MLB Rumors: Minnesota Twins will look to deal starting pitcher?

The Minnesota Twins added a number of options to their starting rotation this off-season. While none might be true aces, it creates a crowded situation at the back of their rotation.

Once that situation has been decided, the team could look to gauge trade interest in the guys who did not win a spot. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes about that possibility:

"The Twins, for instance, have three pitchers competing for the No. 5 spot in their rotation in Scott Diamond, Vance Worley, and Samuel Deduno. The Twins could put those who lose out in the bullpen, but then that gets too crowded. So, they will have a pitcher or two to deal.”"

It takes two teams to deal, of course, so an interested trade partner would have to emerge for the Twins to be able to deal.

Deduno offers the most upside, both to the Twins and to any trade partner. In 2013 he went 8-8 with a 3.83 ERA. It’s all relative, of course.

Diamond was nominally the team’s ace in 2012, but his low ceiling was exposed last season: he went 6-13 with a 5.43 ERA. He has shown flashes of being a capable big league pitcher, so perhaps another team will see him as a candidate for the back of their rotation.

Finally there is Worley, who came to the Twins in exchange for outfielder Ben Revere before the 2013 season. Unfortunately for the Twins, he was disastrous last year, going 1-5 with a 7.21 ERA in 10 big league starts and spending some of the season in AAA. Prior to that he showed great promise in Philadelphia, but the improvement will have to be significant for any team to realistically want him in a trade.

Yes, the Twins might be able to deal a starting pitcher, but we are not exactly talking about a blockbuster deal here.