Twins have been better sellers than buyers. 3 needs they could address this trade deadline (2024)

SAN FRANCISCO — He was acquired in July 2019 by the Minnesota Twins to be the bullpen’s “security blanket.” In turn, Sergio Romo became the current front-office regime’s most consequential acquisition as a trade deadline buyer.

Five years after the Twins traded for him, sending Lewin Díaz to Miami for the then-36-year-old reliever, Romo fondly recalled a brief period in his career of which he “loved every bit.”

Honored by the San Francisco Giants on Saturday for playing a critical role in their dynasty a decade ago, Romo, who pitched for the Twins for parts of two seasons, said he’d simply hoped to blend in with a talented, inexperienced group of relievers in Minnesota. He not only performed well in 2019, posting a 3.18 ERA with 16 holds, three saves and 27 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings, but also provided the stability the Twins desperately needed as they cruised to an American League Central title.

“I wasn’t brought in to usurp them, pitch more than them or pitch over them,” Romo said. “I was brought in to complement to Trevor (May) to Taylor (Rogers) to Tyler (Duffey). That’s all I was trying to do. … I’d been in similar situations that some of those guys were going through their first time. I just wanted to be a reliable complement to what they already had.”

As well as he performed, Romo doesn’t qualify as a blockbuster addition. In seven seasons under the leadership of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, the team has yet to land a prized trophy fish at the deadline when attempting to bolster the roster for a championship run.

The Twins have had plenty of trade deadline success as sellers in recent years, netting pitchers Joe Ryan, Jhoan Duran, Simeon Woods Richardson, Jorge Alcala and outfielder Austin Martin in separate deals. Yet they haven’t had nearly the same amount of success as buyers, the position they find themselves in again this season.

The front office tried to upgrade the Twins roster two years ago, landing All-Star closer Jorge López from Baltimore, Tyler Mahle from Cincinnati and Michael Fulmer from Detroit in separate deadline day deals on Aug. 2, 2022. Those first two trades required significant prospect packages that cost the Twins current major leaguers Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Yennier Cano and minor leaguer Cade Povich, who has made seven starts for Baltimore this year.

But both of those deals blew up spectacularly, Mahle spending the majority of his time in town on the injured list and López unable to handle the pressure of the moment.

Hoping to add to the rotation in 2019, the Twins didn’t acquire a starter, finding the prices too outrageous. Instead, they settled on Romo and another reliever, Sam Dyson. Dyson’s tenure was as bad as those of Mahle and López as he posted a 7.15 ERA over 12 games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery that September, which prompted questions about whether San Francisco knew the righty was injured when it traded him to the Twins.

The Romo trade was the only one of those “buys” that made the desired impact.

Before his acquisition, the 2019 Twins bullpen went 19-15 with 29 saves and a 4.41 ERA. Afterward, Twins relievers went 15-7 with 21 saves and a 3.80 ERA.

“(Romo) did bring some stability,” Rogers said. “ With the experience he brought, it was like a calmness with what we were looking to accomplish that year. We had somebody that’s done it, so we were going to bring him with us. It just felt nice. … Now, looking at it after you’ve been the new guy, you just want to filter in and not get in the way of what that team has already been doing. I think (Romo) did a nice job of that by also being a productive member, too. We all saw it. He was going to come in, throw sliders and that was it.”

As the 2024 Twins approach the July 30 trade deadline, here’s a quick look at the team’s needs and areas where it could upgrade.

• The best way for the Twins to enhance the roster would be by adding a starting pitcher. With Pablo López, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober leading the way, the Twins would like to add quality to a rotation that also features rookie Simeon Woods Richardson, who’s having a very good season, and Chris Paddack, who hasn’t pitched a full season since 2019 and missed most of 2022 and 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery a second time.

Rumblings around the organization would suggest the Twins are interested in acquiring a rental starting pitcher, something they’ve avoided doing in the past. The team could target Toronto left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is striking out 9.9 batters per nine innings and will be a free agent after the season.

• Though they entered the All-Star break scoring 4.85 runs per game, which ranks seventh out of 30 teams in the majors, the Twins could try to improve the lineup and slug their way through the postseason. The best route might be adding a more consistent left-handed bat in left field or at first base/designated hitter over Trevor Larnach or Matt Wallner.

Still, Larnach entered the break with 109 Weighted Runs Created Plus. Meanwhile, Wallner appears to have shaken off his horrid start to the season, posting a 1.189 OPS in 26 plate appearances since rejoining the Twins.

• If there are still concerns about the health of Brock Stewart, who is in the midst of a rehab assignment, the front office could address them by adding a reliever. The Twins already are in good shape with Duran, Griffin Jax and Alcala at the back end of the bullpen, which likely reduces the chance they’d make such a move. But if Stewart’s future looks cloudy, acquiring another power arm might be the way to go.

(Top photo of Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey: Brace Hemmelgarn / Minnesota Twins / Getty Images)

Dan Hayes is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Minnesota Twins. Dan joined The Athletic after 5 1/2 years at NBC Sports Chicago and eight years at The North County Times, where he covered the Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, four World Series, the NBA Finals, NHL Stanley Cup Final, NASCAR, UFC, Little League World Series, PGA and the NFL. Follow Dan on Twitter @DanHayesMLB