Fansided

Here’s the Minnesota Twins best strategy at the trade deadline

By Brad Berreman

MILWAUKEE, WI - JULY 04: Eduardo Escobar #5 of the Minnesota Twins hits a home run in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on July 4, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - JULY 04: Eduardo Escobar #5 of the Minnesota Twins hits a home run in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on July 4, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Dylan Buell/Getty Images /

2. 2B Brian Dozier

Dozier is having a down year, with a .218/.304/.390 slash-line, 12 home runs and 34 RBI. But he’s an ideal trade candidate, in the final year of his contract as the Twins have pushed off extension talks. He’s also been one of the best second baseman around over the last handful of years.

Dozier has gotten to his typical numbers for the most part, but he is a notably streaky hitter. In each of the two years before this one the incredible hot streak came in the second half of the season, with a .990 OPS and 28 home runs in 2016 and a .985 OPS with 21 home runs in 2017. There aren’t any obvious signs something similar is coming this year, with a .189 average since June 1. But contending teams looking for a power boost and/or a second baseman are surely aware of Dozier’s second half run in each of the last two years.

Dozier is set to hit the free agent market after the season, however tepid it might be after what we saw last offseason and with a bunch of big names in line to be available. He clearly feels dissed by the Twins not wanting to commit to him beyond this year, even if was and still is the right decision. So an informal request to be traded may have already come, and the Twins should find a way to satisfy it.

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