The Twins Have Never Before Spent Like This at a Trade Deadline

[Peter Labuza]

Image courtesy of Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

As the trade deadline dust settled on Monday night, the Minnesota Twins couldn't be blamed for lack of trying in 2026. But more importantly, Tom Pohlad made good on his promise from this spring. Money went out of his pocket and into the team. In all, an estimated $8.5 million was added to the team's payroll, bringing the total up to $113 million.

That might not seem like much in the long run, and given some of the names bandied about, it’s less than some fans might want. But this is still ultimately a .500 team in an evenly competitive fight among not just two other AL Central teams, but a handful of Wild Card hopefuls. With no reason to cash in all the chips, it did what a normal team with a normal payroll would do: quietly buy, but not by running straight to the bargain bin.

During Joe Pohlad’s tenure (not to mention Jim's), the trade deadline became a nonsensical spectacle. Despite working with much higher payrolls then than they are right now (adjusted for baseball inflation, at least), the deadline always became an awkward moment where the team asked fans to look the other way. That resulted in two near-silent deadlines, despite the potential of the team, followed by an event that's still scarring much of the fanbase.

Not for Tom’s pesky Twins. They got a big infusion of talent, via a big infusion of money. So how big was this trade deadline? I put the numbers together, looking at not just how much more money was taken on, but the actual percentage of payroll added during the season over the last decade. (Some numbers are rough estimates, but the results are largely in the same range.)

Player Acquired	Player Sent Out	Money In	Money Out
2017
Jaime Garcia	Prospect	$4,500,000
Anthony Recker	Prospect	$800,000	$100,000 (Provided by Braves)
Zack Littel + Dietrich Enns	Jaime Garcia	$75,988	(Twins Covered Garcia's Salary)
Prospect + $500,000 International Bonus Pool Money	Brandon Kintzer		$1,506,992
Total Payroll Added		$3,768,996
Total Payroll		$108,102,500
Percent Gain		3.49%
2019
Sergio Romo	Prospects	$873,665
Sam Dyson	Prospects	$1,639,802
Total Payroll Added		$2,513,467
Total Payroll		$119,651,933
Percent Gain		2.10%
2022
Tyler Mahle	Prospects	$1,828,544
Michael Fulmer	Prospects	$1,740,672
Jorge Lopez	Prospects	$527,488
Total Payroll Added		$4,096,704
Total Payroll		$134,408,190
Percent Gain		3.05%
2023
Dylan Floro	Jorge Lopez	$1,383,888	$1,999,168
Total Payroll Added		-$615,280
Total Payroll		$153,713,740
Percent Gain		-0.40%
2024
Trevor Richards	Prospect	$693,540
Total Payroll Added		$693,540
Total Payroll		$129,080,051
Percent Gain		0.54%
2026
Dean Kremer	Prospect	$1,752,693
AJ Minter	Prospect	$3,411,792
Jeff Hoffman (Assuming 60 IP+)	Prospects + Intl Bonus Pool Money	$3,727,160	$250,000
Total Payroll Added		$8,641,645
Total Payroll		$113,000,000
Percent Gain		7.65%

(For this calculation, I included Hoffman’s first pitching incentive, which begins at 60 IP. He currently sits at 48, and as long as the team remains competitive, he should reach it easily. If he goes 70 somehow, the team will kick in another $500,000.)

As shown, the Twins have never before increased their payroll by over 5% of their current setup. (Obviously, we're not looking back at all of team history, but the previous clubs were even more skinflint than they've been lately, and these are the winning teams (therefore, the ones worth adding money to) since Derek Falvey took over.) Just as starkly, the raw dollars spent doubled even the biggest increase before this, in 2022. Of course, much of this began with payroll sitting so low in comparison, but neither Hoffman nor Minter came cheaply. They came at standard reliever prices that previous administrations would have likely balked at.

