Twins Takes’s 2025 Payroll Blueprint: Realistic wheelin' dealin'!

[Twins Takes]

Generally in this blueprint, I'm trying to stick as closely as possible to the budget and try to make a realistic offseason that could happen. This means it's not flashy, but it may improve us as a ballclub. 

TRADES:

1.  In our first trade I could see the pitching hungry Mets taking a flier on Paddack becoming a decent starter again, and at just 7.5 million I don't think the Mets would mind the price tag. I think they take the whole contract and in return, we get a speedy but offensively unimpressive Right Fielder with even career splits between righties and lefties. The Twins save around 4.5 million.

NYM receive: Chris Paddack

MIN receives: Tyron Taylor 

2.  The second trade involves dumping Christian Vázquez off in Tampa Bay. I think they do need to kick back around 3 million to get it done, but I think the Twins could take this trade and make a little something more out of it. Tampa Bay has an interesting reliever named Colin Poche. He was quite good for them in 2023 (2.23 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) but regressed a little this past year (3.86 ERA, 1.15 WHIP). I think the Twins could take him in as their slider-fastball combo lefty and fill a bullpen hole. The Twins Save 4 million.

TBR receives: Christian Vázquez, Tanner Schobel, PTBNL.

MIN receives: Colin Poche

3, Thinking really outside the box here, I came up with this idea. The, formerly Oakland, now just Athletics is always looking to acquire talent, and the Twins need a first base option. I think swapping Tyler Soderstrom for Edouard Julien could be a subtle but big move. Julien doesn't know first base and is also not a large target. Soderstrom is a former catcher turned first baseman who has far more experience there. Julien and Soderstrom are both lefthanded, so there will be no change to the platoon possibilities with Miranda, however, Soderstrom might have the better chance of playing every day since his numbers against lefties are actually not bad to even good. 

OAK? receives: Edouard Julien, Andrew Rozek

MIN receives: Tyler Soderstrom

SINGINGS:

1. The one and only signing I think the Twins will make is signing AJ Minter for 6.5 million. 

CONCLUSION:

The Twins will add some speed and defensive flexibility, two lefthanded relievers, and a proper first baseman while ridding themselves of some money problems. It's not entirely fixed, but in short, I think the front office may do something like this anyway since they will be preparing for new ownership. Ultimately I think the strength will be the bullpen with two new fresh arms and no subtractions. I think bulking the bullpen will give the Twins some ability to truly develop their starting pitching, which in the long run may be best. 

This is my first post. It's not perfect, but tell me what you think. Yes, I know it's not flashy, but it may very well be realistic.

• C: Ryan Jeffers ($4.70M)
• 1B: Tyler Soderstrom ($0.80M)
• 2B: Brooks Lee ($0.80M)
• 3B: Royce Lewis ($2.30M)
• SS: Carlos Correa ($36.00M)
• LF: Trevor Larnach ($2.10M)
• CF: Byron Buxton ($15.00M)
• RF: Matt Wallner ($0.80M)
• DH: Jose Miranda ($0.80M)
• 4th OF: Tyrone Taylor ($3.00M)
• Utility: Willi Castro ($6.20M)
• Utility: DaShawn Keirsey ($0.80M)
• Backup C: Jair Camargo ($0.80M)
• NA: Dead Money Here ($3M)
• SP1: Pablo Lopez ($21.50M)
• SP2: Joe Ryan ($3.80M)
• SP3: Bailey Ober ($4.30M)
• SP4: Simeon Woods Richardson ($0.80M)
• SP5: David Festa ($0.80M)
• RP: Jhoan Duran ($3.70M)
• RP: Brock Stewart ($0.80M)
• RP: Griffin Jax ($2.60M)
• RP: Jorge Alcala ($1.50M)
• RP: AJ Minter ($6.5M)
• RP: Colin Poche ($3.00M)
• RP: Cole Sands ($0.80M)
• RP: Justin Topa ($1.30M)
• NA: Dead Money Here ($0.00M)

Payroll is 1.15% under budget

[Brock Beauchamp]

As with any trades, these might be unrealistic because we don't know which teams value what. But all of this seems pretty reasonable, at least on paper.

The one trade that I'm questioning is Soderstrom. Why would the A's trade him?

[Parfigliano]

12 hours ago, Twins Takes said:

Generally in this blueprint, I'm trying to stick as closely as possible to the budget and try to make a realistic offseason that could happen. This means it's not flashy, but it may improve us as a ballclub. 

