Breaking the blockbuster Twins and Marlins trade that sent Luis Arraez to Miami and Pablo Lopez to Minnesota.
Throughout the offseason, the Twins have been in talks with the Miami Marlins about a trade that would send right-hander Pablo Lopez to Minnesota. The asking price was high, but with the Twins listening to inquiries about star infielder Luis Arraez, there was potential scope for a deal to be made.
On Friday afternoon, the Twins agreed to acquire Lopez, top shortstop prospect Jose Salas and outfielder Byron Chourio from the Marlins for Arraez.
Let’s break down the trade.
Minnesota twins
Parting ways with Arraez would always be difficult and why many in baseball were skeptical the Twins would end up trading him.
Since debuting in May 2019, Arrived has reduced .314/.374/.410. He averaged .316 this season, slightly edging out Aaron Judge and preventing the superstar outfielder from winning the Triple Crown. He was the American League batting champion and one of the best clean hitters in baseball. But there have always been concerns about Arraez defensively – he has no real position – and as The Athletic’s Dan Hayes wrote, concerns about his long-term health, particularly his legs.
In Lopez, the Twins acquire a player they have coveted for years. He has front-line rotational potential and since Lopez is only 26, he’s a player the organization can build around for years to come. The addition of Lopez also means the Twins could get creative with their rotation, perhaps listening to trade demands on future free agents Sonny Gray and Tyler Mahle.
Scouts believe Salas, the young infielder, has star potential. He was ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Marlins organization and his inclusion in the deal ‘stunned’ a scout.
Note : B+
Miami Marlins
The main question after the trade was what the Marlins were going to do with their inner surplus, a group that includes: Arraez, Jean Segura, Jazz Chisolm, top prospect Jordan Groshans, Jon Berti and Joey Wendle.
Marlins general manager Kim Ng offered some clarification, saying Arraez would play second base and Chisolm would move to the outfield. Perhaps the Marlins make another trade to clear depth in the field – Berti and Wendle have attracted commercial interest, sources say – but their priority was to trade from their surplus starting pitchers to improve their offensive.
After the Marlins signed Johnny Cueto, they were in a position to do so. And in acquiring Arraez, they landed perhaps the biggest fish not named Bryan Reynolds in the commercial market. It remains to be seen if the Twins’ concerns with Arraez will eventually come to light, but Arraez’s impact on the Marlins offense should not be underestimated. He’s a legit superstar and that’s exactly what the Marlins needed.
Category B-
