Why Minnesota Twins Should Sign Miguel Andujar

I want to reflect back for a moment on the recent TWINS OFF DAILY podcast where they built a roster based on a $110M payroll. I think it's pertinent to this discussion. While that's an obscenely small payroll. It's also realistic.

They have Larnach being moved with other prospects...I don't believe they were ever named...for a young RP from the Phillies, Orion Kerkering, who the fans there may want run out of town. Whether or not THAT trade is feasible doesn't matter directly, it's exactly the TYPE of move the Twins should make for somewhat obvious reasons.

Next, they had the the Twins signing RH 1B Goldschmidt for around $9M. The idea is sound in principle, but I object to the idea. I understand the weakness facing LHP, but I don't want a 1B ONLY because he's RH. So I'm going to continue to bang the drum for Nathaniel Lowe for the same $9-10M! Even in a down season from his career numbers, he still produced 44 XB and 84 RBI. His career marks in the TRIPLE SLASH LINE are better than 2025, he's still only 30yo, and with solid career splits against LHP, he DOESN'T HAVE to be platooned. 

And we can stop the nonsense of Clemens being the primary starting 1B and let him be a utility LH bat player.

But all of that brings us back around to Andujar. Their consensus was to sign him for $6M as a DH who CAN play 4 spots even though you'd want him to be a primary DH. And on that principle, I like him as an addition. It really makes a ton of sense. He's a solid bat who helps deepen the lineup, adds some RH punch needed against LHP, wouldn't be expensive, and with his experience, can at least play mediocre defense here and there at 4 spots when the lineup needs to be shuffled a bit for days off, late game switches, etc.

My only concern is total roster construction. With Andujar, Clemens, and Fitzgerald all on the roster...and Larnach gone as proposed, and I agree...your OF is Wallner, Buxton, Martin, and Roden, with Clemens and possibly Andujar getting a few appearances here and there. While potentially weak in regard to backup CF, that OF works to begin the season if Rodriguez and Jenkins are held back initially. 

However, at some point, Rodriguez, Jenkins, and possibly even Gonzalez are going to be ready for their debuts. And that sort of scrambles the OF/DH situation. So does Andujar still make sense at that point?

I guess I'd say YES, as injuries happen, option demotions are a factor, and as pointed out previously, maybe Andujar becomes a trade option mid season if good health FINALLY happens for the Twins, and the kids are up and doing well.

So I think this is a potentially solid move for a helpful bat. At least to begin the season, and then see what happens. You can't build a roster only based on the idea of everything going right. You have to attempt to build the Opening Day roster FIRST, and go from there. And I like this idea quite a bit.

FWIW, the TOD roster construction, AFTER trading Larnach as part of a deal for a young pen arm, adding a 1B, adding Andujar, they still had room for a pair of solid RP for around $11-12M with a couple $M for breathing room. So this whole concept of Andujar as a RH DH and role player would seem to not only make sense, but fits in to a WAY TOO LOW $110M payroll that might still work.

On 12/7/2025 at 9:03 AM, Greglw3 said:

Mike is your thumb broken so it only points down? 

You were alive when the Twins had good offenses and won or at least played a bit north of .500 all through the 1960s, 1970-1971, 72-79, 84-87, Steve Braun, Steve Brye, Jim Holt, Bobby Darwin, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Lyman Bostock, Larry Hisle, Dan Ford, Gary Ward, Mike Cubbage, Roy Smalley, Glenn Adams, Ken Landreaux, all in the 70s. Bob Allison, Zolio Versalles, Cesar Tovar, Don Mincher in 60s and Gaetti, Brunansky, Puckett, Randy Bush, Hrbek, etc in 80s,  

Where are players the equal of any I named on the Twins now, besides Buxton?

And Gene Mauch lead a team with a .282 batting average and a horrible pitching staff to an 84-77 record.

The Twins offense has killed them the last few years, Not competitive in the least. If Wallner’s .204 is OK with 40 RBIs on 22 HR and only 10 RBIs all year from 1b, 2B, 3B, BB, HBP, Groundouts and SFs, then I see more pain, pessimism, pitiful play, pohlads ahead.

