Twins add more payroll and bullpen shape with Minter and Kremer, then look for another right-handed reliever

The Minnesota Twins have moved to reshape both sides of their roster through recent trades, adding bullpen help and another starting option while taking on salary in the process. The club’s near-term focus now appears to be narrowing in on a right-handed reliever who can handle late innings, a need that typically becomes more pronounced as September approaches and matchups tighten.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, Minnesota acquired left-handed reliever A.J. Minter from the New York Mets and right-handed starter Dean Kremer from the Baltimore Orioles in separate deals. The reported structure included Minnesota taking on the remainder of both players’ salaries, totaling about $5.1 million. In other words, the Twins were not just looking for roster upgrades, they were also indicating that they are willing to increase payroll to accomplish them.

MLB Trade Rumors’ reporting also frames these moves as part of a broader two-part plan. First, Minnesota is trying to stabilize its bullpen with additional leverage-innings capability. Second, after filling other needs, the organization is now expected to continue shopping for a specific profile: a right-handed reliever to work the late innings.

Late-inning bullpen roles tend to be the most matchup-driven. Managers often prioritize platoon advantages against hitters and, in close games, lean on relievers who can handle the opposing team’s top bats in succession. With that in mind, adding a right-handed option can be more than a generic “depth” move. It can change how Minnesota sets up the final innings and which arms are available for the highest-leverage sequences.

Minnesota’s willingness to take on additional salary, as described in the trade reporting, matters in a division where roster construction can swing quickly. Contending teams often have two paths at the deadline or in late-season moves: trade for controlled talent without exceeding payroll, or pay to bridge specific gaps. The Twins’ reported willingness to absorb roughly $5.1 million in remaining salary suggests the club leaned toward closing needs immediately rather than waiting for a more economical fit later.

The storyline also aligns with recent reporting that Minnesota has room to add payroll further. MLB Trade Rumors cited reports from ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and Ken Rosenthal and from The Athletic’s Dan Hayes indicating that Minnesota’s next bullpen target is expected to skew right-handed and that additional spending flexibility exists.

What to watch next is whether Minnesota’s search ends with a true late-inning piece or instead fills a narrower, specialized role. If the Twins can land a right-hander who profiles for high-leverage situations, it would give them a more complete late-game configuration. If not, the organization may settle for additional depth that protects matchups but does not fully solve the most critical inning-by-inning pitching decisions.

For now, the Twins have added two distinct kinds of help, a lefty reliever and a right-handed starter, in quick succession. The next move will indicate whether Minnesota’s front office is satisfied with the bullpen balance after those acquisitions or whether the club is still treating the late-inning righty as the missing piece. Either way, the summer roster is trending toward a clearer, more targeted shape as the postseason picture comes into focus.