MLB TRADE: MLB Chiefs React to Twins Signing After Naming It a Coup With a Full Lunch Investigation

The 2018 Minnesota Twins found themselves in an unusual situation as the trade deadline neared. Derek Falvey took the difficult decision to take off a fan favorite’s band-aid, but it resulted in a huge gain for the Minnesota Twins. Losing Eduardo Escobar was difficult at the time, but the franchise has since improved significantly.
On July 26, 2018, the Minnesota Twins, led by Paul Molitor, were 48-53 and seven games out of first place in the AL Central. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, who were awarded American League Managers of the Year after the 2017 season, were unable to decide who will lead the team. Regression has set in, necessitating roster turnover.

Despite being a fan favourite, Eduardo Escobar was a 29-year-old with a.852 OPS who was about to become a free agent. There was never going to be a better chance to deal him. It was going to be met with hostility, similar to how Luis Arraez was seen when he was sent to Miami last season, but the baseball aspect made sense.

Escobar’s homecoming was questionable. When dealing with the Diamondbacks, Minnesota prioritized quality over quantity. Gabriel Maciel was seen as the standout of the return. The 11th best prospect in Arizona’s system at the time, according to MLB Pipeline, the Brazilian was a Pioneer League All-Star in 2017 and a name to remember. Ernie De La Trinidad, a previous 19th-round pick, was hardly more than a gamble. Jhoan Duran, a starting pitcher at Low-A Kane County and Arizona’s 19th-best prospect per MLB Pipeline, was also included in the deal.

Maciel wasn’t guaranteed a large signing bonus; as an international free agent in 2015, he received only $90,000 in compensation. His skill set was thrilling, though, and his projectability felt like something Minnesota could only dream of. Ultimately, he never went above High-A, and his career.705 OPS across 445 minor league games was never going to cut it. Missoula’s lone claim to fame was a 52-game sample size in rookie level, and he has been out of affiliated baseball since 2022, while being only 25 years old.

On the other hand, Duran has emerged as one of baseball’s most outstanding relievers, proving to be more valuable to the Twins franchise than anything Escobar could have provided in the intervening years. Duran worked his way through the system as a starting pitcher, but his ability to blast triple-digit fastballs combined with a devastating slider earned him a seat in the bullpen to begin the 2022 season.

Duran is not due for arbitration until 2025 and will not be a free agent until 2028, so the Twins should enjoy many prosperous seasons with him in the back of their bullpen. Just a day after the Escobar deal, Minnesota traded closer Ryan Pressly to the Houston Astros for Jorge Alcala and Gilberto Celestino. Celestino was viewed as the beneficiary of that transaction, despite the fact that Alcala proved to be the more productive arm. The front office had no idea they’d be replacing their current closer with a future closer in such a short period of time.

Duran is not only one of baseball’s most overpowering arms, but he has also become a must-see attraction when he takes the field. He has demonstrated a personality that has Minnesotans eagerly anticipating his next appearance, and he has become something of a lock when Baldelli asks him to end a game. In the years after the deal, Escobar went on to accumulate 6.0 fWAR as a regular for three different clubs while earning about $40 million. Duran has already collected 2.8 fWAR, with the remainder of 2024 remaining while earning only the league minimum. That value proposition is a tribute to a front office that knew what it was doing.

Sometimes the best trades are those that are most difficult to lose. Twins supporters did not want to see Arraez shipped go, but given how quickly the Marlins cobbled him together for more pieces, it’s difficult not to be pleased about hiring Pablo Lopez and having a Pablo Day every couple of weeks.

Jhoan Duran was one of Minnesota’s best pickups in recent seasons, and he’ll continue to aid the team for many years.