5 Steps to Designing a (Realistic) Perfect Offseason for the 2025-26 Minnesota Twins

[rv78]

#1 will happen. Falvey has said he's keeping both. #2 won't happen. Falvey has said he loves Kody Clemens and will roll with him at 1st base. #3 won't matter. Yes the bullpen is in shambles but a 39 year old at the end of his career who is just 1 year removed from being a gopher ball server isn't going to help much, if at all. We need difference makers, not status quo players. #4 absolutely will happen. You may not have the names correct, but with a spend no money plan for 2026 that's exactly what they will do. #5 should happen but it won't. Falvey didn't add Outman and Roden to ride the bench. He's proven when he adds players, they play and it doesn't matter how inept they are.

The perfect off-season would only require 1 move. Fire Falvey.

[sweetmusicviola16]

This is not a competitive team. The team that finished the 2025 season was a 55 win team. The team that finished the season didn't have Lopez. A full season of Lopez and I'll bump it up to 58. Some improvement by Wallner. 60. Lewis gets somewhere to back on track. 64. Shelton giving improvement over Rocco. 66. Some halfway decent additions to the Pen that pan out. 68-70. No regression from the guys who were performing, Buxton, Jeffers, Ryan, Martin, Lopez when healthy, 68-70. The rest of these guys you cannot count on to be better. imo. This is not a competitive team. Now if everyone of the guys that you can't count on were better that puts us at major league ready's assessment of 75. Staying the course to win optimistically 75 in 2026 only hurts the future years when we just might be better. I guess I fail to see the clamor to keep a 75 win team, at best, together. And lose the potential and value that some pieces truly hold. 

[Pykkman]

This offense needs a bigger bat than Goldschmidt if they plan to be competitive.  Otherwise tear it down all the way and reload for 2028.   

[Coach Wheels]

14 hours ago, soyouresayingtheresachance said:

I have to disagree for #2. Just not interested in him for the same reasons im not interested in Larnach staying on the team. Not enough offense for the position and not enough defense. Nathielle Lowe would better a better option, possibly in a similar price range. 

I would also propose addressing Ryan Jeffers and the catching situation. Either sign him long term or trade him and sign someone like Jonah Heim. Trading Jeffers could possibly bring in a better 1B option. 

I also would gamble on Heim

[Parfigliano]

2 hours ago, Mahoning said:

This looks more like an argument for trading both Ryan and Lopez, plus Buxton if he would consent, because the "improvements" suggested are so tepid. On the hitting side it is a lineup with ONE star, Buxton, maybe two if Keaschall turns out to be real. What opposing team would fear that lineup? This would be the Pirates of the American League -- putrid but profitable.

 Profitable is the one thing the Pohlad's care about.

[PatPfund]

Solid plan. 100% with the OP on Steps 1 and 5.

I get the thought, but no way for me on Goldschmidt; as you point out with Rodriguez, we have too many OFs. Trade Wallner or Larnach, turn the other into a 1B to ease the pressure. We also have bat-first OFs coming in Gonzalez and Mendez, along with Jenkins, and having Goldschmidt creates a DH/1B roadblock to use younger bats with more upside. (Roden still needs to earn a job; Outman is right at the top of my DFA-when-we-need-a-spot list.) If we are adding an FA position player, it probably should be someone who can at least play some SS; we are currently one Brooks Lee back spasm from reaching down to AA for a replacement.

I’m also more inclined to talk to Festa about the ‘pen; his stuff looks to have more SP upside than Zebby’s, but he also has had recurring health issues that make me wonder if his frame is stout enough for an SP workload. While Zebby looks like a horse, but with a pitch mix that still needs work. If only we could merge the two…

[DannySD]

Keep the rotation intact + spend $15M on two hitters (1B and util INF, but... not sure about Goldschmidt) + $6M on the bullpen + trade Larnach.

Payroll is still under $110, and it's a team that has a chance to win the AL Central. We will have to hope/assume (big difference I know) that a couple hitters out of Lewis, Wallner, Lee, Martin will improve with new coaching. 

