The Minnesota Twins entered the Major League Baseball trade deadline on the fence. On one hand, players like Byron Buxton showed that this year's team could contend. However, injuries to him and Pablo Lopez but the Twins in position to sell. Minnesota sent Carlos Correa to the Houston Astros in the biggest move of the day. The team almost traded Joe Ryan, too.
Sending Correa to Houston made two statements for the Twins. First of all, it marked the beginning of a fire sale. Minnesota sent Willi Castro to the Chicago Cubs and Jhoan Duran to the Philadelphia Phillies in other moves. Additionally, their trade deadline send them back a couple of steps when it comes to their rebuild. After a promising start, it is back to the drawing board.
While the Twins got a good enough return for Correa, they did not initially want to trade him away. The initial talks between Minnesota and Houston were not serious. However, they got more and more realistic as the deadline got closer. A few days before the move happened Twins team president Derek Falvey told Correa that their goals no longer aligned, hinting at the trade.
It might have been the move Minnesota needed to make, but that doesn't make it a good one. Correa is still an All-Star caliber talent when he is at his best. He was the linchpin of the Astros' last World Series team and could fill a similar role again this year. For a team that struggles to attract free agents, signing Correa back in 2022 was a big deal for the Twins. Now, that era is over.
Sending away a talented player like Correa always come with risk for both teams involved. On one hand, the infielder could return to form with his new team and help them win a championship. On the other, his inconsistency could continue, putting the Astros in a tough spot. However, it is much more likely that the Twins end up regretting the deal they made.
Once healthy, Minnesota has a big hole in their infield
Correa may never have been the player Minnesota thought it was getting when he signed in 2022. However, he filled an essential spot in the infield, helping manager Rocco Baldelli build his lineup around him. Now, all eyes are on Brooks Lee as the Twins try to move on. Correa said that Minnesota had plans to move him to third base at some point. Now, those plans are out the window.
Royce Lewis' injury threw a wrench into the Twins' season early in the year. After the trade deadline, people around the organization are left wondering what would have happened if things had gone differently. Even if the team overcomes its injury issues now, there is no guarantee that they are good enough to make a serious push in the American League.
Minnesota refused to move Ryan at the trade deadline, despite the interest in his availability. The Twins also got an encouraging message from Buxton after the chaos of the deadline died down. Both players are still on the roster and will enter the 2026 season with Lopez back on the mound after his injury. Unfortunately, that might not be enough to stand toe-to-toe with the competition.
Injuries have robbed Minnesota of opportunities to show what their roster is truly capable of. However, one healthy season is all the Twins needed to justify their struggles. After their moves at the trade deadline, it doesn't matter if the Twins have a healthy season next year or not. At the end of the day, they lack the talent necessary to go on a deep playoff run.
The Twins traded Correa when his value was at its lowest
Correa's struggles this season was one of the reasons why the Twins were around .500 for a large portion of the season. He did not miss any time with major injuries, but his production took a hit. Whether it was mental or the fact that he wanted a change of scenery, the former All-Star was not at his best. When the time came to trade him, Minnesota did not get as much as they could.
The Twins traded a large portion of their roster away on July 31. What they are left with is a collection of young, unproven players with a few gems. Buxton said he doesn't want to leave. Minnesota kept Ryan and Lopez to build around moving forward. However, is what they got in return from their trade partners worth what they gave up, even if they wanted to sell?
Moving forward, the Twins' future is murky. On one hand, improved health and growth from their young contributors could help them make a quick turnaround. On the other, injuries could keep them in the middle of the pack in MLB. For what they paid Correa as a free agent, Minnesota needed a king's ransom in return. Instead, they did the best they could with what they had.
Sending Correa away at a low point in his career hurts the Twins in the short-term. However, one of the other consequences is how that kind of trade affects the rest of the roster. For example, Ryan thought Minnesota was going to trade him as part of their sale. He remains on the roster, but he could carry doubts that could result in him wanting out himself.
The Twins had little choice when it came to trading Correa, given the circumstances. However, the fallout of the deal could have Minnesota thinking about what could have been if they had shown some faith in their star and kept him in a Twins jersey.
