Dodgers Claim Ryan Fitzgerald Off Waivers From Twins

[bean5302]

10 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

But this ownership group is unlikely to have to worry about those consequences. If burning an arbitration year for the next owners gets them more fan revenue this year, they wouldn't think twice. Joe Pohlad didn't get canned because the Twins were losing games, he got canned because they were losing fans. Therefore, bringing them back is almost certainly the plan to make more money. And without increasing the payroll, I don't see how they hope to achieve that goal other than creating draws from their young in-house talent.

Joe Pohlad got probably got canned to deflect fan rage and probably as part of a negotiation with new minority owners as it's clear to everybody he's a non-starter when it comes to fan engagement.

Dave St. Peter was given goals in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 to improve attendance before he was finally held non-accountable (still is constantly involved as an "advisor" from my understanding).

I do not see any potential improvement in attendance without a World Series berth, though I would really love it to happen. The fans hate the Pohlads and they're actively taking it out on ownership. Baseball is dying in Minnesota. It's eye-opening attending a Minnesota United games and see how diverse and excited the fans are vs. a Twins game. 

[Riverbrian]

9 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

But this ownership group is unlikely to have to worry about those consequences. If burning an arbitration year for the next owners gets them more fan revenue this year, they wouldn't think twice. Joe Pohlad didn't get canned because the Twins were losing games, he got canned because they were losing fans. Therefore, bringing them back is almost certainly the plan to make more money. And without increasing the payroll, I don't see how they hope to achieve that goal other than creating draws from their young in-house talent.

Sure... but... if that's the goal. It's probably a mistake if they don't get the marketing team cranked up to get people singing songs about the product.   

You and I and quite a few of us TD participants are uber fans. We make up a low percentage of the people who actually know who Jenkins or Culpepper are. 

The attendance needle starts moving when they start winning and marketing simultaneously. 

[nicksaviking]

21 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

Sure... but... if that's the goal. It's probably a mistake if they don't get the marketing team cranked up to get people singing songs about the product.   

You and I and quite a few of us TD participants are uber fans. We make up a low percentage of the people who actually know who Jenkins or Culpepper are. 

The attendance needle starts moving when they start winning and marketing simultaneously. 

I'm not suggesting it isn't a mistake, or that they'd call up the players for the right reasons.

But they haven't called up jersey-selling players in a long time. Buxton is the face of the franchise and took a decade to do so. You're not moving the needle OR winning with Fitzgerald or Arcia. You might do one or both with the young players. 

Again, I am neither an advocate or detractor for these moves at this point, and I'm not suggesting the Pohlad's would be doing right for the team in terms of winning a championship. I'm suggesting they'd be doing this solely for the better chance at incremental profit now.

[Riverbrian]

3 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

I'm not suggesting it isn't a mistake, or that they'd call up the players for the right reasons.

But they haven't called up jersey-selling players in a long time. Buxton is the face of the franchise and took a decade to do so. You're not moving the needle OR winning with Fitzgerald or Arcia. You might do one or both with the young players. 

Again, I am neither an advocate or detractor for these moves at this point, and I'm not suggesting the Pohlad's would be doing right for the team in terms of winning a championship. I'm suggesting they'd be doing this solely for the better chance at incremental profit now.

In other words.

Another example of the Twins burning tomorrow for today. 

[mnfireman]

43 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

In other words.

Another example of the Twins burning tomorrow for today. 

Especially if they lose a year of control if there's a lock-out in '27. Unless the clock stops during an owner's lock-out, not sure how that works.

[Riverbrian]

Just now, mnfireman said:

Especially if they lose a year of control if there's a lock-out in '27. Unless the clock stops during an owner's lock-out, not sure how that works.

Myself... I'm trying to keep my head away from the work stoppage speculation. There is going to be a lot of  words typed on the subject until the two parties sit down and try to work things out.

Both sides will play the PR posturing game with us and we are always willing participants in this game. 

I have to believe that a stoppage is real bad news for both parties and I have to hope that they can figure things out with both parties understanding the damage done.  

