NEW YORK — In the first of several anticipated moves to unload veterans before Monday’s trade deadline, the New York Mets have sent left-handed reliever A.J. Minter to the Minnesota Twins for two minor leaguers, the teams declared Friday.
The Mets received infielders Bruin Agbayani, son of their former outfielder Benny Agbayani, and Billy Amick in return.
By acquiring Minter, who is slated to hit free agency this offseason, the Twins bolster a relief corps that has ranked among the worst in the majors this season as Minnesota makes a postseason push. Despite the bullpen’s struggles, the Twins are just a game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final American League wild-card spot and trail the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central by three games thanks to an offense that has scored the most runs in the AL.
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Minter, 32, who missed most of the 2025 season after suffering a lat muscle tear that required surgery, made his 2026 season debut in late May. He has a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings across 23 appearances despite a dip in velocity. Last season, his fastball averaged 94.5 mph in 11 innings before the injury. This season, it’s down to 93 mph. His strikeout rate has also dropped from 32.6% to 21.7%.
Before the 2025 season, the Mets signed Minter to a two-year, $22 million contract with a player option for 2026. He was a key contributor during eight seasons with the Braves, posting a 3.28 ERA in 348⅔ innings, and was a member of Atlanta’s 2021 World Series championship team.
Minnesota selected Agbayani in the sixth round of the 2025 draft out of high school in Hawai’i. Agbayani, 19, has been limited to 10 games this season — and none since May 12 — because of a shoulder injury. Amick, 23, is batting .217 with 23 home runs and an .820 OPS in 86 games at Double-A. He was taken in the second round of the 2024 draft out of Tennessee.
Trading Minter signals the beginning of a deluge of moves the Mets are expected to make by Monday evening’s trade deadline. In addition to Minter, the Mets likely will trade fellow left-handed reliever and impending free agent Brooks Raley, who acknowledged the reality after tossing 1⅔ scoreless innings in New York’s 4-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday night.
“The organization’s been great to me, and hopefully we get back out there for another one in the next couple of days,” Raley stated. “Enjoyed my time here and thankful for the guys.”
The Mets, who are last in the National League East after entering the season with World Series aspirations, are expected to unload several other impending free agents, including right-handed starters Clay Holmes and Freddy Peralta, in addition to players with club control beyond 2026.