Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
The Winter Meetings are taking place this week down in Orlando, Florida. While a Minnesota Twins contingent is present, there shouldn’t be a significant belief that the franchise will be active. Reports have suggested the team intends to build around their stars, but just mild payroll flexibility is disheartening.
When it comes to roster construction, the most glaring issue for Derek Shelton’s team is the bullpen. They don’t have a significant need in the infield, and Jorge Polanco’s ship has sailed in Minnesota. Still, he’s drawing interest and could be nearing a decision soon.
Jorge Polanco looking to parlay postseason success into contract
It has been multiple years since the Minnesota Twins traded Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners. After a disappointing first season, he turned things around in 2025 and showed out during the postseason. Looking for a new deal, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers thinks it’s coming this week.
Free agent second baseman Jorge Polanco, coming off a strong 2025 season with the Seattle Mariners, is expected to sign with a team during the winter meetings.
Last season Polanco played 138 games for the Seattle Mariners. His .265/.326/.495 slash line produced a 134 OPS+ after just a 92 OPS+ in 2024. He continued the strong output in the postseason by launching a pair of dingers off lefty Tarik Skubal.
After completing his contract extension that was signed with the Twins, Polanco re-upped last offseason with the Mariners. He made $7 million and then opted out of a potential deal for 2026.
At 32 years old it seems likely this is the last chance for Polanco to secure a multi-year deal. It likely won’t be too significantly long-term given his injury history, but a two or three year pact isn’t out of the question.
Can Byron Buxton shake things up for the MN Twins?
Beyond just Polanco being a domino that could fall soon, the Winter Meetings are often a place for big moves to happen. Byron Buxton is open to waiving his no trade clause if the MN Twins aren’t going to try and compete. ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle suggested the outfielder as the biggest name to be moved.
The inclusion of Byron Buxton on our trade candidates ranking took me aback, mostly because Buxton has been insistent that he will remain a Twin. It’s surprising that he’s willing to waive his no-trade clause, but Buxton is 31, and the Twins don’t seem all-in on winning. Several leading contenders could use a bump in center field — the Houston Astros and New York Mets jump out as clear fits — and if the Twins are heading down this road, dealing Buxton soon would start those dominoes to fall.
The New York Mets continue to be a suitor mentioned in conjunction with Buxton’s name. They have also been reported to have interest in starter Joe Ryan. Just because the Twins have said publicly they won’t trade their stars, doesn’t mean that anyone behind the scenes will believe them.
It would be jarring to see the end of Buxton’s tenure with the Twins happen this week. Then again, nothing the franchise has done in recent seasons has made sense either.
Mentioned in this article: Byron Buxton Jorge Polanco
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