All Things 2024-25 Minnesota Twins Off-Season Thread

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Gopher_In_NYC said:
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2 years ago the Nationals offer to Soto was 15 Yrs/$440M.

Soto reportedly turned down a 16 yrs/$760M from the Yankees, so ~$4.5M less per year, as he likes the Mets future better than the YanksšŸ˜ƒ
 

GophersInIowa said:
I think the difference in spending is going to get even worse in baseball. The top players in the game are all getting bunched to just a handful of teams.

15 years is insane. It's obviously a lot of money but man, what if he hates it there?
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Opt out clause after Year 5.
 



I realize itā€™s highly unlikely, but if you could get a reasonable assets back, Iā€™d go it as weā€™re joy fielding a competitive team this year and may not necessarily year either. The team ownership likely wonā€™t happen until next offseason.

www.nytimes.com

Juan Soto agreement could lead to increased trade chatter for Twins on Carlos Correa

Soto is off the board, and it could lead his spurned suitors to gauge whether the Twins would trade Correa. Falvey is open to listening.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 


howeda7 said:
Only for the player, not the Mets though, right?
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here's the deal with the opt-out - it's a little different........Mets can buy out the opt-out by giving him more money.

The structure of the deal is front-loaded, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Soto will be paid $305 million over his first five seasons with the Mets (a figure that includes a $75-million signing bonus). So after the 2029 season, Soto has the opportunity to opt out of his deal with 10 years and $460-million remaining.

If Soto does want to reenter free agency as a 31-year-old, the Mets have the opportunity to override his opt out by adding an addition $4 million per season to the final 10 years of his contract. That would give Soto $50 million per year for his final decade in Queens and raise the grand total of this enormous deal to $805 million.
 

oh - news - Twins sign minor-leaguer with extensive injury history. (I'm not making this up.)

The Twins have signed Huascar Ynoa to a minor-league contract. The right-hander will receive an invitation to Minnesotaā€™s big league Spring Training camp as part of the non-guaranteed deal.

Ynoa appeared in parts of four MLB seasons with the Braves from 2019-22, topping out at 91 innings during the 2021 campaign. Ynoa posted a 4.05 ERA, 26.9% strikeout rate, and 6.7% walk rate while stepping into Atlantaā€™s rotation as an injury replacement. A shoulder injury forced Ynoaā€™s removal from the Bravesā€™ NLCS roster, however, and he also missed three months of the regular season after breaking his hand while punching the dugout in frustration after a tough start.

More setbacks awaited the next season, as Ynoa only pitched 6 2/3 MLB innings in 2022 and spent most of the year at Triple-A. Ynoa then underwent a Tommy John surgery that cost him the entire 2023 campaign, and he returned to pitch only 29 2/3 minor league innings this year before being sidelined again by a stress reaction in his right elbow. Atlanta opted to non-tender Ynoa.

Ynoa will now return to his original franchise. The Twins signed Ynoa during the 2014 international signing period and he pitched in parts of three minor league seasons in Minnesotaā€™s farm system before being dealt to the Braves in July 2017. Thereā€™s no risk for the Twins in taking a flier on a pitcher who is still just 26 years old.
 

Trade Carlos Correa? The Twins are listening​

With ownership shopping the team and payroll set at the roughly $130 million they spent last season, the Twins werenā€™t likely to make any kind of big free-agent splash at this weekā€™s Winter Meetings in Dallas, let alone reel in a fish like outfielder Juan Soto.

But Sotoā€™s eye-popping deal he reached Sunday with the New York Mets ā€” $765 million over 15 years ā€” has nonetheless played a role in Minnesotaā€™s efforts to improve a roster that was in playoff position for a good portion of last season before a late swoon knocked the Twins out of contention.

The Twins are looking to add a solid right-handed bat, ideally at first base or in the outfield, through free agency, but with money tight ā€” they didnā€™t gain a windfall from departing free agents such as Carlos Santana, Max Kepler and Manuel Margot ā€” their best bet for meaningful additions might be the trade market.

