Top MLB Insider Casts Doubt on MN Twins Trade Deadline

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Rocco Baldelli - Minnesota Twins
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

On Sunday April 20, the Minnesota Twins appeared destined to be 2025 MLB trade deadline sellers. Through 22 games, they were an abysmal 7-15 and many had already given up on their summer.

With the Pohlads already down bad with fans, Target Field was getting emptier. Meanwhile, Players were getting anxious, Baldelli was on the hot seat and former MLB general managers were writing up crazy trade proposals to “relieve” the Twins of their biggest (and most expensive) stars.

Fast forward a month and a half, two weeks removed from a 13-game win streak that launched them back up the American League standings, the now 32-27 Twins have won two-straight in Sacramento vs the orphan Athletics and now appear on a playoff path.

Chris Paddack - Minnesota Twins
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

It’s not all positive, though. Pablo Lopez is expected to go on the injured list, after leaving Tuesday’s win vs the A’s with shoulder tightness. Not to mention, the Twins arrived in Sacramento having just lost two of three in Tampa and Seattle, to kick off their 10-game road trip.

Jeff Passan out on the Minnesota Twins at MLB trade deadline

So… are the 2025 Minnesota Twins now considered buyers? That would be good news, being they have plenty of weaknesses that could use work. When it comes to MLB insiders, few are more plugged in than ESPN’s Jeff Passan, who recently took a look at the entire landscape of the league, as we inch ever closer to the July 31 trade deadline.

When Passan got to the Minnesota Twins, you could almost hear the MLB insider hit the proverbial brakes on his keyboard. Officially, he has the Twins listed as “holders”, which means they won’t be sellers… but their improved playoff position is unlikely to make them buyers either.

What to know: The Twins were down bad after April and proceeded to win 13 consecutive games starting May 3. Following a streak-snapping loss, they ripped off three walk-off wins in a week. This is a team that, when healthy, has more than enough pitching and is perhaps a bat or two shy from giving Detroit a run for its money in the AL Central.

But that’s not the Twins’ deadline style. Risk aversion is their modus operandi. Status quo is their state of play. Even if they’re squarely in the playoff mix, they are not the sort of team that historically adds impact-type players at the deadline. So they need Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa to remain on the field and Royce Lewis to find himself and Matt Wallner to evolve into a middle-of-the-lineup force. External help beyond small additions here and there just isn’t the Twins’ way.

Jeff Passan – ESPN

It’s a sad-but-true reality. Last year before the MLB trade deadline, the MN Twins were 59-48 and sitting just 1.5 games back of the division-leading Guardians. Instead of making manager Rocco Baldelli’s life easier, with some legit deadline reinforcements, general manager Derek Falvey acquired Trevor Richards from the clearance rack.

Richards went on to pitch in 10 games for the 2024 Twins, posting a 4.15 ERA, before he was designated for assignment. If the Pohlads weren’t willing to help Falvey out last year, why would anyone expect them to do it this summer, especially when it currently looks like the 2025 Minnesota Twins will be in even worse position.

Related: Three Weaknesses the Minnesota Twins Should Address Before MLB Trade Deadline

Unless the Pohlad family is willing to go even further in the red than the $300-$400 million they already are or they find a buyer who is willing to take big losses during the first couple years of ownership, the front office’s hands will be tied.

Twins could still move Chris Paddack

This offseason, the Minnesota Twins had multiple opportunities to dump Chris Paddack’s $7.5 million salary via trade. Instead, they chose to keep him, since no trade partners were willing to offer anything for The Sheriff that could help their future outlook as a baseball team.

After a slow start, it appears that was the correct decision. Along with his trade deadline doubt in the Twins, he crowned Chris Paddack as the one player they could deal, should they decide to deal between now and July 31. Of course, that would be more of a selling move, being he has a 2.17 ERA in his last 10 outings (58.0 IP).

There’s still almost two months until the MLB trade deadline. If Chris Paddack is still pitching like he has been,he’d be one of the most valued assets on the market. Would that be enough for a competitive Minnesota Twins team to trade away a high-end starter they could use during a playoff run?

Related: Pablo Lopez Injury Update is Not Good News for MN Twins

It is funny to think that the Twins would sell, given their early-season turnaround. Heck, even Bowden is on that now. He recently listed nine teams as sellers and doesn’t have the Minnesota Twins among them. Two and a half months of of a Major League Baseball season is not enough to make season-long determinations.

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