It feels like the quiet before the offseason storm has arrived in baseball, as free agency is open but no major moves have happened yet. Plenty of notable names have officially hit the market, whether through declined options or non-tenders, and the chaos of Hot Stove SZN is nearly here.
Teams might be waiting to see where Juan Soto lands before the action truly begins, but the Minnesota Twins are hardly concerned with that. They're not in the running for Soto and probably won't be impacted too much by the fallout that comes from whatever happens.
Instead, the Twins are likely going to be bargain shopping again this winter but hopefully with more seriousness than last year. A reduced payroll handcuffed the front office and the low wattage moves that were made ended up failing to prevent a historic meltdown -- in fact it likely helped lead to it happening.
This time around the payroll is around the same as it was, but that doesn't mean there aren't still major holes on the roster that need to be properly addressed this offseason.
Biggest offseason needs the Twins have, and how they can be filled
First Base
Even before Alex Kirilloff announced his retirement the Twins had some major questions about what the situation at first base will be moving forward. With Kirilloff out of the picture, the need to address the position becomes a much bigger priority this winter.
Unlike other areas on the roster that need attention, there's no obvious internal solution waiting to get plugged in. There are some ways the Twins can get creative but none of the plans are concrete nor are they proven. Edouard Julien and Jose Miranda could be leaned on to form a platoon at first but the former fell into a hitting slump and got demoted last year while the latter once again battled injuries.
Re-signing Carlos Santana is a potential option too, but money might become an issue there. The Twins aren't likely to spend much this offseason and the price on Santana might have gone up after he won a Gold Glove with Minnesota this past season.
If the Twins do end up deciding they want to spend a little then someone like Anthony Rizzo could be a name brand veteran to buy the dip on. Donovan Solano could also make his way back to Minnesota on an affordable deal, especially since he's already expressed a desire to play for the Twins even if it means taking less money.
We could even see Ryan Jeffers get looks at first base, although that would mean shifting the depth issue to a different position rather than outright solving the problem.
All of those are options that could work, but no matter what happens the Twins need to find a way to make one of them stick.
Bullpen Help
Heading into last season the Twins' bullpen was ranked among the best in baseball, but by end of September it had sunk to the bottom of the league. A variety of factors played into this, from injuries to Brock Stewart and Justin Topa to poor investments like Josh Staumont, Steven Okert, and a reluctance to move on from Caleb Thielbar.
All of that, combined with volatility from Jhoan Duran and Jorge Alcala, proved be weight that ultimately crushed the bullpen. Properly investing in relievers to supplement guys like Griffin Jax and Cole Sands will be key to turning things aound and the good news is it's one of the easiest fixes the team has.
Minnesota won't be spending top dollar on a big name reliever but guys like Paul Sewald, Hector Neris, and Andrew Chafin could be veterans that come at the right price. Adbert Alzolay was non-tendered by the Cubs and feels like a classic buy-low gamble the Twins like to take and he's only 30-years-old which provides potential long term upside.
Tim Hill is another arm that feels like a classic Twins purchase, especially since he'd check the box of a former Yankees pitcher the team is bringing into help fix things. Hill helped New York in the ALCS against Cleveland, which could also bode well for him coming to Minnesota and helping do the same.
If money is an issue then there are internal options the Twins can lean on too. Travis Adams was added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft and he could get called up from Triple-A as a young arm to help fill the bullpen out. Kody Funderburk and Louie Varland have been called on before and that could be the case again this year.
Corner Outfield Depth
If there's one spot the Twins might be able to easily find some in-house talent to fill out depth at a position of need, it's in the outfield. Much like we saw with the infield logjam last winter, Minnesota has a few options for finding guys to make up for the difference of exiting free agents like Manuel Margot and Max Kepler.
The biggest and most notable name is Emmanuel Rodriguez. He's going to take the baton from Brooks Lee as the Next Guy that everyone is hyped about debuting, and there's a chance he competes for an Opening Day roster spot in Spring Training. E-Rod is by far the most exciting MLB-ready prospect the Twins have, and he could be someone who either helps take over for Kepler in right field or be used as Byron Buxton insurance in center -- and perhaps a little of both.
Minnesota might need to go bargain shopping on the free agent market to fully fill things out, though. Outside of Rodriguez there aren't any other hot prospects waiting to get into the mix, and the other moves involve shuffling around Austin Martin, Trevor Larnach, and Matt Wallner.
Austin Hays could be an intriguing, albeit potentially problematic, option to fill in as the new starting right fielder. He fits the bill of a right-handed hitting outfielder the Twins have been looking for and is a buy-low candidate after getting non-tendered by Philadelphia.
Randal Grichuk is another right-handed hitting option, as is Teoscar Hernández although he'll probably be priced way out of Minnesota's comfort zone.
This is the position where we could see the Twins make their annual over-the-hill veteran signing, which could lead them to finally bringing in Tommy Pham after two years of fans throwing his name out as an option.
More Minnesota Twins news and rumors