TopGunn#22’s 2026 Payroll Blueprint: 4 Trades Toward Contention

[TopGunn#22]

I will make 4 trades this off season and one major and one minor FA signing.  First FA:

Sign Ryan Helsley to be the Closer to a $12 million dollar deal.  I'd go 2-years $24 million for stability if I could.  The other signing is also for the BP:  Caleb Thielbar for $2.6 million.  

Trades:

Joe Ryan to the Red Sox straight up for Jarren Duran.  Ryan BBTV of 47.0 and Duran 49.5 is close enough to even.  Red Sox have too many quality OF and need a #2 SP.  Duran and Keaschall form a great top of the order as Buxton settles in at the #3 hole.

Twins trade Matt Wallner 22.5 to the White Sox for Catcher Edgar Quero 14.6 and RP Jordan Leasure 7.8 (22.4 Total).  Leasure Closed some games for the White Sox.  Quero steps in as our #1 Catcher.

Twins trade Ryan Jeffers 8.1 to the Rays for 1B/DH Yandy Diaz 7.2.  Rays throw in a lottery pick Class A player.  

Twins trade Baily Ober 20.4 and Andrew Morris 4.2 to the Mets for 3B/1B/DH Mark Vientos 11.6 and young SP Jonah Tong 12.6.  Twins send 24.6 in value to Mets and receive 24.2 in value back.  

The lineup and defense are much better, especially in the OF and behind the plate.  The pitching staff retains Pablo because he's a bargain at $21.7 million and he's someone the young SP's can learn from. 

The big risk I'm taking is in such a young staff, but the young guns need innings.  Guys like Prielipp and Abel don't really belong in the BP but I want them up with the big club, learning how to pitch in the majors. 

They are primarily long men who can step into the rotation if one of the other pitchers falter.  

The key to the BP is signing Ryan Helsley who gives the team a legit Closer.  I think he'll return to form in a big way in 2026.  Leasure provides closing experience and Thielbar (or Coulombe) provides a veteran Lefty with a proven track record.  

I believe with Quero handling the bulk of the catching Noah Cardenas is ready to take over as a twice a week backup.  The defense is good.  The bat...we'll see.

Outman and Roden are getting the first opportunity but Walker Jenkins, E-Rod and Gabe Gonzalez are breathing down their necks.   Vientos provides 30-HR potential and the ability to play 3B/1B/DH.  His power replaces whatever power Wallner may have supplied (and then some). 

I'm still $10 million under budget so I've got some leeway...OR, Carlos Correa eats that up.  

• C: Edgar Quero ($0.80M)
• 1B: Yandy Diaz ($12.00M)
• 2B: Luke Keaschall ($0.80M)
• 3B: Royce Lewis ($3.00M)
• SS: Brooks Lee ($0.80M)
• LF: Jarren Duran ($7.70M)
• CF: Byron Buxton ($15.00M)
• RF: Alan Roden ($0.80M)
• DH: Mark Vientos ($0.80M)
• 4th OF: James Outman ($0.80M)
• Utility: Cody Clemens ($0.80M)
• Utility: Austin Martin ($0.80M)
• Backup C: Noah Cardenas ($0.80M)
• SP1: Pablo Lopez ($21.50M)
• SP2: Simeon Woods Richardson ($0.80M)
• SP3: Zebby Matthews ($0.80M)
• SP4: Taj Bradley ($0.80M)
• SP5: Jonah Tong ($0.80M)
• RP: Ryan Helsley ($12.00M)
• RP: Mitch Abel ($0.80M)
• RP: Caleb Thielbar ($2.60M)
• RP: David Festa ($0.80M)
• RP: Cole Sands ($1.30M)
• RP: Connor Prielipp ($0.80M)
• RP: Jordan Leasure ($0.80M)
• RP: Kody Funderburk ($0.80M)

Payroll is 18.64% under budget