[TNtwins85]

Agree with everything except “handing” Emma a job out of ST. If he looks competent in ST he may be a candidate for a rotating platoon role/ 3-5 starts a week type of job. There’s a bevy of LH OFers and to slot him into a role where he rotates around the outfield maybe makes sense. Idk if he’s ready though with the hit tool being kinda a question mark. He’s there in everything else but I’d hate to watch him hit .160 out of the gate and be stuck at St. Paul until mid summer. 

[JD-TWINS]

OF/DH: Buxton - Wallner - Martin - Larnach - Gonzalez

IF: Lewis - Lee - Keiner/Felefa($3M) “type” - Keaschall - Arraez($14M) - Clemens

(I live in Cinti, and Steer would be a welcome addition via trade at 1B……instead of Arraez)

C: Jeffers - Jackson

Starters: SWR - Ryan - Lopez - Bradley - Ober

Matthews/Festa - Raya - Prielipp - Thielbar or Coulombe($3.25M) - Funderburk - Adams Sands - Topa … Jansen or D. Williams or similar($7.5M)

$95M baseline currently plus $14 - $3 - $3.25 - $7.5M ………$123M total payroll. Can’t imagine NEW investors would not have had the Pohlad’s being OK with this level of spending prior to a $425M infusion. As many have pointed out, it’s all guess work on the spend.

 

Outman (traded oft injured reliever for him) & Roden (Rojas was the primary piece) were flyer additions, IMO. No need to worry about rostering either of them.

[ashbury]

7 minutes ago, TNtwins85 said:

Agree with everything except “handing” Emma a job out of ST. If he looks competent in ST he may be a candidate for a rotating platoon role/ 3-5 starts a week type of job. There’s a bevy of LH OFers and to slot him into a role where he rotates around the outfield maybe makes sense. Idk if he’s ready though with the hit tool being kinda a question mark. He’s there in everything else but I’d hate to watch him hit .160 out of the gate and be stuck at St. Paul until mid summer. 

Promising rookies need to play in a regular role when brought up to the majors, or else play at AAA.  Jerking him around day to day is not a recipe for success.  Nothing's being handed to someone when the team tries to find out what they've got.

[sweetmusicviola16]

I would love to see a Larnach for Steer trade as has been thrown around. Steer looks more versatile and could play LF on occasion too. 

[ashbury]

1 minute ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

I would love to see a Larnach for Steer trade as has been thrown around. Steer looks more versatile and could play LF on occasion too. 

I haven't figured out why the Reds would agree to it.

[DocBauer]

Mostly agree and partially disagree.

1] KEEP the rotation intact. PERIOD. Quality SP is the hardest thing to find and build.

2] Golschmidt might be a potential HOF contender. But he really tanked in the 2nd half. Considering $ I'd look at Nathaniel Lowe for around $8-10M. He's had a quiet but productive career. He didn't HIT well in 2025, but still had a better stat line than Clemens. His 43 XBH were decent. He's nothing special, but he's solid. And even a down 2025 didn't stink. 

3] I don't know if Thielbar is the answer or not. I could easily see him, Coulombe, Rogers, or Chaffin being a quality signing. While long in the tooth, they all had good 2025 seasons. Just pick the right one for one more quality season in the sun. 1yr at around $3M or so?

3B] They also need a veteran RHRP just to stabilize the pen. Some ideas have included Pressly as an option. He had a good couple months to begin 2025 and then fell apart. I only use him as an example. Is there a Sergio Romo type, again for example purposes only, that could be had for $4-5M? The possibilities from the RH side are numerous, so I'm not going to name one specifically, but that's the general idea.

4] Raya and Lewis are already headed to the pen. Each offers some intrigue, but I don't know that either would be ready for opening day. I hate, hate, hate Festa and Prielipp moving to the pen. But the logic is there for both. Festa's STUFF is very good. Especially if he can develop his 2 seamer. But his build and injury concerns scream that he should throw 1 inning 2 or 3 times a week and be a dominate reliever. And maybe it's just time for fans like myself to accept that's the best role for Prielipp. Grrr! Not what I wanted, but it just makes sense.

