designated him for assignment before the end of the season. This time, their faith in the roster didn’t pay off.
The 2025 trade deadline will be a completely different animal for the Twins. Their roster has some very real needs, but the organizational context will play a huge part. Like last season, the payroll will be a limiting factor in whom they can even consider acquiring. The Pohlads’ days are (hopefully) numbered in the ownership role, and they likely don’t see much personal benefit in taking on money for the stretch run. It could be argued that winning would raise the asking price of the team, but unless they think they’re winning the World Series, their finish to the 2025 season will likely carry very little weight in a $1.5 billion sale.
The orders may be more along the lines of “don’t shake things up too much.” Depleting the farm system in pursuit of impact big-league players could carry too much risk, depending on the stage of the sale process. If the front office misses on big swings involving top-end prospects while negotiations are ongoing, the perception of the team’s future success could become a negotiating chip. The Pohlads may simply inform the front office that impact additions are not an option this year.
Given this front office’s risk-averse nature at the last two deadlines and the state of the payroll and ownership, it’s hard to imagine the team acquiring impact players at the 2025 trade deadline. Doing so would require either taking on salary or overpaying in prospect capital to avoid adding millions to the ever-growing debt the Pohlads have found themselves in.
Perhaps the team will surprise us and see an opportunity to add to a roster that is already very capable of competing. However, there is no shortage of reasons to be skeptical. Do you think the Twins will make meaningful additions to the roster at the deadline for the first time in three years? Let us know below!