5 key storylines for the Twins this offseason
With the World Series in the books, the hot stove has officially fired up for the Minnesota Twins.
Although the Twins will drop new uniforms this Friday, the most important thought in the minds of fans is how the front office will improve a team that held the lead in the American League Central for a majority of the season but still finished in third place.
A disappointing season leads to a winter of speculation and here are five important storylines to keep an eye on.
1. Will the Twins pay up for Carlos Correa?
The first domino to fall this offseason will be whether the Twins decide to keep Correa.
The Twins were a disappointment in 2022 but Correa lived up to his reputation. Twins executives have praised his presence in the clubhouse and he ranked sixth among MLB shortstops with 5.4 wins above replacement (WAR).
There were also things that didn't go as planned such as Correa's .277/.364/.366 line with one home run with runners in scoring position and the lack of a signature moment as the Twins faded down the stretch.
There's also the success of Jeremy Peña, who succeeded Correa in Houston by finishing 10th among shortstops in WAR (4.8) and won the World Series MVP Award. Although Royce Lewis is recovering from his second ACL tear in the span of 15 months, his early success could persuade the Twins to sign a stopgap and move on.
With Correa's desire to get a contract similar to Corey Seager's 10-year, $325 million deal from last offseason it will be interesting to see if the Twins pay up or decide to use the money to improve other areas of the team.
A report on Tuesday said the Twins are ready to offer Correa the richest contract in team history, but who knows if that'll be enough to convince him to return.
2. Can the Twins find an ace?
The Twins haven't had an ace since Johan Santana was traded but they'll need to find some way to bolster the rotation after declining options on Chris Archer and Dylan Bundy.
This year's free-agent crop includes a one-year mercenary in Justin Verlander but is short on long-term options. Carlos Rodón is the top name on the market but his injury history combined with the lack of top-tier names could price him out of the Twins' range.
Perhaps the best option could be to dive into the trade market where Miami's Pablo Lopez, Milwaukee's Brandon Woodruff or Seattle's Emerson Hancock could be available.
3. How will the Twins fix the bullpen?
The Twins have swung and missed on their bullpen more often than opposing lineups have in recent years and a top priority should be to find arms that can help them close out games.
The bad news is that the reliever market was sent through the roof when the New York Mets signed Edwin Diaz to a five-year, $102 million contract. The Astros followed suit with a three-year, $34.5 million deal for Rafael Montero and the rest of the field could be looking to cash in.
The Twins have been reluctant to spend money on relievers in previous offseasons, but there are some names that make sense. FanGraphs projections suggest Matt Moore ($5 million) and Adam Ottavino ($6 million) can be had on one-year deals and a reunion with Taylor Rogers (two years, $15 million) may not be out of the question.
And then there's the belief that Emilio Pagán and Jorge López can rebound from rough seasons and Jorge Alcala's return from injury could provide another key arm. The Twins can't afford to mess around, however, and need to find a way to strengthen the back end.
4. Will the Twins bolster their lineup?
The Twins have a reputation as an offensive team but last year's lineup put the Bomba Squad in the rearview mirror. Minnesota ranked 17th in runs scored and 13th in home runs, meaning getting more out of the offense should be a priority.
The internal options include a step forward from Jose Miranda (.268/.325/.426, 15 HR, 66 RBI) and a return to health for Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach and Byron Buxton. The Twins could also hope that banning the shift could revitalize Max Kepler but they'll need to make additions to increase their offensive output.
The Twins could seek a cheaper alternative to Gary Sanchez at catcher such as Omar Narvaez or they could sign a veteran outfielder to add some insurance. After last year's signing of Correa, we can't rule out the Twins making a splash, but one way or another they need to piece together a lineup.
5. Will the offseason provide some kind of optimism?
Let's be honest. The Twins are currently buried on the Minnesota sports radar at the moment. Back-to-back disappointing seasons and the dark cloud of 18 straight playoff losses have cast a dark cloud over the franchise. With the firing of trainer Michael Salazaar as the only major change, it's understandable if apathy has set in.
The Twins' front office has expressed confusion over this and even the new uniforms are a hit, it won't change the opinion that they'll be worn by a team toward the bottom of the American League Central standings.
This offseason could be the last chance for President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey and General Manager Thad Levine to get it right and it could be the last chance to energize a fading fan base.
