Twins are on Quest for Ace Starter and Shopping Luis Arraez

The Minnesota Twins desperately need high-end pitching help in their starting rotations, if they’re going to consider themselves real contenders in the American League, or even in the Central division.

Lack of front end talent in their rotation isn’t a new problem. It’s something that has plagued this franchise for two decades. But it’s an issue that Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were hired to solve.

Twins open to trading Luis Arraez

Now reportedly, they want to shop in the deep end of the MLB trade market for the elusive ace they’ve been seeking. And according to Dan Hayes (The Athletic) their sales pitch to potential trade partners at the MLB winter meetings this week, includes dealing the 2022 American League batting champion, Luis Arraez.

The club’s future rotation instability currently leaves members of the Twins front office in an unenviable position where they have discussed the possibility of trading the 2022 American League batting champion. With few, if any, untouchables on the 40-man roster, some in the organization believe the Twins would deal Arraez if it helped bring back a top-tier starting pitcher.

The Twins would prefer not to trade Arraez, one of the toughest at-bats in baseball. But after seeing the Texas Rangers pay Jacob deGrom $185 million over five years, the soaring cost of top-tier pitching has the Twins re-thinking who may or may not be available in a trade.

Dan Hayes – The Athletic

Why Twins are shopping Arraez

Technically, this report by Dan Hayes doesn’t confirm external conversations between the Twins and other organizations, to trade Luis Arraez. But, let’s be real. This leak happened for a reason and, if Derek Falvey wasn’t already shopping the batting champ openly, he will be now.

According to this report, the Minnesota Twins are feeling pinched out of the current and forecasted starting pitcher free agency markets. If Jacob DeGrom is going for $185 million over 5 years, how are they going to afford anyone worthy of a #1 role in their rotation?

Well, they can… but won’t. So instead, the front office is opening up the roster for potential trade suitors who might offer an ace in return for one of their young position players. Arraez makes a lot of sense because his stock will never be higher than it is this offseason. He’s coming off of an AL batting title, career slugging numbers and (most importantly) he stayed healthy.

But in all reality, Luis Arraez is unlikely to ever see his OPS rise above .800 and his defense is mediocre, at best. If the Twins can swap him out for a legitimate ace, they’d have no choice but to pull the trigger.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan