Twins Acquire RHP Chris Paddack from San Diego for Taylor Rogers and Brent Rooker

(KDLM) – The Twins wanted to add one more arm to their starting rotation before the season started, and they added one the morning of Opening Day of the 2022 season.

Multiple reports say the Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres have agreed to a trade that will send right-handed starter Chris Paddack and right-handed reliever Emilio Pagan to the Twins for left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers and outfielder Brent Rooker.

Rogers was an All-Star for the Twins last season, going 2-4 and only giving up 15 runs in 40 innings of work. He also struck out 59 batters (13.2 K/9) while only walking eight. Rooker hit just .201 with 9 homers in 58 games last season and struck out 70 times in 189 at-bats. The 27-year-old has hit 74 career minor league homers, however, including 20 homers with the St. Paul Saints last summer.

The Twins add 26-year-old Chris Paddack in the trade with hopes that he can be a middle-of-the-rotation guy for the team this season. Paddack had a good rookie season in 2019, winning nine of his 26 starts with a 3.33 ERA and 153 strikeouts, but over the last two seasons, he has gone 11-12 with a 4.95 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 34 starts.

The Twins are also hoping that Pagan, 30, reverts to his 2019 form. Pagan made 66 appearances out of the bullpen and struck out 96 batters in 70 innings while posting a 2.31 ERA and 20 saves that season, but has a 4.75 ERA in 89 games since being traded to San Diego in February 2020.

Rogers is owed $7.3 million this season and will be a free agent next year. Paddack, meanwhile, is earning $2.25 million and is under team control for three more years. Pagan has two years of team control remaining on his deal, which will pay him $2.3 million this season.