Even with the $3 million and change covered by Toronto for 2027 (as reported), Hoffman is now the biggest acquisition by the Twins at the deadline. He actually ranks quite high compared to the biggest payroll splashes made by other teams, too. Just look at the money spent on big names over the years in comparison: 

Year	Twins' "Big" Deal	Money In	MLB's Biggest Deal	Money In
2017	Jaime Garcia	$4.5 Million	Justin Verlander to Astros	$40 Million
2019	Sam Dyson	$1.63 Million	Zack Greinke to Astros	$53 Million
2022	Tyler Mahle	$1.83 Million	Eric Hosmer to Red Sox	$39 Million
2024	Trevor Richards	$0.69 Million	Jorge Soler to Braves	$30 Million
2025	Jeff Hoffman	$11 Million	Luis Castillo to White Sox	$30 Million

In the past, the Twins have usually spent less than 10% of what was spent on the most expensive player league-wide. This year, they're on the high side of 30% of that figure; they took on a big bill for Hoffman. Another way to think about this: the Dodgers are spending about $9.58 million—the largest of any player's annual average value—to acquire Tarik Skubal at the deadline, along with some mostly waiver pick-ups. The Twins might be far behind in payroll, but they're not far away from having spent more at the deadline than the Dodgers did.

As one of the long-tenured Pohlad skeptics, I've always questioned what Tom Pohlad might do. You might scoff at the Twins not getting Zack Neto or otherwise landing a bigger name, but the most important thing happened in Twins trade deadline history: money was not the impediment to the goal. Jeremy Zoll set out to buy relievers, and buy relievers he did. Now, the rest is up to the team.

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[Linus]

Good grief, they were running a $100 million payroll. I didn’t think Toms plan of fooling the average fan into thinking they were some new aggressive organization would be so effective with the Twins Daily writers. 

[NYCTK]

This is a massive indictment of the organization more than it is something worthy of praise. 

They had a decent deadline, not over-committing with what many of us still recognize as a very flawed team, but giving their players a chance to go through that finish line. But let's not go crazy in praising the Pohalds guys. 

[D.C Twins]

They added marginally to a criminally low payroll.... I mean... again... Congrats TP... or something.....

[Woof Bronzer]

Just when I thought the bar could not be lower for this organization...

[saviking]

Doesn't matter. It's Ryan vs Dobnak again tonight. We are doomed 😄

[chpettit19]

What are we doing here? I have never felt like TD is openly being a mouthpiece for the Pohlads, but the thought is starting to cross my mind now. 1 article about Pohlad proving he's a "go big" guy because they got Nance, Minter, Kremer, and Hoffman followed by an article about "historical" spending at the deadline?

The payroll is embarrassingly low. Embarrassingly. The number you should be looking at is the total payroll number. The fact that the only season on your list that was below this year's was 2017 is all anyone needs to know. You want to give Tom credit because he was able to squeak above the 2017 payroll?! My goodness. When your payroll is barely above what it was 9 freaking years ago, you don't get any credit for weird percentage numbers. 

[CharlieDee]

I'm happy with what the F.O. did at the deadline. At least we have a chance, which is more than most people thought we'd have. 

[The Great Hambino]

6 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

What are we doing here? I have never felt like TD is openly being a mouthpiece for the Pohlads, but the thought is starting to cross my mind now. 1 article about Pohlad proving he's a "go big" guy because they got Nance, Minter, Kremer, and Hoffman followed by an article about "historical" spending at the deadline?

The payroll is embarrassingly low. Embarrassingly. The number you should be looking at is the total payroll number. The fact that the only season on your list that was below this year's was 2017 is all anyone needs to know. You want to give Tom credit because he was able to squeak above the 2017 payroll?! My goodness. When your payroll is barely above what it was 9 freaking years ago, you don't get any credit for weird percentage numbers. 

Fun fact: decreasing the denominator can help improve a ratio as much as or more than raising the numerator

[Peter Labuza]

10 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

What are we doing here? I have never felt like TD is openly being a mouthpiece for the Pohlads, but the thought is starting to cross my mind now. 1 article about Pohlad proving he's a "go big" guy because they got Nance, Minter, Kremer, and Hoffman followed by an article about "historical" spending at the deadline?

The payroll is embarrassingly low. Embarrassingly. The number you should be looking at is the total payroll number. The fact that the only season on your list that was below this year's was 2017 is all anyone needs to know. You want to give Tom credit because he was able to squeak above the 2017 payroll?! My goodness. When your payroll is barely above what it was 9 freaking years ago, you don't get any credit for weird percentage numbers. 

