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Feb 15, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey talks with media at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Twins lack 'clarity' in offseason plan, insider says

Originally posted on Minnesota Twins on SI
By Jonathan Harrison | Last updated Dec 4, 2025 3:30 PM ET

The annual MLB winter meetings are set to take place next Monday through Wednesday in Orlando. With just days to go before the biggest gathering of team front offices, which is typically when a lot of deals get worked out, the Twins reportedly are still trying to figure out how they want to approach the offseason.

Speaking on the Thursday edition of Foul Territory, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal said the Twins "are a mystery" because the organization doesn't have a clear direction so far this winter.

"There is not clarity yet on how they are going to operate this offseason," Rosenthal said. "And when I say there's not clarity, I don't mean not clarity coming to reporters about their plans. I mean clarity within their own organization. I don't know that they know what they're going to do. They're working through it. What I was told this week is that they'll have clarity by the winter meetings. OK. It's probably a good idea to have clarity by the winter meetings."

No pressure guys. The regular season only ended 67 days ago. The Twins were only mathematically eliminated from playoff contention 82 days ago.

Minnesota's bungled ownership sale — and the addition of new minority investors, who are still unknown — appears to be hampering how the front office is able to operate. Not that that absolves Derek Falvey and Co. of all of the blame for the epic collapses this team has produced over the past two seasons.

"It seems to me that there are factions in the Twins organization that want to start building the team back up again. Good idea since you've alienated your fan base. And then there are ownership questions. They just took on the two new investors. How much are they going to spend? All of that," continued Rosenthal.

The Twins shipped off 10 major league players at the trade deadline in July in an unprecedented fire sale. After Rocco Baldelli was left holding the bag, Minnesota's front office brought in Derek Shelton as an uninspiring choice to lead whatever this next evolution of the Twins will look like. And that's the biggest question hanging over the franchise with the winter meetings a little over 96 hours away now: What are the Twins going to do with the few star players still on the roster?

Righty Joe Ryan is coming off a career year in which he was a hot name at the trade deadline. He's re-emerged as a potential trade candidate this winter. Fellow ace Pablo Lopez has also been frequently bandied about as a potential trade target for teams this offseason.

Then there's the Byron Buxton saga. The 31-year-old center fielder repeatedly turned away trade talk this summer, saying he wanted to stay with Minnesota for the entirety of his career. Then, in November, The Athletic's Dan Hayes reported that Buxton would consider waiving his no-trade clause to go to a contender if the Twins are going to continue on the tear-it-down path.

"So, the question then becomes ... where are they going to go? Which way are they going to go? I don't necessarily expect them to trade (Joe) Ryan, (Byron Buxton), maybe Pablo Lopez," continued Rosenthal.

If the factions that want to start building the team back up win out over the next four days, it's probably likely two or even all three of those guys are on the Twins' roster come Spring Training. However, if the side that wants to continue shedding payroll to help with the organization's debt wins out, then it's likely a different picture when the Twins return to Target Field in the spring.

"But to keep going backwards, if they do that, then yes, Ryan becomes available. Buxton becomes available," said Rosenthal. "They're probably more valuable separately than they would be (packaged) together."