I want to run from that as fast as I and Derek Falvey and Jeremy Zoll can. This is an extremely important pivot point in the history of the franchise, IMO.

Kody Clemens .220, Outman .150, Larnach a player not in the mold of Braun, Brye, Holt, Glenn Adams - mediocrity....is that what we want?

We have a chance to fill in LF and RF with better hitters, through trade and through the G Gonzalez, E Rodriguez, W Jenkins, Hendry Mendez pipeline. And Culpepper can give Lee a battle that would be good for the team.

What is your solution for the outfield to move into a new era of winning baseball?

I just don’t think relying on failed or mediocre at best players like Larnach or Wallner is a good plan at all. 

From one long time passionate Twins fan to another, lets have a vision for a brighter new day!

If I'm the Mike you mean....looking at one bad year of Wallner instead of all his years is not what I'm interested in at all. Looking only at BA or RBI (which is a function of players on base in front of the hitter) is not ideal, but not awful either. Wallner was not good last year. I'm not giving up on him like so many here are. I think people appear to have no idea how low batting averages are these days, when comparing to teams even 10 years ago, let along 30-40 years ago.

I'm super not interesting in signing mediocre veterans to block the four AAA players you mention as possibilities at all. Like, I'm very uninterested in watching guys that aren't all that good who they won't DFA. At least with them, there is hope. 

My solution to the OF is Roden and Martin to start the year, with Wallner at DH and sometimes in RF. Buxton in Center. I'd prefer Jenkins or EmRod start in MN over one of those, but that isn't happening with this team, I think. If Roden and Martin aren't good, call up the next guy. I don't have a strong feeling for OF 4/5 as the backup. Preferably not someone old and bad.

On 12/5/2025 at 9:43 PM, Chembry said:

Nathaniel Lowe is also available, and could probably be had for a similar price range.  He won a gold glove in 2023 and was a finalist in 2024.  He also won a silver slugger in 2022.  Career splits show he doesn’t have to be platooned.  Career .258/.337/.392 against lefties. OPS+ since 2021 in succession 112, 139, 114, 123, 94 in 2025.  Struggled in Washington, but right back to normal production with Boston.  He has played at least 140g every year since 2021. Over is career, he has been a consistent 2-4 WAR player, with 2025 being the exception.  He isn’t the sexiest name, but would be a solid contributor and lock down 1B for a few years. 
 

Lowe doesn’t have the positional flexibility Andujar has, but also isn’t a defensive liability, has a higher career OBP, similar SLG, higher career OPS, and career OPS+.  Will also play every day. It will probably take at least a 2 year deal to get him, but it at least stabilizes the position and moves Clemens to utility which he is better suited for.

I've been championing Lowe as a signing for WEEKS now in just about every single thread that deals with 2026.

Just repeating everything you've said, and I've said, he's a solid glove and a solid producer for his career. And he doesn't have to be platooned either.

I just can't understand why so many are obsessed with a RH 1B? I mean, I'd be just fine if we actually GOT a RH 1B...assuming he could also hit RHP...but 75% of all pitchers are still RH.

I would have zero problem offering a solid 30yo 1B a 2yr deal. He won't turn 31yo until July. I'm not aware of any injury history. He stabilizes the INF, he adds a quality bat that could hit anywhere from 3rd to 6th depending on how Shelton wants to build the lineup, and he blocks NOBODY. 

Unless the payroll turns out to be ridiculous, 2yrs at $18-20M fits easily in to even a $110M payroll. And he FIXES the most GLARING HOLE in the entire lineup for 2yrs. He's basically Naylor junior, and that isn't a bad thing.

There are various roster scenarios where Andujar can be added for about $6M that work. Especially IF the Twins keep Rodriguez and Jenkins down in St Paul to begin the 2026 season. And I LIKE the idea of bringing Andujar on board as a nice RH role piece. I can see the fit, and I can see how it works.

But Falvey should have Lowe's agent on speed dial and get something done ASAP. He fits position need, lineup need, and fits easily in to anything but an ABSURD payroll structure.