The Twins are going for a spot in the MLB Playoffs.
The Minnesota Twins are all in on pursuing not only a spot in the MLB playoffs, but an American League Central division crown. Late Thursday night, Minnesota agreed to a deal with the New York Mets that landed left-handed relief pitcher A.J. Minter. One of the better relief options on the market, Minnesota got aggressive and bolstered the back end of its bullpen.
Just one day later, the Twins have agreed to a deal with the Baltimore Orioles to bring in right-handed starting pitcher Dean Kremer in exchange for Jhomnardo Reyes (via Dan Hayes of The Athletic). While his numbers have been unimpressive this season, the 30-year-old has been a steady presence in Baltimore's rotation the last four seasons, making at least 20 starts each year from 2022 through 2025.
This addition is less about what Kremer can provide the Twins than it is about what it signifies about their direction. This is an organization just one year removed from a massive fire sale at the deadline, which saw almost the entire bullpen gutted in exchange for prospects.
Minnesota ended up finishing 70-92 last year, which was second worst in the AL Central, but a resurgence this year, paired with an unimpressive top of the division, has the front office feeling it is time to go all in. The Twins have not won the AL Central since 2023, when they lost in the American League Division Series to the Houston Astros. Since that year, they have missed the playoffs each season, finishing with a winning record in 2024 at 82-80, but still ending up near the bottom of the division standings.
With how aggressive they have been in recent days, there is reason to believe the Twins are not done and will continue to make moves ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. It remains to be seen what Chicago will do, but the Guardians have hit a skid and will most likely not be going all in to add help at the major league level, providing a real path for the Twins to October whether through the wild card or division.
When Minnesota lost Pablo Lopez before the season even began, it put a real spotlight on the starting rotation, and particularly Joe Ryan, who many felt could be a deadline piece. Instead, Minnesota has patched things together, keeping Ryan in the mix while bringing in reinforcements like Kremer around him while they look to make it back to the postseason.
