Twins reportedly open to trading two players

Erik Williams - USA Today Sports

by Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Thu Dec 21 09:00:10 GMT-05:00 2023

It's rare that you can win your division going away, win a playoff series, and then be put in a position where you may have to go through a mini-rebuild. That is the joy of being a smaller market team, and the Minnesota Twins are dealing with it right now.

Although not as small a market of a team as others are, they are still considered a smaller market team despite the massive spending they have made in past years. Fast forward to this season, Sonny Gray is now in St. Louis, leaving a gaping hole in the Twins rotation, with Kenta Maeda also finding a new home in Detroit. To say the Twins roster will look a little different next season will be an understatement, but this may only be the beginning.

According to reports, the Twins are facing what some call the mini-rebuild (retool) phase, where they may be forced to part ways with several key players who have been a part of this organization for years. Both have been all-stars and a significant part of the Twins organization for a long time. Granted, none of these talks have mounted to anything as of yet, but the fact that Minnesota is willing to listen to offers on their players leads many to believe that if the price is right, they will have no trouble parting ways with some of their guys.

Jorge Palanco

Of the two names surfacing out of the Twins camp, Jorge Polanco is the most intriguing name and the one the Cubs should look at if they are interested in making a trade. The 30-year-old Polanco has been primarily a second baseman but has seen time at third base in the past, which could make him an option at the hot corner. A 10-year veteran, Polanco has held his own at the MLB level with a .269 career average, including .255 in 2023.

He has slugged 112 career homers, with 14 coming last season, while also driving in 447 career runs. Those may not be the greatest numbers, but he has been a consistent hitter in the Twins lineup, and anytime you can add a consistent threat to your lineup, they are worth a look. Polanco is under contract for 10. 5 million this season with a 12 million dollar option for next season, so the overall price tag is reasonable.

Despite being viewed as a below-average defender, Polanco can play any of the infield positions, making him a great depth piece on your roster. He is also a switch hitter, which brings versatility to your lineup, and with a .255 average the past three seasons and averaging close to 20 homers during that same stretch, there is still some pop left in that bat. Polanco also runs the bases well, making him a valuable asset to have on your roster.

Max Kepler

The less appealing name to pursue, mainly because of how their outfield currently shapes up, is OF Max Kepler, who is also hearing his name on the trade block. Another guy who has been around the league for nearly a decade, Kepler, is still 30 years old, so you have to think he has a few good years of baseball left in him.

A .236 hitter for his career, Kepler has started to become a better hitter over the years and hit a .262 last season. He did that while slugging 24 homers and driving in 66, as he now has 153 career homers. Kepler's best season came in 2019 when he put himself in the MVP conversation and hit .252 with 36 homers and 90 RBIs. Those numbers may never happen again, but with 20-25 homers and 60-plus RBIs, he is a bat and left-handed bat that could help this lineup in both the long and short-term views.

Unlike Polanco, who technically has two years left on his deal, Kepler is in the final year of his contract with a hit of 10 million, so it would be an easy trade and deal to make work. Primarily a right fielder, Kepler has seen minimal innings in center, but don't expect that to happen if the Cubs trade for him. He would be a fill-in for Seiya Suzuki in RF, but would serve as a DH to add his bat to the lineup.

What it would take to get either of these guys is an entirely different topic, but with neither of them being star players at this point, you have to think the Cubs could get them for next to nothing. Although only talks right now, when there is smoke, there tends to be fire, so expect something to happen sooner or later with one, if not both, of these players.