Klein is a dark horse that a lot of people haven't been paying enough attention to. He's got the build and the pitches to suggest he might still be a SP option. But with increased velocity in 2025 and high K numbers, he could be the next Varland.

Assuming nobody selects CJ Culpepper in the rule 5, he still has SP potential. But injuries have held him back. He just might be better in more appearances and shorter stints. He might skyrocket up the chain if put in that role.

Just a few examples. If Bradley or Matthews doesn't get their act together, they might also transition.

5] A healthy Rodriguez is ready for MLB if healthy. He would have been up last year with better health. His winter is proving more and more he's ready. Let him play, and let us live with some growing pains if he has them. The OF gets better, team speed gets power, we add another power bat, and Wallner becomes the primary DH filling that hole. 

[JD-TWINS]

54 minutes ago, ashbury said:

I haven't figured out why the Reds would agree to it.

Why? ……… No kidding!!

Named Red’s MVP in ‘23 as a Rookie (after McClean got hurt) & has hit 20 HR for 3 straight years and played very well at 1B …….. played some 3B & quite a bit of LF until ‘25.

Wishful thinking by fans here just because they know his name, IMO…… I’d love it! Could be done, as their best hitting prospect plays 1B, principally. Reds would want a serious player(arm) …….. Chase Petty seems to have flamed out so they would be very particular.

Speer has averaged 21 HR & 85 RBI for 3 years as an MLB player with a .245 BA ……… “infielder hands” on ground balls with great instincts at 1B. Solid player.

 

[RpR]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

Promising rookies need to play in a regular role when brought up to the majors, or else play at AAA.  Jerking him around day to day is not a recipe for success.  Nothing's being handed to someone when the team tries to find out what they've got.

That  is what Spring Training is for, NOT regular season.

If he shows well in Spring Training he will be up; if he sucks at the Majors he goes back down.

[ashbury]

32 minutes ago, RpR said:

That  is what Spring Training is for, NOT regular season.

If he shows well in Spring Training he will be up; if he sucks at the Majors he goes back down.

Yes and if he's up he should play, not sit. 

Back down he goes he he doesn't perform when he's up - that's what minor league options are for.

[ashbury]

44 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Why? ……… No kidding!!

Named Red’s MVP in ‘23 as a Rookie (after McClean got hurt) & has hit 20 HR for 3 straight years and played very well at 1B …….. played some 3B & quite a bit of LF until ‘25.

Wishful thinking by fans here just because they know his name, IMO…… I’d love it! Could be done, as their best hitting prospect plays 1B, principally. Reds would want a serious player(arm) …….. Chase Petty seems to have flamed out so they would be very particular.

Speer has averaged 21 HR & 85 RBI for 3 years as an MLB player with a .245 BA ……… “infielder hands” on ground balls with great instincts at 1B. Solid player.

 

Somehow Steer got onto somebody's non-tender speculation list, and we had fun with it.  I guess?

[Rosterman]

Twins have so many worthless pieces. They have two starters, but what can they bring back for offense that is within the budget. 

If you want to spend $2-5m an arm, there will be ample proven bullpen arms. But then they need roster spots. Is Pressley done? Do you want Rogers, a lefty, back? Do you go after Thielbar or Coulombe again? Already lost out on Blewett.

You need a solid defender at first base who will be there most every game. Some ways, wish it was Keaschall. But then who's on second?

The roster is full of so many bad players, fighting for a bench job, but a couple will actually get starting jobs in the mess of the current roster construction. The only redeeming grace is that 2027 will bring a pretty big turnover in the overall roster, but also a learning curve that would keep them from winning.

[DJL44]

3 hours ago, ashbury said:

I haven't figured out why the Reds would agree to it.

The Reds have a huge hole on the roster in LF and DH

[darin617]

Festa is the starter with injury history for the pen not Zebby.

[TNtwins85]

3 hours ago, ashbury said:

Promising rookies need to play in a regular role when brought up to the majors, or else play at AAA.  Jerking him around day to day is not a recipe for success.  Nothing's being handed to someone when the team tries to find out what they've got.

