The Minnesota Twins have an unenviable task this winter. After missing the playoffs, they need to find a way to improve their team. Payroll restrictions mean their most likely option is making a trade. And limited options make finding a deal even tougher.
But when it comes to the Twins’ pursuit of deals, ESPN’s Jeff Passan suggests they need to get in the back of the line.
Outside of a few massive contracts including Juan Soto’s $765 million contract with the New York Mets, the free agent market has been slow to materialize this winter. Teams in a similar situation as the Twins have opted to look to the trade market instead of paying up in free agency and it’s created a market that is “percolating with activity” heading into the new calendar year.
The Twins have been involved after listening to offers for shortstop Carlos Correa and starting pitcher Pablo López. But there are names that they could look to add including San Francisco’s Mike Yastrzemski and Taylor Ward of the Los Angeles Angels, who would both help fill the need for a right-handed outfield bat.
Of course, both players make over $9 million heading into 2025, which creates a need to move salaries. Passan mentioned starting pitcher Chris Paddack, who is owed $7.5 million next season, and catcher Christian Vázquez, owed $10 million in 2025, as players on the market but neither could fetch an impact player due to their high salaries and limited production.
The Minnesota Twins pursuit of free agents is complicated
A trade will likely be the first domino to fall before the Twins make a free-agent move. But the good news is most teams are willing to wait before signing a low-to-middle-tier free agent.
Passan cited MLB’s early spending spree – amounting to over $2 billion for 43 major league free agents – as a reason teams are holding out. The closer we get toward spring training, the more leverage teams will have in signing a player.
“With prices for players at a premium, teams have turned to the trade market as an alternative, leaving free agency stagnant,” Passan said. “Teams also recognize the calendar works in their favor. The closer it gets to when spring camps open in February, the more difficult it is for players to remain steadfast in their demands.”
This is a similar situation the Twins were in a year ago. While Blake Snell, Matt Chapman, Jordan Montgomery and Cody Bellinger were all on the market in February, they all received big contracts out of the Twins’ price range. This would also seem to count out the Twins from signing a player like Jack Flaherty or Pete Alonso but the team has been open to Carlos Santana’s return and the addition of a right-handed outfield bat.
Passan noted that “the pipes are frozen on the first base market” as players such as Cleveland’s Bo Naylor and San Francisco’s LaMonte Wade Jr. are available for trade and the corner outfield market is “frigid” although former Twin Max Kepler agreed to a one-year, $10 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night.
It leaves the Twins in a similar position to the rest of baseball as they hope the spring will thaw out the market both on the trade front and in free agency.