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Dodgers Balking at Price of Minnesota Twins Relievers
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- Dodgers Balking at Price of Minnesota Twins Relievers
Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Twins are among the most straightforward sellers when it comes to next week's MLB Trade Deadline. They have a six-pack of impending free agents that should be easy to move.
If they want to part with controllable assets, then names like Jhoan Duran , Griffin Jax , and Joe Ryan are going to come into focus. Derek Falvey currently has a massive asking price set for his top relievers, and that's going to deter some suitors.
Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been poking around on Twins talents, and a trio of the bullpen showed off on Friday night in a 1-0 win against the Washington Nationals .
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Jhoan Duran too rich for Los Angeles Dodgers
If thee is a reliever at the top of the trade market it's Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran. He is just 27 years old and making only $4.13 million. He's under team control through 2027, and could be the answer to the Los Angeles Dodgers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates ' woes. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal is unsure they'll play ball.
"The Los Angeles Dodgers do not want to overpay for reliever volatility when they're already living through reliever volatility. So, it seems doubtful they will pay sticker price for a late-inning type such as the Cleveland Guardians' Emmanuel Clase or Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran, assuming those pitchers are even traded."
This offseason the Dodgers spent handsomely on their bullpen. Brusdar Graterol , Tanner Scott, Evan Phillips , and Blake Treinen are all hurt. Yates was an expensive ( $13 million ) acquisition, but has been mediocre.
Jhoan Duran, 102mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/bgmluPYopm
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 26, 2025
Duran (or Jax for that matter) would immediately be the highest-leverage reliever in Dave Roberts' bullpen. The problem is that Los Angeles would again be paying the freight for bullpen help. After they did that this offseason and haven't seen it bear fruit, it's hard to move prospect capital to make it happen.
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Related: Minnesota Twins Demanding Insane Return for Talented Relievers
The Twins closer is having one of the best seasons of his career. He owns a 1.90 ERA with a 52/16 K/BB across 47 1/3 innings. Los Angeles should want every part of that, but if it costs them a pair of top 100 prospects as Minnesota has asked, it's probably a non-starter.
There's a possibility the Twins look to decrease the asking price as Thursday's trade deadline draws closer. There is no reason to believe an acquiring team won't hurt a bit though when bringing the established high-leverage arms aboard.
Could MN Twins work something out for Duran with Dodgers?
It's possible that the Minnesota Twins find a path forward regarding Duran or Jax by including additional talent. Asking a team to pay for relief help is a bit difficult. If there are multiple arms though, or another talent included, it gets a bit more logical.
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Former general manager Jim Bowden called for the MN Twins to pull off a massive blockbuster with the Los Angeles Dodgers. That deal included Minnesota's two best relievers as well as Willi Castro . That's arguably the cream of the crop that could realistically be moved by Derek Falvey.
Related: Former GM Calls for Twins to Complete Blockbuster
It remains to be seen if Minnesota ends up moving their controllable assets. There's little reason to think that they will get much in terms of prospect capital for their impending free agents. If they want to shake up the roster, and make a move of consequence, this may be the way to go about it.
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