With the trade deadline set for 5:00 CDT tonight, the Twins are still looking for ways to sharpen a roster that has already seen plenty of movement this month. Minnesota has added three arms so far, bringing in right-handed reliever Tommy Nance from the Toronto Blue Jays, left-handed reliever A.J.
Minter from the Atlanta Braves and right-handed starter Dean Kremer from the Baltimore Orioles. And according to The Athletic’s Dan Hayes and Ken Rosenthal, the front office is still hunting for a late-inning right-handed reliever.
That pursuit makes sense. Minnesota’s pitching staff has been the clear area to target, especially with the club sitting 25th among MLB’s 30 teams in ERA at 4.62. But there’s also a case for another kind of upgrade: a low-cost bat, specifically a right-handed hitting outfielder.
The offense has piled up runs all season - the Twins lead the American League with 532 - but the recent stretch has been less convincing. Since July 1, Minnesota ranks 18th in MLB in runs scored with 111 and owns a 97 wRC+ in that span.
Against left-handed pitching, the issues are even more noticeable. The Twins are 20th in the majors in wRC+ versus southpaws at 92.
That’s where Alex Call enters the picture. Dodgers insider David Vassegh says Minnesota has been linked to the Los Angeles outfielder, who has built a reputation for punishing lefties. Call has hit .333/.421/.479 against left-handed pitching this year, and the Dodgers are reportedly weighing a move because he won’t make their playoff roster, according to The Athletic.
Call, 31, brings more than a platoon bat. He can handle all three outfield spots, which would give the Twins extra center field coverage with Byron Buxton currently on the injured list because of a hip issue. In 291 1/3 innings split across the three outfield positions this season, Call has posted +2 Defensive Runs Saved and +2 Outs Above Average.
There’s also a longer-term angle here. Call would not be a pure rental, since he still has three years of arbitration remaining after this season.
The Dodgers picked him up from the Washington Nationals at last year’s deadline in a deal that sent right-handers Sean Paul Liñan and Eriq Swan back to Washington. Call also has some postseason experience on his résumé, going 4-for-11 with three walks for Los Angeles in last year’s playoffs.
If Minnesota does want to add a bat before the deadline, Call fits the type: useful against lefties, versatile in the field and not just a short-term fix. He could give the Twins another regular option when a southpaw is on the mound and a reliable pinch-hitting weapon when the opposing bullpen turns to one.
In Other News...
Twins Paid A Price For Bullpen Help Fans Need To See
The Twins kept pushing to shore up their bullpen before the trade deadline, and their latest move adds another late-inning arm with a track record that should fit the stretch run. Jeff Hoffman brings postseason experience and a strong strikeout profile, giving Minnesota another option to help stabilize games down the back end as the club continues to reshape its roster after earlier deals for A.J. Minter and Dean Kremer.
The price was real, though, and it went beyond a simple cash consideration. Minnesota parted with Dasan Hill, John Klein, Dameury Pena and international cap space to get the deal done, a reminder that bullpen fixes often come with long-term costs attached. Hoffman is expected to be part of the picture through 2028, but the Twins gave up multiple pieces in a move that says plenty about how aggressive they plan to be in the months ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Are Sending A Clear Deadline Message With This Pitching Move
The Twins made another pitching shuffle as the deadline and stretch run draw closer, activating right-hander Dean Kremer and optioning Jack Anderson to Triple-A St. Paul. It is the kind of move teams make when they want a little more stability on the mound without losing flexibility, especially with the season entering a more demanding phase and front offices weighing every roster spot.
Anderson has already bounced between the majors and minors several times this season, and this latest trip back to St. Paul is expected to be temporary. Still, the transaction says plenty about how Minnesota is approaching this moment: the Twins want pitching depth in place now, and they are keeping enough room open to adjust again as the trade deadline pressure builds. [Read more 🡒]