How is that jerking him around? You tell him that’s gonna be his role. He rotates around. Plays RF for Wallner against a lefty. Plays CF to give Buxton a rest once or twice a week. And plays LF once a week to give whichever LH hitter or Martin needs a rest. Probably plays 3-5 of your 6 games during a week. Probably a good role for him. Then again I don’t believe he’s the super prospect everyone else expects either. Nothings being handed out? Pretty sure it says to hand him over a job.

[ashbury]

59 minutes ago, TNtwins85 said:

Plays RF for Wallner against a lefty. Plays CF to give Buxton a rest once or twice a week. And plays LF once a week to give whichever LH hitter or Martin needs a rest. 

That's fine for the Willi Castros of the world - players who have flunked another team's audition. 

It could be that ERod also flunks.  I've long been skeptical of a walk-rate that far exceeds what anyone has maintained as a major leaguer - what becomes of the walks that disappear, strikeouts or meek groundouts or base hits?  One way to find out.  Playing part-time, especially in response to platoon issues, is a dandy way to minimize his long-term value.

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

The Reds have a huge hole on the roster in LF and DH

That's the hole we're trying to fill by finding Larnach a new home. 

[Fatbat]

Great ideas to integrate some key FA’s into a roster that is a mess with AAAA guys.  Any FA signing has to obviously be a bargain price and outperform his contract.  That is hard to come by. We also need huge contributions from a FEW rookies because the bench is so short. ‘26 is going to be a year of growth and growing pains.  Many many things have to go right for the Twins to be competitive and get back to relevance in the AL central. 

[TNtwins85]

9 minutes ago, ashbury said:

That's fine for the Willi Castros of the world - players who have flunked another team's audition. 

It could be that ERod also flunks.  I've long been skeptical of a walk-rate that far exceeds what anyone has maintained as a major leaguer - what becomes of the walks that disappear, strikeouts or meek groundouts or base hits?  One way to find out.  Playing part-time, especially in response to platoon issues, is a dandy way to minimize his long-term value.

I’m in the same boat as far as a high walk rate in the minors and questions about contact. I guess that’s why I don’t see him as the super prospect some do. Once he gets attacked on the corners and by major league quality breaking balls I’m not sure that walk rate holds up. I think a super utility OFer is his future and he could succeed. Kinda like a RH Willi Castro who only plays OF. Idk. I’m just not impressed by Mr. Rodriguez

[old nurse]

21 hours ago, Jacksson said:

Who is the SECOND player named Martin?

Got to put something in there once in a while to see who spends time commenting on nothing 

[Twinsrtheworst]

On 11/27/2025 at 9:15 AM, chpettit19 said:

No offense taken as I'm guessing you have no idea what my posts during the last few offseasons were. For example, I predicted between 82 and 87 wins for the Twins last year. That was wildly optimistic and I was way off. As of today I'm predicting 65 to 70 wins next year. I'd love to be wrong again and have them win 85-90.

I know what those words mean and you're welcome to go back through my posts the last few offseasons and see me defending the team and predicting far more success than they actually had. 

I do have a pretty good idea of a few of your posts over the last few offseason.  So you assume wrong.  I usually enjoyed your comments due to the optimism and outlay and reasoning behind many them.  I guess the sudden change in your outlook took me by surprise.  The recent about face from opinionated optimistic support to the less than optimistic view maybe warranted for sure.  But I miss the optimism…. Not that my opinion  matters. 

[mluebker]

13 hours ago, rv78 said:

The perfect off-season would only require 1 move. Fire Falvey.

Having the Pohlads stop talking about selling and actually don’t it would be pretty high up on my list, as well.

[chpettit19]

10 hours ago, se7799 said:

I do have a pretty good idea of a few of your posts over the last few offseason.  So you assume wrong.  I usually enjoyed your comments due to the optimism and outlay and reasoning behind many them.  I guess the sudden change in your outlook took me by surprise.  The recent about face from opinionated optimistic support to the less than optimistic view maybe warranted for sure.  But I miss the optimism…. Not that my opinion  matters. 

