General manager Jeremy Zoll commented on the Minnesota Twins' plans for the upcoming Aug. 3 deadline.
With the MLB trade deadline less than one week away, the Minnesota Twins have made it clear where they stand.
As the Twins are just a half-game out of an AL playoff spot while ranking third in the AL Central, general manager Jeremy Zoll confirmed on Tuesday that the team will be buyers during this year's deadline.
The decision also comes following a 3-2 walk-off win over the rival Kansas City Royals which brought Minnesota back to a .500 record.
"We're really excited about how the team has played over this last stretch," Zoll told reporters, according to MLB.com. "We're really encouraged about that. In turn, we're going to use this next stretch, this next week, to do everything we can to find ways to improve the club and continue to execute on that goal and make it a reality."
This direction points to a stark contrast from last year in which Minnesota were sellers despite going 50-55 overall. They would ship off many of their core pieces while keeping center fielder Byron Buxton and starting pitcher Joe Ryan around.
Even after a rough outing against the Cleveland Guardians on July 20, Ryan has continued to dominate on the mound this season, compiling a 3.38 ERA and 1.10 WHIP while fanning 131 batters.
As a result, it is no surprise that Minnesota remains reluctant to move the 30-year-old right-hander.
"But what I’ll say is on Ryan specifically, he’s had an awesome year," Zoll said. "We’re really excited about where he’s at, and looking forward to doing everything we can to keep the group together and put us in the best spot to keep pushing ahead."
As for Buxton, packaging him in a deal would present further challenges given his full no-trade clause. However, no one can blame him or the Twins given his sustained track record at the plate. So far, Buxton has been batting .263 while recording 87 hits, 45 RBI and 25 home runs.
The 32-year-old also emphasized his wish to remain a one-helmet player, saying "I ain't going nowhere."
Above all, Zoll discussed his priority of addressing Minnesota's bullpen that has held a 4.96 ERA after recently losing Anthony Banda Cole Sands for the remainder of the season.
“We're going to focus on finding ways to continue to improve the bullpen and that'll be a clear focus,” he said. “Beyond that, we're going to be open to a variety of creative paths and you never know what might come about."
