The Chicago White Sox rival Minnesota Twins acquired Kenta Maeda as part of a blockbuster trade while sacrificing the future of their pitching rotation
Finally, the highly anticipated Mookie Betts trade has happened and it’s a blockbuster. Vincent Parise has broken down the trade and it involves the Los Angeles Dodgers, as well as the Boston Red Sox. Surprisingly, a third team is involved and it’s the Minnesota Twins who have received Kenta Maeda from the Dodgers. The Twins gave up their third-ranked prospect, right-handed pitcher Brusdar Graterol to the Boston Red Sox as part of this three-team deal. With the Twins making moves, a panic has hit some Chicago White Sox fans but they should not worry because the Minnesota Twins still can’t compete.
Unfortunately for the Twins, they had to sacrifice the future of their starting pitching rotation for a pitcher that has been on a decline. Maeda had an ERA of 4.04 last season and did not perform well on the road. His ERA on the mound at Dodgers Stadium was 5.12. That statistic alone should excite White Sox fans because Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Abreu are more likely to hit home runs when he’s on the mound on the South Side.
The acquisition of Maeda is questionable because he’s coming off of the worst season of his career so far and they traded a pitcher with enormous potential that could have benefited their ballclub. Graterol showed he has a bright future throughout his career in the minors. His overall 2.48 ERA for his minor league career presents him as a true asset but the Twins saw trade value instead and decided to cash in.
Luckily for the White Sox, they cashed in on a pitcher showing no progression. Per FanGraphs, Maeda is projected to be the same as last season. As a result, there is another inconsistent pitcher in Minnesota. The former Dodger will join Homer Bailey who had a 4.57 ERA in 2019, which adds to why the Twins pitching rotation is not all that competitive because there is more weakness than strengths or potential amongst the rotation. Unlike Chicago’s pitching additions, the Twins have pitchers that share bad tendencies that will cost them wins in the upcoming season.