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  • Minnesota Twins Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Minnesota Twins free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Brock Beauchamp
    Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweeted today that infielder Jorge Polanco is receiving increased trade interest from other teams.
    This free agent class is considered one of the weakest in years from a position player standpoint and Polanco, were he a free agent, would be one of the most attractive pieces on the market. Polanco has two option years remaining on his contract for the 2024 and 2025 seasons for $10.5 and $12 million, respectively.
    The Twins are looking for ways to shed payroll and have a glut of infielders. While they're apparently in no rush to move on from Polanco, trading him this winter makes sense for several reasons.
     
    Cory Engelhardt

    Rhys Hoskins

    By Cory Engelhardt in Rumors,

    So Bobby Nightengale mentioned that Rhys Hoskins was connected to the Twins, as did Roy Smalley/Lavelle Neal on their chin music podcast.
    Just throwing this out, I do think getting a middle of the order bat would help transform this lineup. 
     
    Thoughts?
    Brock Beauchamp
    It shouldn't surprise anyone but both Nightengale Jr and Dan Hayes have mentioned that the Twins expect to add a starting pitcher to their rotation this offseason.
    Given the self-imposed payroll constraints the Twins face this offseason and their relative pitching depth in the upper minors, a one-year deal remains the most likely result should they opt for the free agent market. Wade Miley, 37 years old, remains a well above-average lefty when he's healthy. It's hard to expect more than 120 innings out of him in any given season but that might actually make him appealing to the Twins, who have Louie Varland waiting to step into the rotation at any time.
    Other options include reclamation projects like Frankie Montas or, if he's available on a one-year deal, Lucas Giolito.
    The Twins are equally likely to opt for a longer-term trade candidate and at that point, there are a dozen viable names who may be on the market.
    Doctor Gast

    Block buster trade

    By Doctor Gast in Rumors,

    https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/12/braves-acquire-sean-murphy.html
     
    Yes this article is history, but it's very relevant today. The Braves have been considered by many as the top organization in baseball. An organization that if we want to progress as a team, we need to study & emulate. Here we see the Braves who had an all-star hitting catcher in William Contreras concocted a complex trade to gain an elite defensive rookie who can hit. Many would question why trade away an all-star established hitting catcher? what more could you ask for? Maybe in Fantasy Baseball, defense doesn't count but in the real world it does, especially catcher and the Braves know this. The Braves had developed Contreras as much as they could defensively which made them to decide to upgrade defensively. Sean Murphy fits that bill for many years to come.
    The Twins have a slightly below average defensive catcher that is evaluated as a potential good hitting catcher, Ryan Jeffers. Jeffers had a good rookie season hitting but the following 2 yrs were not so good. Granted he had a pretty good hitting season in "23 but in '24 he's due to regress, How much? is anyone's guess. Twins have placed all their hope in Jeffers and tried their best to sell that to the fanbase. But is Jeffers the type of catcher a World Series aspiring team would want to command their playing field for years to come? By this example that have been given the answer would be no.
    I admire the way the Braves saw a real need that many would overlook & took a proactive approach. How I wish the Twins could see their deep void at catching that reaches deep down into their system & proactively make a serious decision to uprade their entire system. With Jeffers trade value being at all time high, now is a good time to trade him to help fill our present & future needs, #1 front-line SP,  #2 very good/ elite MLB ready defensive catcher that can hit, that Vazquez can mentor.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Robert Murray of FanSided has reported the Twins are aggressively shopping catcher Christian Vazquez in hopes of clearing up salary space for positions of greater need.
    The Twins will be reducing payroll in 2024, which puts the front office in a bind as they try to build in their 2023 AL Central champion squad and the franchise's first postseason wins since 2004.
    Vazquez signed a three year, $30 million contract before the 2023 season. Last season, the 33-year-old had a terrible season at the plate, posting an OPS a full 100 points lower than his career mark. The Twins might have difficulty moving $20 million of contract for a player who hit closer to Drew Butera's career mark than league average.
     
    tony&rodney
    https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/mariners-trade-eugenio-suarez-dbacks.html
    Seattle is serious about cutting their strike outs apparently. They previously traded for Luis Urias (3B), but will be looking to add both an infielder and and a corner bat. 
    One can wonder if there are some ideas going back and forth between the Mariners and Twins. This feels like a year ago in some respects but it may be a case where Falvey fears losing depth or the wrong guy. Seattle is setting the bar high for their arms and willing to trade.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Now that we're past non-tender day, the list of available free agents is as robust as it will be this offseason.
    It appears the Twins are going to be working with little money this offseason so the top names are likely off-limits. But yesterday, the Brewers were unable to trade or come to a longer-term agreement with starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff. This is a perfect Falvey moment. Woodruff will likely not pitch in 2024 after undergoing shoulder surgery. He'll need a place to rehab and return in 2025.
    Woodruff is an ace pitcher nearly on par with Corbin Burnes. If he can recover from shoulder surgery, a one-year make-good deal aligns perfectly with the Twins' interests.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune wrote in his notes today that Derek Falvey, President of Baseball Operations for the Twins, mentioned that the team would likely pursue a first baseman this winter.
    This is a surprise and also not a surprise. Alex Kirilloff had offseason shoulder surgery, though it was less severe than anticipated and he will likely be back in time for Spring Training. The Twins also have Jose Miranda, a right-handed hitter to platoon with Kirilloff, now left without a position with the return of Royce Lewis last season.
    Derek Falvey:
    Edouard Julien could also be without a position entering next spring but given he's also left-handed, it's hard to see the Twins trying to wedge him into a platoon with Kirilloff.
    Rhys Hoskins is the preeminent free agent at the position this winter but given the Twins' newfound payroll constraints, could easily be priced of the team's comfort range.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Okay, the GM meetings are full speed ahead and the offseason has begun.
    Several teams are considering trades of their frontline starters including names like Tyler Glasnow, Dylan Cease, and Corbin Burnes.
    This will be a controversial take but I'd prefer to see the Twins steer clear of Burnes. He's a very good pitcher who, when he can suppress home runs, is elite. He hasn't consistently done that since 2021, his Cy Young season. Someone is likely going to pay that "2021 Burnes" entry price and I hope it's not the Minnesota Twins.
    The Brewers themselves could move a significant portion of their roster. They have several very good players lined up to enter free agency in the next two winters: Corbin Burnes and Willy Adames after 2024 with Devin Williams the following year. Never before have I heard Freddy Peralta mentioned specifically as a trade candidate. He's a very good pitcher with an absurdly team-friendly contract and option years that can carry him through the 2026 season. He has always played second fiddle to the Burnes & Woodruff duo but is only a half-step behind them in performance.
     
    DJL44
    With Michael A Taylor a free agent and Byron Buxton perpetually injured, the Twins have expressed interest in center fielder Kevin Kiemaier, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
    Once an elite defender, perhaps the best in baseball for a time, Kiermaier is entering his age 34 season in 2024 but still posted very good defensive metrics in center for the Blue Jays in 2023. Kiermaier may not be an everyday player anymore, needing rest to stay healthy but the Twins don't seem to mind that.
    Mike Sixel
    They have permission to talk...
    Thad Levine joined the Twins as General Manager, second in command to President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey, in 2016. During his tenure in Minnesota, Levine has helped the Twins win three division championships in seven seasons, alongside one Wild Card appearance in 2017.
    Levine was born (Virginia) and raised (went to Haverford College in Pennsylvania) so a move to Boston would bring him closer to his roots. It has long been speculated that Levine wants a shot at the big chair for a MLB team and after the departure of Chaim Bloom, the Red Sox may come calling.
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