Two Ridiculous Trades Proposed for MN Twins

This offseason represents a pivotal point for the Minnesota Twins franchise. After the Pohlads opted only to sell off their debt, they are now targeting a payroll of less than $100 million.

If the front office is going to be tasked with a further selloff, then it probably makes sense to go full-on tank and add future assets. Should that be the direction, a significant amount of major league talent should be expected to go.

MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince proposed what he calls ridiculous trades. They certainly are, but the Minnesota Twins were featured in a pair of them.

Byron Buxton on the move for Minnesota

No one has remained more steadfast that they have no interest in going anywhere than Byron Buxton. The problem is that the MN Twins could be forcing him out by doing everything they can to be uncompetitive. If that takes place, the Atlanta Braves make sense as a place to go home. Buxton would need to waive his no trade clause, but Castrovince tabs the Cincinnati Reds as a landing spot.

Reds get: OF Byron Buxton

Astros get: RHP Brady Singer

Twins get: SS Tyson Lewis (Reds’ No. 3 prospect), OF Mason Neville (Reds’ No. 13 prospect), C Walker Janek (Astros’ No. 4 prospect), RHP Cole Hertzler (Astros’ No. 29 prospect)

Buxton declared himself “a Minnesota Twin for life” last summer, though it has been reported that he might reconsider if the teardown we saw at the Trade Deadline continues. (Buxton has a full no-trade clause, complicating any deal. Again, even fake ones.)

Here, to fulfill my duty to trade as many stars as possible, I’m operating on the assumption that the Minnesota rebuild does continue, even though that might not necessarily be the case.

Buxton would be perfect for a Reds team that could use its pitching depth to address a lineup in need. At roughly $15 million each of the next three seasons, he likely fits their payroll in ways the most prominent free-agent bats do not.

MLB.com

Buxton waiving his no trade clause to go to Cincinnati seems illogical. He’s coming off the best season of his career, and an 11th place MVP finish. The Reds certainly are on an upswing, and it makes sense for them to add.

Houston needs pitching help, and signer is a post-hype prospect that could benefit by going to a better organization. Either way, there are some big name pieces moving around here.

This season the Twins owe Buxton just north of $15 million. His contract is the second-highest on the team trailing on Pablo Lopez. Clearing that cash for a bunch of pre-arbitration talent would be a delight to the ears of ownership.

The Joe Ryan deal gets done too

At the trade deadline the Minnesota Twins completed a selloff of epic proportions. They flirted with dealing Joe Ryan but ultimately pulled back. That can of worms seems to already have been opened, and it’s tough to pull it back. Jarren Duran was part of the puzzle then, and remains so now.

Dodgers get: OF Jarren Duran

Red Sox get: RHP Joe Ryan

Twins get: OF Zyhir Hope (Dodgers’ No. 2 prospect), LHP Jackson Ferris (Dodgers’ No. 6 prospect), 3B Chase Harlan (Dodgers’ No. 18 prospect), RHP Marcus Phillips (Red Sox’s No. 11 prospect)

Well, if we’re going to design a rebuilding plan for the Twins, we might as well keep going. This trade reunites the three teams that conspired on the dual 2020 deals that ultimately brought Mookie Betts to the Dodgers.

I had this fake trade sketched out prior to Boston’s deal for Sonny Gray – a trade that improved their rotation but still leaves them in need of a Dude behind Garrett Crochet. The Sox get one here in Ryan, who is under control through 2027 and coming off an All-Star season in which he had a 125 ERA+ (25% better than league average) in 171 innings.

Given that control, maybe Duran would appeal to the Twins, but, again, we’re operating under the assumption that they’d be going with a full-scale youth movement here.

The Twins get another bounty of prospects here for what would instantly be one of the strongest systems in the sport.

MLB.com

Short of Roman Anthony or Marcelo Mayer, the Twins shouldn’t have interest in the Red Sox big league talent. As Castrovince points out, leaning into the rebuild makes sense.

Minnesota’s farm system is already strong. Adding this much prospect talent to it would make it easily the best in the sport. They’ll obviously have to develop the crop, but this is the way you roll over a new core.

Ultimately neither of these deals seem likely for Minnesota. However, they should be expected to make some controversial moves this offseason, and it likely starts with players leaving more than it does the talent coming in.