Western SD Fan

I would surmise that if talks were in the final stages that the new owners would have some input. With that being said, I do not believe that negotiations are that close. I also would imagine that if the Pohlads want what they are asking in a potential sale, they would protect the value of the team as much as they could, which would likely not trading Joe Ryan at the deadline. I do agree that no one should be viewed as "untouchable", but Joe Ryan should be as close to that as possible. I have one crazy idea that likely wouldn't be available but would be interesting if it could be swung. The FO sees if there is any team that Correa is willing to break his no-trade clause for and match with Ryan accordingly. Someone with access to Baseball Trade Values would have to do the work to see if this is even possible. I may be willing to part with a potential pitcher such as Ryan if I can gain the flexibility of being released by the Correa albatross of a contract. I'll use that money to bolster my roster in the offseason and I'm likely better off in the long run.

Here's one thought that nobody has really addressed yet in terms of future planning, which starts with this upcoming trade deadline: a potential lockout of the players following the 2026 season. Think of it as a hurricane out in the Atlantic that we know nothing about its track, but we need to be cognizant of its potential impacts. At worst, you're looking at a 2027 season that could be shortened or cancelled. For the first time, MILB players are part of the MLBPA and its negotiations. It would be unlikely in the wake of a work stoppage that the minors continue to play games and players will continue to develop like they have in the past when there has been an MLB labor stoppage. One other thought would be the upcoming post-ASB schedule, 3 @ COL, 3 @ LAD, 3 v WAS, 3 v BOS. That's a reasonable schedule to go anywhere from 7-5 to 9-3 and now you're above .500 and likely within 3 games of the Wild Card. With that thought in mind, here's where I think the August 1 roster should be and I love playing this like a bad Choose Your Own Adventure Novel. 🙂 As always, I reference my go-to on these matters: Sportrac's Multi-Year contract page here - Minnesota Twins Multi-Year Table Option #1: Sell Hard - This means you've given up on 2025 AND 2026 and you're shooting for 2027 or maybe even 2028 and just trying not to be the White Sox or Rockies for the next two years. You trade all the usual suspects (Castro, Bader, Coulombe, Paddack, France, Vazquez (provided you can find a buyer, may have to sweeten the pot to get a taker), and possibly Topa since it's unlikely in this scenario you're picking up his $2M club option anyway. Then you sell anyone with potential value to pick up cheaper MLB players and/or prospects in AA or AAA since we want their ETA to be sometime in 2026 with the expectation of trying to compete in 2027 or 2028. This would include Ryan, Jax, Duran, and maybe even taking calls on Stewart and Larnach. I would have included Pablo Lopez here, but he is still on the IL and wouldn't be available by the trade deadline. If I sell everything that isn't nailed down on this list, I clear almost $48M in payroll for next year. This is of course before the remaining spots are filled by AAA players or trash heap pickups in the offseason, which will likely add another $20-30M in payroll for 2026. I do not see this as a likely scenario as this will kill any goodwill left with the fans and possibly lower the overall value of the team right when ownership is in the middle of negotiations to sell the team. Option #2: Sell Little - You're still selling the usual suspects, but you're taking offers on most anyone, but they better be really good offers as you're planning on running some form of this team back next year. This may even include a conversation with Castro, Bader, or France that you really do like them and would like to take a chance at resigning them in the offseason, but you're still trading them. This is one of the more likely outcomes, but it will depend on how they come out of the gates post ASB. Option #3: Do Nothing - Only thing I would add to this is they may do very little selling or buying in this scenario. Maybe you trade Castro because you're blown away by an offer and with Keaschall coming back, that provides you with the IF flexibility to trade him. Maybe you get a role player, say, a Keirsey Jr type player with better hitting skills that you could actually stick in the lineup. Maybe you still trade Paddack with the expectation the Matthews will be back before the deadline and Ober won't be too far behind (or vice versa). Either way, you're expecting to run this team back and you'll deal with the payroll issues in the offseason, maybe with a dream that the team will be sold by then. Given the FO tendencies and the upcoming post-ASB schedule, this seems to be the likeliest scenario, much to the chagrin of many of us in Twins Territory or on Twins Daily. This scenario also does the most to protect the value of the team while in negotiations of selling the team. Option #4: Buy Baby Buy! - To borrow from the YouTuber UrinatingTree: We Gonta World Series! Let's buy for the upcoming stretch run with our high-end talent out there! Considering many of our arbitration players are on the wrong side of arbitration and without a class of prospects ready to graduate in the next year. I also do not think there are any potential players out there that will help this team make the kind of run we need to justify this scenario. This is an obvious one-word answer. NO. Even when we have been in a position to do this (2023), we haven't pulled the trigger with anything of substance. This is more unlikely than the burndown option I started with.

