Three offseason focal points for the Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins were hovering on the periphery of the wild-card hunt. Then, the trade deadline and a complete teardown happened.

The Twins sent virtually anything of value elsewhere, leaving outfielder Byron Buxton and pitcher Joe Ryan as the only two recognizable players on the roster. That teardown reflected in the standings as the Twins plummeted to a 70-92 record, fourth-worst in Major League Baseball. As a result, manager Rocco Baldelli was let go as he became the scapegoat for the team's struggles.

There are plenty of questions surrounding the Twins this offseason as they rebuild once again. Let's take a look at three focal points for the offseason.

Three areas the Minnesota Twins need to focus on during the offseason

1. Bring in owners who want to win

There was one theoretical silver lining to the Twins fire sale — the Pohlad family was looking into selling the team. The belief was that tearing down the roster would make the Twins more attractive to a potential buyer. 

Instead, the Pohlad family announced that the Twins were off the market. However, they are looking to add a pair of minority ownership groups, But the Pohlads would still be the principal owners of the franchise. While the cash infusion is necessary, the Twins need something to push the Pohlads into spending money to contend. Otherwise, this will be another way for an ownership group to line their pockets.

2. Finish the fire sale

The Twins still have a pair of attractive assets despite their fire sale — pitchers Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez. As Lopez was on the injured list due to a strained teres muscle in his right shoulder, the Twins may not have been able to get the type of return they were looking for.

Both pitchers would be more than rentals; Ryan is under team control through 2028 via arbitration and Lopez has two more years left on his four-year, $73.5 million extension. Ryan and Lopez have proved that they can be top-of-the-rotation arms and potential difference-makers. The Twins could get a hefty return by putting Lopez and Ryan on the trade block.

3. Find a manager who can develop the youngsters

As a result of the fire sale, the Twins will have a roster filled with young players for the foreseeable future. Those youngsters will need to continue their development in Minnesota, essentially learning on the fly while adjusting to the rigors of playing in the majors.

The Twins coaching staff will be an important part of that development. Adding a manager with a proven track record of working well with younger players and maximizing their potential should be a priority during the interview process. The Twins may not win much over the next couple of years, but the right manager could set the stage for an eventual return to contention.