We all know how frugal the Minnesota Twins have historically been, with the Carlos Correa contract looking more like a glitch in the system than a sign of the times changing.
Even though the Pohlads remain as cheap as ever, the fact of the matter remains that the Twins need to find ways to meaningfully add to the roster this winter. There are moves the team can make internally to replenish things, but we saw last season what happens when a team plays scared -- and cheap -- in the winter and how much that can come back to bite a team later.
A lot went into the Twins' historic collapse, but the unwillingness for ownership to approve spending that added talent to the roster didn't help. The team is in an identical situation this winter, and thankfully they can make some upgrades without breaking the bank.
6 under-the-radar free agents the Twins should target this offseason
Justin Turner, 1B
Each year it seems the Twins' annual tradition is to add a name-brand veteran who is at the end of the road but might have something left in the tank. Justin Turner could be that guy this winter, as he's a 40-year-old past his prime All-Star who started to trend up last season in ways that could intrigue Minnesota.
Overall he posted a .354 on-base percentage alongside a 114 OPS+, which is pretty much close to where he's been throughout his career. What sticks out the most is how much he started to turn back into a reliable hitter after getting traded to the Seattle Mariners last season -- a 1.2 WAR and a .264/.363/.403 slashline. This isn't unlike the upward trajectory Carlos Santana showed after he went from Pittsburgh to Milwaukee before ending up with the Twins.
Turner isn't the player he used to be, but he could be a cheap veteran flier who helps fill a need at first base while serving as the team's annual Old Guy lottery ticket.
Andrew Chafin, RP
This is the third straight offseason where Andrew Chafin makes sense as a Twins target, and perhaps the third time will be the charm. He went to Arizona two offseasons ago and ended up with Detroit last year before being traded to the Rangers.
In that time he's thrown 133 strikeouts in 107.2 inning of work, and most of that has happened with teams in World Series contention. He was part of a solid Diamondbacks bullpen in 2023 before getting traded to a Breweres team that made the playoffs. He started the year with the Tigers last year and ended up with Texas, but the fact that he was a sought after reliever at the deadline says a lot.
Minnesota needs to upgrade its bullpen, especially if the plan to move Griffin Jax to the starting rotation actually happens. Chafin has made sense as an addition for two years and the Twins would be foolish to let a third winter pass without bringing him in.
Harrison Bader, OF
Last year the Twins traded for Manuel Margot with the idea that he'd be a Byron Buxton insurance policy who doubles as outfield depth. That plan didn't work on any level, as thankfully Buxton was healthy for almost the entire season but Margot was awful in the time he saw.
Harrison Bader could be an evolution of that plan this offseason. He's a right-handed hitting outfielder, something the Twins have long been in the market for, although his bat leaves a lot to be desired. That being said, Bader would bring Gold Glove-caliber defense to the lineup and be more in line with what MIchael A. Taylor did two years ago than what Margot did -- and didn't -- do last season.
Danny Coulombe, RP
There's nothing like reuniting with an old friend, especially one who fills a serious area of need. As the Twins bullpen imploded last year after being patched together with bubblegum and duct tape, fans couldn't help but notice that Danny Coulombe was pitching well for the Orioles.
He posted a 2.56 ERA in 81 innings over the last two seasons, and could help add some much-needed depth to a bullpen that badly needs an upgrade in talent. Better yet, he's coming off an elbow injury that wiped out most of his season last year so he even somes with the damaged goods label the Twins seemingly covet in whatever player they're looking to add.
Yimi García, RP
Another damaged goods purchase could be Yimi Garcia, who is also coming off a season where he dealt with an elbow issue but has all the hallmarks of a classic Twins flier. Garcia has a 3.58 ERA with 186 strikeouts in 166 innings over his last three seasons and at age 34 is going to be a bargain bin target for Minnesota since he's coming off an injury-riddled season.
When he's on, Garcia is a pitcher who could be a back-end of the rotation starter and fill a need that potentially keeps Griffin Jax in the bullpen. He could also be someone who replaces Jax as well; his 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings and .167 opponent batting average is the type of stuff Minnesota could use, assuming his elbow holds up long enough for him to make an impact.
Randal Grichuk, OF
If the Twins don't end up going with Harrison Bader, then Randal Grichuk could be super solid 1B option. He fits the mold of the type of plug-and-play guy the Twins have valued over the years, and could even come cheaper than what Bader might want.
Grichuk has also made a habit of mashing lefties, hitting .317/.368/.573 with 25 homers in 498 plate appearances against them since 2022. That would be a nice one-two punch with how much Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner beat up righties and could give Rocco Baldelli some nice platoons to work with next season.
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