MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins interim general manager Rob Antony has stated that he's open to anything at this year's Trade Deadline and has even listened to offers for some of his younger players, despite Minnesota's status as a seller building for the future. Even though nothing is off the table, manager Paul Molitor is confident his core of young talent will remain intact in this season's trade cycle, with the non-waiver Deadline arriving on Monday.
"I think the whole idea of moving younger players is something you want to avoid if you can, unless you find a way to fill a bigger hole," Molitor said. "I'm not too concerned about losing any young players that are vital to our future."
On one of the first days that Molitor and Antony sat down following the assumption of the GM role, they went through the 25-man roster and evaluated each player and his role on the team moving forward.
On this roster, Molitor and Antony don't necessarily see any young players as bad fits that need to move before the Deadline.
"Sometimes you have to make tough decisions on things like that, but I don't think we have anybody that we're overly anxious to depart with," Molitor said.
Molitor pointed to Oswaldo Arcía, who was designated for assignment in June, as one of those tough decisions. Arcia was an example of a younger player with potential who might not have been as good of a fit on this roster due to the Twins' wealth of talent in the outfield.
For now, the Twins have a young outfield of Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton and Max Kepler getting everyday playing time and steadily improving, and a healthy Miguel Sanó providing power from the middle of the lineup. It seems that's how they want it to stay moving forward.
"I think our young players, we have to try to stay patient with what we have," Molitor said. "We're trying to watch these guys adapt into the Major Leagues."
As for the players more likely to be on the trade block, like Eduardo Núñez, Kurt Suzuki, Ricky Nolasco, Brandon Kintzler and others, Molitor doesn't feel the need to go out of his way to directly address the trade rumors with them.
"If somebody asks me about it, I'll give an honest answer," Molitor said. "I think you're not really going to do a player a lot of good by telling him, 'Hey, heads up, you might be out of here in a couple of days.'
"It's just part of the game that you know exists, especially when you're on a team that's at the bottom of the division and you have players that might be of interest to other clubs to try to get them over the hump this year."