Why is Andrelton Simmons still with the Twins?

HOUSTON - Nelson Cruz, Jose Berrios, J.A. Happ and Hansel Robles were dealt before the trade deadline, netting the Twins seven prospects, six of them pitchers.

It's standard procedure for a team that was never in contention despite a roster that was designed to win a third consecutive AL Central title. President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey and General Manager Thad Levine don't sit on the fence at the deadline. Since their hiring before the 2017 season, the duo has made 17 July deals — with 2020 not counting because the season was just beginning because of the pandemic.

Falvey and Levine, however, could have done more this deadline. A couple of players who should be elsewhere were on the field for the Twins on Saturday during a 4-0 loss to the Astros.

Righthanded starter Michael Pineda and shortstop Andrelton Simmons are both approaching free agency. There were some health concerns about Pineda since he recently came off the injured list, which apparently affected his market.

We're going to focus on Simmons, who made a nice stop to his right in the second inning on Saturday but could not get a throw off as the first run of the game scored.

Houston took a 2-0 lead on Yordan Alvarez's home run in the fourth. The Astros added two runs in the eighth off of Caleb Thielbar, and that was all. Pineda went six solid innings, but Josh Donaldson and Luis Arraez didn't start because of injuries. The Twins ended up with a four-hit attack.

Simmons, 0-2 with a strikeout before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth, has not delivered on the $10.5 million contract he signed during the offseason and should have been traded for whatever the club could have received for him.

BOXSCORE: Houston 4, Twins 0

According to a source, there wasn't a strong market for Simmons so no progress was made toward a deal. His continued presence doesn't aid the quest to improve in 2022.

He was asked to be the great defensive player he's been throughout his career — actually, he's arguably the best defensive shortstop of his generation — while mentoring other infielders, particularly top prospect Royce Lewis. Any offense was a plus, and it allowed Jorge Polanco to shift to second base, where he has thrived.

Simmons, 31, has been more good than great with the glove. He committed an error during his Twins debut on Opening Day and has eight overall. His Defensive Runs Saved is six, which puts him in the top five. But the man has had a rating of 30 or more three other times in his career.

He's never been known for his hitting skills, but his .220 batting average would be a career low. That's coming off a 2020 season during which he batted .294. The substitution in the eighth was pure strategy.

"We were just trying to get a baserunner," said manager Rocco Baldelli of sending Arraez and his sore left knee to hit for Simmons.

Simmons' mentoring of Lewis ended when the prospect needed season-ending knee surgery in the spring. Simmons apparently has done fine work with Polanco and the current stable of infielders. That once included Nick Gordon, which is another problem.

The Twins sent Gordon to Class AAA St. Paul on Thursday, presumably to get plenty of at-bats while playing all over the field. Twins officials express optimism that Gordon will be back this season. But September callups have changed. Rosters can be expanded from 26 to just 28, not up to 40 anymore. And the Saints' season ends Oct. 3, not Labor Day.

I'd rather see Gordon — who's 25 and finally healthy after fighting intestinal issues and COVID in recent years — develop with the Twins than watching a lame duck Simmons. Simmons should have been moved before the deadline.

And the Twins will have another bridge-to-Lewis problem next season — or a bridge to Austin Martin, a shortstop who came in a package from Toronto for Jose Berrios.

So be prepared next spring to greet the new Opening Day stopgap shortstop: Freddy Galvis.