Minnesota Twins make trade for much-needed rotation help

The Minnesota Twins have traded for Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Tyler Mahle. In exchange, the Reds will receive three prospects.

Twins, Reds make trade sending Tyler Mahle to be member of Minnesota Twins rotation

The Minnesota Twins are getting one of the most underrated starting pitchers in baseball in Tyler Mahle.

Mahle turns 28 in September and this season, he has a 4.40 ERA in 19 starts. That is a bit elevated due to him pitching in Cincinnati, which is a bandbox. On the road this year, he has a 3.83 ERA and last year, he had a 2.30 road ERA. His FIP also suggests some bad luck this year as it’s 3.60. He also has a 1.246 WHIP and an average of 3.4 walks and 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

Steer, 24, was drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 2019 Draft. He was at Triple-A and has hit .242/.345/.485 with 12 home runs and 32 RBI in 48 games. He was promoted to Triple-A after hitting .307 with a .976 OPS in Double-A. He was the Twins’ #7 prospect.

Hajjar, who turns 22 in less than a week, was the Twins’ second-round pick last year. At Low-A this year, he has made 12 starts and he had a 2.47 ERA. In 43.2 innings, he has walked 22 batters and struck out 71 batters, which is very impressive. Batters are only hitting .168 against him.

Encarnacion-Strand, 22, was the Twins’ fourth-round draft pick last season. He was recently promoted to Double-A after hitting well in High-A. In Double-A, he has played in 13 games and he is hitting .333/.400/.685 with five home runs and 17 RBI.

The Twins had to address their starting pitching after the disastrous July they had. In the month of July, their starters had an ERA of 6.49, which was third-worst in all of baseball. The Twins probably need another starter but at least Mahle is a start and a very good start at that.