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A Minor Trade That Could Pay Major Dividends for Twins
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- A Minor Trade That Could Pay Major Dividends for Twins
Minnesota Twins pitcher Eiberson Castellano. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
The Minnesota Twins should explore a small trade for San Francisco Giants left-hander Sam Hentges.
The Twins could offer one lower-tier pitching prospect for a reliever capable of competing for middle-inning work. Minnesota would need a satisfactory medical review and an acceptable 2027 salary before completing the deal.
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That is a proposed trade, not a report of discussions or a Giants asking price. The attraction is the chance to address a specific bullpen opening while preserving the resources required for larger additions.
Hentges would give the Twins another option for the outs that determine whether a game reaches their preferred late-inning pitchers with a lead intact.
Hentges Could Help Minnesota Reach Its Late-Inning Arms
San Francisco Giants pitcher Sam Hentges. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hentges posted a 3.19 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings during 2026. Those strikeouts offer a reason to investigate whether he could supply useful work in the sixth and seventh innings.
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The assignment should begin there. Minnesota could evaluate him as a complementary left-hander, with opportunities to earn more demanding work through his performance.
That role fits the roster's needs. A.J. Minter and Taylor Rogers entered free agency, while Anthony Banda's recovery from lat surgery complicated the left-handed side of the bullpen.
The Twins' free-agent tracker outlined the two veteran departures facing Minnesota.
Kody Funderburk provides an internal option. Another left-hander could help distribute appearances and give manager Derek Shelton more flexibility when a starter leaves before the late innings.
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Jeff Hoffman would benefit from a deeper group ahead of him. If Minnesota can cover an earlier matchup without using its preferred late-game pitcher, it can preserve more choices for the innings that follow.
The earlier Hentges trade evaluation identified his remaining club control through 2027. That would make the acquisition a one-year commitment before free agency, with his arbitration salary still requiring a decision.
For a club balancing catching and pitching needs, that limited commitment has appeal. Minnesota could add a potential contributor without making a multi-year guarantee.
The Medical Risk Must Keep the Price Modest
San Francisco Giants pitcher Sam Hentges. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hentges' ERA supplies only part of the case.
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He finished with a 1.64 WHIP, indicating that baserunners remained a substantial concern. A pitcher who frequently works with traffic can become difficult to trust in the very situations Minnesota needs covered.
His availability also requires scrutiny. Hentges missed 2025 following shoulder surgery and spent time on the injured list with a forearm strain late in 2026. The Twins should establish his expected readiness and workload before assigning value to the acquisition.
Those concerns support an opening offer of one lower-tier prospect. The proposed price reflects the injury history, baserunners and limited remaining control. Minnesota should keep its best prospects available for acquisitions with a stronger combination of certainty and long-term value.
San Francisco has a reason to consider that conversation. After a 65-97 finish, the Giants could turn a 30-year-old reliever's final year of control into a younger player who fits a longer timeline.
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They also have a strong reason to keep him: their own bullpen needs help. If San Francisco believes Hentges can provide effective innings at an acceptable arbitration salary, retaining him could be the better choice.
Minnesota therefore should investigate availability without assuming a discounted deal exists. The Giants' tender decision also matters. If they non-tender Hentges, the Twins could pursue him in free agency without surrendering a prospect.
The Twins' realistic offseason plan called for improvements across several pitching assignments. Hentges would fit as one piece of that work, with additional investment still directed toward dependable relief innings.
A healthy, effective return could make this small swap valuable. The Twins should pursue it with a defined middle-inning role, a strict prospect limit, and enough remaining flexibility to keep strengthening the staff.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/twins/onsi as A Minor Trade That Could Pay Major Dividends for Twins .
