The Twins’ biggest deadline problem isn’t hard to spot. Their bullpen keeps putting the whole operation on edge.
Minnesota’s relief corps has been a mess by the numbers, sitting 27th in baseball with a 4.72 ERA and 24th in fWAR. That kind of production turns promising nights into damage control in a hurry, and it’s why the conversation around the trade deadline has centered so heavily on adding late-inning help. If the Twins want to make a real playoff push, they need the back end to stop leaking runs.
But there’s another path here, and it may be the cleaner one: go get a starting pitcher.
On the surface, that sounds backward. The rotation has been the stronger unit, ranking 15th in MLB in ERA and 13th in fWAR.
Joe Ryan has pitched like an ace, Taj Bradley has been an outstanding addition, and the group has generally done enough to keep Minnesota in games. Still, the deeper issue is what comes after those top arms.
The Twins have too much uncertainty to simply trust the current setup through the final two months.
Zebby Matthews is right in the middle of that uncertainty. His 5.40 ERA tells the story, even if the raw stuff still flashes the upside that made him one of the organization’s most intriguing pitching prospects.
The volatility has been brutal. Three of his 12 starts have ended with seven or more earned runs allowed, including Sunday at Wrigley Field, when he gave up eight runs in three innings.
For a team trying to stay in the race, those outings are hard to survive.
Connor Prielipp has brought a similar mix of promise and frustration. There have been stretches when the upside jumps off the page, but too many of his outings have been slowed by command issues or inefficiency.
His 5.00 ERA reflects that uneven ride. He’s on a rehab assignment now and should be back in the major-league rotation soon, but the workload question hangs over him.
After injuries limited his innings for years, asking him to carry a major role the rest of the way is a real gamble.
Bailey Ober adds another wrinkle. He’s back from the injured list and owns a 4.32 ERA, but his margin for error is thin.
Ober wins with command and deception, not power, and his 88-MPH fastball leaves very little room to miss against playoff-level hitters. Every start feels like it has to be nearly perfect.
That’s why the Twins should think bigger than just shopping for relievers. An established starter who could slot behind Ryan and Bradley in a postseason rotation would help the rotation immediately. But it would also create a second benefit that matters just as much: it could push one of the current starters into the bullpen.
That’s where Matthews and Prielipp become especially interesting. Both have the kind of stuff that could tick up in shorter stints, and the Twins have already seen this model work.
Griffin Jax went from an inconsistent starter to one of baseball’s best relievers. Louis Varland followed a similar path and became one of baseball’s most valuable bullpen arms, unfortunately with Toronto.
Matthews looks like a natural candidate to follow that road. He already works in the mid-90s as a starter, and in one-inning bursts it’s easy to imagine that fastball climbing into the upper 90s and touching 98 MPH. His slider has held hitters to a .203 average this season, and his changeup could play even better with that extra velocity behind it.
Prielipp brings a different but equally appealing profile. His fastball has plenty of life already, and shorter outings could let him sit closer to triple digits.
His slider has been his best pitch, holding opponents to a .198 batting average. In relief, he could give Minnesota the kind of power left-hander this bullpen badly needs in high-leverage spots.
So the move may not be as simple as buying another reliever. The Twins might be better off using one trade to solve two problems at once: strengthen the rotation, then turn one of their young starters into a bullpen weapon.
They need relief help before the deadline. The smartest way to find it might be through a starter.
In Other News...
Twins May Be Creating A Keaschall Problem They Cant Hide
Luke Keaschalls move from second base into the outfield has become one of the more interesting side projects on the Twins roster. Since June, Minnesota has tried him in right field and then in center during Byron Buxtons injury absence, and now that Buxton is back, Keaschall has settled again on the right side while the club keeps working to turn his athleticism into something usable in the grass.
The challenge is that the Twins are asking him to learn on the fly in a spot where mistakes are hard to hide. They have been shading him deeper in center to make the job easier as he develops, but that also changes the look of the defense and puts a spotlight on every read and route. Buxton can play shallower because of his elite range, and Keaschall is still trying to find the balance between protecting against balls over his head and being in position to attack the ones in front of him. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Could Lose Two Key Regulars If This Slide Gets Worse
A four-game skid has nudged the Twins farther from the American League Wild Card picture, and the timing matters with the Aug. 3 trade deadline closing in. Minnesota is sitting at 49-53, which is the kind of record that starts forcing difficult conversations about whether to push for a run or listen on established regulars while there is still value to be had.
Ryan Jeffers and Trevor Larnach are the names to watch if the slide continues. Jeffers is in the final year of his deal and has drawn attention from clubs looking for catching help, while Larnach remains under team control through 2027 and could become expendable if the Twins decide their outfield depth gives them room to deal from strength. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Ryan Just Became The Twins Trust Test
Joe Ryan has become one of the most interesting names on the Twins board as the trade deadline approaches, and not just because of what he does on the mound. He has pitched well enough to draw attention from contenders, and with team control beyond this season, he is the kind of arm that can bring back real value if Minnesota decides the time is right to move him.
The harder question is what kind of message that would send to a fan base that has already watched attendance sag at Target Field and has little appetite for another summer selloff. The Twins can talk themselves into several paths with Ryan, including holding him, moving him later, or cashing in now, but any deadline decision will land with more weight than a typical roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]