4 Big Questions Facing Minnesota Twins at 2025 Winter Meetings

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The winter meetings arrive every year with a blend of tension and possibility, and the Minnesota Twins find themselves right in the center of that mix. The front office has already signaled a shift in direction with notable trades at last year’s deadline, but the next few days will determine how dramatic this winter truly becomes. With payroll limitations, a clubhouse in transition, and a roster that needs both clarity and talent, these four questions will shape the Twins’ path forward.

Will the Twins Trade More Veterans?

Minnesota shocked much of the league when it moved key players at the 2025 deadline, and the possibility remains that the front office is not done trimming from the core. Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, and Byron Buxton represent the most significant names still drawing outside interest, and each presents a different challenge for the club.

Ryan still has two years of team control through arbitration, making him the type of pitcher contenders ask about when they believe the Twins are retooling. There were already rumors about him being traded at the deadline, and he’s coming off an All-Star campaign. Lopez remains Minnesota’s best starting pitcher when healthy, and moving him would signal a complete reset instead of a soft pivot. He is owed the most money over the next two seasons ($43 million), making him a prime trade target. 

Then there is Buxton, the most complicated name of all. His contract, health history, and elite ceiling create a puzzle that only a few teams might be willing to solve, yet rumors have pointed to him being willing to waive his no-trade clause if the sell-off continues. The winter meetings have a way of accelerating conversations, and if another club is willing to pay for star upside, the Twins could continue reshaping their roster.

Will the Team’s New Minority Owners Be Revealed?

One of the strangest Twins storylines in recent months has nothing to do with baseball decisions. The club is expected to add two new minority ownership groups, but the details have been surprisingly quiet. The lack of transparency might be expected, but it remains strange that only limited details are available. 

Winter meetings are traditionally a stage for ownership announcements, branding pushes, and organizational updates. If the Twins intend to introduce their new partners before the 2026 season begins, this week is the ideal moment. The uncertainty has prompted speculation that the agreements are not fully finalized. Either way, clarity would be welcomed by fans eager to understand how these groups will influence future spending and long-term strategy.

Will the Twins Sign a Closer?

The bullpen is one of the clearest needs on the roster, especially after last summer’s sell-off. Minnesota is not expected to hand out any major long-term deals in free agency, but the club needs stability at the back end of games. The free agent market offers a few realistic options.

Kenley Jansen stands out as a name with both experience and history chasing. Sitting 24 saves shy of becoming only the third pitcher in MLB history to reach five hundred career saves, he could find the Twins an appealing landing spot if they provide him with ninth-inning duties. Minnesota could also turn back to familiar faces. Taylor Rogers offers a left-handed veteran presence with strikeout stuff when healthy, while Caleb Thielbar would be a sentimental fit who could thrive in a lower leverage role. A bullpen addition of some kind feels close to inevitable, and the winter meetings could be where that move materializes.

Will the Twins Attempt to Upgrade at First Base and DH?

Derek Falvey made headlines at the GM Meetings when he suggested that Kody Clemens is in line to be the club’s starting first baseman. That may be the current plan, but it is hard to imagine the Twins entering the season with no improvements to two of the most crucial run-producing spots in the lineup.

The organization needs more right-handed power, and the market offers several affordable options. Paul Goldschmidt is no longer the MVP-caliber hitter he once was, but has remained productive and dependable. Josh Bell brings switch-hitting pop that could balance the lineup. Rhys Hoskins would be a particularly strong fit if the Twins prioritize home run potential without breaking the bank. Any of these names would present an upgrade over the current depth chart and help alleviate pressure on Clemens to carry a position with a heavy offensive load.

The winter meetings continually shape the offseason, but this year feels especially pivotal for the Twins. Whether they choose to move veterans, reveal ownership updates, fortify the bullpen, or add meaningful offensive help, Minnesota is positioned for a week filled with decisions that will define the next stage of their retooling. One way or another, the franchise will look different by the time the meetings conclude.

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Will the Twins answer any of these questions at the winter meetings? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

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[old nurse]

The Twins will likely sign a closer, but it will not be a big name. Rebound, end of the line much like Fernando was.  

Trades are only if favorable to the Twins

Owners, don’t know

old declining first baseman? They got lucky with Santana,  They could try, but the names mentioned have been in decline far longer than Santana was.  Lots of people seem to think highly of some of the people available. I doubt people would watch for the retread

[Coach Wheels]

There are way more questions than answers for Twins leadership. I can see them watching this week and getting leftovers after Jan 1 

[ziggy]

No matter what they are saying now the Twins showed their hand when they traded 40% of the roster at the trade deadline. This is not a 'soft' rebuild. 

