Twins face tough offseason decisions but say it’s ‘business as usual’ despite sale of team
SAN ANTONIO — The Minnesota Twins might be for sale, but Derek Falvey said he's operating as he normally would.
As the MLB offseason began with the start of free agency Monday evening, the Twins' president of baseball operations said the Pohlad family's decision to explore selling the club doesn't impact how he'll handle roster construction.
What Falvey didn't or couldn't say, however, as he spoke from the general managers' meetings, is that he'll also operate under the same financial limitations the Twins always face.
Falvey didn't divulge specifics on the team's payroll, which team sources have said won't be any lower than it was last season. But a team source indicated the club's budget also is unlikely to increase from this year's $127 million to $130 million range, which followed a $30 million payroll reduction from a record-high figure in 2023.
Working with a similar budget as last season promises to keep Falvey busy as the Twins don't have much financial wiggle room with a bunch of key players due raises .
"It's pretty much business as usual," Falvey said. "My job is to continue to try and build the team the best we can and make decisions that are hopefully in both the short-term and long-term interest of the team. Ultimately, if we have to make decisions that are more long-term or short-term — bringing those to Joe (Pohlad), like I would have before, and I navigate with Joe and ultimately make those decisions."
It's been only 3 1/2 weeks since the Pohlad family made the shocking announcement it intended to sell the club after more than 40 years and three generations of ownership. Team sources indicated the family's decision to seek a sale was made earlier in the season and wouldn't impact any previous decisions, including how much money would be allocated for the team's 2025 payroll.
But multiple sources with knowledge of the sale process don't expect the Twins to be sold overnight. At a minimum, a sale would take six months, those sources say, meaning a new owner wouldn't take over the club in time to make decisions about the construction of the 2025 club and its initial payroll.
"There is so much work before the sale process happens in terms of legal documents, due diligence on contracts," Falvey said. "My feeling is all of this takes time."
It seems likely the Twins will remain under the stewardship of the Pohlads through Opening Day and it's possible the group could retain control deep into next season. It's also possible the Pohlads enter a sale process similar to the one Glen Taylor and the Minnesota Timberwolves made where new owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore gradually purchase control of the franchise.
Typically, owners who are in the process of selling a team want to present a fiscally responsible product to attract buyers. Those owners usually don't want to make long-term commitments like signing expensive players to multiyear contracts that might deter buyers, who often prefer to put their own stamp on a club.
In other words, don't expect the Twins to sign Juan Soto this offseason. Don't even expect them to add $10 million to the current payroll.
Instead, Falvey and his front office are likely going to have to spend the next few months figuring out how to reallocate resources to round out the roster.
Falvey faces a fiscal crunch because the roster currently includes 10 arbitration-eligible players, including Willi Castro , Ryan Jeffers , Justin Topa , Bailey Ober , Brock Stewart , Griffin Jax , Joe Ryan , Trevor Larnach , Jhoan Duran and Royce Lewis . Between those players and the money due to Carlos Correa , Byron Buxton , Pablo López , Christian Vázquez and Chris Paddack , the Twins already are near their self-imposed payroll restrictions.
While the Twins have plenty of talent on major-league minimum salaries who could fill out the roster, the hope would be to find ways to improve a club that collapsed down the stretch and finished 82-80, four games out of the final American League playoff spot. As constructed, the Twins have the 10th-best odds of winning the 2025 World Series, tied with Seattle at 25-to-1 and tops among the AL Central contenders, according to Bet Online.
But the Twins still must find a way to replace some of the production of their departing free agents, a group that includes starting right fielder Max Kepler, Gold Glove-winning first baseman Carlos Santana, lefty reliever Caleb Thielbar, utilityman Kyle Farmer and fourth outfielder Manny Margot. Though re-signing Santana would make sense, the likelihood of bringing back any of the group seems minimal.
Any way you cut it, Falvey has plenty of tough decisions ahead of him, which does sound like business as usual for the Twins.
Alcala's option picked up
The Twins picked up Jorge Alcala 's $1.5 million club option on Monday while moving five players off the 40-man roster.
The Twins could have bought out Alcala, who still won't reach free agency until after the 2026 season, for $55,000. But the team made the easy choice to keep the right-hander, who went 4-3 with 58 strikeouts, 16 holds and a 3.24 ERA in 58 1/3 innings this past season.
Earlier in the day, the Twins outrighted pitchers Randy Dobnak , Scott Blewett , Daniel Duarte and Josh Winder as well as infielder Yunior Severino off the 40-man roster. Under contract for $3 million next season, Dobnak is expected to accept the team's outright assignment to the minor leagues. The other players still have the option to reject the Twins' decision and elect free agency.
(Photo of Derek Falvey during spring training: Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images)
