After an attempt to sell the Twins, the Pohlad Family decided to take the team off the market and instead add two minority investors. This decision was the last straw for Twins fans after a series of events prevented the team's previous core from going back to the postseason, starting with cutting payroll after winning their first playoff series since 2002 two years ago and trading away nearly 40% of their roster ahead of this season's trade deadline, including an almost-straight-up salary dump of the team's highest-paid player in history, Carlos Correa.
Loud "SELL THE TEAM" chants behind Tim Laudner on the Twins postgame show pic.twitter.com/sDFxtGLBb7
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) August 15, 2025
How can the Pohlad Family improve its public perception after retaining majority ownership of the Twins?
Although it's unlikely, the Pohlads can save their image this offseason if they ensure their front office follows these four steps:
Step 1: Don't trade Pablo López or Joe Ryan this winter
Trading López or Ryan would be a massive mistake. We have already seen how the Twins perform in the absence of either of them, as the team's late-season collapse in 2024 started to unravel after Ryan landed on the injured list with a right shoulder strain in early August and missed the remainder of the year. Nearly the same situation occurred this season after López was placed on the injured list with a right shoulder strain in early June.
Even with the added rotation depth in Mick Abel and Taj Bradley, the Twins would be losing an ace-level pitcher if they moved Ryan or López this winter. Making the postseason in 2025 is most likely a lost cause at this point, but they certainly have the talent to do so next year if they retain Ryan and López and follow the next three steps.
Step 2: Sign a marquee free agent
This is the most unlikely step the Twins will follow this upcoming winter, but it's a crucial one. Adding two minority investors means there will be more for the team to spend, but it's likely the Pohlads will just use their newfound money to chip away at their reported $425 million in debt. If that ends up being the case, fans will be even more upset than they currently are.
Although the Twins' starting pitching has not been the best since López's injury, the rotation now has added depth that should help the team be competitive next season, so long as the rest of these steps are followed. Therefore, signing a big-time pitcher isn't necessary, especially when Ryan and López both have Cy Young Award potential. What the Twins do need, though, is a new bat. Across Major League Baseball, Minnesota's offense currently ranks 21st in wRC+ (97), wOBA (.309) and fWAR (10.8). Adding an established position player would help bolster the struggling offense.
Among the available position players on the upcoming free-agent market the Twins should try to sign are outfielder Kyle Tucker, third baseman Alex Bregman, designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Pete Alonso.
Given the overall negative public perception of the Twins, signing a top free agent will be difficult even if the front office has the money to do so. If they want to follow this step, Derek Falvey and company will need to convince potential signatories that the team is headed in a new direction and is willing to spend more money with the new minority investors. The Twins would likely have to straight-up outbid other teams if they want to acquire a top free agent.
Step 3: Build an entirely new bullpen
To do this, the Twins will have to first add two or three established relievers from the free agent market. Two thousand twenty-six free agent relievers the Twins should take a look at include lefties Danny Coulombe and Aroldis Chapman and righties Robert Suarez, Emilio Pagán and Kenley Jansen. There are many other formidable arms on the market as well, meaning the team should be able to build a decent bullpen at a relatively affordable price.
As the Twins have done in the past with Griffin Jax, Jhoan Durán and Louis Varland, Minnesota should also look to its minor league system for starting pitchers who could convert to a relief role. Aaron Gleeman and John Bonnes of the Gleeman and the Geek podcast recently had a segment discussing which Twins starting pitchers should move to the bullpen.
Trading away almost the entire bullpen was controversial, but it made sense given how it is easier to build a bullpen from scratch as opposed to creating a whole new offense or starting pitching staff, and the Twins received substantial value in return for their star relievers. Minnesota just needs to make sure it doesn't utilize relievers like Erasmo Ramírez, Thomas Hatch and Michael Tonkin in high-leverage situations in 2026.
Step 4: Call up the young talent by June 1st
The final step is the easiest step for the Twins, yet it could have the most significant impact on the team's success. The three players who must be on Minnesota's 26-man roster by June are highly-regarded prospects shortstop Kaelen Culpepper and outfielders Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez.
Jenkins, 20, and Rodriguez, 22, have dealt with numerous injuries in past seasons but have nonetheless raked against minor league pitching. As long as they are healthy, Minnesota needs to promote both prospects to the big leagues as soon as possible.
Jenkins, who ranks as the Twins' No. 1 prospect and MLB's No. 14 prospect per MLB Pipeline, has posted a .304/.411/.480 slash line with six home runs across 46 games with Double-A Wichita this year. Rodriguez's strikeout numbers are somewhat concerning, as he has struck out 58 times in 138 at-bats with Triple-A St. Paul this season, but his elite walk rate and power-hitting ability are reasons to believe he deserves a shot in the major leagues soon. The Twins should promote Rodriguez, who has a .411 on-base percentage with Triple-A St. Paul this season, to the majors in September of this year, as he may need more time to adjust to big-league pitching than Jenkins and Culpepper.
Culpepper, 22, is slashing .304/.383/.499 with 18 homers in 92 games across High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita this season. Culpepper, who is ranked as the Twins' No. 5 prospect and MLB's No. 77 prospect, could play shortstop, second or third base for Minnesota, depending on where the Twins want Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis and Luke Keaschall to play next season.
Will the Twins follow these steps?
Probably not. But it's fun to think about, and certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility.