In consideration: They might as well go for it in 2027. This time really go for it. Well... Kind of

[Riverbrian]

@tony&rodney mentioned the possibility of trading for Jordan Lawlar. I like that Idea. He would be perfect for us. Not that Lawlar is the missing piece. Far from it. But that mention alone has got me thinking about 2027 and 2028. With Tom Pohlad promising commitment of some sort because there was no clarity on how much commitment nor type of commitment ever defined. That is not a slam on Tom Pohlad because there is no reason that he should ever publicly state static plans in an extremely fluid world. I'm ok with his simple PROMISE to support the franchise. 

With that... people are going to yell at me for this. However... I think the Twins might as well take another run at this thing one more time but this time really go for it.  2028 is when the Twins the rotation is gone. The 2028 rotation will most likely be young. The 13 players on the position player side are going to mostly young. 

Why? Well... they kind of committed to this last off-season when they didn't finish what they started at the 2024 deadline. The amount of trade value they lost from last-season to this off-season kind of suggests that the players that they kept... has possible more value to us. Let's break it down into sectors. 

Starting Pitching: Sign: Trevor Rogers 3 years (20 million). I know this is a momentary place of depth and therefore an odd place to commit limited funds. But, the Twins should maintain that depth while upgrading significantly with one key signing. Obviously Skubal is out. Shop the Trevor Rogers aisle. 

Lopez has very little trade value with his price point while coming off of injury so you might as well keep him. Ryan has decent trade value but it has diminished from last off-season to the point that you might as well put him in the mix with Lopez, Bradley and a decent free agent of anyone's choosing. I'm choosing Rogers.

Trade Chips: Ober

Starting Staffs need to be deep and this staff will be deep. We can't just look at it from a 5 sized lens. I understand that there isn't Tarik Skubal in the bunch but being deep is half of the battle, Add Rogers at age 29 and they have a chance to be (on paper) pretty strong 1 through 4 with a new left hander added. With Ryan, Lopez, Bradley, Trevor Rogers and Kremer, Plus Abel, Prielipp, Matthews, Rojas making up a pretty nasty rotation in St. Paul. The team will keep it's deepness. I'm hesitant to include Festa. Shoulder's scare me. Starting pitching is half the battle. On paper we could be alright. 

Estimated investment for 2027: 70 million for the top 5 and 4 solid minimum making arms in St. Paul.  

Bullpen: Sign Morejon 4 years 48 million. I have no idea what he will cost to sign. I have no idea what it would cost to sign Rogers or anyone. Just estimating. No matter the cost... This is a gamble... it's a huge gamble. 3 or 4 year deals for pitching is always a gamble. But... if the owner wants to commit... here's a commitment that somebody in the major leagues is going to make and it bring a power arm to your bullpen from the left side. 

Trade for: Some young 100 mph reliever with control problems that our new pitching coach can work with. I don't know who he is but I'm pretty sure he is out there. I will call him Ted Danson for example purposes. 

We know that we will have Hoffman, Gomez, Morris, Nance, Funderburk and Banda? Sands? Plug in Morejon and Ted Danson. The bullpen is a little longer with some 100 mph punch added along with more late game options possessing a little bit of talent. Yes the bullpen is longer (on paper) but when you consider that a couple of these arms will probably be hurt as soon as spring training... it still needs more depth. However, as we noticed a little bit last year. You can find some folks for lower value and give them an audition and trip over some more. 

Trade Chips: None

Estimated Investment for 2027: 32 Million

The Outfield:  

No Free Agent Signing that costs Money - Yes, sign some non-roster invites type depth of course. I don't want to read anything suggesting that the team is looking for a "Right Handed Outfielder" If they are... we all know it will be for short side work and that will be to the detriment of the development of Jenkins and Erod... Do not strip mine them for parts. You look for talent. Jenkins and Erod... Show some patience. Have other options to play if the patience is a harder to pill to swallow. 

The Outfield: Buxton, Keaschall, Jenkins, Rodriguez and Wallner. St. Paul depth... Roden, (maybe Martin) Gonzalez and Mendez

Trade Chips: Larnach and Maybe Martin. Whatever value Larnach has and I believe there is some value. It's time to cash it in. I think there will be a team that would take Larnach to be a part of a DH platoon. It might be worth that Ted Danson arm I seek. If Larnach isn't enough by himself for Ted Danson. Add to the deal within reason. 

