The Twins are approaching next Monday’s trade deadline as buyers, and that could put Trevor Larnach in the mix as a possible trade piece if Minnesota decides the path to upgrading its roster runs through the outfield.
Jeremy Zoll said the front office has been working from the “buy” side for the past couple of months, rather than shifting directions at the last minute. In other words, Minnesota is not treating this as a sudden pivot. The organization has already been doing the groundwork for additions, and now it is looking to execute on that plan.
That matters because the Twins are still in the race. They were in third place in the AL Central and within a half-game of the Guardians for the AL’s last Wild Card spot, so the team is close enough to justify adding talent. At the same time, the club has to decide how aggressive it wants to be, and which players it is willing to make available to improve the roster elsewhere.
Larnach fits that conversation. The 26-year-old left fielder is carrying a $4.475MM salary and has one more year of arbitration control after this season, which gives him value to both sides of a potential deal. He is also part of a group of Twins hitters and pitchers that could draw outside interest, depending on how Minnesota prioritizes its deadline plan.
Why Larnach could come up in talks
The most obvious reason is simple roster math. If the Twins are trying to add pitching, they may need to use a productive major league bat to make that happen. Larnach is not a fringe piece, but he is also not a player the team has to move, which is exactly the kind of status that can create trade value in the right market.
That is especially true with other Twins names already getting attention. Ryan Jeffers has drawn interest from the Rays and Yankees, while Joe Ryan has been viewed as a marquee target for teams looking for starting pitching. Byron Buxton, meanwhile, was previously declared not going anywhere. So if Minnesota does deal from its current roster, the discussion may center on players like Larnach as the front office tries to balance present-day contention with longer-term control.
What Minnesota is trying to do
Zoll’s comments made the team’s direction clear. The Twins are not preparing to sell. They are trying to add, and the goal is to bolster the roster in a way that keeps the group together and puts it in the best position to keep pushing ahead.
That makes the next few days important. Minnesota is close enough to the postseason race to justify help, but not so secure that it can be passive. If the Twins can land pitching without sacrificing too much of their current core, they will likely take that route. If a bigger upgrade requires moving Trevor Larnach, that possibility is now part of the deadline picture.
