Twins Trade for Lefty Neal Cotts

The Minnesota Twins have acquired veteran left-handed reliever Neal Cotts from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Cotts, 35, signed a one-year, $3 million contract with Milwaukee in January.

For his career, Cotts is 21-24 with a 3.96 ERA.

But he has been experiencing problems keeping the ball in the park, giving up nine home runs this season. Lefties are hitting.179/.230/.346 off Cotts this season. An impending free agent at the end of the season, the southpaw will function as a situational left-hander in the Twins bullpen for the remainder of the season. If Milwaukee isn’t offered a player they like, they can always just tack additional cash on to the deal and call it a day.

Rosenthal reports that Cotts is likely headed to a National League team, as several contenders in the NL would have use for a solid lefty out of the bullpen and get first crack at players waived in their own league.

The Brewers have made their second personnel move of the day, claiming left-handed reliever Cesar Jimenez off waivers from Philadelphia. Jimenez is arbitration eligible, and he will have the next six weeks or so to show the Brewers enough to offer him arbitration this winter.