Austin Martin... I like Austin. I think he has more progress yet to made. But, his presence on the roster will just be a temptation to diminish the future value of Jenkins or Erod so I'd just trade him so we don't screw this up. If you don't trade him... he has one option left. Send him to the minors and tell him not to come back until he can hit right handed pitching but I'd just trade him. 

Estimated Investment for 2027: 30 Million. I'm going to give Buxton 25 million for all of the bonuses he will hit next year to drive. Without the total bonuses it's 15 million and around 20 million. 

The Infield: Bauer, Clemens, Culpepper, Lee, Lewis and Lawlar. Houston charging hard, After that... Kreidler should still be in house. Gray I suppose. Ross? 

Trade for Lawlar: I don't know what he would cost but his value is probably at a low point while still somewhat high. He has speed athleticism and the ability to play multiple positions. 

Sign Jake Bauers: 2 Years (30 million) The farm still needs a 1B seed to rise from the ground and it doesn't appear imminent. It's not Lewis... at least not yet. He hasn't earned 1B or any steady deployment in the past 1,000 PA's. He has to earn a full time job back somewhere on the infield and that'll be up to Royce. So we got to go get a 1B. Get someone multi year and get a BAT in capital letters. I'll recommend Bauers. You don't have to platoon him. His splits were incredibly neutral last year. Most teams have a decent 1B option. There may not be many teams searching. I don't know anything about this Soto from Japan. It sounds like the big boys will be the ones breaking out their checkbooks since he can also play 3B and OF. But again... I don't know anything about him. Bauers... I've seen and he can hit. 

The rest of the infield. All of them have a decent amount of talent but none of them have earned 162 game consideration and none of them are sure things. You need insurance and Lewis and Lawlar are decent insurance options.

Lee could stagnate or even drop in production or get hurt at 3B. Lewis will provide competition. Insurance. 

Culpepper... we all want to believe that he will be amazing but we all know that players don't develop in a straight line. You have to prepare for the possibility that Culpepper may need to be slowed down or even sent back to St. Paul. Or the possibility that he gets hurt. Lawlar will provide competition. Insurance. 

Clemens... He was great... I'm not knocking him at all. I have no problem placing him at 2B but he wasn't great enough to not have competition for his playing time. Or it's possible that he gets hurt. Lawlar or Lewis will provide competition and Insurance. 

Bauers:  I'd place him on the play everyday list along with Buxton. However, I don't care how much we pay for him. It'll be up to him to keep that everyday lineup job and of course stay healthy. And the risk of him getting hurt is always something important to consider. 

Lewis and Lawlar can provide that competition. Whoever is performing the best gets more playing time. Whoever is performing the worst gets less playing time. We don't need to suffer through anyone trying to get their act together. 

Trade Chips: None

Estimated Investment for 2027: 26 Million

Catcher:

Don't touch it. Leave it alone. Do not offer Jeffers a QO because he might take it. Place your resources elsewhere. You spent your 7 million on Caratini and we still have Jackson hanging around somewhere. Tell your catchers to call a good game guys, frame up them pitches and throw out some runners. If you provide anything offensively... Great we will take it. If anybody gets hurt. You call up the whoever from St. Paul or you shop the bargain bin for a defensive catcher when the need arises. And get those young catchers ready. If Lackey gets on a rocket ship don't let Jackson or Caratini slow down the ride.  

It's not a bad team... The batting order can be whatever. We have threats one through 8. 

Estimated Investment for 2027: 8 Million 

Total 156 Million plus 14 million more with the Correa and other buyouts. 

Keaschall: DH/LF

Jenkins: RF

Bauers: 1B

Buxton: CF

Clemens: 2B

Lee: 3B

Culpepper: SS

Erod: LF

Caratini and Jackson: C 

Lewis, Lawlar and Wallner can be plugged in regularly. 

Ryan, Lopez, Bradley, Rogers and Kremer is a decent rotation. Morejon, Hoffman, Gomez, Morris and Ted Danson could be a fairly strong bullpen. 

$170 Million would be my guess. it all depends on Ted Danson.