Baltimore Orioles trade RHP Dean Kremer to the Minnesota Twins for OF Jhomnardo Reyes. 

The Minnesota Twins are in it to win it. Or at least, win a little of it. Few people outside the Twin City metropolitan area gave the Twins much of a chance this season, especially after watching Pablo López go down with a UCL injury, or perhaps watching Matt Wallner play outfield defense. But having won seven of their last nine, the Fightin’ Minnesotans find themselves sharing the final Wild Card spot with their division rival, the Cleveland Guardians, three games back of the Chicago White Sox. PECOTA puts their playoff odds at three-in-ten; and folks scoffed in spring when Whichever Pohlad It Is Now declared that they were in it this year. They may still scoff after this trade, but for a different reason.

Recently, there’s been a shift in the general discourse when it comes to the trade deadline, and what it means for postseason success. Gone are the days when the mentality was just “get in the door, and let playoff chaos sort it all out afterward.” Baseball has a short memory, and with the Dodgers putting the last two trophies in their case, the general feeling is that teams need to add an extra coat of stain to the roster, put in some extra resources to make sure that third starter is nice and competent, that the lineup is long enough to avoid giving you Misiorowskis and Sánchezes an inning to rest.

Minnesota… doesn’t really have to hold itself up to that standard.