The Minnesota Twins do not need a splashy deadline headline nearly as much as they need actual help in the spots that have held them back. One move is not going to solve everything, and the smartest path looks more practical than dramatic.
The biggest problem sits on the pitching side. Minnesota has enough offense from players such as Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach and Ryan Jeffers, but the run prevention has not been steady enough. The bullpen is still the most obvious issue, and even after the Twins added Tommy Nance from the Toronto Blue Jays, they need more from that group if they want to make a playoff push.
With that in mind, three realistic trade targets stand out.
Kirby Yates checks a lot of boxes for Minnesota because he brings production without forcing the Twins to pay a huge price. The veteran right-hander owns a 3.00 ERA, 28 strikeouts, three saves and a 1.00 WHIP this season. He also signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Angels before the season, which makes him the kind of affordable rental that should not take a massive package to land.
That matters for a Twins team that needs bullpen help but should not empty the farm system for a short-term reliever. The Angels, sitting at 38-59 and well out of contention, also have reason to listen. If moving veteran pieces helps them reset and build toward the next competitive window, Yates fits that logic.
Brooks Raley would give Minnesota a different look in the bullpen. He is a veteran left-hander with experience getting key outs late, and that would give manager Derek Shelton more matchup options while making the relief corps less easy to game-plan against.
Raley has put together a 2.10 ERA with 36 strikeouts and a 1.17 WHIP for the Mets this season. He would not need to be the closer to matter. In Minnesota, he could become a trusted left-handed weapon in leverage spots, especially against left-handed hitters, while bringing a breaking-ball-heavy style that can change the feel of an inning.
The Mets also make sense as a trade partner. Their season has disappointed, and several veteran relievers could be on the move if they sell. From New York’s side, dealing Raley would be about getting value back for a veteran arm instead of letting him ride out the year on a club going nowhere.
The Twins could also use another bat if the price is right, and Jo Adell is the power option on that list. He has hit .245 with 13 home runs, 52 RBI and a .686 OPS in 96 games for the Angels.
The numbers are down from last year, but the raw power still gives him appeal. He could bring right-handed pop to the outfield and offer another answer if injuries or inconsistency hit the lineup.
Unlike Yates and Raley, Adell is not a rental, so the Angels would not be moving him just to move him. But if they want to reshape the roster and cash in on a player who still carries value, Minnesota should be interested.
Yates and Raley would attack the Twins’ biggest weakness. Adell would be a more aggressive swing on offense. If Minnesota wants to stay in the race, it has to fix the areas that have hurt it most this season.
In Other News...
Twins Fans Just Got The Byron Buxton News They Dreaded
Byron Buxtons 2026 season had been shaping up as one of the best of his career, the kind of run that had him right in the middle of the Twins lineup plans and earning a spot on the American League All-Star roster. Through 75 games, he had given Minnesota the impact production it has long hoped for, making his latest setback feel especially untimely for a club that has learned to appreciate every healthy stretch he can string together.
The concern now is less about one missed week than the familiar place where the problem showed up. Buxton was put on the 10-day injured list July 7, and the Twins will spend the next stretch waiting to see whether this is a brief interruption or another reminder of how fragile his availability can be. If the issue settles quickly, there is at least a path back in the near future, but for now Minnesota is left hoping the seasons most encouraging Buxton chapter does not get interrupted for long. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Fans Wont Like Where This Trade Buzz Just Went
With the trade deadline closing in, the Phillies recent surge under Don Mattingly has only sharpened the focus on what they still need, especially on the pitching side and in the outfield. That kind of roster pressure tends to create noise, and this time it has reached a player the Twins have spent years building around in Byron Buxton, whose mix of power and athleticism naturally makes him the sort of name that gets tossed into every big-market conversation.
For Minnesota, the bigger issue is not just the speculation itself but how quickly it can gather steam when a club like Philadelphia is looking for impact help. Buxton is under contract for two more years at a little over $15.1 million per season, and he has been productive enough this year to keep his profile high, which only adds to the outside chatter. Still, the Twins have made it clear internally that moving him is not on the table, and the situation is further complicated by the fact that he holds the leverage to control where this story goes next. [Read more 🡒]