Twins’ Trade Conversations Have Picked Up In Recent Weeks

The Twins have been one of the quietest teams in Major League Baseball this winter, but president of baseball operations Derek Falvey tells Dan Hayes of The Athletic that trade conversations have picked up over the past couple weeks. Naturally, Falvey didn’t delve into specifics but expressed optimism that there’s been some “traction” in recent talks as some teams have begun to focus more on the trade market. “…I can tell you we’ve had more active conversations in the last couple of weeks than we’ve had prior,” said Falvey.

Minnesota has yet to sign a major league free agent this winter, and their only 40-man roster additions have come via the Rule 5 Draft (Phillies righty Eiberson Castellano) and via minor trades to acquire utilityman/catcher Mickey Gasper from Boston and former top catching prospect Diego Cartaya from Los Angeles. (The Dodgers had designated Cartaya for assignment prior to the trade.)

Ownership mandated a payroll cut of nearly $30MM for the Twins last offseason due to uncertainty stemming from the bankruptcy proceedings of Diamond Sports Group/Bally Sports. The Twins and DSG/Bally reached a one-year agreement at a reduced rate for 2024 broadcasts. Minnesota has now turned broadcast rights over to the league, securing some certainty for the upcoming season but still checking in at a reduced rate relative to their former Bally’s deal.

Despite the lesser television revenue, however, the Twins are not under any mandate to further reduce payroll from their currently projected mark, Hayes reports. For Minnesota fans, that’s good news to an extent, though Hayes adds that there’s minimal room for any additions. If the Twins have eyes on any decisive upgrades, they’d likely need to trim payroll to make that happen.

Christian Vazquez (owed $10MM in the final season of his contract) and Chris Paddack (owed $7.5MM in the final season of his own deal) have been the most speculated-upon targets, as the Twins have other options behind the plate and in the rotation. Ryan Jeffers is the clear starter at catcher, while the rotation includes Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson — with prospects David Festa and Zebby Matthews among the options in the fifth spot, should Paddack be moved.

Hayes reports that utilityman Willi Castro ($6.4MM, free agent at season’s end) has been “asked about often” this winter as well. Presumably, given the switch-hitting Castro’s versatility, productivity and popularity with the rest of the roster, the Twins would prefer to hold onto him. Falvey & Co. surely wouldn’t mind dumping the final $4MM owed to twice-outrighted pitcher Randy Dobnak on another club, though they’d likely need to send a low-level prospect to another club to facilitate such a swap. The Twins have at least heard other teams out as they’ve approached about the likes of Lopez and Carlos Correa, but Falvey has also made clear that despite payroll constraints the Twins are in win-now mode, calling Lopez, Correa and Byron Buxton “key” players to the team’s 2025 hopes in the same breath. (Correa and Buxton have full no-trade protection anyhow.)

Vazquez’s contract is clearly underwater, but given the $4MM guarantee secured by a comparable glove-first backstop in each of the past two winters (Austin Hedges), the Twins may not have to eat his entire salary to facilitate a trade. Paddack’s $7.5MM guarantee seems reasonable, if not something of a discount, in the current climate for free agent starters. Castro has clear surplus value after hitting .251/.334/.395 (108 wRC+) with 21 homers and 47 steals in 1044 plate appearances and providing decent or better glovework at nearly every position on the diamond over the past two seasons.

The Twins have spent the offseason looking for help at first base, and they’ve been in the market for a right-handed-hitting outfielder as well. Their recent stockpiling of catching depth has led to plenty of speculation about finding a potential deal to move a portion of Vazquez’s contract, though there’s still no indication anything is close on that front.

Most of the first base market has been picked over. Pete Alonso is surely out of Minnesota’s price range, barring a wild about-face from ownership, but Justin Turner remains unsigned and there are rebound candidates to consider (e.g. Anthony Rizzo, Ty France, Connor Joe). Affordable corner outfield options who bat from the right side include Mark Canha (who can also play first), Randal Grichuk, Austin Hays, Tommy Pham and Ramon Laureano.

Twins fans will want to check out Hayes’ piece in full, as it also includes several updates on the ongoing sale process. That comes just one day after La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that there have been “double digit” inquiries from potential buyers/groups, Hayes writes that billionaire Justin Ishbia, who co-owns the NBA’s Phoenix Suns with his brother Mat, is “very, very serious” in his desire to buy the team and “could be aggressive” in his reported bid. The Ishbia brothers are the only known suitor to date, though Neal reported yesterday that some notable former Twins players — Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter among them — could each have interest in pitching a new ownership group on securing a 1-2% stake in the club.