The trade market has been somewhat quiet this offseason in the midst of the spending spree teams went on last month.
But things may be starting to heat up on that front.
Today, the Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins made a blockbuster deal that sent right-hander Pablo Lopez to Minnesota in exchange for Luis Arraez and two prospects.
Lopez’s name had been thrown around in trade rumors, with the Twins being a possibility for the young righty.
The St. Louis Cardinals were another possibility, as was reported by Ken Rosenthal.
Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported the news of the deal on Twitter.
Twins acquiring Pablo Lopez plus two prospects (one top one) for Luis Arraez
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 20, 2023
This is a big trade, and one that may get the market moving a little bit more.
It’s also a deal that is quite well balanced for both clubs involved.
The Twins are getting a hard-throwing right-hander and another key piece for their starting rotation.
The Marlins on the other hand, are getting the reigning American League batting champion.
It may surprise some that the Twins included Arraez, one of their key performers from the 2022 team in this deal.
But in the end, this trade ultimately helps both teams get better.
After signing Johnny Cueto to a one-year deal, Miami had an overwhelming amount of pitching depth, but still needed to address their offense.
The Twins were in need of a starter.
They also had added veteran slugger Joey Gallo to their lineup.
With this trade, they could potentially slide Gallo over to first base if needed.
Meanwhile, the Marlins have taken a step towards relevance.
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