Stop us if you've heard this one before, but the Minnesota Twins might be about to make a move.
It's sort of turning into a Boy Who Cried Wolf situation, as the Twins have chased the franchise's most successful postseason since 2002 by doing exactly nothing during the offseason. Part of this is due to a reduced payroll, but it's also in the team's nature to lethargically approach the hot stove.
Call it a cautioned approach if you will, but it's one that has frustrated fans who continue to wait for something -- anything -- to happen.
The biggest domino everyone is expecting to fall is the team trading Jorge Polanco or Max Kepler this winter. With a reduced budget, both players are the best currency the Twins have in terms of finding ways to meaingfully add to the roster.
It's no secret that the team has been listening to offers, as rumors have been getting kicked up since the end of October. As the market begins to settle, though, it's starting to feel more likely that a deal is done sooner rather than later.
Twins Rumor: MLB insider names potential trade partner for Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco
One team to keep an eye on is the Toronto Blue Jays. MLB insider Jon Morosi specifically linked Kepler and Polanco to the Jays when making a recent appearance to discuss the latest lay of the land as we head into the holiday break.
"I would point out one team here that makes a ton of sense, the Toronto Blue Jays," Morosi said. "The Jays were in there on Ohtani, of course they missed him, they now need to bring in multiple bats and I think they need to find a way to add in, whether it's Polanco or Kepler, maybe it's even both, to balance out that lineup."
Toronto has been kicked around as a potential landing spot in the past, with Polanco specifically making a ton of sense for them. We've also started to hear more and more about the idea of the Twins packaging both Kepler and Polanco in the same trade, something that fans hope might net someone like Jesus Luzardo, although there's no chance it's a two-for-one deal -- the Twins would need to add a prospect or two into the deal to make it worth Miami's while.
Alex Manoah is a potential target, as he seems to be the type of high-upside down-on-his-luck player the Twins like to take a chance on. The price for Manoah right now being Kepler and Polanco seems steep, as he had one of the worst seasons of his career last year; he's one potentially one of the best pitchers in baseball when he's on his A-game, though.
It's unclear what a trade package would look like or what the Twins return would be, but one thing seems abundantly clear: Minnesota is going to make a trade this winter and there's it's increasingly likely that Kepler and Polanco get traded as a pair.