Twins trade rumors: Duran or Jax on the move? 4 others 'widely expected' to be dealt

The roller coaster Minnesota Twins have found themselves in this middle of trade rumors before this year's deadline, and the speculation is only increasing ahead of the July 31 deadline.

Big deals involving Joe Ryan, Jhoan Duran or Griffin Jax might not happen, but ESPN's Alden Gonzalez says the "sense is that at least one of" Duran or Jax will be trade. Gonzalez also says the Twins are "widely expected to trade" outfielder Harrison Bader, utility man Willi Castro, starting pitcher Chris Paddack and lefty reliever Danny Coulombe.

"The Twins are said to be listening on everyone.," Gonzalez reports. "But the team being up for sale since October, and in limbo ever since prospective buyer Justin Ishbia increased his ownership stake in the White Sox in early June, has complicated matters with longer-term players."

ESPN's Jeff Passan thinks there are four moves that could set the Twins up for a "brighter" future.

"But if they do try to (A) cash in on a relief arm, (B) deal Brock Stewart, (C) move Castro -- a free-agent-to-be who since mid-May is slashing .280/.379/.495 while playing second base, third base, left field and right field -- and (D) get something for Edouard Julien or Jose Miranda, the future could look a whole lot brighter," Passan wrote.

Stewart has team control for two more years, and he has a servicable 2.51 ERA in 32.1 innings pitched this season. Castro has been heating up as of late, and it would make sense to get something in return for an impending free agent. The package in return for Julien or Miranda probably wouldn't be anything special, but so it goes for two prospects who seem like Triple-A/MLB tweeners.

Passan mentions how the asking price on Duran or Jax could deflate between now and next week's deadline, and moving on from a dominant reliever might be a better strategy than trading a starting pitcher of Ryan's caliber.

Meanwhile, Bobby Nightengale Jr. of the Minnesota Star Tribune says it won't be surprising if left-handed hitters Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner come up in trade talks.

And there there's longtime Twins beat writer Lavelle E. Neal III, who predicts the Twins won't make a trade. He points out how trading sometimes sounds better on paper, when in reality the return winds up being minor league players who aren't even on the 40-man roster.