Should Twins consider trading for a starter with Pablo Lopez injured?

The Twins are expected to be without one of their aces for 2-3 months. Do they have the depth to stay afloat?

Apr 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez (49) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. / David Richard-Imagn Images

A significant injury to Pablo Lopez is going to test the Twins' starting pitching depth as they look to remain in the playoff mix and potentially even push the Tigers in the AL Central. Is that depth good enough, or should Minnesota consider acquiring a starter via trade in the coming weeks?

Lopez is expected to be out 2-3 months with a Grade 2 strain of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder, the same injury that ended Joe Ryan's season last August. Prior to noticing something was off during his start against the Athletics on Tuesday, Lopez had put up a 2.82 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched. The 2023 All-Star has been one of Minnesota's best and most reliable starters in the three seasons since he was acquired from the Marlins for Luis Arraez.

The Twins believe he'll make a full recovery and will pitch for them again, perhaps by early August if everything goes well. But losing Lopez for at least two months is a significant blow for a team that's right in the middle of a crowded AL wild card picture.

Without Lopez, the Twins' starting rotation currently consists of Ryan, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack, Zebby Matthews, and David Festa. Simeon Woods Richardson, who began the season on Minnesota's roster, is waiting at Triple-A St. Paul as the sixth option. Next in line after that would likely be Andrew Morris, a top-ten prospect in the organization.

On paper, it's not a bad rotation. Ryan has pitched like an ace this season, even if his most recent start was a bit shaky. Ober has been solid, not allowing more than three earned runs in a start since his rough season debut. Paddack has bounced back from a slow start and has been excellent recently. But even if you assume that those three will produce good results, there's now more pressure on the young arms.

Matthews has shown some upside with his stuff, but he also has a 5.21 ERA this year and a career 6.19 mark in 13 MLB starts. Festa returned to the Twins' rotation on Thursday, following the Lopez injury, and got shelled for three home runs and eight ER by the Athletics, failing to complete four innings. He has a career 5.00 ERA in 18 MLB appearances. Woods Richardson, whose struggles led to a demotion in May, has a career 4.48 MLB ERA and was just hit hard in his most recent Triple-A start. Morris has a 4.15 ERA and 1.70 WHIP for St. Paul.

The potential is there for Matthews and Festa, who have shined in the minor leagues, to be good enough on the back end of the Twins' rotation. They just haven't really shown it yet. And that's why the Twins should at least think about making a floor-raising move by acquiring a veteran starter before the July 31 deadline (and well before it, since Lopez may be approaching a return by then).

Who exactly the Twins could target is unclear. They're not going to part with a valuable prospect or go after a big name like Sandy Alcantara or Zac Gallen or Tyler Mahle (they already traded for him once, and it was a disaster). If anything, it would probably just be a veteran with a decent floor as a back-end starter, perhaps someone like Adrian Houser (White Sox) or Tyler Anderson (Angels).

I don't know if the Twins — who don't usually do much of anything before the deadline — will even consider such a move. I also don't think they should do it right now. Give Matthews and Festa at least a couple more turns through the rotation to see if they can settle in and pitch well. But if the results aren't there, a trade for a veteran starter could be what the Twins need to stay afloat while they navigate life without Lopez for a while.

Read more

feed