Tom Pohlad Commits to Higher Twins Payroll in 2027

[Cody Christie]

When Tom Pohlad stepped into the role of Twins chairman last winter, he promised that the organization would provide the resources necessary for the front office to build a sustainable contender. For much of the season, those comments were met with skepticism after years of payroll criticism. The 2026 trade deadline offered the first tangible evidence of that commitment.

Minnesota aggressively upgraded its roster by acquiring A.J. Minter, Dean Kremer, and Jeff Hoffman, adding impact talent while taking on more than $8 million in prorated salary for the remainder of the season. The moves also created meaningful financial obligations beyond 2026, with Hoffman owed $11 million next season and Kremer expected to receive another raise through arbitration after earning $5.75 million this year. Although Toronto will cover $3.75 million of Hoffman's 2027 salary, the Twins still accepted a larger financial commitment than many expected.

According to Pohlad, that willingness to spend was intentional.

“I, and we as an ownership group, were committed to giving [general manager Jeremy Zoll] the financial flexibility to make this team better,” Pohlad said. “I think the results of what happened at the Trade Deadline were in no small part a function of having that financial flexibility and that clarity at the outset. Now, somebody has to go out and execute that, and that is a very hard thing to do, and he did that masterfully.”

The deadline additions addressed immediate needs while also strengthening the roster beyond this season. More importantly, they represented a shift from simply managing payroll to actively investing in a club that believes it can contend over multiple years.

Pohlad made it clear those deadline moves were not a one-time exception. When asked whether Minnesota's willingness to add salary at the deadline signaled an increase in payroll for 2027, he didn't hesitate.

“I’m not hoping -- it will be higher,” he said. “I’ve been consistent, right? For us to accomplish the things that we want to accomplish, and be a consistently competitive team in the playoffs, and going deep, we have to make an investment into this team. We did that in a small way at the Trade Deadline. You’ll see more of it next year.”

That statement could become one of the organization's most significant developments of the season. The Twins have spent the last several years answering questions about shrinking payrolls and financial limitations. Now, ownership is publicly committing to moving in the opposite direction.

Of course, words alone won't erase years of frustration among the fan base. The real test will come this offseason as Minnesota looks to supplement a roster that already appears capable of competing in the American League. If Pohlad follows through on his promise, Jeremy Zoll could have considerably more flexibility to address remaining needs instead of relying solely on internal improvements.

The trade deadline showed the Twins are willing to spend when they believe they have a chance to win. Pohlad's latest comments suggest that philosophy won't end with this season. Instead, they could mark the beginning of a new financial approach—one designed to keep Minnesota in contention not only for the rest of 2026, but well into 2027 and beyond.

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[Mike Sixel]

Masterfully? Holy cow.

But, the commitment to spend is good. 

[chpettit19]

I know we're going to analyze everything the new Pohlad says every time he says something, but we really shouldn't. I'm a weak man so I'll participate. But we shouldn't care about 1 word he says ever and shouldn't judge any change in ownership until 2031. Give him 5 years.

They were different in 2023, right? Look how high that payroll got! We were shooting for the moon! We had a payroll big enough to support real free agent signings. We were ready to play with the big boys. We even had Scott Boras singing the Twins' praises! We finally did it! We got the Pohlads to spend!

Wrong. 

Tom has the easiest PR situation ever right now. He can say "we're going to invest!" and spend a whopping $8 million at the deadline and fans start eating it up. "They've changed! They've changed! Tom really cares and gets it!" The fans are starved for any sign of improvement. Their payroll is at 2015 levels and fans are already jumping back on the Pohlad bandwagon. How about we give him 5 years to actually show they're going to invest. When the sales pitch is a little harder than "look, we spent anything at all at the deadline. I told you we cared."

All this to say I think it's all just an attempt to boost the price when they sell the team after the CBA is finished.

[jctwins]

I think it's entirely possible we finally have an owner representative that understands that spending money might actually be a formula for making more money.

[chpettit19]

12 minutes ago, jctwins said:

I think it's entirely possible we finally have an owner representative that understands that spending money might actually be a formula for making more money.

