Manuel Margot Is the Right Fit for Minnesota's Needs and Budget

Payroll. It’s been the topic of endless discussion for Twins fans this offseason and now it appears to be locked in for Opening Day 2024. 

Manuel Margot was the last addition to round out the Twins' needs for the coming season: a right-handed hitting outfielder who can platoon at each outfield position. The best part of the deal for the Twins front office though? The Twins will only have to pay Margot $4 million of the $10 million he’s owed in 2024 and are free of the $2 million buyout in his contract. 

This final addition puts the Twins payroll for Opening Day at approximately $129 million, down $26 million from the franchise record-high payroll of $155 million in 2023. 

The Twins were never shy about their payroll going down this season, the main source – as they claimed – being the loss of revenue from their TV deal with Diamond Sports. They are back with Diamond again in 2024 but the amount of money they receive in this one-year deal is unknown. 

What is known is the Twins' self-imposed budget is in full effect. Twins owner Joe Pohlad doubled down last week in an interview with WCCO Radio's Jason DeRusha. 

“We're not going to go out and spend $30 million on a player right now," Pohlad said to DeRusha. "So, the players that are out there right that a bunch of fans are talking about, we're not in the market for those players. But there are players that can have a positive impact on our team that Derek, I'm sure, is looking at. I'm not involved in those so I'm not going to say this player or that player."

And Derek Falvey did deliver in finding a player the front office believes will positively impact their team. Margot arrived in camp from the Dodgers Spring Training in Arizona faster than any player has made the journey before according to Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. 

“I’ve never seen someone make the Phoenix to Fort Myers trip that quick,” he said to beat reporters in Florida on Tuesday. 

The more positive upside with Margot on paper is the Twins front office will only have to pay a portion of his $10 million owed this season, and it’s within the budget. The $4 million the Twins will be covering in Margot this season freed up the exact amount the Dodgers resigned one of their own alumni the Twins had conversations with this off-season; Kiké Hernández. 

Just days before the trade the Twins were listed as a finalist for Hernández in his free agency pursuit. Hernández is still considered a super-utility defender, playing over 20 games at shortstop, second base, and center field in 2023. 

His offensive numbers on the other hand have been in decline for the last two seasons going from a 108 OPS+ with the Red Sox in 2021 to a 75 OPS+ in 2022 and 74 OPS+ in 2023. 

Hernández has no true defensive home and his offensive promise did not fit in as well with the Twins' needs as it does the Dodgers. Margot, on the other hand, fills their needs and platoon roles much better than Hernández could. While both have a combined OPS+ below league average over the last three seasons, Margot’s sits at a 97 OPS+ compared to Hernández 87 OPS+.

The results speak for themselves between Margot and Hernández at the plate and with the plethora of infield prospects currently in the Twins system, Hernández’s playing time would have been much more limited than it will be with the Dodgers this year. 

Margot is the Twins fourth outfielder to start the 2024 season. He will likely see starts in center field at least once every series pending the health of Byron Buxton to start the season. 

So far Buxton is looking as healthy as he’s ever been in Spring Training over the last five years, offeirng reason to believe Margot will not see too many starts in center to start the year. Margot will certainly come in as a late-game defensive replacement as needed between Buxton and Matt Wallner in left field. 

While the addition of Margot does fall under Twins fans' criticism of ownership and the phrase, “Cheap Pohlads,” his playing caliber is not equal to the cheapness of his salary. He’s a player worth $12 million that the Twins essentially only have to pay a third of. 

The criticisms will still be heard throughout the year but Margot’s role and highest ceiling of performance can quiet down the conversations of payroll that remained at the forefront of the Twins offseason. 

Where do you stand on the Manuel Margot acquisition? Is he a solid budget-friendly pickup or do you wish the Twins would've invested more to address this need? Share your thoughts in the comments!