Days after the Minnesota Twins acquired Jaime Garcia to help their rotation, Jon Morosi recently tweeted that the Twins are considering selling Ervin Santana and Garcia if the team continues to struggle. The Twins are 4.5 games out of first place and are now trailing the Royals and Indians in the standings. The team recently traded for Garcia to help take the load off of Santana, but he could be gone now that the Twins are 49-50. The team is 4-6 in their last ten games, and 9-12 in the month of July.
Santana could bring a nice trade package
Santana made his second All-Star game this season.
His Earned Run Average is a career best. He is under contract next season for $13.5 million and has a club option for $14 million the season after. The team's ace has been carrying a heavy load this season, which is why the acquisition of Garcia was potentially going to help. Garcia has a 4.30 earned run average in 133 innings pitched. However, if the team decides to sell, Santana could bring back a nice trade package of prospects.
Twins should go for it
The Twins are ahead of schedule in terms of their team development. Nobody expected the Twins to contend for the playoffs. The team is just three games back in the wild card standings, and contend in a weaker division. Not to mention, if the Twins can take care of the Royals, that is another team that they could knock out of contention in the wild card.
The whole point of trading for Garcia was to add another starter in the rotation anyway.
Who would take Santana?
The Astros, Dodgers, and Diamondbacks have been looking for another starter. Realistically, the Astros and Dodgers are the teams that have the farm system to afford a player like Santana. The Astros are potentially going to miss out on getting Sonny Gray.
They were once linked to Chris Archer, but the Rays are in a position to make the playoffs. That leaves Yu Darvish as another All-Star-caliber starter, and the Rangers are not likely to deal with Houston.
Given that the Astros have six prospects in the top 100 -- according to MLB.com -- Houston seems like a good fit to make a deal with Minnesota.
That would give the team three starting pitchers that made the All-Star team this season. The Astros are already running away with the division, but the team is going all-in to make a World Series run in the playoffs. Adding Santana would make the Astros much more dangerous. The Dodgers could also make a run at Santana, but, given his success in the American League, Houston makes more sense.