They tried the 'only if we're blown away' for a trade will they part with a player to now trying the 'we're not really going to trade every asset' in hopes of leveraging more return for the big three.

As for free agents, history has shown they only shop for players who's asking price has dropped and are now considered long shots to be above replacement value players.

As Terry Ryan said many times, somebody has to play those innings.

[rv78]

Expect nothing meaningful. They'll add around the edges. It has become the norm. 

[Nashvilletwin]

1. Yes. More vet retreads ala France, Gallo, Bader, etc., etc. (geez, it’s hard to remember them all).  We certainly are looking to contend this year and this is the tried and true formula for success (sarcasm should be noted). However, a placeholder type who can be moved at the deadline to make room for a promotion would be ok I guess.

2. Maybe. If so, ideally the identities indicate promise.  But the timing - this week, next week, next month - per se is not that important.

3, Does signing a cheap closer really matter?  There is nothing worse than a closer who can’t close. And if the “closer” is cheap……

4. No.  But see #1 if the answer is yes.  But Falvey may try to relive his best FA signing ever.  

You missed the biggest question coming out of the winter meetings: namely, what do the ping pong balls say is our draft position? 
 

[bunsen82]

21 minutes ago, Nashvilletwin said:

 

You missed the biggest question coming out of the winter meetings: namely, what do the ping pong balls say is our draft position? 
 

Let’s be clear most of the questions won’t be answered at winter meetings.  You are correct the the biggest answer this weekend will be the draft slot.  This has the biggest implications on the team for the long run. 
 

2. Rule 5 draft, we pick 4th.  In my opinion there are 4-5 arms, 2 1st Base options and 2 outfielders ( 1 with great speed defense, the other with elite bat speed).  For me it has to be an arm or a first baseman. If we go the defensive center fielder, I think it would raise more questions.  

[jorgenswest]

If there is a plan the Twins are in uncharted territory. They traded three key bullpen pieces and Correa off of the 2026 roster. Can they rebuild that bullpen among the many young starters they have? Will their experiment with the three day rest longer outing from the pen something they will use from their bullpen this year? The Brewers trade off bullpen arms and replenish with inexpensive pieces that they get from DFA trades, waivers claims and prospects. They don’t so it all at once though. That territory is uncharted.

The key is the Correa dollars combined with the savings of nearly 11 million that Jax and Duran are earning this year. Do they reinvest that money in the team? They reinvested the Berrios dollars in Gray and that turned out well for them in the 2023 playoff run.

My biggest question is the commitment from the owners. Small to mid market teams need to be out front on change. They can’t win by following the path of large market teams. I am happy to go with the bullpen experiment but they need a middle of the order bat. As of the 2025 update in Fangraphs no one has more FV45 or better prospects than the Twins. Will they use some of that prospect capital and saved salary dollars to acquire a bat?

[Jeff K]

20 minutes ago, bunsen82 said:

Let’s be clear most of the questions won’t be answered at winter meetings.  You are correct the the biggest answer this weekend will be the draft slot.  This has the biggest implications on the team for the long run. 
 

2. Rule 5 draft, we pick 4th.  In my opinion there are 4-5 arms, 2 1st Base options and 2 outfielders ( 1 with great speed defense, the other with elite bat speed).  For me it has to be an arm or a first baseman. If we go the defensive center fielder, I think it would raise more questions.  

The rule 5 first base options do look interesting.

[USAFChief]

4 questions most important to Falvey:

1. Does the Motel 6 offer two queen bed option, so we're not sharing a king?

2. Free breakfast?

3. Free airport shuttle both ways?

4. Walking distance to hotel where meetings actually held? 

[tony&rodney]

The refrain of "needing" a RH power bat is somewhat confusing to me. If power-hitting players are a focus, what difference is handedness? Last year the Twins received more home runs from right-handed hitters than they did from left-handed hitters. Seeking out the power of semi washed-up vets doesn't sound like a plan to win or create excitement worthy of drawing fans to Target Field. The addition of more DH types who run at a jog just doesn't seem like it will provide more runs. 

There are some players who should receive consistent plate appearances next season that have the talent to increase the run totals for the team. Maybe run production needs to be a focus.

The ownership questions are hazy as are the plans for adding a closer or trading one of the top three Twins. First base could be solved through a trade if the front office would take some chances. 

[rdehring]

27 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

4 questions most important to Falvey:

1. Does the Motel 6 offer two queen bed option, so we're not sharing a king.

2. Free breakfast?

3. Free airport shuttle both ways?

4. Walking distance to hotel where meetings actually held? 

Since I am never certain of the exact meaning of the laughing face, will go with my disclaimer, USAF.  I only use it when I read a comment and get a good smile, as I did with the above comment.  Thanks for brightening my morning.  I don't use it in any negative fashion, which I expect is its intent.

