The Twins continue to find themselves in the thick of trade rumors as the deadline approaches, and much of the buzz has focused on the back end of their bullpen. Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax have reportedly drawn interest from multiple contenders,

To set the stage for the sprint to the deadline, here's a primer based on what I'm hearing from front office executives across the league.

There’s a particular kind of optimism that blooms at the MLB trade deadline. Call it mutual delusion, call it galaxy-brained hope, but every now and then, two front offices stare across the abyss, shrug,