bean5302’s 2026 Payroll Blueprint: Tough Decisions For a Competitive 2026 Team Blueprint

[bean5302]

With the Twins being late into the 2025-2026 offseason and having now fired Derek Falvey for failing to meet ownership's new direction, it will take creativity and aggressive moves to put a team with a high floor and a playoff caliber ceiling together. Using an all-in mentality with a tough salary cap, I'm trading away high end Twins talent for multi-year, established quality players, not dumpster diving.

The Twins start off with an absolute blockbuster of a trade with the Washington Nationals moving Emmanuel Rodriguez, Brooks Lee, Taj Bradley and Dasan Hill to the Nationals to get a return of (SS) CJ Abrams and (LF) James Wood. That's two 3 WAR caliber players with modest salaries in early arbitration/pre-arb status. The losses to the farm hurt for sure, but if the Twins can't do it with payroll, they've got to do it with talent.

Next, the Twins package Trevor Larnach and Ricardo Olivar to Tampa in return for Yandy Diaz. Tampa gets their always coveted salary relief, a passable DH now, and a catcher/outfield prospect in the high minors.

Finally, the Twins package Hendry Mendez to sweeten the deal for a team to take on Josh Bell's contract in return for a PTBNL.

With a little payroll room now the Twins sign Michael Kopech to a $7MM AAV contract, and bring back familiar face Danny Coloumbe to solidify the top of the bullpen.

With plenty of depth left in AAA for filling the starter spots when injuries crop up, I project this team to be worth about 88 wins with a ceiling much higher if a couple rebound seasons happen for players like Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner. Plus, there should be a little juice left in the tank come trade deadline time if the GM needs to pick up some talent.

• C: Ryan Jeffers ($6.70M)
• 1B: Kody Clemens ($0.80M)
• 2B: Luke Keaschall ($0.80M)
• 3B: Royce Lewis ($2.90M)
• SS: CJ Abrams ($4.20M)
• LF: James Wood ($0.80M)
• CF: Byron Buxton ($15.00M)
• RF: Matt Wallner ($0.80M)
• DH: Yandy Diaz ($9.00M)
• 4th OF: James Outman ($0.80M)
• Utility: Austin Martin ($0.80M)
• Utility: Tristan Gray ($0.80M)
• Backup C: Victor Caratini ($7.0M)
• SP1: Pablo Lopez ($21.75M)
• SP2: Joe Ryan ($6.20M)
• SP3: Bailey Ober ($4.30M)
• SP4: Simeon Woods Richardson ($0.80M)
• SP5: Zebby Matthews ($0.80M)
• RP: Michael Kopech ($7.00M)
• RP: Taylor Rogers ($2.00M)
• RP: Danny Columbe ($3.50M)
• RP: Cole Sands ($1.10M)
• RP: Justin Topa ($1.00M)
• RP: Eric Orze ($0.80M)
• RP: Jackson Kowar ($0.80M)
• RP: Andrew Morris ($0.80M)
• POS: Carlos Correa Dead Money ($10.00M)

Payroll is 2.09% over $110MM budget

[Chembry]

Bell can’t be traded until June 15th since he signed as a free agent.  I think that can be waived if the player gives consent, but not 100% sure on that.

[bean5302]

8 hours ago, Chembry said:

Bell can’t be traded until June 15th since he signed as a free agent.  I think that can be waived if the player gives consent, but not 100% sure on that.

Ride the bench here or play every day in Tampa. Which would you prefer? The Twins can provide Bell with plenty of incentive to accept a trade.

Bell can waive the no-trade restriction, but the Twins cannot get back any player with more than a $50k contract value. Basically, the Twins can only get back PTBNL MiLB contract guys.