Pirates Trade Targets: Can Cellar Dwellers Help?

Pirates trade targets for Neal Huntington

We continue to look for Pittsburgh Pirates trade targets.  As the month of August flys by, the opportunity to improve the Pirates roster are slipping away.  Surely the Pirates trade targets are longer than this post, but we noticed one team that could provide the Bucs with a shark for the tank.

The shark tank has been really bad this season.  One would think a last place team couldn’t help.  Take a look at the Minnesota Twins—the Twins have some arms that could help the Bucs, but it doesn’t appear a deal can be made.

Darren Wolfson tweeted the Minnesota Twins don’t appear likely to be making any more August deals.

When looking at the Twins, Glen Perkins stands out as a target that would look nice, really nice. It would be a blockbuster deal.  Perkins has pitched 52.1 innings and struck out 62 while walking just nine. The southpaw isn’t a one year wonder, he has always put up nice strikeout numbers.

Aug 11, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Glen Perkins (15) pitches during the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. The Twins defeated the Astros 4-2 Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

One hangup might be that the 31-year old Perkins was extended in March. The All-Star closer earned $4.025 million in 2014, will get $4.65 next year, $6.3 in 2016 and $6.5 in 2017. The extension contained a club option for the 2018 campaign that is worth $6.5 million and comes with a $700,000 buyout.

Another is that Perkins seems to enjoy pitching in his home state.  The reliever is one of the best in the game and prying him away from Minnesota seems like a long shot.  Should the Twins trade Perkins, the 2018 term would be a player option too.

Brian Duensing is a lefty in the Twins bullpen that has had a strong season.  The southpaw has pitched 44.1 innings giving up 40 hits but only striking out 29.

Duensing has not been mentioned in any trade rumors that we could find.  But with the Twins struggling mightily, GM Terry Ryan should think long and hard about passing up on deals that can help his team in the future.

Duensing is arb eligible in 2015 before becoming a free agent in 2016.  It’s a deal that could be made without much risk.   The lefty has not been used much by the Twins this season, but with left handers at a premium–trying to get Duensing out of the cellar dwelling Twins sounds like a difficult task.

The deal for Perkins would be over the top.  Shutting down games becomes a whole lot easier with Perkins, but he simply doesn’t appear to be a pitcher the Bucs would pursue because of his contract.  However, maybe that contract is enough to chase away other teams as well?  Unfortunately it appears the Twins aren’t interested in dealing, which seems like  a really bad decision, because Duensing seems to be a whole lot more realistic.

But it really looks like the Twins will hold on to both of their best relievers, because…you know they can finish in last with them.