According to the SportsLine Projection Model, the Twins right now have a mere 1.3 percent chance of making the postseason. Yes, Minnesota played in the AL Wild Card Game last year and behaved like contenders this past offseason, but right now they're forecast for just 78 wins. Given the strength of the contending field in the American League, that's not even close to good enough.
This reality apparently isn't lost on the front office. According to MLB.com's Jon Morosi, the Twins are poised to be among the teams looking to sell prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Morosi name-checks second baseman Brian Dozier, right-hander Lance Lynn, and infielder Eduardo Escobar as possibilities to be dealt to a contender. Not coincidentally, all three are pending free agents.
Dozier still has some pop by middle-infield standards, but overall his numbers are down in his age-31 campaign. While he's not trending in the right direction, his underlying indicators give some hope for a rebound. As for Lynn, his overall ERA of 4.81 certainly isn't appealing, but after a brutal start to the season the 31-year-old right-hander boasts a 2.40 ERA with almost a strikeout per inning over his last seven starts. Lynn's recent surge in tandem with his strong track record should be enough to drum up interest.
Escobar, though, could be the real piece for the Twins. He's 29 and this season has really leveled up in terms of power. Presently, he's batting .284/.336/.543 and leading the majors with 33 doubles. Over the last two seasons, Escobar has increased his fly-ball percentage, and this year his hard-hit rate is up significantly. Those are positive signs when it comes to the prospect of sustaining his performance, which will matter very much to contending teams. As well, Escobar has spent significant time at third, second, and short.
Some GM who badly wants Manny Machado is going to wind up disappointed. Escobar could make for a pretty nifty consolation prize.
If the Twins indeed decide to pivot at the deadline, then they have the pieces necessary to add some young, controllable talent to the system. Escobar in particular could net them a nice haul.
