Former MLB GM Urges MN Twins to Sell Now, Starting with Shocking Trade

Yahoo

08-05-2025

To write that the Minnesota Twins season 'got off to a slow start' would be putting it too kindly. Rocco Baldelli & Co. were flat out bad through 15 games, posting a 4-11 record that they have yet to recover from. There has been some hope, lately, however.
After taking two of three against the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, the Twins have extended that win streak to four back at Target Field this week against the Red Sox' AL East rival, the Baltimore Orioles. On Wednesday, the now 16-20 Twins will go for a sweep in that series.
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Let's not get too optimistic here, but the Minnesota Twins scored nine runs on Tuesday, behind a 3-for-4 night (HR, 3 RBI) from Carlos Correa that raised his season average to .233. Royce Lewis and Willi Castro have rejoined the team, as well. And Byron Buxton is on fire.
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Jim Bowden ready to pull the plug on Minnesota Twins season
But don't tell that to former MLB general manager, Jim Bowden, who's ready to pull the plug on the 2025 MN Twins season. On Monday, the GM turned writer/insider at The Athletic wrote about 'five trades he'd like to see' happen.
In his No. 1 trade proposal, not only did Jim tell the Twins to blow it all up before the MLB trade deadline, but implores them to do it sooner than later… like this month. So, who should be first to go, according to Bowden? One of their top organizational assets, 28-year-old starter, Joe Ryan.
The Trade: Orioles acquire RHP Joe Ryan from Twins for LHP Cade Povich, 1B Coby Mayo and RHP Michael Forret
The Orioles need an ace if they want to contend in the American League East and return to the postseason. Enter [Joe] Ryan, who can step into that role for them.
The Twins did little this past offseason. It's time for a roster reset.
In return, the Twins would get back [Cade] Povich… [who] needs to improve the command, control and finish on all his pitches, but he should develop into a solid mid-rotation starter. He won't be arbitration-eligible until 2028.
The Twins also would get [Coby] Mayo, who made his major-league debut last year and was just recalled by Baltimore. Mayo, 23, can play either infield corner, has home run power and is major-league-ready.
The sleeper in this trade proposal is [Michael] Forret, 21, a 14th-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft…This year, he's been a full-time starter at High-A Aberdeen, tallying a 1.66 ERA over five outings with 29 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings.'
Jim Bowden – The Athletic
Joe Ryan is a big chip for Minnesota Twins
Joe Ryan was acquired back in 2021 for the ghost of Nelson Cruz and and, as Bowden mentions, he's under contract through 2027. He holds a 2.93 ERA with 47 strikeouts and only 5 walks through seven turns in the rotation. Joe's 40 innings pitched are far and away the most on the Twins staff so far.
Ryan's ceiling is that of a Cy Young pitcher. Yes, the Twins will have to pay him in the next couple of years. But they can worry about that when new owners roll in, which should happen way before the 2027-28 offseason.
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Related: Glen Taylor Won't Talk About His Interest in Buying the Minnesota Twins… For Now
The blueprint for Bowden's proposed trade is a weird one. Why would the Orioles, who have now lost two-straight to the Twins and sit at 13-21 on the season be buying right now, while we sell? And why in the heck would they take back Cade Povich as the featured return asset?
Povich — who Minnesota dealt to Baltimore in a trade for Jorge Lopez in 2023 that now looks like a mistake — has a 5.55 ERA and 5.02 FIP across his first 23 major league starts. On Tuesday, though, he made Bowden look really bad when he allowed 5 earned runs on 6 hits (6 IP) Tuesday night in a blowout loss vs his former team.
Since making his MLB debut in 2024, Cade Povich hasn't been the same guy as he was down on the farm, in either the Minnesota Twins or Orioles organizations. At the minor league level, Povich posted an 11.7 K/9 ratio. In the big leagues, that has dropped to a 7.3.
Cade Povich… and Coby Mayo to the MN Twins, you say?
If you want to believe in this deal having legs, then — like Bowden — you have to really love Orioles prospect Coby Mayo, who currently owns a .087/.192/.087 slash line in his first 52 major league plate appearances.
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While he's off to a slow MLB start, the 23-year-old third baseman proved himself as a prospect, posting a .286 batting average and .918 OPS in the minors. Mayo entered the 2025 season as a top-15 prospect, according to multiple national lists. His long-term position is expected to be first base.
But let's be real. Digging themselves out of what is still a 6.5 game gap between the MN Twins and AL Central leading Detroit Tigers will require a herculean effort the rest of the way. It's certainly still possible, but it will be anything but easy.
If the Minnesota Twins opt for a shake up…
Though I don't like the proposed Bowden deal at all, that doesn't mean the Minnesota Twins roster doesn't need change. Derek Falvey opted against doing so this offseason, but things can't continue to trend like this. If the Twins decide to open up shop as trade deadline sellers, Pablo Lopez is way more likely to go than Ryan. Bailey Ober, too.
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It could be hard to find trade value for negative assets like Christian Vazquez and Carlos Correa, but Jhoan Duran or even a resurgent Chris Paddack would likely interest buyers. Oh, and here are some highlights of Michael Forret, who Jim Bowden called 'the sleeper' in his proposed deal.
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