Now is the time to push. It may not seem like it with the team sitting right around .500, but a sense of urgency is needed to improve the team now for a postseason push this season. I’m not advocating for pure rental moves at the deadline, but there are some moves that can be made now to hep push for the playoffs this season and get some of this off-season’s shopping done early. Here’s what I’m thinking:
Trade 1: Acquire Jose Berrios, Taylor Rogers, and Tyler Duffey from Minnesota for Jo Adell and Griffin Canning
Here’s a blockbuster right off the bat. Berrios is a young, durable, front-line starter. Rogers is one of the best left-handed relievers in the league and Duffey is another solid reliever. All three are controllable through next season, and we’d get the opportunity to extend Berrios and Rogers before they would hit free agency. Giving up Adell and Canning hurts, but the return is well worth it.
Trade 2: Acquire Richard Rodriguez from Pittsburgh for Kyren Paris and Jack Kochanowicz
Rodriguez is possibly the best reliever available at the deadline and he is also under team control for another couple seasons.
Trade 3: Acquire Matt Boyd and Jose Cisnero from Detroit for Jeremiah Jackson, David Calabrese, and Matt Thaiss
Boyd has taken a step forward this year and is a solid starter controllable for next year as well. Cisnero is a good reliever and even though he’s older he is still controllable for another couple years after this one.
2021 Roster
C: Stassi
1B: Walsh
2B: Fletcher
3B: Rendon
SS: Iglesias
LF: Upton
CF: Trout
RF: Adell or Marsh
BN: Gosselin, Lagares, Suzuki
SP/DH: Ohtani
SP: Berrios, Boyd, Heaney, Cobb, Sandoval
RP: Iglesias, Rogers, Rodriguez, Cisnero, Mayers, Watson, Cishek, Quintana, Bundy
This roster is objectively better than the one currently on the field. With multiple additions to the pitching staff who will all be around for at least next year. With some key position players getting healthy and the addition of either Adell or Marsh in RF, this roster starts to look like a playoff team. Additionally, this roster would have a decent amount of pitching depth for any injuries that come in the second half of the season: Bundy, Quintana, Suarez, Barria, C-Rod, and Detmers would be on the depth chart.
The best part of these deadline moves is that they help for 2022 as well. A quick look ahead at the potential roster for next year shows an almost completely empty rotation and bullpen, as well as a hole at SS. Here’s what the roster would look like going into the off-season:
2022 Base Roster (Before Off-season Moves)
C: Stassi
1B: Walsh
2B: Fletcher
3B: Rendon
SS:
LF: Upton
CF: Trout
RF: Adell or Marsh
BN: Ward, Rengifo, Bemboom
SP/DH: Ohtani
SP: Berrios, Boyd, Sandoval, Detmers, Suarez
RP: Rogers, Rodriguez, Cisnero, Mayers, Slegers, Wantz, C-Rod
And just for fun, here’s what the roster could look like after some free agent signings (and one re-signing):
2022 Roster
C: Stassi
1B: Walsh
2B: Fletcher
3B: Rendon
SS: Iglesias
LF: Upton
CF: Trout
RF: Adell or Marsh
BN: Ward, Rengifo, Bemboom
SP/DH: Ohtani
SP: Scherzer, Berrios, Boyd, Sandoval, Detmers
RP: Rogers, Rodriguez, Cisnero, Chafin, Knebel, Mayers, Slegers, C-Rod
Trade #2 is not worth 2 Top 10 ranked prospects even if is is the lowly Angels system. I would not put too much stock in him next year going forward.
It’s a nice thought, but the Twins aren’t making that trade. But if they did, I’d be down for all these moves…. all we ever do is complain about Eppler’s pipeline. Screw it, burn it down and start over with hopefully a whole new draft and development group under PTP.
That’s a completely reworked bullpen with some serious upside. And it is around for next year.
That’s also a big hit to our farm in many respects but it keeps the AA pitching core together.
I would probably do either Trade 1 or Trade 2. However, I don’t think the Twins would agree to Trade 1. Rogers has an 80% conversion rate on save opportunities and a FIP of 2.03. I think they would probably want to keep him. If it was straight up Adell for Berrios Minnesota would possibly bite on that.
Slegers stays, he has already overstayed. Very good trades here, although Rengifo Rojas, Barria, can be possible trade chips. Trade 2 is a tough call to make is it not. But if D-Cell is not retained it makes sense.
Appreciate the post.
It’s good to dream.
Just a note, you neglected to include Duffey on your 2021 and 2022 bullpen lists after acquiring him!
I might also add that it must be Marsh, as you trade away Adell in Trade 1.