All Things 2025 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Anyone see how good Alcala has been in Boston. The fact the twins have him away for Joey Wentz is a fireable offense. You need to FIX Alcala. That’s what you’re being paid to do is fix him.

The Twins tried for 6 years to fix him. It wasn't happening here. Need to see a little more than 12 innings from him in Boston before declaring him fixed.

 

[Ope3]

Anyone see how good Alcala has been in Boston. The fact the twins have him away for Joey Wentz is a fireable offense. You need to FIX Alcala. That’s what you’re being paid to do is fix him.

Fireable offense?!?

First off the trade wasn't for Wentz but a Boston farmhand.

Twins trade Alcala to Red Sox for Minor League infielder Andy Lugo

MINNEAPOLIS – After claiming left-handed reliever Joey Wentz off waivers on Wednesday, the Twins had to clear a spot on the roster. They did so by trading reliever Jorge Alcala to the Red Sox for Minor League infielder Andy Lugo.

www.mlb.com

Good for Alcala to get on track and the Red Sox to do whatever to help him out, but in 13 games only 2 were a single run margin of victory.

All the rest were ultimately 3 or more runs. More than half have been blowouts of 5+.

Not exactly high leverage situations.

Jorge Alcala - Boston Red Sox Relief Pitcher - ESPN

View the profile of Boston Red Sox Relief Pitcher Jorge Alcala on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

 

[gophersfan]

I wanted the Twins to forfit tonight game but Buxton on the 2nd pitch hit a homerun.

 

[howeda7]

Royce Lewis with 4 hits the last two games. Hamstring pull in 3, 2...

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

Nothing the Twins could do. They ran into a scorching hot Dodgers team.

Check that. Looks like the Dodgers were actually reeling, getting swept in 3 of the last 4 series.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Correa was oh so close.

I don’t get why he is booed wherever he goes. That was so long ago and the guys terrible now. Let it go people.

 

[Ope3]

Correa was oh so close.

I don’t get why he is booed wherever he goes. That was so long ago and the guys terrible now. Let it go people.

The teams that lost to the Astros in the Playoffs/World Series seem to have longer and louder memories.

 

[GophersInIowa]

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

As they should, since they now have a better record than only 3 teams in the American League. First half of the season is a failure that earned the manager another year.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Nothing the Twins could do. They ran into a scorching hot Dodgers team.

Check that. Looks like the Dodgers were actually reeling, getting swept in 3 of the last 4 series.

I mean the Twins did hit the crap out of the ball, especially in the last two innings.

 

[Ope3]

I would think Jax is quite marketable.

 

[howeda7]

I would think Jax is quite marketable.

I'd keep Jax and trade Duran. Duran is worth more and at peak value. His elbow is also more likely to explode.

 

[Ope3]

I'd keep Jax and trade Duran. Duran is worth more and at peak value. His elbow is also more likely to explode.

I think Jax would fetch more than Duran.

I would deal both.

 

[WoodburyTim]

I think Jax would fetch more than Duran.

I would deal both.

I agree. At this point, deal em both.

 

[coolhandgopher]

I agree. At this point, deal em both.

And if they can garner anything for Brock Stewart, deal him too.

Let's see how Varland does in the closer role for the back end of this season. As has been pointed out by others much smarter than me, bullpen arms are: a) mercurial; b) easier to replace/reclamate than starting pitchers/position players; and c) overvalued at the trade deadline by teams looking to bolster their postseason bids. Without delving in too far, between their age, contracts, and production, I'd have to think Duran and Jax would be at the top of the board for teams looking to add to their bullpen.

 

[GophersInIowa]

So you guys are ready to give up on the next few seasons? If not, it makes no sense to deal guys like Jax and Duran. Unless you get a very big return which is unlikely.

Two high end relievers under contract for a few more years and aren’t costing a lot is pretty nice to have.

 

[coolhandgopher]

So you guys are ready to give up on the next few seasons? If not, it makes no sense to deal guys like Jax and Duran. Unless you get a very big return which is unlikely.

Two high end relievers under contract for a few more years and aren’t costing a lot is pretty nice to have.

I'd much rather they trade the relievers than Ryan or Lopez (not that Lopez is a candidate, but you get my gist). The reason you pointed out and I've highlighted above is the reason that some teams out there might be willing to give up top prospects rather than the likely meager, years away from the majors return we would get for the expiring contracts of Castro, Bader, etc.

And I don't think you're necessarily writing off the next few seasons with trading Jax, Duran, or both, it depends on the return in the hypothetical trades.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I'd much rather they trade the relievers than Ryan or Lopez (not that Lopez is a candidate, but you get my gist). The reason you pointed out and I've highlighted above is the reason that some teams out there might be willing to give up top prospects rather than the likely meager, years away from the majors return we would get for the expiring contracts of Castro, Bader, etc.

