Two Trade Targets Who Could Solve the Twins' Biggest Problem

Minnesota needs another dependable route through the late innings. Two clubs with different incentives could help, provided the Twins respect the price.

The Minnesota Twins logo in center field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Twins cannot enter 2027 assuming one more closer will repair their bullpen. They used 15 different pitchers to record a save in 2026, an American League record, and the middle innings were too often a scramble.

Jeff Hoffman remains under contract, but A.J. Minter and Taylor Rogers are headed for free agency. Anthony Banda's recovery from lat surgery further complicates the left-handed side of the relief corps.

That makes a trade worth exploring. Minnesota needs pitchers who can protect a lead before the ninth inning, and the best fit depends on how much prospect capital general manager Jeremy Zoll is willing to spend.

Riley O'Brien, St. Louis Cardinals: The Expensive Upgrade

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

O'Brien saved 38 games in 46 chances for St. Louis in 2026, striking out 64 batters in 64 innings. He would give manager Derek Shelton a second experienced late-inning right-hander alongside Hoffman, with enough flexibility to use either pitcher in the highest-leverage spot. The 4.08 ERA and 29 walks are reminders that the save total alone does not make him a sure thing.

The Cardinals have a reason to listen. O'Brien is 31, and a rebuilding club could convert a reliever's value into players more likely to anchor its next contender. MLB.com identified him as a possible trade chip during the season, pointing to his club control through 2030. St. Louis traded other veterans in August but kept O'Brien, which also suggests it will not accept a modest return.

Minnesota would have to offer a near-major-league-ready pitcher with starter upside and at least one additional prospect. Four years of control make this a much bigger investment than a rental reliever.

If the Cardinals demand one of the Twins' premier young arms, the club should pass. O'Brien improves the late innings, but Minnesota has too many holes to spend its entire trade budget on one reliever.

Sam Hentges, San Francisco Giants: The Targeted Left-Handed Bet

San Francisco Giants pitcher Sam Hentges. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hentges addresses a different opening. The left-hander posted a 3.19 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 36.2 innings for the Giants in 2026. He is under club control through 2027, so an acquiring team would be buying one season rather than committing to a long contract.

San Francisco finished 65-97 and moved relievers Erik Miller and Caleb Kilian at the trade deadline. Turning a 30-year-old pitcher with one year of control into a younger piece would fit that approach. The Giants also need bullpen help themselves, though, and could decide Hentges is more useful on their roster than in a trade.

His price should reflect the risk. Hentges missed 2025 following shoulder surgery, spent time on the injured list with a forearm strain late in 2026 and had a 1.64 WHIP despite the strong ERA.

A middle-tier pitching prospect or a controllable depth player is a more sensible starting point than one of Minnesota's top prospects. The Twins would need a thorough medical review before making even that offer.

Hentges should be the first call because he fills the left-handed gap at a potentially manageable cost. O'Brien is the stronger late-inning addition if St. Louis accepts a package that preserves Minnesota's best young pitching.

Either deal would still leave room for another bullpen move; fixing this group requires more dependable innings, not merely a new name for the ninth.