.png.95eaed293c7a2ce12f9702866b223f6b.png)
Twins Video
Welcome to the 2025 Offseason Handbook! This year, we’re offering the format online only through our Caretakers program. The Offseason Handbook is a comprehensive look at what challenges the Twins face in the coming winter to field a competitive team in 2025.
To become a Caretaker, visit this page. On top of receiving exclusive access to the Offseason Handbook, Caretakers also receive in-depth analysis from national writers you cannot find anywhere else. You will also receive exclusive access to events and an ad-free browsing option.
In celebration of the Offseason Handbook’s release, we’re offering 20% off all Caretaker programs for the next week. Use the code HANDBOOK at checkout to receive 20% off your purchase!
When the Twins signed Christian Vázquez for three years and $30 million prior to 2023, it was a perfectly reasonable move. He's underperformed slightly, relative to expectations, but in much greater part, the fault for how badly his deal suits the team now falls on ownership. You can spend $15 million on the catcher position, as the Twins will have to do if they don't trade either Vázquez or Ryan Jeffers this winter, if your overall payroll is pressing toward $180 million, as the team's behavior right up until their elimination from last year's postseason suggested they would. Once it stalled out south of $160 million, and especially once it plunged back downward from there, the pact became onerous.
Imagine how obvious this choice could be, if Ryan Jeffers were just a bit more consistently in contact with his talent. At times, the younger of the Twins' timeshare backstops looks like a good framer and game-caller. At times, he looks like a star-caliber slugger, especially adjusting for his position. At times, he even looks like a situational hitting ace, using the big part of the field expertly when there's a runner on third and less than two outs. Alas, at other times, he looks as bad as any player in baseball—worse, even, than the aged husk of Vázquez, even offensively.
Though Jeffers had an above-average OPS this year, whereas Vázquez had one south of .600; though Jeffers will still cost less than half what Vázquez will in 2025, as he begins the arbitration process; and though he's more than half a decade younger, it's not clear that Jeffers is the better player. The Twins need to trade one of these two, to create even a scintilla of flexibility for upgrades elsewhere on the roster. Jeffers, being younger, is probably better suited to take on the resulting increase in workload if he sticks around, and Vázquez has more money attached to him. But could the front office clear his whole salary? And if Jeffers would bring back meaningfully more in a trade, does that make him the better candidate?
It really comes down to: What do you want from your catchers?
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now