Derek Falvey, the Twinsā€™ personnel chief and newly promoted team president, has been taking calls, which he said naturally picked up Monday when the free agent market loosened in the wake of Sotoā€™s decision to sign with the Mets.

And the Twins are listening.

ā€œIn light of the team sale situation, some of the dynamics around our roster or otherwise, I think there are enough teams checking in,ā€ Falvey said Monday afternoon. ā€œWhat we tell every team is, ā€˜Listen, weā€™re open to being creative.ā€™ ā€

www.twincities.com

Trade Carlos Correa? The Twins are listening

But Minnesota wants to win next season, so ā€œa high bar has been setā€ for their all-star shortstop, Twins president Derek Falvey said.
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Win Twins!!
 

BleedGopher said:

Trade Carlos Correa? The Twins are listening​

With ownership shopping the team and payroll set at the roughly $130 million they spent last season, the Twins werenā€™t likely to make any kind of big free-agent splash at this weekā€™s Winter Meetings in Dallas, let alone reel in a fish like outfielder Juan Soto.

But Sotoā€™s eye-popping deal he reached Sunday with the New York Mets ā€” $765 million over 15 years ā€” has nonetheless played a role in Minnesotaā€™s efforts to improve a roster that was in playoff position for a good portion of last season before a late swoon knocked the Twins out of contention.

The Twins are looking to add a solid right-handed bat, ideally at first base or in the outfield, through free agency, but with money tight ā€” they didnā€™t gain a windfall from departing free agents such as Carlos Santana, Max Kepler and Manuel Margot ā€” their best bet for meaningful additions might be the trade market.

Derek Falvey, the Twinsā€™ personnel chief and newly promoted team president, has been taking calls, which he said naturally picked up Monday when the free agent market loosened in the wake of Sotoā€™s decision to sign with the Mets.

And the Twins are listening.

ā€œIn light of the team sale situation, some of the dynamics around our roster or otherwise, I think there are enough teams checking in,ā€ Falvey said Monday afternoon. ā€œWhat we tell every team is, ā€˜Listen, weā€™re open to being creative.ā€™ ā€

www.twincities.com

Trade Carlos Correa? The Twins are listening

But Minnesota wants to win next season, so ā€œa high bar has been setā€ for their all-star shortstop, Twins president Derek Falvey said.
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Win Twins!!
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Gopher_In_NYC said:
I realize itā€™s highly unlikely, but if you could get a reasonable assets back, Iā€™d go it as weā€™re joy fielding a competitive team this year and may not necessarily year either. The team ownership likely wonā€™t happen until next offseason.

www.nytimes.com

Juan Soto agreement could lead to increased trade chatter for Twins on Carlos Correa

Soto is off the board, and it could lead his spurned suitors to gauge whether the Twins would trade Correa. Falvey is open to listening.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
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Bleed,

Did you forget to take your Ensure today? Youā€™re slowing downšŸ˜¢.
 





Cleveland trading Andres Gimenez to Toronto for Spencer Horwitz.
Not sure I get that.
 




MLB Draft Lottery update

Washington Nationals get #1 pick. (had 4th-best odds prior to lottery) - could take Jackson Holliday's younger brother.
Angels 2nd
Seattle 3rd (in 15th place going into lottery)
Rockies 4th (had best odds going into lottery)

Twins lost ground - could have picked 12th but fell to 16th.
already saw a mock draft that has them taking a SS from Vanderbilt.......
 

