The Twins are recognized to be working with little to no monetary flexibility because the deadline approaches, as possession’s big-picture income considerations proceed to restrict how a lot new cash the entrance workplace can add. RosterResource initiatives Minnesota’s payroll at roughly $127.8MM, as offseason cuts have already important decreased spending from the crew’s $158.8MM payroll from 2023.
Exchanging salaries may be the Twins’ most reasonable method of including some assist to their roster, and with this in thoughts, The Athletic’s Dan Hayes writes that “the Twins have listened to provides” from different groups about such controllable gamers as nearer Jhoan Duran, and extra apparent commerce candidates like pending free brokers Max Kepler or Manuel Margot.
In fact, listening to provides is a great distance off from actively buying gamers or having any specific inclination to maneuver them, as Hayes notes that “the fee for Kepler and Duran is alleged to be extraordinarily excessive.” It may be assumed that Margot’s price ticket is considerably decrease, which isn’t shocking for a backup outfielder hitting .243/.302/.341 over 235 plate appearances this season. Margot has roughly $1.3MM nonetheless owed on the Twins’ $4MM share of his general $10MM wage for 2024, because the Dodgers are masking the opposite $6MM as per the phrases of the February commerce that introduced Margot to the Twin Cities.
Kepler’s identify has popped up in commerce talks a number of instances through the years, and he has about $3.33MM left on his $10MM wage for the 2024 season. Kepler is a trickier participant for Minnesota to exchange since he’s the first proper fielder and a strong defender, although he hasn’t historically had a lot success in opposition to left-handed pitching. Even in opposition to righties, Kepler is hitting a modest .258/.317/.403 in 244 PA this season, so he doesn’t precisely supply a giant splits benefit.
With this in thoughts, it appears maybe somewhat odd that the Twins need an “extraordinarily excessive” return for rental participant like Kepler. Nevertheless, the Twins possible aren’t eager to considerably diminish their outfield depth given what number of accidents the crew has already fought by this 12 months, and shifting Kepler would then current Minnesota with one other problem to find a substitute.
Duran is a distinct story altogether as a commerce candidate. For a crew with a restricted payroll, Duran is a very big asset since he doesn’t attain arbitration eligibility till this winter, and he’s beneath crew management by the 2027 season. Buying and selling the nearer subsequently wouldn’t present any assist to Minnesota’s monetary considerations, until maybe the Twins connected a bigger contract together with Duran as a part of a commerce package deal. That tactic, nevertheless, would reduce the worth of one of many Twins’ prime commerce chips, when it comes to what the crew would obtain when it comes to an on-field return.
In one other report earlier tonight, Hayes wrote that the Twins had some talks with the Dodgers about Duran, however needed gamers who may assist this season, fairly than the Dodgers’ most popular supply of prospects. Buying and selling a more in-depth may be less complicated for a crew simply seeking to reduce payroll, but the Twins try to string the needle by each limiting spending and remaining aggressive, because the crew is in possession of an AL wild card spot and so they’re 5.5 video games behind the Guardians for the AL Central lead.
