JD-TWINS’s 2025 Payroll Blueprint:

[JD-TWINS]

Only one trade of note:

Duran - Matthews - Vazquez - Miranda to the Red Sox for Tristan Casas ……..Boston takes all of Vazquez contract due to the player value coming their way.

Sign FA Curt Cassalli to take the Vazquez spot.

Sign Martin Perez for another long reliever/spot starter guy. $7.5M for 1 year.

PEN is still solid with Jax as closer and the addition of Varland - Paddack - Perez.

• C: Ryan Jeffers ($4.70M)
• 1B: Tristan Casas ($1.00M)
• 2B: Willi Castro ($6.20M)
• 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: Luke Keaschall ($0.80M)
• 4th OF: Austin Martin ($0.80M)
• Utility: Brooks Lee ($.80M)
• Utility: DaShawn Keirsey ($0.80M)
• Backup C: Curt Cassalli ($2.30M)
• NA: Dead Money Here ($0.00M)
• SP1: Pablo Lopez ($21.50M)
• SP2: Joe Ryan ($3.80M)
• SP3: Bailey Ober ($4.30M)
• SP4: David Festa ($.80M)
• SP5: Simeon Woods Richardson ($0.80M)
• RP: Chris Paddack ($7.50M)
• RP: Brock Stewart ($0.80M)
• RP: Griffin Jax ($2.60M)
• RP: Jorge Alcala ($1.50M)
• RP: Cole Sands ($0.80M)
• RP: Justin Topa ($1.30M)
• RP: Louie Varland ($0.80M)
• RP: Martin Perez ($7.50M)
• NA: Dead Money Here ($0.00M)

Payroll is 1.85% under budget

[tony&rodney]

If your goal is to acquire Tristan Casas, Duran is enough on his own. If you want to send Vazquez away in the deal, just add Varland or Topa. If you think Boston wants Miranda and Matthews and you want to send off Vazquez you add either Varland or Topa. Your deal is a pretty big overpay in talent.

I understand that many feel that MLB may be too tough for Zebby Matthews but I'm thinking he will really develop in the next year plus. Zooming from A+ to MLB was a pretty drastic experience last summer. i would not trade Matthews for Casas. Again, I'm not high on DH only players, Casas does have a big bat for home runs, ala Matt Wallner. Wallner can run and throw and is much more athletic which gives me hope he will improve defensively. So we will disagree on Casas which is part of these discussions. I really think Royce Lewis would be a terrific first baseman.

[JD-TWINS]

25 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

If your goal is to acquire Tristan Casas, Duran is enough on his own. If you want to send Vazquez away in the deal, just add Varland or Topa. If you think Boston wants Miranda and Matthews and you want to send off Vazquez you add either Varland or Topa. Your deal is a pretty big overpay in talent.

I understand that many feel that MLB may be too tough for Zebby Matthews but I'm thinking he will really develop in the next year plus. Zooming from A+ to MLB was a pretty drastic experience last summer. i would not trade Matthews for Casas. Again, I'm not high on DH only players, Casas does have a big bat for home runs, ala Matt Wallner. Wallner can run and throw and is much more athletic which gives me hope he will improve defensively. So we will disagree on Casas which is part of these discussions. I really think Royce Lewis would be a terrific first baseman.

ME TOO on Lewis!!! Just don’t think there will be any pursuit of this path. NEED to get an offensive threat at 1B - commensurate to what’s expected in Pop for the position. Obviously, Lewis fits that profile!

Lee - CC - Keaschall - Lewis would be a hopeful infield at some point in the future. If this happened in ‘25 - fantastic.

My deal is a framework to show we have guys of value to trade that won’t cripple the Team elsewhere. Can’t trade only Paddack - Julien - Dobnack - etc. (trade value for value) need to trade guys that other Teams want!

They need some impact change at 1B - my proposed trade for Casas is to emphasize the Team needs to be taking big swings - don’t offer from a place of hope - get something done! Trading a handful (2-3 guys) to obtain a ready to play Catcher and moving Lewis to 1B would be the best solution in my mind. If Lewis is at 2B & Keaschall plays 1B - fine.

Gotta be some change in offensive punch.

[tony&rodney]

One of the reasons I like Lewis at 1B is because I believe it would free three things: Lewis' mind and the ability to possibly trade both Julien and Miranda who I think still have value. 

Miranda and Varland to Seattle for Harry Ford

Duran, Castro, and Kyle DeBarge to Arizona for Jordan Lawler

Brooks Lee to Milwaukee for Jeferson Quero

Sign Julio Iglesias for $2-4M

Trade Chris Paddack

Maybe something like SWR, Julien, Topa, Vazquez, and $3M in international bonus money to San Diego for Dylan Cease

Just some talent added. 

Sadly, the Twins may already have their roster and it is not a bad team.

As is: Lewis, Castro, Lee, Correa, Larnach (EmRod here), Buck, Wallner along with the others and catchers.