MLB Trade Rumors: Minnesota Twins Drawing Interest in Justin Morneau, Glen Perkins

The Minnesota Twins are drawing significant interest on the Major League Baseball trade market. Former AL MVP Justin Morneau is among the players expected to be dealt, according to ESPN’s Jim Bowden (h/t MLBTR).

Morneau, who has four homers in his last 52 at bats, is starting to show signs that his power stroke is returning. He’s a free agent at the end of the year and with the presence of Chris Parmelee as a likely replacement, doesn’t figure into the long-term plan with the Twins at this point. He is said to be of interest to the Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Yankees.

While Morneau has not hit at the elite level he did before suffering a concussion mid-way through the 2010 season, he has produced a .273/.331/.406 line through 86 games so far this season. A move to a more homer-friendly park, such as Yankee Stadium, would likely help him improve upon those disappointing slugging numbers.

While the Twins appear set to deal Morneau, the same can not be said, apparently, of all-star closer Glen Perkins. Bowden’s piece says the Twins have rebuffed interest from several clubs would have contacted them about the Minnesota native.

A left hander with an upper-90s fastball, Perkins has excelled since taking the ninth inning duties for the Twins. The Cardinals, Reds, Braves, and Dodgers are all said to have inquired on Perkins’ availability. None of those teams would have an immediate need at closer, so Perkins is being targeted as a late-inning lefty reliever.

Perkins is signed to a team-friendly contract that pays him less than $4 million annually through 2015, so unless they get excellent value in return, the Twins would just as soon hold on to him.