Now... if there is a stoppage. If the owners need to get the players union to agree to the things being talked about. My guess... is that the service time would continue to accrue during the stoppage. The owners probably don't get the changes they want and a service time pause. Got to give to get. 

If baseball is down for a full year. Good Gravy. The damage to the sport would take multiple years to recover from. 

[Danchat]

Well that didn't last long. 

The Dodgers want Fitzgerald at AAA and off the 40 man roster.

[stringer bell]

So, apparently the Dodgers want to do what the Twins were trying to do. 

[bean5302]

Yeah, it's a claim and stash scenario.

[ashbury]

5 hours ago, Danchat said:

The Dodgers want Fitzgerald at AAA and off the 40 man roster.

So did the Twins.  I hate this aspect of the DFA/waiver process so much.   The Twins do it too, so I'm not saying it as a partisan fan.  It's not a good-faith roster move.

And before someone rebuts with "it benefits the player", please include a nod to the view that it's merely a zero-sum game for the players who get added versus removed.

[old nurse]

11 hours ago, ashbury said:

So did the Twins.  I hate this aspect of the DFA/waiver process so much.   The Twins do it too, so I'm not saying it as a partisan fan.  It's not a good-faith roster move.

And before someone rebuts with "it benefits the player", please include a nod to the view that it's merely a zero-sum game for the players who get added versus removed.

Being jerked around by the Dodgers at least doubles your odds of getting onto a WS roster

[KirbyDome89]

On 1/13/2026 at 10:00 AM, Riverbrian said:

That's the thing that drives me crazy. In consideration of the 1B depth... Wagaman is almost necessary. 

Of course... as things stand today. If nobody else is brought in. Wagaman has options and can be placed in St. Paul for insurance... However... if he makes the 26 man roster and that can't be discounted. He will probably platoon with Clemens (Or Julien). This puts Bell at DH.

If Bell is the DH.

Larnach or Wallner will need to be traded because the DH spot is spoken for. When you consider that Bell and Larnach are almost the same statistically. We don't gain anything other than what we pick up in a trade... which is something I guess.

We will have also used up 3 limited roster spots for 1B capable players... plus whatever sub-par SS that needs to be on the roster because you have to have a player who can play some decent SS because Brooks Lee is the only current Twin capable of playing SS. That adds up to 5 roster spots to handle DH, 1B and SS (Bell, (Clemens or Julien). Wagaman, Lee and Sub Par SS guy. Throw in two Catchers for 7 roster spots, Lewis and Keaschall to round out the IF and you are at 9. 

That leaves 4 spots for OF and 6 legitimate considerations for those 4 spots forcing the trade of Larnach or Wallner.   

 

The FO has boxed themselves into a corner with this horribly constructed roster. 

Half the bench (Arcia/Kreidler + Wagaman) is essentially unplayable plus a backup C who can't hit. I have zero faith in Clemens holding down the "strong," side of any platoon. I think Bell has to be locked into the DH spot, which means they're crossing their fingers that he maintains a league average bat (oh look another below average player at his position) while clogging up DH which I agree they could've just filled internally. That $7M definitely wouldn't have helped the bullpen right? 

Can Kreidler actually play CF? If not, whoever that 4th OFer is has to be able to stick in CF. I'm not exactly an Austin Martin stan, but this team can't possibly carry Outman as the 4th OFer with the aforementioned bench. 

[Riverbrian]

9 hours ago, KirbyDome89 said:

The FO has boxed themselves into a corner with this horribly constructed roster. 

Half the bench (Arcia/Kreidler + Wagaman) is essentially unplayable plus a backup C who can't hit. I have zero faith in Clemens holding down the "strong," side of any platoon. I think Bell has to be locked into the DH spot, which means they're crossing their fingers that he maintains a league average bat (oh look another below average player at his position) while clogging up DH which I agree they could've just filled internally. That $7M definitely wouldn't have helped the bullpen right? 

Can Kreidler actually play CF? If not, whoever that 4th OFer is has to be able to stick in CF. I'm not exactly an Austin Martin stan, but this team can't possibly carry Outman as the 4th OFer with the aforementioned bench. 

