The Minnesota Twins plan not to trade key players this winter.
“The Athletic” introduced Minnesota’s trend on the 6th (Korea time), saying, “Fans who expected the Minnesota Twins to recruit star players should probably forget it.”
According to what they said, citing sources, the Twins do not plan to trade the team’s flagship players, including center fielder Byron Buxton, right-hander Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez.
사진 확대 Minnesota has no intention of trading Byron Buxton. 사진=ⓒAFPBBNews = News1
These three are the star of the team. Buxton has a three-year, $45 million contract remaining and has a trade veto against the pro squad through 2026. Lopez has a two-year, $43 million contract remaining. Ryan has two salary adjustments left, and his salary in the 2026 season is expected to be around $5.8 million.
The media reported that Minnesota has been agonizing over its future career for weeks, and as a result, it has chosen to challenge the 2026 district championship competition while protecting its main players.
Minnesota ranked fourth in the American League Central last season with 70 wins and 92 losses. In July, he cleared a large number of players ahead of the trade deadline.
The club’s finances are not very good either. In August, the Pollard family accepted two additional minority shareholders, which is widely viewed as a cash investment to pay off debts amounting to $425 million.
They could have traded high-salary main players to solve their financial problems, but on the contrary, they seem to be conscious of concerns that the trade of main players could further drive the fan base away.
사진 확대 Joe Ryan was named an All-Star last season. 사진=ⓒAFPBBNews = News1
The Athletic said club officials still believe the team is talented enough to compete in the American League Central, one of the weakest districts in the league.
The Twins management, who received a clear position from the owner, now has “a little flexibility” in recruiting players.
Earlier, local media such as “New York Post” and “ESPN” reported that Ryan, who was selected as an All-Star last season, is attracting attention in the trade market.
There are still many major league transfer markets, so the situation can change at any time. The Athletic said teams interested in Buxton, Ryan and Lopez will continue to show interest, and the Twins will listen to the proposal. However, he added, “It will take a tremendous offer to move these three.”
[KIM JAE HO, MK Sports Reporter]