MLB Trade Deadline 2017: 5 best spots for Jose Bautista

4. Minnesota Twins

In 21 career games (98 plate appearances) at Target Field, Bautista has a .349/.429/.895 slash-line, 14 home runs and 23 RBI. So that explains whatever level of interest the Twins had in him last winter, before he ultimately re-signed with the Blue Jays.

Max Kepler clearly belongs in the big leagues, and he is on his way to fully establishing himself as the Twins’ long-term right fielder. But inconsistency has plagued Eddie Rosario, the team’s other young corner outfielder, and Robbie Grossman is now back in line for most of the at-bats at DH with the recent demotion of Kenny Vargas back to Triple-A. Bautista can help with both situations, with the option to occasionally spell Joe Mauer at first base too.

The Twins new front office leadership has started a long-range plan they won’t (and shouldn’t) be wavering from, even in the name of trying to make the playoffs this year. Making a trade for Bautista would go against that grain, assuming the Blue Jays try to hold the line and get a notable prospect in return. But if Toronto continues to labor and they ultimately just want to shed Bautista for whatever they can get, the Twins should be ready with a trade offer.