Thursday, July 02

HOUSTON -- As the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline approaches, the natural question of “buy or sell” begins to percolate. But given the Twins’ roster and needs, their path very well might not fit neatly into either category.

General manager Jeremy Zoll and the Minnesota front office could do a little of each, parting with one or two veterans while also filling some needs on the big league roster. Or they could try to pull off that trickiest of moves, a Major League for Major League trade.

The options are wide open, and so is the American League. No team is more than 8 1/2 games out of a playoff spot, and 11 of the 15 teams are within five games. And on the flipside, no one has a division lead of more than 2 1/2. The line between buyer and seller has never been less clear, and the Twins are certainly one of the primary data points in that regard.

“How many teams have truly declared a position,” Zoll said, “whether they’ve literally said it publicly? You can probably say three, maybe four. And beyond that, everyone’s going to wait as long as they can."

But the standings are not the only reason. The Twins’ unusual situation is also a result of the way their Major League and Triple-A rosters are constructed. While their pitching depth has been stretched extremely thin, the opposite is true on the hitting side. Minnesota has more Major League-ready hitters than roster spots, especially in the outfield, but even to a lesser extent in the infield.

Which means things could get very interesting, and their Deadline could defy conventional labels. Trading prospects for relievers or a starter, which the Twins could definitely do, is the mark of a buyer. Trading an outfielder for prospects is something a seller does.

Right?

But again, what if you do both? Or what if they moved someone like Trevor Larnach or Matt Wallner to bolster the pitching? Players like Wallner, Alan Roden and the Twins' No. 1 prospect Walker Jenkins are waiting for the opportunity to play, and the effectiveness of Larnach, Byron Buxton and Kody Clemens, among others, means that opportunity hasn’t come.

Infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper (No. 2) has dealt with injuries but, likewise, would probably be ready for a role if one opened.

So there absolutely is a third path: not a buy, not a sell, but a combination. The Twins could trade an infielder or outfielder, have confidence in their ability to replace that player from within, while also adding urgently needed pitching depth.

It’s not easy to do. There’s a reason that the expression “old-fashioned baseball trade” exists. Lining up needs can be a challenge. But the opportunity does exist.

“I agree with that for sure,” Zoll said. “It … might create some unique opportunities, or just help in conversations where teams aren’t trying to trade for a set of A-ball prospects or things along those lines.

“But we’ve also seen the last couple of offseasons, where 27 of the 30 teams are buying, and there’s not true sellers. You spend a lot of time talking Major League for Major League trades, and it’s really hard to line up.”

Following the injury to Anthony Banda, which will keep the veteran lefty out for a period of months, the Twins’ already-thin bullpen is once again in need of reinforcements. However, the club is also short on starting depth following a string of injuries that began with Pablo López and have continued throughout the season.

Entry rookie lefty Kendry Rojas, who has starter upside but has already demonstrated he can get big league hitters out as a reliever. He’s currently at Triple-A St. Paul, and unless there’s an injury, he can’t be recalled until July 9. But even so, the Twins have a decision to make, since Rojas could be an answer to either issue.

The way the club views it is that you can always shorten a pitcher back up, so they’re going to stretch Rojas out. He’ll be on the “four by four” plan, where pitchers throw about four innings or 60-65 pitches every fourth or fifth day. That will allow Rojas to start if a starter is needed, give him regular work to continue refining his control and not preclude the club from calling him up to pitch in relief at any time.

“It allows him to keep getting exposed to different scenarios and environments,” Zoll said. “Start a game, come in as the piggyback, dirty innings.”

The Twins come home next week for a series against the Guardians and Angels to close out the first half, and the team’s four for $40 promotion is in effect. For full details on the promotion and eligible games, visit this link.

I’m coming to you from Houston, a city I’ve made many, many trips to over my years of baseball writing and one I’ve become quite fond of in that time. It’s also an area with an incredibly rich musical history. So today’s playlist is all Houston. Y’all be kind and look out for each other, OK?

ZZ Top, “Jesus Just Left Chicago”

Destiny’s Child, “Jumpin’, Jumpin’”

Clint Black, “Killin’ Time”

Kenny Rogers, “Love Will Turn You Around”

UGK, “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)”

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