You're looking for signs of change, right? The question is when will payroll change—and now it has in a significant way compared to previous deadlines. And the construction of the team meant you could no just added $20-30 million at the deadline (especially for a .500 team in a tight race that's not necessarily a true competitor).

Obviously if they don't spend serious money this off-season, we'll take back any praise. But in terms of a deadline, this moved the needle. That's all the piece is arguing. 

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

I would argue they gave up more in 2022.   

Steer was in AAA and also a top 10 prospect similar to Dasan Hill.   Hill had the higher ceiling but Steer had the much higher floor.  

CES  really had a pop up season in 2022.   He is a much better prospect than Reyes. 

Povich, and Hajjar were both highly respected young arms in the system.  

Lastly you had the high octane arm of Cano.   

 

Dasan Hill has the highest ceiling of any prospect traded between the 2 years,  but 2022 had a lot of really good players sent out - CES, Hajjar, Povich and Cano.      

[chpettit19]

4 minutes ago, Peter Labuza said:

You're looking for signs of change, right? The question is when will payroll change—and now it has in a significant way compared to previous deadlines. And the construction of the team meant you could no just added $20-30 million at the deadline (especially for a .500 team in a tight race that's not necessarily a true competitor).

Obviously if they don't spend serious money this off-season, we'll take back any praise. But in terms of a deadline, this moved the needle. That's all the piece is arguing. 

It hasn't. You're playing mathematical games to try to make it look like it's some drastic change.  

All the piece is arguing is @The Great Hambino's fun fact: decreasing the denominator can help improve a ratio as much as or more than raising the numerator.

[Woof Bronzer]

13 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

What are we doing here? I have never felt like TD is openly being a mouthpiece for the Pohlads, but the thought is starting to cross my mind now. 1 article about Pohlad proving he's a "go big" guy because they got Nance, Minter, Kremer, and Hoffman followed by an article about "historical" spending at the deadline?

The payroll is embarrassingly low. Embarrassingly. The number you should be looking at is the total payroll number. The fact that the only season on your list that was below this year's was 2017 is all anyone needs to know. You want to give Tom credit because he was able to squeak above the 2017 payroll?! My goodness. When your payroll is barely above what it was 9 freaking years ago, you don't get any credit for weird percentage numbers. 

Yeah I seriously don't know what is going on around here.   Like, we've been through this sooooo many times with the Pohlads.  They are running a $110 million payroll AFTER the deadline "investment".  If they would have come into the season with even a $130 mill payroll they're likely in 1st place in the division, in an extreme down year for the rest of the AL.  Add some actual needle movers at the deadline and now we're talking.  

But no, we are supposed to hand the Pohlads a medal for picking up 2 ok relievers plus a #6 starter to raise the payroll to 2015 levels in the middle of the 2026 season in an effort to make a giant push for 82 wins? 

What are we doing?  

 

[Woof Bronzer]

12 minutes ago, Peter Labuza said:

But in terms of a deadline, this moved the needle.

How?  What needle did this deadline move?  They were a fringe playoff team before, and they're a fringe playoff team now. 

[nicksaviking]

38 minutes ago, Peter Labuza said:

You're looking for signs of change, right? The question is when will payroll change—and now it has in a significant way compared to previous deadlines. And the construction of the team meant you could no just added $20-30 million at the deadline (especially for a .500 team in a tight race that's not necessarily a true competitor).

Obviously if they don't spend serious money this off-season, we'll take back any praise. But in terms of a deadline, this moved the needle. That's all the piece is arguing. 

I know you're absolutely not a Pohlad mouthpiece, as I vividly remember your series on their bungling of their business assets and how they were using that as an excuse to kill the Twins payroll and pin the losses on potential new buyers.

But I agree with others, they aren't getting any benefit of the doubt in regards to payroll until they are back to above middle of the pack. When Tom Pohlad coming out this winter and said they were going to compete after dropping payroll by 30M it sounded hollow then, and adding back merely 25% of what they cut (and 15% of what they've cut since 2023) now seems like a calculated incremental increase to see what fans will accept in exchange for buying tickets.

Now, instead of adding Dean Kremer (ugh, barf) the Twins had added Gausman and Ray and took on their salaries, then I'd be open to the idea that this was more than lip service.