Pretty close to what I was thinking. We have a lot of talent in the OF and guys will be competing for playing time. I think Larnach and eventually Roden and Outman need to go in order for guys like Jenkins, Rodriguez, Gonzalez, Rosario and Fedko can have a chance. It will also be interesting to see how they evaluate all of the pitching we have. Who starts, who is relief, who is a little of both. Should be fun watching guys settle into their new roles.

Agreed. By the way, I was just informed that 2026 is Rodriguez's last option year. If that's true, I think he has to be on the opening day roster or up soon thereafter if he isn't hurt again. That probably leaves Emma and Martin as the 4th and 5th OFs if Jenkins is on the team unless Wallner moves to 1B. There is then no room at the Inn for the likes of Outman, Roden, Fedko, etc. , and really no room for Larnach unless he moves to 1B. Should be interesting in the OF - do you stay with guys like Larnach, Wallner, and Martin, do you make the move and roll with guys like Jenkins, Emma and Roden, or do you do some kind of combination? I know what I'd do (trade/non-tender Larnach and Outman, and keep Martin and Emma with the rest at AAA), but what do I know, Should be interesting to watch. . 

Mostly makes sense, but I think Gasper will be out there on the fringe, maybe in AAA?  Even if you have Vascqy or Hedges et al, you will want a backup catcher who might have some hitting upside.  I guess it depends on how his catching metrics look for the rest of 2025.

Since they don't seem to be likely to sign a real 1B, Larnach seems to be a good candidate if they can't trade him.  Wallner-- you'd hate to lose that arm in RF.  Otherwise, maybe Keaschall?

Can I do better, well as this is wishful thinking both no and yes all at once.

So while I appreciate this exercise and run through TONS of options in my head daily, there IS a difference between OPENING DAY versus say JUNE 1st. You mentioned May 1st due to control options. I'm going to ignore the Twins playing that game and just guess "readiness".

But let's play it as a bit of BOTH maybe? Of course, we're assuming good health.

OUTFIELD:

OPENING DAY? Wallner, Buxton, Rodriguez, Outman, and Fedko 

If Rodriguez is healthy, he should be placed in LF DAY ONE and allowed to sink or swim, following the Brewers MO. It's time, and the option clock is ticking. There's also depth to send him down for a re-set it needed. The FO has Fedko playing some 1B right now. That tells me they are interested in having him as a versatile option. They might be finally giving up on Martin, but it's a really tough call just considering how the FO USUALLY operates. Are they FINALLY going to "man up" and just play the best players and quit OBSESSING about mediocre depth? Outman is superfluous with Rodriguez able to backup CF, but he's out of options, they don't want to admit they got nothing in the trade of Stewart. He's got the Keirsey role to begin the season.

JUNE FIRST?: Really depends on Rodriguez. But Jenkins may be flashing enough to prove he's ready. There's room for Both considering the team doesn't have a full time DH. Outman is gone. Fedko might be in danger of losing his job to Gonzalez.

INFIELD:

OPENING DAY? Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, and FA Josh Naylor. And yes, I'm serious here. Naylor gives the team a quality lineup presence, settles 1B, provides some leadership, and fits in to the budget that begins at $90M when Larnach is gone.

Clemens will be back as a 4-5 spots bench option. (He's played some 3B previously and needs to get re-aquainted with it). Fedko can help some at 1B, and Fitzgerald will be the veteran utility SS backup if they can’t find someone better on the cheap. If Eeles can show enough glove at SS in ST, he's got a real shot to displace Fitzgerald. The 2nd utility spot is a complete unknown at this point. I could see a $2M veteran late in the offseason as a possible add.

JUNE FIRST?: Injury to someone might happen. But regardless, K Pepper will be ready. You don't want a TOP prospect sitting on the bench, but that's really not a worry as everyone needs rest, and Keaschall may see some time in LF, at least against LHP. Eeles still has a shot here as a depth piece. But you MAKE ROOM for your TOP prospects when they are ready.

CATCHER:

OPENING DAY? Jeffers, though he might start to catch closer to 60-65% of games. Sorry, but I don't have a veteran FA in mind at this time. Too many things to play out. But if Hedges is the best option, might as well bring Vazquez back. But based on his career, I'd probably target Elias Diaz for $3M as the backup. I had my eye on him last offseaeon as a possible Vazquez replacement were Vazquez traded. So I'll go with him.

JUNE FIRST?: Jeffers and Diaz with Cardenas performing well at St Paul as the #3 and ready for promotion.

ROTATION:

This just isn't set the same way as position players might be. The 1st 4 are Lopez, Ryan, Ober, and Matthews. SWR, Bradley, and Abel fight for the 5th spot, with the others at St Paul along with Morris providing 3 quality options along with Rojas, Klein, Prielipp, Klein, and CJ Culpepper. And that's leaving out a couple possibles. It remains the strength of a possible competitive team.

BULLPEN: 

Sands is back and you hope for something closer to his 2024 version. Festa is moved here for the sake of his shoulder, much like the Duran move a few years ago, and his vast potential in a limited IP role. Topa is back because he's inexpensive and doesn't totally stink. One of Adams or Ohl is there, but they might roll in and out. Coulombe comes back for 1yr at $3M again as a 1 out or 1 IP middle LH. MacLeod moves to the pen to challenge Funderburk for a 2nd LH role. It's his easiest path to the ML. But Funderburk has been throwing better as of late, has more experience, so I'll give him a spot for now. But his spot is tenous at best.