[stringer bell]

It's become very hard to trust that the current front office will make moves to improve the product on the field. The optimistic me goes back to 2019 when Falvey put together a 100 win team with a few career years and some solid veteran pickups.

Things haven't gone well since 2021 or so. Is it because ownership has slashed payroll, has Falvey lost his touch? Bad luck?

A lot of things would have to go right for the Twins to be a factor in post-season in 2026. It seems the front office is going to try to beat the odds and rebuild on the fly using mostly players from their system. I hope there is enough money in the budget to acquire a couple of legitimate major league players and that a number of guys break through. The trading deadline again could be another watershed moment where the long-term trajectory of the team is clear.  

 

[tony&rodney]

1 minute ago, rdehring said:

Since I am never certain of the exact meaning of the laughing face, will go with my disclaimer, USAF.  I only use it when I read a comment and get a good smile, as I did with the above comment.  Thanks for brightening my morning.  I don't use it in any negative fashion, which I expect is its intent.

You bring up a valid point. I only use the laughing point on comments that make me laugh/chuckle as well. It seems like the majority of people using a laughing face are being derogatory, which is sad in and of itself. 

[ashbury]

35 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

4 questions most important to Falvey:

1. Does the Motel 6 offer two queen bed option, so we're not sharing a king.

2. Free breakfast?

3. Free airport shuttle both ways?

4. Walking distance to hotel where meetings actually held? 

Motel 6 never provides more than coffee in the morning.  Speaking from years of experience here.

[stringer bell]

The handedness of the position player roster is interesting. The Twins have a bunch of left handed corner OFs, some of whom are likely to do a lot of DHing. The projected starting lineup has four guys (Buxton, Keaschall, Lewis and Jeffers) who would be the primary players at their position no matter who is pitching and they are all right handed hitters, so the Twins aren't heavily left handed in fact. In addition, Austin Martin has a decent chance of establishing himself as a regular in left field and Brooks Lee is a switch hitter. If that happens, there are only three positions where some type of platoon could occur. It would be great if a left handed hitter would develop into a full-time player, but I don't think Wallner, Larnach, Roden, Clemens or Outman is that guy. 

[tony&rodney]

2 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

It's become very hard to trust that the current front office will make moves to improve the product on the field. The optimistic me goes back to 2019 when Falvey put together a 100 win team with a few career years and some solid veteran pickups.

Things haven't gone well since 2021 or so. Is it because ownership has slashed payroll, has Falvey lost his touch? Bad luck?

A lot of things would have to go right for the Twins to be a factor in post-season in 2026. It seems the front office is going to try to beat the odds and rebuild on the fly using mostly players from their system. I hope there is enough money in the budget to acquire a couple of legitimate major league players and that a number of guys break through. The trading deadline again could be another watershed moment where the long-term trajectory of the team is clear.  

 

Same here. There are a couple of possibilities that may account for the Twins front office struggles. Perhaps the change in baseballs used in MLB played a role. Perhaps the subtle changes in various rules were important. The Twins didn't seem to adjust very well to the changes. Still another factor, which is playing out is that as time has gone by nearly all of the talent  from the previous front office has been moved. The young players like Jenkins, Rodriguez, Culpepper, and Gonzalez along with a few current Twins will need to carry the load in 2026. It does seem like the Twins changed their drafting theories recently. 

The style of baseball played on the field has deteriorated to a slog the last couple of years. The Twins need to add athletes soon. I'm hopeful that the front office is capable of a change in how they view the game of baseball. I'm also hopeful that the front office allows Derek Shelton full and complete decision-making power on how players are used.

[USAFChief]

12 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Motel 6 never provides more than coffee in the morning.  Speaking from years of experience here.

Just another example of Falvey not understanding available analytics, then.

[chinmusic]

2 hours ago, ziggy said:

No matter what they are saying now the Twins showed their hand when they traded 40% of the roster at the trade deadline. This is not a 'soft' rebuild. 

That pretty well sums it up.

 

[terrydactyls]

This article is very interesting to me.  IMHO, the four questions that are being asked are the same four questions that have been asked by most articles at TD since the 2025 season ended.  The only difference is they are asked under the pretext that the winter meetings might answer them.  And, of course, the responses from readers are the same as the answers in the many previous articles.  Do people save their previous responses in a Word file and then "cut and paste" them as needed?  The only thing that I'm expecting at these meetings is the finalization of the Twins' draft position.  If anything else happens, we can discuss.

[Reptevia]

1.  Probably

2.  Who cares. 
3.  You only really NEED a closer if you expect to have late inning leads. 
4.  I’m sure all the Pohlad’s eggs are in the Clemen’s basket. 

