Alright, let’s make a deal: Which pirate booty should the Twins target?
Even though the Twins recently lost a series to the Pirates, will they be able to acquire any valuable players off Pittsburgh’s squad by July’s trade deadline?
In terms of playing them on the field (the Pirates appeared incredibly prepared for them, as the Twins hobbled into town following their Bronx bombing) and in terms of viewing their roster as a target for looting, the Twins may be facing a difficult situation. The Pirates haven’t made the playoffs since 2015 and have been sellers at a number of the most recent trade deadlines.
However, it seems like this year might be a turning point in their illustrious franchise. Even though they are now close to the NL Central bottom, their trend is currently rising. Oneil Cruz, the shortstop, and Ke’Bryan Hayes, the third baseman, are two of their rising talents. Their youthful rotation, which is headlined by two exceptional rookies in Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, has made them the talk of baseball. Those young guns mix well with seasoned regulars like Andrew McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds.
While it’s unlikely that the Twins and Pirates will trade any of the aforementioned players, there are still some intriguing alternatives on the Pittsburgh squad.
The Assailants
There aren’t many obvious matches that might be improvements for the Twins lineup, or at least in places of need, with Cruz, Hayes, and Reynolds most likely sticking put as future building pieces and McCutchen probably staying in Pittsburgh for a farewell to his historic career. A left-handed hitter who can play first or second base, a right-handed outfielder with good bat who offers a clear upgrade over the suddenly hot Manuel Margot, and a catcher who can hit left-handed or who is simply an improvement over Christian Vázquez would likely be on the Twins’ wish list in a trade for a hitter.
Had we examined the Pirates’ roster a few weeks prior, Michael A. Taylor—an old friend—might have been a fair target for a low-power transfer, particularly if the Twins were certain they could return his bat to its lefty-mashing form from the previous campaign. Margot’s slightly above-average.708 OPS versus southpaws is far higher than Taylor’s.583 OPS this season, though, because of his recent significant improvement. Unless Byron Buxton is hurt and more genuine center field depth is required, it would be wise to keep that one on the table.
AD
Regarding a goal at the catcher position, I was drawn to Joey Bart a few weeks ago before he was placed on the disabled list due to soreness in his thumb. After being designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants, the former top prospect joined the Pirates and immediately produced a scorching.267/.362/.517 (149 wRC+) line at the plate. Moving ahead, Henry Davis, a previous first overall choice, is probably going to block him. However, Davis has had a rough start to the season and was just reinstated after a brief demotion to Triple-A Indianapolis.
The Twins would have had to forfeit a respectable (but not exceptional) return package in order to get Bart’s services if his health had held up and the Pirates had been prepared to offer him in a deal. After all, Bart is under club ownership through the 2027 season, and the catching position is generally quite bad across the league (except from a few elite players). Though it’s not as clear a match as it probably has to be to cross the finish line, he might still be a target for the Twins.
Though there are a few other arms that would make sense for the Twins, pitchers like Kenes or Jones are as untouchable as any in today’s game. Although Mitch Keller (3.16 ERA in 13 starts this year) recently inked a five-year contract deal to remain in Pittsburgh—an agreement that is very comparable to Pablo López’s—I would have wanted to include him on this list. Remove him from the list.
The Pirates’ bullpen contains all of the team’s most viable trade targets. If the Twins want to use some mechanical wizardry, some of their lower-leverage arms, like Justin Bruihl and Carmen Mlodzinski, would make some sense. Despite having a slow sinker velocity, 26-year-old lefty Bruihl (4.09 ERA during portions of four MLB seasons) has an intriguing sweeper. After the 2024 season, he will remain under club ownership for a another four years, therefore a transfer could need to include a larger deal in order for it to succeed.
AD Molodzinski was a 2020 first-round selection of the Pirates; although he doesn’t seem to be developing to the potential that was anticipated at the time of his draft selection, he could still be useful in a relief capacity. The 25-year-old has hurled 48 â…“ innings with a 3.17 ERA since joining the team as a full-time reliever in 2023. He is currently developing his repertoire. He continues to use a five-pitch mix, although three of them are merely OK. The Twins may want to see him concentrate on his finest breaking ball to date, the gyro slider, and his fastball. They’ll undoubtedly do it once again at some time with someone like Mlodzinski. They’ve done it previously with starters who are switching to a bullpen role.
Another name to watch is David Bednar, the closer for Pittsburgh. He would be quite expensive, especially considering that he is a Pittsburgh native. Although he has appeared to improve in the past month, his season began with a few missed saves, which makes the trade potential even more difficult because they would be selling him at a relatively low moment in his career. However, what if the Twins included a second Yinzer in the return deal for the Pirates? Could Pittsburgh’s front staff be persuaded to accept a deal for their local son by Alex Kirilloff in addition to one or two real centers? Though it’s difficult to say for sure, Bednar seems like a solid late-game option when paired with Griffin Jax and Jhoan Durán.
How do you feel? Are there any attainable targets for the Twins to pursue in a trade within the Pirates’ roster? Please share your thoughts in the comments section, and remember to keep it civil.
