Minnesota Twins 2026–2027 Offseason Guide: Important Dates, Roster Decisions & Calendar

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the Twins 2026-2027 offseason schedule, highlighting essential dates for the Winter Meetings, MLB Draft Lottery, and key decision-making periods for arbitration-eligible players and those with team or mutual contract options.

The Twins enter the offseason with important decisions at catcher, in the bullpen, and across a rotation with several pitchers nearing the ends of their club control. Ryan Jeffers’ free agency, Joe Ryan’s contract option, and the organization’s willingness to invest will shape Minnesota’s winter.

This guide covers free agency, options, roster deadlines, awards, the Winter Meetings, and the scheduled return of baseball to Target Field.

Calendar note: MLB’s current collective bargaining agreement expires December 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. A lockout is anticipated but has not begun. Baseball events and operations that could be affected are marked “pending lockout.” Published dates remain listed unless officially changed.

Important Dates at a Glance

• Day after the World Series ends: Eligible Twins become free agents; offseason trades resume under the current agreement.
• Fifth day after the World Series ends: Exclusive negotiating period ends; eligible free agents can sign with other clubs. Qualifying offers are due. Individual contract-option deadlines must also be checked.
• November 1, 2026: Gold Glove Award winners announced.
• November 2: BBWAA award finalists and Silver Slugger finalists announced.
• November 9–12: General Manager Meetings in Las Vegas.
• November 9: Rookie of the Year winners announced.
• November 10: Manager of the Year winners announced.
• November 11: Cy Young Award winners announced; MLB Awards celebration in Las Vegas.
• November 12: Most Valuable Player Award winners announced.
• November 17: Rule 5 roster protection deadline; qualifying-offer acceptance deadline; Silver Slugger winners announced.
• November 20: Non-tender deadline.
• December 1, 10:59 p.m. Central: Current collective bargaining agreement expires.
• December 2026: Winter Meetings — pending lockout. December 7–9 is the reported baseball-business schedule; published calendars differ on the full meeting window.
• December 8: Scheduled MLB Draft Lottery — pending lockout.
• December 9: Scheduled Major League Rule 5 Draft — pending lockout.
• January 8, 2027: Scheduled salary arbitration figure exchange — pending lockout.
• January 15: Expected international signing period opening under the existing system — pending lockout.
• Late January–February: Expected arbitration hearings — pending lockout.
• February: Pitchers, catchers, and position players report to Fort Myers; exact dates unannounced — pending lockout.
• February 19: Scheduled Grapefruit League and home opener against Tampa Bay at Lee Health Sports Complex — pending lockout.
• March: Spring Breakout details unannounced — pending lockout.
• March 24: Scheduled MLB Opening Night; matchup unannounced — pending lockout.
• March 25: Scheduled Twins Opening Day at Kansas City — pending lockout.
• April 2: Scheduled Twins home opener against Tampa Bay at Target Field — pending lockout.

Free Agency: Who Could Leave Minnesota?

Minnesota’s principal pending unrestricted free agents are:

• C Ryan Jeffers.
• LHP A.J. Minter.
• LHP Taylor Rogers.

1B/DH Josh Bell could join the market depending on his mutual option.

Jeffers’ decision affects both the lineup and the catching arrangement. Minter and Rogers create potential openings on the left side of the bullpen, while Bell’s status affects designated-hitter at-bats.

The Twins must decide which veterans to pursue while preserving opportunities for their younger position players and pitchers.

View our top free agents ranking by clicking here.

Contract Options

• Josh Bell: $10 million mutual option for 2027, with a $1.25 million buyout.
• Joe Ryan: $13 million mutual option, with a $100,000 buyout.

Bell’s option could determine whether he reaches free agency. Ryan’s situation is different: declining his mutual option would not automatically make him a free agent. Minnesota retains his rights through arbitration for 2027 under the existing system.

Victor Caratini remains under contract for 2027, the second season of his two-year agreement. His situation is separate from Jeffers’ pending free agency.

