Twins Acquire A.J. Minter From Mets in Bullpen Trade

Minnesota needed a lefty in the bullpen. New York needed to start selling. Both clubs got what they came for overnight.

Quick answer: The Minnesota Twins acquired left-handed reliever A.J. Minter from the New York Mets on July 30, 2026. The Mets received infield prospects Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani in return.

This is the first major Mets sell-off move before Monday's deadline. It also fills the hole left when Minnesota lost Anthony Banda for the season. For AthX readers, the trade changes Minter's clubhouse and late-inning context. It does not automatically change his share price. See dynamic pricing explained.

The trade details

The Twins get Minter, a 32-year-old lefty on the final year of a two-year free-agent deal. The Mets get two infield prospects.

ESPN's Jeff Passan broke the news Thursday night. Both clubs formally announced the deal Friday morning. The Athletic's Will Sammon first reported the return: Amick and Agbayani. Agbayani is the son of former Mets outfielder Benny Agbayani.

Minnesota is taking on the remainder of Minter's $11 million salary for 2026, roughly $3.4 million. He becomes a free agent after the season.

Who is A.J. Minter

Minter has pitched well this year. He holds a 2.35 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP over 23 appearances and 23 innings. He has struck out 20 batters and walked two, with one hold and a 1-1 record.

He missed most of last season after a lat injury required surgery. He returned in late May and has been a steady middle-to-late option for New York since.

Minter spent eight seasons with the Atlanta Braves before joining the Mets. He was part of Atlanta's 2021 World Series championship team.

His final outing as a Met came July 29 against Atlanta: one scoreless inning, two strikeouts.

By the numbers

2026 season (with Mets): 23 games, 23 innings, 2.35 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 20 strikeouts, two walks, one hold, a 1-1 record.

Career: 420 games, 382.2 innings, 3.18 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 456 strikeouts, 36 saves, 122 holds, a 25-30 record.

Official counting stats above come from MLB Stats API season and career pitching splits. AthX Engine, AthX's projection and scoring system, has scored Minter at 44.31 fantasy points (FP) across his 2026 daily lines through July 29. Use MLB for official ERA and holds. Use AthX Engine when you are tracking platform fantasy production.

Why the Twins made this move

The Twins sit at 55-55. They trail the Chicago White Sox by three games in the AL Central. The division is tight: the White Sox lead at 57-51, the Cleveland Guardians follow at 56-54, and the Twins sit third.

The team needed a left-handed reliever. Banda tore his lat in June and will miss the rest of the season. Minter fills that gap and gives Minnesota a lefty for high-leverage innings.

Minnesota also just took a walk-off series chapter from Kansas City. Read the Twins' 4-3 win over the Royals for the latest on-field snapshot.

Why the Mets are selling

The Mets sit at 47-63, last in their division. This trade opens a broader sell-off before the August 3 deadline.

Other Mets veterans may follow Minter out the door. Starter Freddy Peralta and reliever Brooks Raley are both free agents after this season. Peralta, a two-time All-Star, could draw stronger interest than Minter did.

For the full mid-window ledger of completed deals, see our July 30 trade deadline update.

AthX angle

A new uniform does not create fantasy points. Minter still needs clean appearances and useful innings in Minnesota. AthX Engine can score that work after it happens. Share price can also respond to role, health, performance, and market activity. Those are related signals, not the same number.

Track Minter on his player page and on the marketplace as roster sync and usage settle after the trade.

What happens next

Watch for more Mets trades before Monday's deadline. Passan has said additional deals are coming. The deadline remains August 3, 2026, at 6 p.m. ET.

*Sources: MLB.com, ESPN, MLB Trade Rumors, MLB Stats API pitching splits, AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*

This article will be updated as more details become available.