After Max Kepler struck out to end the Twins’ 2023 season in Game 4 of the ALDS, Minnesota went silent for months.
Until recent weeks, it looked like Derek Falvey, Thad Levine and the rest of the Twins’ brass had left their phones on Do Not Disturb. But just like so many past offseasons in this regime, Minnesota turned up the heat just a bit in January, making a few small signings and trades.
If you need to catch up on the offseason, here are the Twins’ most notable moves ranked from best to worst:
1. Joe Mauer, Hall of Famer
Ok, this isn’t exactly an offseason move. But I was nearly moved to tears when Mauer, my favorite athlete of all time who inspired me to wear sideburns for about a decade too long, was announced as one of three members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Mauer is not only a Hall of Famer. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
One of the biggest motivations to starting this newsletter and blog — besides the fact that I missed reading Jake Schultz’s ramblings every week — was to defend Mauer’s Hall of Fame case against the haters. Yeah, I see all of you in the Instagram comments.
But guess what? Now I don’t have to go to war in the message boards against TwinsFan1972 from Lakeville. I can just enjoy his induction speech this summer, wearing my Joe Mauer sideburns promotional giveaway from 2008.
2. Trading Jorge Polanco
It wasn’t easy bidding farewell to Polanco, who along with outfielder Max Kepler was the longest-tenured player in the Twins organization. Signed as an international free agent as a teenager in 2009, Polanco debuted in 2014 and spent every year of his 20s playing all over the field for the Twins.
But with one year left on his contract and a $12 million option for 2025, the Twins sent Polanco to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani, reliever Justin Topa, outfield prospect Gabriel Gonzalez and minor league pitcher Darren Bowen.
Moving Polanco made a lot of sense. The Twins are stacked with infield depth, especially with top prospect Brooks Lee appearing ready for the big leagues any month now.
Trading Polanco for four players — a No. 5 starter (DeSclafani), an intriguing bullpen arm (Topa), a top-100 global prospect (Gonzalez) and another minor league arm (Bowen) — is incredible value.
Falvey and Levine cooked here.
3. Hiring Cory Provus
It’s going to be strange not hearing longtime Twins play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer on the Opening Day broadcast. We’ll miss “Richard,” as LaTroy Hawkins calls him. But if anyone can fill in those shoes it’s Provus, the voice of Twins radio since 2012.
You’ve probably also heard him call plenty of Minnesota-Iowa punts during football broadcasts on the Big Ten Network.
4. Announcing City Connect uniforms
Jake and I have been begging for the Twins to land City Connect uniforms since MLB introduced them to seven teams in 2021.
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There are some really great City Connect jerseys (hello, Nats) and some just awful concepts (looking at you, Rangers). Keep your eyes peeled for a What You Know article pitching jersey ideas to the Twins. We just need to dig up a few email addresses on the marketing team.
5. Goodbye, Emilio Pagan
Look, Pagan’s numbers last season were fine. Even good, perhaps: 2.99 ERA, 3.27 FIP and a career-best 0.6 homers allowed per nine innings. Then why was I nervously texting Jake every time Pagan trotted to the mound with a 4-2 lead?
Maybe it was PTSD from 2022. Maybe it was something else. But I wasn’t too bummed when Pagan signed a two-year contract with the Reds in December.
6. Signing Carlos Santana
Bringing in Santana, a 37-year-old switch-hitter who haunted the Twins for a decade in Cleveland, definitely fills a need. Santana will get plenty of work at designated hitter and platoon with Alex Kirilloff, who struggles against lefties, at first base.
But what can we expect from Santana? He posted a 103 OPS+ last season (reminder: 100 OPS+ is the league average) with 23 homers. That’s solid.
Santana should be just fine. But that’s all this move was: Fine. Let’s not expect 2019 Nelson Cruz production from Santana.
7. New contract with Bally Sports
Last and certainly least, the television rights situation.
I was fortunate enough to work at Bally Sports North (previously FSN) for the first five years of my career. I loved that place and everyone who works there. So when Bally Sports North and the Twins announced they agreed to a one-year extension for the club’s television rights, I was incredibly happy for my talented former co-workers.
However, there is one big issue. Once again, many Twins fans won’t be able to watch their favorite team due to outdated blackout rules. The only way local fans can watch in-market games is through cable or streaming via DirecTV, Fubo or the Bally Sports app, which crashes more often than Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson at weddings.
Also, if any of my former colleagues at Bally Sports are reading this, can we please change that hideous scorebug? I am begging you.
Honorable mention: The other moves
Let’s get you completely caught up.
Sonny Gray signed with the Cardinals. Kenta Maeda is a Tiger, and Joey Gallo is a National. Michael A. Taylor and Donovan Solano remain free agents.
The Twins also signed a pair of right-handed relievers in Jay Jackson and Josh Staumont, and traded utilityman Nick Gordon to the Marlins for left-hander Steven Okert.
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