The last one apparently understood it in 2023, right? This family has been in charge of this franchise for longer than I've been alive. At 1 point in time or another, every head owner guy has said something very closely resembling this line. They got the city (taxpayers) to build them a brand-new stadium by saying this stuff. Hasn't been true yet.

[clone52]

21 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Masterfully? Holy cow.

But, the commitment to spend is good. 

If you goal is a championship in 2027 or 2028, those moves weren't that bad.  I can see your point on Kremer, but not because of the future of Rojas.  Maybe you could have used Rojas to get someone else instead of Kremer.

What do they need to do this offseason to really contend in 2027?  I'd say a starting Cather, a Top 3 pitcher and an offensive upgrade at 1B, 2B or 3B (assuming Culpepper or Houston snatches the starting SS role.  Lewis, Clemens and Lee are okay at the other 3 spots but an upgrade at any one of them could work.

You could fairly easily do this and have a payroll around $140 million next year.

[Mike Sixel]

10 minutes ago, clone52 said:

If you goal is a championship in 2027 or 2028, those moves weren't that bad.  I can see your point on Kremer, but not because of the future of Rojas.  Maybe you could have used Rojas to get someone else instead of Kremer.

What do they need to do this offseason to really contend in 2027?  I'd say a starting Cather, a Top 3 pitcher and an offensive upgrade at 1B, 2B or 3B (assuming Culpepper or Houston snatches the starting SS role.  Lewis, Clemens and Lee are okay at the other 3 spots but an upgrade at any one of them could work.

You could fairly easily do this and have a payroll around $140 million next year.

Masterful isn't the word you are describing, though. 

Where are you spending money? Look at the FAs......If Houston or Culpeper isn't the starting SS next year, I'll be flabbergasted. Truly. I'd have them both up, with Houston at SS, KC at 2b, and Clemens at 1b. 

[Dman]

20 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I know we're going to analyze everything the new Pohlad says every time he says something, but we really shouldn't. I'm a weak man so I'll participate. But we shouldn't care about 1 word he says ever and shouldn't judge any change in ownership until 2031. Give him 5 years.

They were different in 2023, right? Look how high that payroll got! We were shooting for the moon! We had a payroll big enough to support real free agent signings. We were ready to play with the big boys. We even had Scott Boras singing the Twins' praises! We finally did it! We got the Pohlads to spend!

Wrong. 

Tom has the easiest PR situation ever right now. He can say "we're going to invest!" and spend a whopping $8 million at the deadline and fans start eating it up. "They've changed! They've changed! Tom really cares and gets it!" The fans are starved for any sign of improvement. Their payroll is at 2015 levels and fans are already jumping back on the Pohlad bandwagon. How about we give him 5 years to actually show they're going to invest. When the sales pitch is a little harder than "look, we spent anything at all at the deadline. I told you we cared."

All this to say I think it's all just an attempt to boost the price when they sell the team after the CBA is finished.

Yeah I think we need to wait and see.  What is more spending? 5M, 10M? More doesn't necessarily mean all that much more.  I am happy to hear they aren't planning on cutting more, but they have a ways to go to sell me on more especially in what looks like a short and down FA year.

Heck I don't even know that Zoll is a competent GM.  I just don't understand what they are doing with roster construction at all these days. Right now as things stand the rotation looks like Pablo, Ryan, Bradley, Ober and Kremer. So no room for Prielipp, Abel and Rojas who all look like they might be better options than Ober and Kremer.  I can see having some depth to maybe move Matthews to the pen where he can be a power arm, but I don't love Ober and Kremer as my backend and they paid extra at the deadline for Kremer.

They could have traded Jeffers for a close to ready arm and gotten Gausman instead of Kremer for a cheaper price if they really wanted to go for it this year.  Then they would have enough young arms in place of Kremer.  They need to think about 2028 too as they will likely lose Ryan and Lopez so getting young guys experience in the 4th and 5th spots would be good before those guys are gone. I just don't see the 2027 or 2028 vision for this team.

They still have too many left handed outfield bats and they need room for the younger players ready to come up.  

Who knows.  I guess if Tom is ready to spend then maybe all these problems go away. Maybe they extend some players.  Maybe they bid on Jeffers.  Who knows.  All I can say right now is my level of confidence is low.