The trade deadline sent a lot of familiar names flying around the league, and a few of them had Twins ties.
Minnesota made its own splash by landing right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman from the Toronto Blue Jays in a deal that cost them top pitching prospect Dasan Hill. The Twins also brought in left-handed reliever A.J.
Minter from the New York Mets and right-handed starter Dean Kremer from the Baltimore Orioles. Earlier in July, they had already added right-handed reliever Tommy Nance from the Blue Jays.
But beyond the moves Minnesota made, three former Twins were shipped out before Monday night.
Luis Arraez is headed to Philadelphia, where the Phillies picked him up from the San Francisco Giants along with right-handed reliever Caleb Kilian. Going back to the Giants were pitching prospects Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair.
Arraez, now a full-time second baseman, spent the 2019-22 seasons with the Twins before Minnesota sent him to the Miami Marlins for right-hander Pablo López in the 2022-23 offseason. Miami later moved him to the Padres, and after reaching free agency last offseason, he signed a one-year, $12 million deal with San Francisco.
His arrival in Philadelphia reshapes the infield. Bryson Stott is set to slide to third, Alec Bohm to first, and Bryce Harper will move back to the outfield.
Arraez has also put together another strong season. He is hitting .324/.360/.440 with a 120 wRC+, along with four home runs, 43 RBI and 10 stolen bases.
Defensively, he has taken a big step forward at second base, posting +11 Outs Above Average after entering this year at -36 OAA for his career there. He will be a free agent after the season.
Tyler Mahle also changed teams, going from the Giants to the Atlanta Braves in a move that gives Atlanta much-needed rotation help. The Braves are dealing with injuries to Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez and Spencer Schwellenbach. San Francisco got minor-league pitcher Anthony Molina back in the deal.
The Twins acquired Mahle from the Cincinnati Reds at the 2022 deadline in exchange for Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Steven Hajjar. Injuries limited him to just nine total starts with Minnesota from 2022-23 before he reached free agency. He later spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Texas Rangers.
Mahle, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract with San Francisco in the offseason, is also set to hit free agency at season’s end. In 94 2/3 innings over 18 starts this year, he has a 5.13 ERA, 4.38 FIP, 1.39 WHIP and 89 strikeouts.
The last former Twin on the move was catcher Ben Rortvedt, who was dealt from the New York Mets to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday for right-handed pitcher Chayce McDermott. Because Rortvedt was not on the Mets’ 40-man roster, the Dodgers can keep him in the minors without needing to add him to their own 40-man group.
Rortvedt, 28, debuted with Minnesota in 2021 and appeared in 39 games for the Twins. The club sent him to the New York Yankees on March 13, 2022, in the blockbuster Josh Donaldson-Gary Sanchez trade. He later spent time with the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays before landing with the Dodgers near the end of last season.
In Other News...
Twins Deadline Interest At Shortstop Says A Lot About Their Infield Plans
The Twins have spent the last stretch of the deadline season beefing up the pitching staff without touching the big-league roster, adding Tommy Nance, AJ Minter, Jeff Hoffman and starter Dean Kremer in quick succession. That kind of steady, low-drama work has kept Minnesota competitive on the margins, but it also leaves a natural question about where the front office still sees room to make a deeper impact, especially with the infield.
According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, one area of real interest has been shortstop, where the Twins have checked in on a player who has been everyday central to his current club all season. The fit makes sense on paper, but the hurdle is obvious: moving a player of that caliber would take a massive return, and all signs still point to him staying put unless an enormous offer changes the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Kept Ryan Jeffers For A Reason Fans Will Understand
The Twins spent the 2026 trade deadline acting like a club with something to play for, adding bullpen help in Jeff Hoffman, AJ Minter and Tommy Nance, along with starter Dean Kremer. It was a clear shift from last years sell-off and a signal from ownership and the front office that the goal is to stay in the race, not strip the roster for future value.
Ryan Jeffers and Trevor Larnach both drew interest from other teams, but Minnesota kept its regulars in place, a choice that lined up with the organizations desire to avoid another deadline that leaves the fan base and clubhouse feeling hollow. Jeffers, in particular, would have been one of the more attractive catchers available, yet the Twins chose the steadier path and left themselves with a roster built for the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Face A Growing Luke Keaschall Problem In Center Field
Luke Keaschall has been getting extended run in center field for just over a month now, and the Twins have let the rookie settle into the spot on his own terms. That freedom has come with plenty of innings, but it has also created a clearer picture of how the club is handling his learning curve out there, with the staff taking a fairly hands-off approach as he adjusts to a new defensive home.
The issue is starting to show up in the kind of plays center fielders are supposed to handle routinely. Keaschalls depth and positioning have left him vulnerable on balls that should be manageable, and the Twins are now facing a real need to clean that up before it becomes a bigger problem. Sizemore and Derek Shelton have been patient so far, but the defensive side of his game is going to need more attention soon. [Read more 🡒]