You have to start thinking there's something about Minnesota. Since Alcala has been traded, he's went 9 1/3 innings and has only given up one run in the same situation that he was pitching in Minnesota: low leverage situations.

I would also give an honorable mention to Travis Adams. Picks up his first win, manages the game through 4 innings of 1 ER ball. It didn't look pretty at times, but he gave us what we needed, and the offense came through to make sure we didn't need to burn through our high leverage bullpen guys.

I think it's always been with the caveat: WHEN he is healthy. It seems like he rarely slumps when he's healthy.

One piece of good news is that the Twins open up the 2nd half in Colorado so Buxton will get to ease into the post All Star Break swing.

A double and a triple. I'm guessing he has run out of at bats to reach it.

Exactly. When the ball finally finds his bat in his swing wheelhouse, he can hit something. Otherwise, he can't hit a beach ball.

I don't necessity want to fall in love with Clemens as to keep him on the roster at the expense of a prospect. But if he is willing to sign a $1M-ish 1-yr contract for next year, I definitely would keep him on the roster past this year. EDIT: Maybe he can be the answer at 1B while we wait for a more permanent solution. EDIT #2: If I would have done 1 minute of research, I would have realized that he's a Pre-Arb player that may attain Super 2 status in the offseason so he will be with the Twins as long as they don't release him.

I think that may depend more on what they do with France. If France is traded or released to try to sign on with a contending team, they may bring up Julien as well to play 2B and have Clemens play 1B. Otherwise, if you send Wallner down, Clemens is likely seeing more time in RF.

I can see a scenario where Wallner gets sent down to St. Paul when Keaschall comes back.

It was ruled an error. Can't lose focus as we would like Adams to get to at least the 7th today.

Are alterations included? I may need some for a bowling league this fall.

Prior to the Buck double, I was going to suggest to Cory that he keeps the run expectancy stat to himself since it always disappoints us in the end. Today, it did not disappoint.

Cory Provus just reported that Adams is color blind. I vote to make him wear the City Connects every day that he's still on the active roster.

Just read that our recent old friend Joey Wentz was picked up by the Braves.

I think this was the best-case scenario for the Twins. A quick-ish 1st inning allows Sands to go 2 innings. I'm not sure that if the Twins had this inning in the first that Sands would have come back out, even if that was the plan.

Great job by Clemens and Buxton giving some run support for the young rookie coming in after this inning.

There was a wild speculation rumor floating late in the week that they were actually going to activate Matthews to pitch today. I guess he is going to have a rehab start today in St. Paul, max about 40 - 50 pitches.

Highest home attendance all year. Opening Day was 36,783.

I heard Duluth's own, Trampled by Turtles, really gets into it.

Those jerseys should be a punishment that the rookies have to wear on travel days.

Oh yes, our old friend IKF. So short a time he was a Twin that he didn't even make a phone call to a TC realtor.

Hanlon's Razor suggests bad reporting.

He will need a different nickname though. I don't see Mexican Smoke working for Duran since he's from the Dominican Republic.