Someone will have to win the AL Central, and right now the team in first place is the Minnesota Twins. Sitting at 33-33, the Twins are the only team in the division without a losing record, though a recent four-game skid has them at .500 for the first time since the season began.

The Twins are buoyed by an impressive pitching staff that ranks third in MLB in runs allowed per game. Starters Joe Ryan, Sonny Gray, and Bailey Ober all have sub-3.00 ERAs, with Gray and Ryan both pitching like legitimate Cy Young candidates. In the bullpen, Jhoan Duran has a fastball that nearly reaches 105 MPH and a vile pitch that can only be described as a “splinker.” Part sinker, part splitter, it moves in a manner that defies proper description while coming in at 100 MPH.

A weak offense though is holding Minnesota back. No team in Major League Baseball strikes out more than the Twins, and the team is hitting below .231 overall.

This run-scoring deficiency can be addressed through the trade market. Here are four players the Twins should start targeting.

4 early 2023 MLB trade deadline targets for Twins

J.D. Davis (3B), San Francisco Giants

The Twins have gotten minimal production from their corner infielders. First baseman Donovan Solano does not have a home run on the season, while opening-day third baseman Jose Miranda is in the minor leagues. Joey Gallo has been mashing the ball, but even when healthy, his contact rate is not high enough to make him a legitimate threat.

J.D. Davis has demonstrated flashes in the past (22 HR and a .307 average with the New York Mets in 2019) and is finally breaking through this year. His expected slugging ranks in the 83rd percentile, and he is 90th percentile or higher in hard-hit percentage and average exit velocity.

Spencer Steer (3B/1B), Cincinnati Reds

If J.D. Davis is a bit out of the Twins' price range, then Spencer Steer is another solid option to fill Minnesota's need for a corner infielder. Steer has an impressive strikeout rate — especially for a rookie — while offering a slugging percentage just short of J.D. Davis' number. This former Twins draft pick and Tyler Mahle trade piece would be an ideal player to recoup during Minnesota's chase for a division crown.

Aroldis Chapman (RP), Kansas City Royals

Outside of the unhittable Jhoan Duran, the Twins bullpen has been a bit shaky this year. Jorge Lopez has blown four saves and the other main men all have slightly elevated ERAs.

Elsewhere in the division, Aroldis Chapman is back to throwing 100 MPH with control — a scary scenario for MLB hitters. Fortunately for the Twins, Chapman is playing for a laughably-bad Royals team stuck in a long-term rebuild, meaning the 35-year-old will be unloaded before the trade deadline.

Tyler O'Neill (OF), St. Louis Cardinals

The Twins rank 25th among MLB teams in total outfield WAR, with all three of their starting outfielders batting sub-.230 and only Max Kepler playing above-average defense.

One guy who should be available for cheap is Cardinals outfielder Tyler O'Neill. After averaging a home run every 20 at-bats over his first five years with the Cardinals, O'Neill has just two dingers in nearly 100 at-bats this season. He is still an above-average defender, and worth the gamble that he can return to the hitter he once was.