xpected to decline the offer and test free agency.
The Twins will also have to make decisions on several arbitration-eligible players, including Miguel Sanó, Taylor Rogers, and Mitch Garver, which could further impact their payroll.
Despite the financial constraints, Falvey remains optimistic about the team’s ability to compete.
“We have a talented core in place, and we believe in the players we have,” Falvey said. “We’ll continue to explore ways to improve the roster and put ourselves in the best position to win.”
a multi-year deal. If Gray declines the offer, the Twins will receive draft pick compensation if he signs with another team.
Overall, the Twins will have less payroll flexibility this offseason compared to previous years. They have already committed a significant amount of money to their current roster, and with the loss of their TV contract, they will need to be more strategic in their spending. While there isn’t a set budget number, it is expected to be lower than last year’s record payroll.
Instead of making major additions, the Twins are more likely to focus on finding complementary players to fill out their roster. They may also explore trade options, with players like Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco generating interest.
The Twins did extend a qualifying offer to Sonny Gray, but it is expected that he will decline and seek a multi-year deal in free agency. If Gray signs with another team, the Twins will receive draft pick compensation.
Overall, the Twins will need to be creative and strategic in their offseason moves due to their limited payroll flexibility.The Twins are facing a more challenging offseason in terms of roster construction due to a lack of payroll flexibility. In the 2023 season, the team had a record payroll of over $156 million, but it is expected to decrease in the upcoming season. The Twins no longer have a TV contract that brought in significant revenue, which will impact their ability to make major additions to the roster.
Twins’ President of Baseball Operations, Derek Falvey, acknowledged the financial constraints and stated that the payroll will likely be lower than the previous year. While there isn’t a set budget number, the team is more likely to focus on acquiring complementary players rather than making splashy free-agent signings.
Currently, the Twins have approximately $125 million committed to next year’s roster, with significant salaries tied to players like Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, and Christian Vázquez. Kepler and Polanco, in particular, could generate interest in trade talks.
It’s important to note that the current payroll figure does not include the one-year, $20.325 million qualifying offer extended to Sonny Gray, which he is expected to decline in search of a larger contract on the free-agent market.
Falvey emphasized that while the team has invested heavily in recent years, they have to recognize the limitations of carrying a large number of high-dollar players. Therefore, the Twins will need to be strategic in their roster construction and make the most of their available resources.e high-dollar players, so we have to be mindful of that as we build out the rest of the roster.”
One reason why a more complete roster is more important this year, particularly compared with some recent winters, is the Twins won’t have the same level of payroll flexibility to make major additions to their roster.
The Twins carried a club-record payroll above $156 million during the 2023 season, ranking around league average according to FanGraphs, and all indications are the payroll will drop. They no longer have a TV contract with Diamond Sports Group, the parent company of Bally Sports North, which netted the team $54.8 million this year.
“We’ve pushed our payroll to heights that we had never pushed it before with the support, certainly, of ownership. We know there is some natural ebb and flow to that,” Falvey said Tuesday from the annual General Managers Meetings. “Will it be where it was last year? I don’t expect that. I expect it less than that.”
Falvey emphasized there isn’t a set number in the budget because it can evolve throughout an offseason — Carlos Correa’s availability changed some plans two years ago — but the Twins appear more likely to search for complementary players than any dives for a splashy free-agent signing.
The Twins already have about $125 million committed toward next year’s roster, which could be near the top of their preferred range. They have salaries of at least $10 million tied into Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler and Christian Vázquez. Kepler, a free agent after the 2024 season, and Polanco, from a surplus area on the roster, will generate interest in trade talks.
The current payroll figure doesn’t include the one-year, $20.325 million qualifying offer the Twins extended to Sonny Gray on Monday, a formality for top free agents. Gray, a finalist for the American League Cy Young award, is expected to decline the qualifying offer by Nov. 14 in search of a larger contract on the free-agent market.
“We’ve really pushed our payroll in the last couple of years to levels that certainly the Twins haven’t seen before and, ultimately, invested heavily,” Falvey told the Star Tribune. “But when you look at our team right now, we have some big-dollar players already on it. Teams don’t always carry unlimited numbers of the high-dollar players, so we have to be mindful of that as we build out the rest of the roster.”
“>The Twins will also have to address their pitching staff, as they have several key arms hitting free agency, including Michael Pineda, J.A. Happ, and Hansel Robles. Falvey acknowledged that pitching will be a priority for the team this offseason.
Despite the payroll constraints, Falvey remains optimistic about the team’s ability to compete. He pointed to the success of smaller-market teams like the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics as examples of how a well-constructed roster can still be competitive.
“We have to be creative and find ways to maximize the resources we have,” Falvey said. “We’ve done that in the past, and we’ll continue to do that moving forward.”
The Twins finished the 2023 season with a record of 85-77, missing out on the playoffs. They will look to improve their roster this offseason in hopes of returning to postseason contention in 2024.