The Twins will grab 2 or 3 inexpensive options on the FA market looking for the next Stewart or Thielbar. They'll grab guys coming off surgery, guys who didn't perform as hoped coming off surgery, or someone like Hatch...who might be brought back...that are failed starters looking to change their career path. 

I'd also strongly suggest Lewis and his crazy knuckleball could be a perfect example of a prospect who could throw harder for 1 IP, and just KILL with his knuckler on 0-2 and 1-2 counts. Might Raya be destined for the pen, at least my mid-season? 

Most pens are always in flux. But there's enough talent on hand in the pen, with a couple conversions, and a few inexpensive FA options brought in to build a pen that's at least respectable. If Festa and Sands take off and you find ONE MORE Stewart/Thielbar surprise, you might be too bad if you some decent middle options. And nothing says the rotation depth options couldn't pull a "Santana" or "Liriano" number and go back to the rotation later.

I really have little faith in the FO currently to do the right thing and PLAY THE KIDS vs holding on to some deceiving ideas that poor depth is a good thing vs looking towards the future. That's why I'm so torn about the OF, for example. 

But that's how I see it. And I like it. 

I admit I broke your FA signings rule with Naylor. But with Larnach eliminated from the roster, my signing of Naylor is still pretty much in line with your criteria. Add in a veteran catcher, Coloumbe back, and a couple of pen fliers, the payroll is still below $120M.

Wallner has to hit better than .209......don't get the love for him...yea he can hit a few HR's......but you have to get on base.....if you cannot hit .250 you don't belong in the majors....

Culpepper seems like the future at SS, but maybe not right away next season. So that means Lee starts at SS, I would keep Keaschall at second base, instead of moving him to first, as was suggested. I’d like to see them experiment with Wallner at first, because he is destined to be replaced in the outfield by better defensive players like EROD and Jenkins. I was disappointed they didn’t promote Fedko, who has a right handed bat and has had an excellent year, and has shown power and speed. Instead they play Outman and his .150 average and 40% K rate. Why not give Fedko a shot to see what he can do? Money probably has something to do with it. 

30 minutes ago, srlarson said:

Wallner has to hit better than .209......don't get the love for him...yea he can hit a few HR's......but you have to get on base.....if you cannot hit .250 you don't belong in the majors....

As far as Wallner’s batting average, I agree with you. A batting average hovering just above .200 is unacceptable to me. Wallner has 20 homers and 35 RBIs, indicating that his RISP is pretty low, with 33% strikeout.  But the MLB analytics has discarded some of those previously established ideas on performance, including batting average, focusing instead on OPS and how hard the ball is hit. Wallner’s OPS is near .800, which the analytics crowd loves. But he still has a lot of holes in his game. I do think Wallner can be a 30+ homer/ 90 RBI guy in the right lineup.  Ext year is the time to show it.

1 hour ago, srlarson said:

Wallner has to hit better than .209......don't get the love for him...yea he can hit a few HR's......but you have to get on base.....if you cannot hit .250 you don't belong in the majors....

I understand your thought, but you do know that league average is .246 right now...If he hits .230 with 35-40HRs that's pretty strong...History says he can because his career avg is .239

Kyle Schwarber isn't hitting .250 and we would love to have him.  He is probably going to get $25M/yr this offseason on a shorter term contract.  FYI-I am not saying Wallner is Schwarber...all I am saying is standards have changed.  I would consider Schwarber to be one of the premier power hitters in all of MLB.  As of yesterday he was hitting .245.  In 2022 he hit .218 and 2023 he hit .197, so lets lay off on the Wallner hate a little bit.  We tend to give up on players too easily. 

Topa?  Stays?  Why?

I think your position player ideas and prospective rotation are pretty close to what we'll see. Obviously, Matthews and Bradley will have to earn their spots in spring training. I disagree somewhat with the bullpen. First off, I'm absolutely NOT picking up Justin Topa's club option for 2026. He's a huge liability, and it would be easy to find better pieces either internally or in free agency. I do think Festa could be an easy transition into a bullpen arm if need be -- Matthews, too. I like Zebby as a starter, but in the long run, I could definitely see him as a closer (he's reminiscent of a young Jonathan Papelbon). SWR may the odd man out. He really only works as a #5 type SP, but I don't think he's going to be able to win that job given the rotation depth the Twins have accumulated. Similarly, Sim doesn't have the power or velo one normally associates with a reliever. He certainly wouldn't be a late inning arm. At very best, he could slot in as middle/long relief.  IMO, Falvey should grab at least two veteran relief arms in free agency.  

I have to admit I am cooling on Topa in the bullpen after these latest games. I also don't see Funderburk as a closer; I see him more as a middle to late inning guy whose leverage level depends on the number of LH hitters he would face. We need a closer from somewhere. I like Festa there and could see Sands in the role. It will be difficult and probably expensive to get one from outside so I think we need an internal option to step up into that role. 

It is too early to guess for 2026. The ownership and front office situation could change dramatically. We don't know and the direction is unclear.

Nothing would really be too surprising at this point and there could be some chaotic reshuffling this winter of the roster. Would I be surprised if the Twins opened next season with new catchers, three changes in the infield, and two new corner outfielders? Not at all. Would I be surprised to see only one holdover from the rotation that started 2025? Not at all. Would I be surprised if the Twins used a combo of four free agents and four returning players currently in the organization in their bullpen? Not at all.

I'm hopeful the team is improved in numerous areas, Who? That is a mystery.