When I was in my early 20's many moons ago. I had no money.

I was starting a career. Employed full time in my chosen profession making entry level. 

I couldn't afford a decent apartment on my own so I took on a roommate to split rent. 

It worked out great for awhile. I won't say I was comfortable... it was check to check but I knew I had the money for rent and food and other stuff. 

Then my roommate lost his job and everything changed. Now I have the entire rent to pay and my room mate is eating my food because I'm a nice guy, the roommate was a friend and I couldn't bring myself to throw him out into the snow. 

I clearly remember going to the supermarket... full time employed... loading up on Ramen Noodles and deciding if I could afford shampoo. I remember my room mate coming home with a 5 pound block of cheese that he picked up at a food bank or something. He put that thing in the fridge and it was the only thing in the fridge... there it was,,, stamped U.S. department of agriculture... I swallowed pride along with that horrible tasting cheese. 

Why did I tell this story.  

The Twins ran out of money. I've been there... I recognize the behavior. 

 

[Rigby]

13 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

When I was in my early 20's many moons ago. I had no money.

I was starting a career. Employed full time in my chosen profession making entry level. 

I couldn't afford a decent apartment on my own so I took on a roommate to split rent. 

It worked out great for awhile. I won't say I was comfortable... it was check to check but I knew I had the money for rent and food and other stuff. 

Then my roommate lost his job and everything changed. Now I have the entire rent to pay and my room mate is eating my food because I'm a nice guy, the roommate was a friend and I couldn't bring myself to throw him out into the snow. 

I clearly remember going to the supermarket... full time employed... loading up on Ramen Noodles and deciding if I could afford shampoo. I remember my room mate coming home with a 5 pound block of cheese that he picked up at a food bank or something. He put that thing in the fridge and it was the only thing in the fridge... there it was,,, stamped U.S. department of agriculture... I swallowed pride along with that horrible tasting cheese. 

Why did I tell this story.  

The Twins ran out of money. I've been there... I recognize the behavior. 

 

Unfortunate timing Icky haired RB. Just think, were your difficult times today you would have been able to afford a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, a corn tortilla and one other thing.

 

[knothole61]

15 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

When I was in my early 20's many moons ago. I had no money.

I was starting a career. Employed full time in my chosen profession making entry level. 

I couldn't afford a decent apartment on my own so I took on a roommate to split rent. 

It worked out great for awhile. I won't say I was comfortable... it was check to check but I knew I had the money for rent and food and other stuff. 

Then my roommate lost his job and everything changed. Now I have the entire rent to pay and my room mate is eating my food because I'm a nice guy, the roommate was a friend and I couldn't bring myself to throw him out into the snow. 

I clearly remember going to the supermarket... full time employed... loading up on Ramen Noodles and deciding if I could afford shampoo. I remember my room mate coming home with a 5 pound block of cheese that he picked up at a food bank or something. He put that thing in the fridge and it was the only thing in the fridge... there it was,,, stamped U.S. department of agriculture... I swallowed pride along with that horrible tasting cheese. 

Why did I tell this story.  

The Twins ran out of money. I've been there... I recognize the behavior. 

 

Ah, but look at you now, and the Twins are still buying ramen!

[Parfigliano]

On 1/14/2026 at 8:27 PM, KirbyDome89 said:

The FO has boxed themselves into a corner with this horribly constructed roster. 

Half the bench (Arcia/Kreidler + Wagaman) is essentially unplayable plus a backup C who can't hit. I have zero faith in Clemens holding down the "strong," side of any platoon. I think Bell has to be locked into the DH spot, which means they're crossing their fingers that he maintains a league average bat (oh look another below average player at his position) while clogging up DH which I agree they could've just filled internally. That $7M definitely wouldn't have helped the bullpen right? 

Can Kreidler actually play CF? If not, whoever that 4th OFer is has to be able to stick in CF. I'm not exactly an Austin Martin stan, but this team can't possibly carry Outman as the 4th OFer with the aforementioned bench. 

It's a worse roster then last year.

[Danchat]

Fitzgerald cleared waivers, so mission accomplished for LA.