I miss having a reason to feel optimistic. I was never being blindly optimistic, and I never want to be. I saw real reasons for optimism. I try to take as realistic of a view as I can. I think (hope?) we all do. But looking at the 40-man today doesn't give me a sense of optimism. The steps laid out here don't change that at all. Paul Goldschmidt is toast. If that's part of a "perfect" offseason I don't see any reason to be optimistic about their chances in 2026.

What would give me optimism is any sense at all that Falvey and the FO have picked a lane. That they aren't going to try to compete this year while rebuilding on the side. Either truly invest in the 2026 team or blow it up and fully dive into a rebuild. Trying to do both is how you end up with eternal rebuilds. But nothing he has done in the last 6 months suggest to me that he's going to do anything other than try to win with Goldschmidt type signings for 2026 instead of stockpiling as many high-end prospects as humanly possible. He's been crossing his fingers that a dozen huge "ifs" go his way every season for years. That never happens. And now he's hoping even more, bigger "ifs" go his way in 2026 instead of giving the team more chances at real success in 2027 and beyond.

So, yes, I did change my outlook because the team changed and the outlook I'm seeing now with Kody Clemens as your starting 1B, Brooks Lee as your starting SS, Alex freaking Jackson as your co-catcher, Trevor Larnach as a top 3 or 4 hitter in the lineup, and a 40-man full of guys like Julien, Gasper, Outman, and Kreidler is much different than what I saw before. There are definitely some intriguing names in the minors, but most prospects fail. Even the top 100 variety. I'm excited to see the kids at some point, but they need more. Because you can go look at the predicted 2026 lineup from a few years ago and see a whole bunch of names we were excited about then that not many have any desire to have in an MLB lineup now. Expecting all these guys to succeed at all, let alone immediately, doesn't seem wise. I'd love to be wrong in the opposite way I have been the last couple offseasons. But I don't see it. I'm happy for those who do. But I don't.

[Major League Ready]

56 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I miss having a reason to feel optimistic. I was never being blindly optimistic, and I never want to be. I saw real reasons for optimism. I try to take as realistic of a view as I can. I think (hope?) we all do. But looking at the 40-man today doesn't give me a sense of optimism. The steps laid out here don't change that at all. Paul Goldschmidt is toast. If that's part of a "perfect" offseason I don't see any reason to be optimistic about their chances in 2026.

What would give me optimism is any sense at all that Falvey and the FO have picked a lane. That they aren't going to try to compete this year while rebuilding on the side. Either truly invest in the 2026 team or blow it up and fully dive into a rebuild. Trying to do both is how you end up with eternal rebuilds. But nothing he has done in the last 6 months suggest to me that he's going to do anything other than try to win with Goldschmidt type signings for 2026 instead of stockpiling as many high-end prospects as humanly possible. He's been crossing his fingers that a dozen huge "ifs" go his way every season for years. That never happens. And now he's hoping even more, bigger "ifs" go his way in 2026 instead of giving the team more chances at real success in 2027 and beyond.

So, yes, I did change my outlook because the team changed and the outlook I'm seeing now with Kody Clemens as your starting 1B, Brooks Lee as your starting SS, Alex freaking Jackson as your co-catcher, Trevor Larnach as a top 3 or 4 hitter in the lineup, and a 40-man full of guys like Julien, Gasper, Outman, and Kreidler is much different than what I saw before. There are definitely some intriguing names in the minors, but most prospects fail. Even the top 100 variety. I'm excited to see the kids at some point, but they need more. Because you can go look at the predicted 2026 lineup from a few years ago and see a whole bunch of names we were excited about then that not many have any desire to have in an MLB lineup now. Expecting all these guys to succeed at all, let alone immediately, doesn't seem wise. I'd love to be wrong in the opposite way I have been the last couple offseasons. But I don't see it. I'm happy for those who do. But I don't.

I share your concern that they won't commit.  They need to have a record payroll and trade a few of their best prospects for immediate help or rebuild.  If they rebuild, do it right and tear it down to the studs.  Keeping proven players will get you 72 wins instead of 66 wins but it probably costs several wins for several seasons when the team has a chance to contend.  They have no chance to contend in 2026.  Accept it and make the unpopular decision to do the things necessary to build a contender.