Report: Minnesota Twins’ Owners Could Make More Undesirable Choices this
The Minnesota Twins were the greatest sellers at the MLB trade deadline, delivering off almost 40 percent of their roster in a total teardown that conserved the club tens of millions of dollars. What fans hoped would be a precursor to the Pohlad household offering the franchise could rather end up being a worst-case circumstance.
Bob Nightengale of U.S.A. Today reported Sunday that many around baseball are now believing that the Twins may ‘continue to dump payroll’ this winter season by trading pitchers Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez and Bailey Ober.
Related: Buyer Interested in Minnesota Twins was ‘Blindsided’ by Pohlad’s Decision
- Minnesota Twins franchise value (Forbes): $ 1.5 billion
The Twins’ franchise was put up for sale this spring, with the Pohlad family setting a $1.7 billion valuation on the Major League Baseball club. Several groups revealed interest in buying the team at a slightly lower expense, even with the group saddled with more than $400 million in financial obligation.
Following the trade-deadline firesale, there was even supposedly momentum towards the franchise being offered. All of that altered on August 13 when the Pohlad family announced it would keep ownership, with plans to bring on two restricted collaboration groups.
Related: Worst MLB owners, including Twins’ ownership
- Minnesota Twins payroll 2025 (Spotrac): $39.846 million active payroll (27th in MLB)
Many around baseball understood the rationale for disposing the Carlos Correa contract, which saved the club $70 million. There was also a clear reasoning for moving All-Star closer Jhoan Duran and trading the likes of Chris Paddack, Harrison Bader, Ty France, and Willi Castro.
What earned less sense, even from a financial viewpoint, was trading reliever Louis Varland, who is under team control through 2030 on team-friendly terms, particularly considering he is a Minnesota local.
Offered the interest Ryan received ahead of the MLB trade deadline and the likely market for Lopez if he’s healthy, it should not be a surprise if both starters are traded this winter. If that happens, there’s a likelihood the Twins will have the most affordable payroll in baseball next season.
NFL, MLB & college football author for Sportsnaut. Graduated from San Diego State University with BA in Journalism, 2019. … More about Matt Johnson