[dogman]

3 hours ago, old nurse said:

The Twins will likely sign a closer, but it will not be a big name. Rebound, end of the line much like Fernando was.  

Trades are only if favorable to the Twins

Owners, don’t know

old declining first baseman? They got lucky with Santana,  They could try, but the names mentioned have been in decline far longer than Santana was.  Lots of people seem to think highly of some of the people available. I doubt people would watch for the retread

Bring up the top guys from the minors.  At least they bring hope.  This is how the 87 team was built.

[Blyleven2011]

This article must of been written before Ken Rosenthal mentioned Lopez ,  Ryan and Buxton are staying ...

So the 4 questions should be ,

1 . Are you being truthful to the fans that you won't trade any of the above mentioned  even if you get a blown away offer ? ...

2 . When are you going to resign Mr falvey , you are an embarrassment to this organization and  can't live up to being the smartest person in the room ? ...

3 . Did you have conversations with the Mariners on trading for a quality starting catcher in Ford with team control  , or did you muck it up like you have this whole organization ? ...

4 . Did you have a good night sleep at the motel 6 because your cheap owners could only afford that chain , I suppose you had a king size bed and you and Joe pohlad shared it  ???

[D.C Twins]

No to all at the winter meetings themselves.

Yes to the first two eventually.

Trades will happen later after giving as much time as possible for a few more ignoramuses to buy season tickets. 

 

[old nurse]

17 minutes ago, dogman said:

Bring up the top guys from the minors.  At least they bring hope.  This is how the 87 team was built.

87 team needed a free agent outfielder, a couple of back end bullpen arms from an era they were not highly compensated to raise the level of play from 71 wins to WS

[tony&rodney]

1 hour ago, old nurse said:

87 team needed a free agent outfielder, a couple of back end bullpen arms from an era they were not highly compensated to raise the level of play from 71 wins to WS

Collusion? If the Twins could sign Alonso, Realmuto, and two relievers for a total of $20M, each on 2/$5M per year contracts they might do it. Then again maybe that is too much money for this year.

Who would you sign this year or what trades or DFA pickups would you suggest this winter for the Twins? 

[Brandon]

1.  Maybe but possibly not.

2 who cares

3. They will sign a major league reliever and 2 or 3 to minor league deals to compete for a role.

4.  They have internal options that can push Larnarch and Wallner to these positions during the season.  I could see them signing a 1B and trading Larnarch.  

[Riverbrian]

4 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

Do people save their previous responses in a Word file and then "cut and paste" them as needed? 

That's a Great idea!!!

If I could only figure out how to auto-generate. I wouldn't even need to keep up with the topics. 

[Riverbrian]

7 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

They don’t so it all at once though. That territory is uncharted.

This is the key point. Milwaukee and Cleveland don't do it all at once. This is absolutely uncharted territory. 

And it's why the Twins can't mess around here. 

Milwaukee and Cleveland have a head start. They've already been running players through. 

The Twins need to take 2026 and step on the gas because they have catching up to do. Whatever happens in 2026 happens. Just spend 2026 putting every effort into catching up.

Don't waste time. They can turn this thing around faster than most of us imagine. 

You don't copy Milwaukee and Cleveland because you can't. You need to be an exaggerated version of them in order to stand on the brakes... leaving tire skid marks as they stop completely on the recent history of trying to be a poor version of Philadelphia and the Yankees. Just hit the brakes leaving skid marks and start driving in the correct lane and catch up and leave skid marks as you accelerate in the correct lane.  

You spend 2026 trying to solely catch up... gain ground and you need to do this unencumbered of any need to acquire a Grichuk type cheaply on a one year deal. 

[DocBauer]

1] Don't trade any of Lopez. Ryan, Buxton, or Jeffers. But feel free to move Larnach with a prospect or two in a deal for a decent, young pen arm.

2] Honestly don't know if I care all that much about who the new minority owners might be. All I care about is the final result. Does their investment eliminate debt and allow for even a mediocre payroll?

3] They need at least a pair of veteran RP to help lead and solidify the pen. The FO needs to pick the correct 2 as there are lots of options, inuding in their projected price point range. But they need to make smart/good/lucky choices

4] Why is everyone so focused on a RH hitting 1B? Just because Clemens...a utility player...bats LH? If they find a quality RH 1B I don't have a problem with that. But what if they had a switch hitter, or LH hitter who had good splits against LHP? I mean, aren't 75% of all pitchers still RH?

BONUS]: If there's a legitimate arm with potential that could be a nice fit for the pen with the #4 selection in the rule 5 draft, go ahead and take a shot. Or perhaps a younger player than Fitzgerald with potential as a utility player and backup SS?