Oct 29, 2024; New York, New York, USA; MLB commissioner Rob Manfred before game four of the 2024 MLB World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

MLB commissioner Manfred 'confident' sale of Twins will take place soon

Originally posted on Minnesota Twins on SI
By Will Ragatz | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 12:39 PM ET

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred remains confident that the Minnesota Twins will be sold — and presumably soon.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday in Atlanta, Manfred said potential buyers backed off when it became clear that Justin Ishbia was "the leader in the clubhouse," but now that Ishbia is out of the picture, he's "confident that a transaction will take place," per The Minnesota Star Tribune's Phil Miller.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says bidders to buy Twins backed off when it became evident Justin Ishbia was “the leader in the clubhouse,” but now that he’s out, Manfred is “confident that a transaction will take place,” presumably soon.
— Phil Miller (@MillerStrib) July 15, 2025

It's now been nine months since the Pohlad family announced its intention to sell the franchise after 40 years of ownership. That news was greeted warmly by Twins fans, but the sale process has been far from easy or straightforward.

In mid-December, Justin Ishbia and his brother Mat — owner of the Phoenix Suns — emerged as the leading candidates to buy the team. But then, in February, they backed out, with Justin instead increasing his stake in the Chicago White Sox. That news reportedly shocked some Twins officials, who believed they were on track to complete a sale by Opening Day.

Since then, news has been relatively scarce. There was a report from Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press in late May that indicated the Pohlads had dropped their asking price from $1.7 billion to $1.5 billion. Shortly after, Miller reported that buyers had toured Target Field in recent weeks and there were several parties interested in making an offer.

The most recent update, via Walters, is that the Pohlads "have a deal on the table." Manfred's comments would seem to support that idea.

Perhaps we're getting close to the finish line after all.