The Minnesota Twins are heading into an offseason where they face more questions than answers. With a fanbase that is understandably restless after the mid-season departure of many key bullpen pitchers and players like Carlos Correa, Willi Castro, and Harrison Bader, this winter may shape the franchise's direction for many years to come. At the center of this storm are management questions, the potential for starting pitching trades, and the never-ending discussion of payroll cuts. Here are three of the biggest questions on the table for the Twins organization as their offseason begins.
Three Key Questions Shaping the Minnesota Twins' Offseason
1. Should Torii Hunter Be The Next Manager of The Twins?
After yet another midseason collapse, rumors swirled about the job security of Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. On September 29, multiple outlets confirmed that the club had decided to part ways with him. In some ways expected, in others surprising, the move ends a seven-year tenure in which Baldelli guided Minnesota to three AL Central titles and posted a 527–505 record.
For some, he is being held up as the scapegoat for a floundering franchise; for others, like myself, his departure signals the overdue arrival of a new voice and approach in the dugout. The timing is jarring, especially given that the Twins picked up Baldelli’s 2026 option just a few months ago. Still, history shows that few managers survive missing the postseason in four of five years — a stretch that ultimately sealed his fate in Minnesota. So, with all that said, who will replace Baldelli as the Twins skipper?
The Twins' ownership has made it clear that they want to develop the talent they have, so we should begin by asking who is: 1. Able to do that? or 2. Willing to. There are several managers in MLB either on the hot seat or who have already been dismissed. Bruce Bochy (Rangers) and Bob Melvin (Giants) were given their marching orders around the same time as Baldelli, according to the ESPN firings tracker. Early "front runners" for taking over for the Twins include associate manager for Guardians Craig Albernaz (who seems to be on everyone's short list), former Pirates manager Derek Shelton, and Twins homegrown minor league manager Toby Gardenhire. Another name that has been floated is that of Torii Hunter.
Sports Illustrated is reporting that Hunter wants to manage a MLB team and, after serving as a special assistant with the Twins from 2016 until 2023 (when he left for Los Angeles for the same job), Minnesota may want to snatch him up before anyone else does. Hunter played 12 of his 19 major league seasons with the Twins. He is a fan favorite, a proven leader on the field and in the clubhouse, and hiring him would instantly thrill a fanbase that is looking for the tiniest shred of hope going forward.
Hunter has not yet managed at the major league level, being turned down in 2023 for the Angels vacancy at the time. He'd be learning on the fly, but his baseball IQ as a player should translate well. He is a leader, and that is not something that can be learned. Managing a team can be tough, but Hunter has always led from the front, and that is something the Twins could use right now. Besides, who could turn down the chance to see Byron Buxton being skippered by another of the great centerfielders in franchise history?
2. Will the Twins Trade Joe Ryan or Pablo López?
In a previous article, we conducted a head-to-head comparison of Ryan and López and considered who to retain if a trade were imminent. Now that the offseason is here, the question remains. Will the Twins trade either of their staff anchors? Should they?
Of course, given where each is in their respective careers, most would advise keeping both. Ryan is still young enough not to cost an arm and a leg to extend, and Pablo is under team control in the prime of his career. This is an excellent position for the Twins - at least in a logical sense - but that is not to say that there hasn't been a rumor attached to Ryan, especially at the end of this season, regarding his career with the Twins coming to an end. The Athletic recently reported that Ryan was asked if he thought his final start of this season would be his last as a Twin, he shrugged off the question and pointed to some strides forward that he felt the club was making. He is two years away from free agency at this point, but that doesn't mean the Twins won't be shopping for offers in return for Ryan this winter.
With glaring holes still plaguing the bullpen, the idea of trading either Joe Ryan or Pablo López to shore up relief help has been floated. At the same time, the Twins have a surplus of left-handed outfielders, creating a logjam that could provide more logical trade pieces. Given Ryan’s late-season struggles and López’s year-ending forearm injury, it’s difficult to imagine either pitcher being moved anytime soon - especially López as the established veteran between the two. Most of the speculation has centered on Ryan anyway.
There’s another wrinkle to consider: if the Twins were to part with one - or even both - of their frontline starters, what would that mean for Byron Buxton? Fresh off the best season of his career, Buxton has expressed his desire to remain a Twin for life. But if the front office continues sending key players out the door, would he still feel the same, or would he be willing to waive his no-trade clause and leave for a team committed to winning a championship? If the Twins truly want their star to stay in Minnesota, they’ll need to show the same commitment he has voiced toward them.
3. How Deep Will Payroll Cuts Go?
In a stinging article from Yahoo! Sports in mid-September, the expectation is that payroll will indeed dip in 2026 - especially if the Twins traded either Joe Ryan or Pablo López this winter. Depending on what happens in arbitration and with some of the key in-house role players this offseason, there is a very real possibility that the 2026 payroll for the Twins will be at or under $100 million before the organization looks at trying to land any free agents.
The more likely approach, in my mind at least, though I am a Falvey/Front Office skeptic to say the least, is that the Twins will look to rely on their young talent that they either have in the farm system or that was acquired via the now-famous trade deadline fire sale. Brooks Lee and Royce Lewis continue to cut their teeth at the Major League level, with top prospects Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez waiting in the wings. Mick Abel, Simeon Woods Richardson, and Taj Bradley look to continue to impact the rotation next year, and Luke Keaschall, considering surgery for an injured thumb, rounds out a crop of young, cheap talent that the franchise could choose to lean on rather than a splashy free agency signing. This route alone signals a cut of payroll - whether purposeful or practical.
I wish that all signs pointed to an increase in potential spending by the ownership, but that's not the case. If the decision is to rebuild from within and extend the veterans we have, especially in guys like López, then call it what it is. Twins fans could handle that, but not the dog-and-pony show we seem to be sold year in and year out. Once again, it all comes down to what the ownership is willing to put into the organization. Had the Twins gotten new owners, at least the hope of more money for better players would have been there, but now that the Pohlads are sticking around, that hope is all but gone.
Key Offseason Questions For the Twins
How the Twins tackle these three questions will determine not only the shape of their 2026 roster but the direction of the franchise itself. The decisions that they make this winter - whether the Twins pursue Torii Hunter, entertain trade offers for Lopez and/or Ryan, or continue to tank payroll - won't just impact next year's standings in the AL Central, but their viability as a contender for many years. As fans, we can see that the Twins are standing at a crossroads that could define their team for seasons to come, but will upper management realize their precarious position before it is too late? Only time will tell, but one thing is clear - they can't afford to get these answers wrong.