The MLB trade deadline is officially in the rearview, but the sting of how little the Minnesota Twins did still feels fresh.
We all know what happened, as the Twins made just a single low wattage trade while once again refusing to add to the roster in a meaningful way. Lost in the frustration about how minimal the Twins effort was at is how the team also didn’t move some of its most valuable pieces at the deadline.
This could be something that the front office circles back around to in the winter one way or another. Minnesota might not like it, but the team will have some big decisions to make on some notable players who might be playing their final games with the team ahead of another important winter of potential chance.
3 Twins players who survived the trade deadline but will be gone this offseason
Max Kepler, OF
Twins fans made peace with the idea of Max Kepler wearing another uniform this past winter, which could prepare them for what this upcoming offseason has in store. Minnesota teased the idea of trading either Kepler or Jorge Polanco — or both — to land front line starting pitching but that never ended up happening.
Instead Polanco was traded in a salary dump and the Twins decided to hang onto Kepler and see what happens. The results have been mixed, as he’s shown some serious flare at times while generally having one of the more disappointing offensive seasons of his career.
Minnesota’s chances to trade Kepler have passed, as he’s set to become a free agent at the end of the season. He’ll likely receive a qualifying offer, but the rise of some top prospects through the farm system could push him out the door especially if the Twins are going to try and avoid adding money to the payroll.
Emmanuel Rodriguez has been a gem at Double-A when he’s healthy and Luke Keaschall has been a fast riser through the minors. The Twins could also audition DaShawn Keirsey Jr. in Spring Training to see if he can take over as well, or at the very least add some depth.
Kepler isn’t as good as gone, but he’s more on the edge than some might think. He’s been fine but not great this year and the Twins not wanting to spend money could spell the end of his time in Minnesota. Then again, his lack of big numbers could make him an affordable player to re-sign, but that might be a hard sell when the Twins would have to pay E-Rod, Kerisey, or Keaschall less combined than what it might cost to bring back Kepler.
Kyle Farmer, INF
An injury took Kyle Farmer out of the running for being of much use at the trade deadline, but that’s unfortunately been par for the course with him this season. He was the Twins’ biggest offseason addition in terms of money added to the books, signing a $6 million deal to avoid arbitration but it’s a deal that has hardly paid off.
Rather than be a meaningful piece of the lineup, Farmer has turned in one of the worst seasons of his career. He’s hitting just 189/.291/.265 with a -0.6 WAR and has effectively been pushed out of a place on the roster. Willi Castro is an All-Star, Brooks Lee has made his debut, and Royce Lewis is hopefully back for the long haul; all of that edges Farmer out of the picture more than was already the case already.
It would have been hard to trade him, but Farmer has demonstrated he’s a good player in the past. This season shouldn’t wipe out the good he’s done, but it’s a pretty clear sign that the Twins need to move off him this winter. He has a mutual option for 2025 that includes a $250,000 buyout, but perhaps that option is exercised in order to facilitate a trade.
Farmer’s numbers and production hardly justify a $6.25 million salary next season so it might be had to find a trade partner. Still, the fact of the matter remains that Farmer seems to be living on borrowed time in Minnesota and he’ll be on the move one way or another this winter.
Luke Keaschall, 2B/OF
This one could honestly go either way, as there’s a solid arguement for the Twins hanging onto Keaschall.
He’s among the team’s top prospects heading into next season and may even end up getting fast tracked to an MLB roster spot depending on what happens. If Minnesota once again refuses to spend money, then Keaschall makes sense as an in-house option the team could sell as being just as good as a free agent signing.
That’s also where his value lies as potential currency. If the Twins are going to be tight with spending this winter, Keaschall is perhaps the team’s most valuable trade chip. His name has already been floated by the front office, which could be a breaking of the seal when it comes to the willingness to move him and land a more MLB-ready piece to improve the roster.
If it’s the difference between waiting to see if Keaschall can reach the Twins roster by July or trading him to get a player who makes the team a World Series contender, the choice might not be that hard to make.
Fans were teased with such a scenario this past winter and it never ended up happening, but based on what happens the rest of this season things could change. Make no mistake, trading Keaschall would be a hefty price to pay but he could be a name to keep an eye on as someone the front office uses to land a big fish.
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