The Minnesota Twins are for sale and the process of finding new owners has already been eventful. But some details about the process and when Twins fans can expect new owners have emerged thanks to a recent report by LaVelle E. Neal of the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Neal believes the identity of the new owners could be revealed as soon as Opening Day. But his report differs from a previous one by Dan Hayes of The Athletic in that Neal believes a sale won’t be finalized until May or June.
At the moment, Neal says the Twins are considering a “double-digit” amount of suitors that range from local billionaires to those based in California. Neal also says that he expects a former player such as Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau or Torii Hunter to be part of any ownership group but their share would be a limited partnership with one or two percent of the franchise.
Twins insider believes sale could be completed by mid-season
The Twins are in the early stages of selling the team as Neal suggests numbers could be exchanged in the coming weeks. Forbes currently has the Twins valued at $1.46 billion while Sportico has a $1.7 billion evaluation and potential owners will be vetted “to make sure the interested parties don’t bounce the check.”
Once an owner is identified there will be a final approval process conducted by MLB that includes an extensive background check. And if all goes well, the keys to the franchise could be turned over by mid-summer.
As of now, the only known party with interest in the Twins is Justin Ishbia, brother of Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Mat Ishbia. While the Ishbias own part of the Chicago White Sox, the Twins are a more attractive option thanks to Target Field and a team that could compete for an American League Central crown as early as this year.
But while the Ishbia’s are the people’s choice to buy the Twins, there are hurdles. The Twins television deal provides a limited revenue stream for the team compared to other big-market teams and Neal warns that a potential work stoppage when the current collective bargaining agreement ends in December 2026 could be something that drives buyers away.
What does a potential sale mean for Twins fans?
Neal’s report is good news in that the sale of the Twins is imminent. After watching the Pohlad family shed payroll over the past two seasons, the chances of finding an owner who will at least invest money into the team are good and it’s even better that the sale could take place sometime during the 2025 season.
Even though the team’s “heavy lifting” is reportedly done this offseason, this paints a picture where the new owners take over in May or June and could be in place to give the green light for a trade deadline acquisition or something else that would improve the team.
This is purely speculation as of now, but it feels like the fans' nightmare with the Pohlad’s is coming to an end and could lead to a new era beginning this summer.