Less than a year after being a centerpiece of one of their most significant trade deadlines, the Minnesota Twins have traded embattled reliever Jorge López to the Miami Marlins for Dylan Floro. This move comes after a difficult tenure with the Twins for López, who struggled with his emotions and was placed on the injured list for mental health reasons last month.
López was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in 2022 and had a mixed performance with the Twins. He blew seven of 13 save opportunities, including four this season, and had an overall ERA of 4.81 in 58 innings. On the other hand, Floro, a veteran reliever and ground-ball specialist, has been struggling this season for the Marlins with a 4.54 ERA and seven of nine saves converted.
The Twins’ motivation to swap López for Floro is clear. They were never able to trust López in high-leverage situations, and his 2024 team control was no longer valuable. Floro, despite his poor ERA this season, has strong secondary numbers that are in line with his career norms. His 3.37 xERA and 3.06 xFIP indicate that he could be a reliable option for the Twins.
Floro’s strengths lie in his ability to generate ground balls with his sinker, resulting in a career homer rate of just 0.5 per nine innings. He is particularly effective against right-handed hitters, holding them to a sub-.600 OPS this season and throughout his career. However, he can struggle when facing left-handed hitters.
While López may have better raw stuff and theoretical upside than Floro, the Twins never saw that version of him and decided to move on. Floro is expected to fill a crucial role in the sixth and seventh innings, especially as the Twins wait for injured setup men Brock Stewart and Caleb Thielbar to return.
When López was acquired by the Twins, he was expected to provide much-needed depth in the bullpen. As a first-time All-Star, López was having a breakout season as a closer after struggling as a starting pitcher. However, he struggled to handle the pressure and disappointment of not meeting expectations. Despite focusing on mental health during the offseason, López’s performance continued to decline, leading to discussions about placing him on the injured list.
The Twins needed a steadier option in the bullpen until Stewart and Thielbar return, which is why they made the trade for Floro. The hope is that Floro’s experience and reliability will provide stability to the bullpen.
In conclusion, the Minnesota Twins have traded Jorge López to the Miami Marlins for Dylan Floro. This move comes after López’s difficult tenure with the Twins, where he struggled with his emotions and performance. While López may have had better raw stuff, the Twins decided to move on and acquire Floro, a veteran reliever with a track record of success. Floro’s ability to generate ground balls and his experience make him a valuable addition to the Twins’ bullpen.