The MLB non-tender deadline is on Nov. 20, meaning teams have until then to decide whether to keep or non-tender arbitration-eligible players. The Twins have a few non-tender candidates, including Bailey Ober, Royce Lewis and Trevor Larnach. Meanwhile, there are several non-tender candidates from other teams whom Minnesota should target if they become available.
2 non-tender candidates Twins should pursue this offseason
Boston Red Sox 1B Triston Casas
Casas finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2023 after posting 1.8 fWAR and a .263/.367/.490 (131 wRC+) slash line with 24 home runs and 65 RBI in 132 games. Then, injuries kept him to just 63 games in 2024, 29 in 2025 and zero in 2026. The first baseman underwent left wrist surgery in August.
The Twins should target Casas this offseason, even though he has appeared in just 224 games over the past three seasons. For now, it appears that Lewis will be the Twins' starting first baseman in 2027. However, Minnesota might want to move on from the 2017 first-overall pick after three years of underperformance. If the Twins trade or non-tender Lewis, bringing in Casas would make a lot of sense. Even if the Twins keep Lewis, they could play him at second base and Casas at first while Kody Clemens plays all around the diamond.
Casas will be 27 in January. Health is obviously a big concern for the first baseman, but when he's been healthy, he's proven he can be a force at the plate. One thing that could convince the Twins to stay away from him is his poor defensive numbers; in 1,982 career innings at first base, Casas has posted -11 Defensive Runs Saved and -13 Outs Above Average.
Atlanta Braves RHP James Karinchak
Karinchak appeared in just nine games with the Braves this year, posting a 1.86 ERA over 9 2/3 innings. Before this year, the right-hander hadn't played in the majors since 2023 with the Cleveland Guardians.
Karinchak, 31, has dealt with numerous injuries over the past few years, which is why he was out of the majors for so long. He played for the Guardians from 2019-23, posting a 3.10 ERA with 253 strikeouts over 165 2/3 innings. At Triple-A Gwinnett this year, the right-hander recorded a 3.19 ERA in 42 1/3 innings while striking out 62.
The Twins should pursue Karinchak this offseason if the Braves non-tender him. While he hasn't pitched much in the majors lately, he is a high-strikeout arm who has consistently posted above-average numbers.
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