It took long enough for the Minnesota Twins to dip their toe into offseason waters, but now the team is swimming in the deep end.
The first big splash of the offseason happened last Monday when the Twins traded All-Star second baseman Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners. Minnesota got four players back as well as some money that was subsequently used to sign slugger Carlos Santana.
Since then the team has added two more players — relievers Jay Jackson and Zack Weiss — and it doesn’t sound like the front office is done trying to make another deal.
Minnesota Twins hint at more potential moves this offseason
After the additions of Santana, Jackson, and Weiss became official, Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey addressed the media and hinted at the potential for more moves this offseason.
Nothing seems to be imminent, but he indicated that the Twins have irons in the fire.
Derek Falvey: "We’re still working to try to find ways to add to the roster if we can, via trade or some different free agent conversations we’ve been having."
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) February 7, 2024
All of this movement lines up with when the Twins have historically waded into the market. Minnesota is never at the front of the offseason line, even when it does land a big fish like Carlos Correa. That $200 million deal didn’t happen until months after free agency began — although we all know why it took so long to happen.
None of the trades the Twins have made happened earlier than January, either. Pablo Lopez was acquired last January, Sonny Gray wasn’t acquired until March 2022, and Kenta Maeda was a February trade. It makes sense that Polanco was at the heart of rumors for months before being dealt, and the same may go for Max Kepler.
Minnesota has been slow to the free agent market as well. Outside of the Correa deal, players like Marwin Gonzalez and Donovan Solano weren’t signed until Spring Training had arrived which bodes well for whatever moves Falvey hinted at that could be in the works.
It’s also possible that the Twins are done, although that would be massively dissapointing. As interesting as the Santana signing is, it can’t be the last — or only — notable free agent deal the team hands out.
There are still intriguing options on the market, from veteran fliers like Joey Votto to potentially splashier moves for Cody Bellinger or Blake Snell. There’s a whole spectrum of free agents still on the market, and if the Twins are going to keep their streak of impactful late-offseason moves alive, there are plenty of ways to make it happen.
Whether not we see a deal is yet to be seen, but at least it sounds like the Twins want to make it happen.