Garrett Crochet traded from the White Sox to the Red Sox for a package of four prospects.

the prospects were - respectively - ranked #4, #5, #12 and #17 in the Red Sox farm system. the top two prospects were Boston's 1st-round draft picks in the last two drafts.
 

semi-breaking news -- Twins take player in major-league portion of the Rule 5 draft

the rules:

Players who turned pro at age 18 or younger in 2020 or at age 19 or older in 2021 were eligible for selection in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft if he wasn't on a 40-man roster. Clubs who took a player in that phase must pay his former team $100,000 and keep him on their active big league roster throughout the following season. The player can't be sent to the Minors without first clearing waivers and then getting offered back to his original organization for half his draft price.

The Twins took a player - RHP Eiberson Castellano from the Phillies. 23 years old. Pitched at A+ and AA last year. at AA went 2-3 w/ a 3.79 ERA, 50K and 9BB in 40 IP. At High-A ball had 86K and 20 BB in 63 IP. was named the Phillies Minor-League pitcher of the year.

***update. Twins reportedly plan to use Castellano as a multi-inning reliever. could stick in the bullpen, especially if Brock Stewart is not ready to start the season as he returns from another injury.

1st player taken by Twins in major-league rule 5 draft since 2017 (Tyler Kinley - bombed out with Twins and was offered back to Marlins)

In the Minor-League phase of the draft, the Twins took 3 players:
--Trent Baker, a RHP from the Cardinals AA club. so-so stats. pitched better in Arizona Fall League.
--Miguel Briceno, SS from the Brewers AA club. hit .277 with .685 OPS last season.
--and Jefferson Valladares, a C from the Dodgers Complex League.

The Twins lost a player in the minor-league draft - Taylor Floyd, a RHP at AA was taken by Seattle.
 
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Gopher_In_NYC said:
I realize itā€™s highly unlikely, but if you could get a reasonable assets back, Iā€™d go it as weā€™re joy fielding a competitive team this year and may not necessarily year either. The team ownership likely wonā€™t happen until next offseason.

www.nytimes.com

Juan Soto agreement could lead to increased trade chatter for Twins on Carlos Correa

Soto is off the board, and it could lead his spurned suitors to gauge whether the Twins would trade Correa. Falvey is open to listening.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
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Not sure why the Twins are looking for right handed bat. With Buxton, Correa, Lewis, Miranda, Jeffers the lineup already seems like it will be righty heavy.
 

WoodburyTim said:
Not sure why the Twins are looking for right handed bat. With Buxton, Correa, Lewis, Miranda, Jeffers the lineup already seems like it will be righty heavy.
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Correa might be traded. Buxton and Lewis are hurt all the time. Jeffers is only legally allowed to start every other game.
 

I was informed by a close friend in the twins organization that they made a play at Juan Soto. The twins offered him $1million a year for 765 years. Apparently there was pushback by the Soto camp on the length. The twins did offer his family a suite for all 765 years at Target Field, but there was no guarantee what condition the stadium would be in for all those years. They also would allow the Soto family to walk wherever and whenever they damn well pleased in the stadium.
 

WoodburyTim said:
Not sure why the Twins are looking for right handed bat. With Buxton, Correa, Lewis, Miranda, Jeffers the lineup already seems like it will be righty heavy.
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They are looking for a corner OF right handed bat, as their two starters, Wallner and Larnach, both lefties.
 

From the Parkinglot said:
I was informed by a close friend in the twins organization that they made a play at Juan Soto. The twins offered him $1million a year for 765 years. Apparently there was pushback by the Soto camp on the length. The twins did offer his family a suite for all 765 years at Target Field, but there was no guarantee what condition the stadium would be in for all those years. They also would allow the Soto family to walk wherever and whenever they damn well pleased in the stadium.
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Pirates fans already stole your lame joke 3 days ago.

Sadly the Twins DID almost sign Soto years ago as a teenager.
 


