It’s no secret that the Minnesota Twins have a big offseason ahead of them, and the margin for error is as slim as it’s been in a while.
That’ll happen when you snap a 19-year postseason losing streak and set an expectation among fans that competing for a World Series is in the plans for next season. Most fans are under than impression, but already the Twins have sunk back into their old ways and are trying to skirt paying the price of being a winning club.
Slashing the payroll was the first official move of the offseason, something that already has caused frustration throughout Twins Territory and is putting the front office in a tough position. It seems like trades are going to be the way the Twins add to the roster with some valuable trade chips being used as currency.
Flipping one of their top three trade chips isn’t a foregone conclusion, though, and there are pros and cons attached to each guy.
Pros and Cons of Twins trading a top trade chip this winter
Jorge Polanco, 2B
Why keep him: He's still a nice power hitting second basemen by MLB standards. When things are going well and Polanco can stay healthy he's an impact player at his position. His defense is still the best option the Twins — while healthy, which is a major sticking point.
Why trade him: His value is thanks to a relatively in a thin infield free agent market. The Twins are stacked with options at the keystone corner. Kyle Farmer, Eduoard Julien and Nick Gordon are all options for the Twins to replace Polanco, not to mention rookies like Brooks Lee, Austin Martin, and Yunior Severino.
Another potentially more important reason — especially given the payroll situation — is that the Twins would free up about $6 million in salary. Polanco seems to be the hottest trade piece heading into the winter, and I’d be a little surprsied to see him survive the winter considering the plethora of options the Twins have.
Approximate odds of being traded: 60%