TRADES:

1.  In our first trade I could see the pitching hungry Mets taking a flier on Paddack becoming a decent starter again, and at just 7.5 million I don't think the Mets would mind the price tag. I think they take the whole contract and in return, we get a speedy but offensively unimpressive Right Fielder with even career splits between righties and lefties. The Twins save around 4.5 million.

NYM receive: Chris Paddack

MIN receives: Tyron Taylor 

2.  The second trade involves dumping Christian Vázquez off in Tampa Bay. I think they do need to kick back around 3 million to get it done, but I think the Twins could take this trade and make a little something more out of it. Tampa Bay has an interesting reliever named Colin Poche. He was quite good for them in 2023 (2.23 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) but regressed a little this past year (3.86 ERA, 1.15 WHIP). I think the Twins could take him in as their slider-fastball combo lefty and fill a bullpen hole. The Twins Save 4 million.

TBR receives: Christian Vázquez, Tanner Schobel, PTBNL.

MIN receives: Colin Poche

3, Thinking really outside the box here, I came up with this idea. The, formerly Oakland, now just Athletics is always looking to acquire talent, and the Twins need a first base option. I think swapping Tyler Soderstrom for Edouard Julien could be a subtle but big move. Julien doesn't know first base and is also not a large target. Soderstrom is a former catcher turned first baseman who has far more experience there. Julien and Soderstrom are both lefthanded, so there will be no change to the platoon possibilities with Miranda, however, Soderstrom might have the better chance of playing every day since his numbers against lefties are actually not bad to even good. 

OAK? receives: Edouard Julien, Andrew Rozek

MIN receives: Tyler Soderstrom

SINGINGS:

1. The one and only signing I think the Twins will make is signing AJ Minter for 6.5 million. 

CONCLUSION:

The Twins will add some speed and defensive flexibility, two lefthanded relievers, and a proper first baseman while ridding themselves of some money problems. It's not entirely fixed, but in short, I think the front office may do something like this anyway since they will be preparing for new ownership. Ultimately I think the strength will be the bullpen with two new fresh arms and no subtractions. I think bulking the bullpen will give the Twins some ability to truly develop their starting pitching, which in the long run may be best. 

This is my first post. It's not perfect, but tell me what you think. Yes, I know it's not flashy, but it may very well be realistic.

• C: Ryan Jeffers ($4.70M)
• 1B: Tyler Soderstrom ($0.80M)
• 2B: Brooks Lee ($0.80M)
• 3B: Royce Lewis ($2.30M)
• SS: Carlos Correa ($36.00M)
• LF: Trevor Larnach ($2.10M)
• CF: Byron Buxton ($15.00M)
• RF: Matt Wallner ($0.80M)
• DH: Jose Miranda ($0.80M)
• 4th OF: Tyrone Taylor ($3.00M)
• Utility: Willi Castro ($6.20M)
• Utility: DaShawn Keirsey ($0.80M)
• Backup C: Jair Camargo ($0.80M)
• NA: Dead Money Here ($3M)
• SP1: Pablo Lopez ($21.50M)
• SP2: Joe Ryan ($3.80M)
• SP3: Bailey Ober ($4.30M)
• SP4: Simeon Woods Richardson ($0.80M)
• SP5: David Festa ($0.80M)
• RP: Jhoan Duran ($3.70M)
• RP: Brock Stewart ($0.80M)
• RP: Griffin Jax ($2.60M)
• RP: Jorge Alcala ($1.50M)
• RP: AJ Minter ($6.5M)
• RP: Colin Poche ($3.00M)
• RP: Cole Sands ($0.80M)
• RP: Justin Topa ($1.30M)
• NA: Dead Money Here ($0.00M)

Payroll is 1.15% under budget

Flashy is often overrated.

[Cory Engelhardt]

1 hour ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

As with any trades, these might be unrealistic because we don't know which teams value what. But all of this seems pretty reasonable, at least on paper.

The one trade that I'm questioning is Soderstrom. Why would the A's trade him?

Came here to ask this too. I'd LOVE going for someone like this, but the A's don't have a pressing need to move on from him for any reason. But absolutely would love looking into him if he could be available. Good job on the blueprint!

[Twins Takes]

11 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

As with any trades, these might be unrealistic because we don't know which teams value what. But all of this seems pretty reasonable, at least on paper.

The one trade that I'm questioning is Soderstrom. Why would the A's trade him?

My reasoning is I think the A's could solve first base pretty quickly, so if they value Julien enough I think we could convince them to trade. I really appreciate your feedback though. I tried my best to value the other team's sides of the trades.