Qualifying Offers

The reported qualifying offer is $23.15 million for one season, according to the New York Post. Offers are due on the fifth day after the World Series, with the reported acceptance deadline on November 17.

Jeffers is the central Twins decision to monitor. Minnesota must weigh the possibility of retaining him on a one-year contract against potential draft compensation if he rejects an offer and signs elsewhere.

Minter’s in-season arrival makes him ineligible to receive a qualifying offer from Minnesota under the current rules. No Twins offer should be treated as official before it is announced.

General Manager Meetings: November 9–12

The GM Meetings take place in Las Vegas from November 9–12.

Minnesota can use the meetings to evaluate catching options, bullpen additions, and potential trades involving starting pitching. The club has several established starters approaching free agency after 2027, making both short-term depth and longer-term control relevant to its decisions.

Rule 5 Protection and the 40-Man Roster

Protection deadline: November 17.

Scheduled Major League Rule 5 Draft: December 9 — pending lockout.

The Twins must evaluate eligible prospects while preserving space for injured-list returns, free-agent additions, and other roster moves.

A prospect’s eligibility does not mean Minnesota has decided to protect him. Only an official addition to the 40-man roster completes that protection.

The November deadline precedes the expiration of the labor agreement. The Major League draft remains pending lockout, while the Minor League phase could follow a different path.

Awards Season

November brings the major defensive, offensive, and BBWAA announcements, along with the separate MLB Awards celebration.

Twins finalists, voting finishes, and winners will become official on the dates listed above. Club-specific awards and any associated ceremony should be tracked separately from the league’s awards calendar.

Non-Tenders and Arbitration

Non-tender deadline: November 20.

Scheduled figure exchange: January 8 — pending lockout.

Expected hearings: late January–February — pending lockout.

Minnesota’s major arbitration decisions include:

• Joe Ryan, if his mutual option is not exercised
• Bailey Ober
• Dean Kremer
• Trevor Larnach
• Royce Lewis
• Taj Bradley
• Kody Clemens
• Cole Sands

Some projections include Ryan at $9.6 million, Ober at $6.9 million, Kremer at $6.5 million, and Larnach at $6.3 million.

Tendering contracts retains players’ rights without settling their final salaries. Trades, non-tenders, and negotiated agreements can change the group before the arbitration process concludes.

Winter Meetings, Draft Lottery, and Competitive Balance Picks

Winter Meetings: December — pending lockout.

Scheduled Draft Lottery: December 8 — pending lockout.

Scheduled Major League Rule 5 Draft: December 9 — pending lockout.

Minnesota’s final draft position, any Competitive Balance selection, compensation adjustments, and associated bonus allocations remain subject to official confirmation.

The possibility of a lockout does not itself establish that these events have been canceled.

Hall of Fame Voting: The Twins Connection

Torii Hunter remains a familiar Twins connection on the returning Hall of Fame ballot. His candidacy offers Minnesota fans another winter storyline alongside the club’s roster decisions.

January 19 has been reported as the election-results date. Official election information should determine the final schedule; Hall of Fame voting operates separately from MLB transactions.

International Signing Period

Expected opening: January 15, 2027 — pending lockout.

Minnesota’s official international bonus pool, signing rules, and completed agreements remain subject to confirmation. Reported commitments are separate from completed signings.

Spring Training in Fort Myers

Reporting dates: pending lockout.

The Twins are scheduled to open Grapefruit League play at home against Tampa Bay on February 19 — pending lockout.

Spring Training will help determine the rotation order, bullpen roles, catching arrangement, and opportunities available to young players competing for regular work.

Opening Day and the Return to Target Field

March 25: Scheduled season opener at Kansas City — pending lockout.

April 2: Scheduled home opener against Tampa Bay at Target Field — pending lockout.

First-pitch times and broadcast details remain subject to announcement.

Minnesota’s offseason will be shaped by how it handles Jeffers’ free agency, strengthens the bullpen, and turns its pitching depth into a balanced roster for 2027.