And I don't think you're necessarily writing off the next few seasons with trading Jax, Duran, or both, it depends on the return in the hypothetical trades.

You’d be making success tougher in the next few years. Even if they get a nice return, the prospects are not likely to have the same impact that Duran or Jax would have the next two seasons.

I don’t think they really need to buy a buyer or seller. Sure look to move guys like Bader and Coulombe. Certainly consider offers for Correa if there are any. But moving good players that are under team control for a few years seems counterproductive IMO.

 

[howeda7]

I think Jax would fetch more than Duran.

I would deal both.

If you want to contend in 2026 you can't gut the entire bullpen.

 

[howeda7]

Took a 3-0 lead. Blew it. Took a 6-3 lead. Now 6-5. Almost zero chance they win this game.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

Took a 3-0 lead. Blew it. Took a 6-3 lead. Now 6-5. Almost zero chance they win this game.

You apparently failed to account for a bases loaded "hit" that traveled a good 7 or 8 feet before the Dodgers pitcher wildly threw it nearly to Bakersfield, clearing the bases.

Film from this game not likely to be requested by Cooperstown.

 

[howeda7]

You apparently failed to account for a bases loaded "hit" that traveled a good 7 or 8 feet before the Dodgers pitcher wildly threw it nearly to Bakersfield, clearing the bases.

Film from this game not likely to be requested by Cooperstown.

I did not figure on the $300 million super team to look like a bad little league team, no.

 

[howeda7]

Rocco is putting Misiewicz in for the 8th to protect a lead. Good lord.

 

[Ope3]

Took a 3-0 lead. Blew it. Took a 6-3 lead. Now 6-5. Almost zero chance they win this game.

Good one.

 

[Ope3]

If you want to contend in 2026 you can't gut the entire bullpen.

Disagree.

Depends on the return, who may be relievers or other assets that can help in other ways. Could get starting pitchers that may allow current backend rotation guys to change their roles.

Also will have a whole off-season to bolster it outside the organization.

If they can get 5 or 6 quality players for Jax-Duran combined and they trust Varland can handle it as a stopper, I say go for it.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Disagree.

Depends on the return, who may be relievers or other assets that can help in other ways. Could get starting pitchers that may allow current backend rotation guys to change their roles.

Also will have a whole off-season to bolster it outside the organization.

If they can get 5 or 6 quality players for Jax-Duran combined and they trust Varland can handle it as a stopper, I say go for it.

They're not getting 5 or 6 quality players for Jax-Duran. They might get 5-6 prospects total, even that's a stretch, and maybe 1 or 2 pan out down the road.

 

[howeda7]

Disagree.

Depends on the return, who may be relievers or other assets that can help in other ways. Could get starting pitchers that may allow current backend rotation guys to change their roles.

Also will have a whole off-season to bolster it outside the organization.

If they can get 5 or 6 quality players for Jax-Duran combined and they trust Varland can handle it as a stopper, I say go for it.

You're over-estimating the return for relief pitchers. I don't want to trade anyone under control who can help next year, but I'd make an exception on Duran if the offer is good enough, mostly because of the injury risk.

 

[Unregistered User]

Also will have a whole off-season to bolster it outside the organization.

Hahahahaha!

Good one!

 

[Ope3]

They're not getting 5 or 6 quality players for Jax-Duran. They might get 5-6 prospects total, even that's a stretch, and maybe 1 or 2 pan out down the road.

Fair, in that I should have said 5 or 6 "quality prospects" not "quality players", and yes the hope is that at least 2 pan out to be key contributors going forward. A 3rd such player would be gravy.

You're over-estimating the return for relief pitchers. I don't want to trade anyone under control who can help next year, but I'd make an exception on Duran if the offer is good enough, mostly because of the injury risk.

Because they are both under control for 2 seasons and there are potentially several teams on the market for bullpen help, that makes them valuable commodities that can bring in a multiple Top 10 prospects.

If those offers don't materialize, then sure. Hold 'em.

Next year if the Twins are in the same position, then each probably gets 1 less prospect. In 2027 when they would be just rentals, even less.

Also with respect to blowing up the bullpen by dealing Jax & Duran, the Twins have several other tradeable assets by the deadline that could help lessen that impact both now and in 2026.

 

[Ope3]

Hahahahaha!

Good one!

Well they did find Coulombe this year.

The current front office could get completely blown out the door for all we know depending on the Ownership situation, though I think that's less than probable.