WoodburyTim said:
That makes sense too. Both Wallner and Larnach have at times both looked like they need to be platooned.
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unless Rocco suddenly changes his philosophy, he is very platoon-oriented. As much as possible, he wants RH hitters facing LH pitchers. and Wallner and Larnach have some fairly wide splits:

in 2024 Wallner .953 OPS vs RHP - .611 OPS vs LHP
-------- Larnach .784 OPS vs RHP - .579 OPS vs LHP

so year, Rocco wants a RH-hitting OF who can double as a pinch-hitter (hopefully with more success than Manny.....)
 

short ornery norwegian said:
unless Rocco suddenly changes his philosophy, he is very platoon-oriented. As much as possible, he wants RH hitters facing LH pitchers. and Wallner and Larnach have some fairly wide splits:

in 2024 Wallner .953 OPS vs RHP - .611 OPS vs LHP
-------- Larnach .784 OPS vs RHP - .579 OPS vs LHP

so year, Rocco wants a RH-hitting OF who can double as a pinch-hitter (hopefully with more success than Manny.....)
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Yeah, and those guys both seem to have pretty pronounced splits. It is harder to accomplish this these days with limited roster spots due increased pitchers on the roster.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
unless Rocco suddenly changes his philosophy, he is very platoon-oriented. As much as possible, he wants RH hitters facing LH pitchers. and Wallner and Larnach have some fairly wide splits:

in 2024 Wallner .953 OPS vs RHP - .611 OPS vs LHP
-------- Larnach .784 OPS vs RHP - .579 OPS vs LHP

so year, Rocco wants a RH-hitting OF who can double as a pinch-hitter (hopefully with more success than Manny.....)
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Rocco would use the Golden at Bat on Margot. He's due!
 

Twins express interest in Japanese pitcher - from the Strib:

Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old righthander, plans to meet with clubs next week after he formally started his 45-day clock to complete a deal. All teams, theoretically, have a chance to sign him because of his age. If he was 25 years old, he would be in line for a potential $300 million payday. Instead, he is an international free agent who qualifies for only a limited signing bonus and a minor league contract.

ā€œWe have interest,ā€ Derek Falvey, the Twins' president of baseball operations, said during the winter meetings about Sasaki. ā€œObviously, we just want to understand what heā€™s looking for.ā€

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to sign Sasaki, with the San Diego Padres considered another possibility, but Joel Wolfe, Sasakiā€™s agent, suggested Sasaki could be open to a surprise team.

ā€œI think that thereā€™s an argument to be made that a smaller, midmarket team might be more beneficial for him as a soft landing coming from Japan, given what heā€™s been through and not having an enjoyable experience with the media,ā€ Wolfe said. ā€œI donā€™t know how heā€™s going to view it, but it might be beneficial for him to be in a smaller market.ā€

If the Twins landed a meeting with Sasaki, they are one of the eight teams with the largest international signing bonus pools ($7.56 million) for 2025.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Twins express interest in Japanese pitcher - from the Strib:

Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old righthander, plans to meet with clubs next week after he formally started his 45-day clock to complete a deal. All teams, theoretically, have a chance to sign him because of his age. If he was 25 years old, he would be in line for a potential $300 million payday. Instead, he is an international free agent who qualifies for only a limited signing bonus and a minor league contract.

ā€œWe have interest,ā€ Derek Falvey, the Twins' president of baseball operations, said during the winter meetings about Sasaki. ā€œObviously, we just want to understand what heā€™s looking for.ā€

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to sign Sasaki, with the San Diego Padres considered another possibility, but Joel Wolfe, Sasakiā€™s agent, suggested Sasaki could be open to a surprise team.

ā€œI think that thereā€™s an argument to be made that a smaller, midmarket team might be more beneficial for him as a soft landing coming from Japan, given what heā€™s been through and not having an enjoyable experience with the media,ā€ Wolfe said. ā€œI donā€™t know how heā€™s going to view it, but it might be beneficial for him to be in a smaller market.ā€

If the Twins landed a meeting with Sasaki, they are one of the eight teams with the largest international signing bonus pools ($7.56 million) for 2025.
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The Twins have been aggressive in the international prospects - so a glimmer of hope šŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø
 
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