This just doesn't make sense. If "who" would have had their way? The FO? They along with Buxton's agent came up with the creative, incentive-laden deal that gave him generational wealth along with good chances to have uber-generational wealth if he stays on the field. Pohlad? Everything I heard was that JP was fully on board the whole time. The same FO also signed Donaldson for $92 mill. At the time, the Twins were coming off 2019, and that was a win now move. It didn't work out due to Covid, calf muscles, Colome, Happ, Shoemaker, Buxton injuries, Maeda's elbow, Simmons' ghost showing up in the batter's box and several other minor regressions and misfortunes.
I think there's something to them being risk averse on long pitcher contracts above a certain dollar amount. Look no further than Yu Darvish (one the Twins were rumored to be after) to see why.