Rosenthal Sees 'Sellers' While Pohlad Plans to Contend: What’s Next for the Twins?

The loss of ace Pablo Lopez has seemingly reignited the question of whether the Twins are in a mood to trade key players before the regular season begins on March 26.

Lopez suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow during his first live session of spring training last week. He has since been ruled out for the season and will undergo Tommy John surgery. That led to MLB Network's Ken Rosenthal being asked whether he thinks Lopez's injury will change the team's mindset about potentially trading Byron Buxton or Joe Ryan before the season begins.

"I would expect the Twins are going to be sellers, but not just yet," Rosenthal said Monday onFair Territory.

"Certainly with losing Pablo Lopez, the team is not as competitive as it might have expected," continued Rosenthal. "But their new ownership — or I should say their shift in control people, to a different Pohlad — he's talking like they want to compete and he keeps saying that, and he keeps coming out saying, 'We intend to be competitive in the AL Central.' So, I don't expect a trade of either of those players, Ryan or Buxton, to happen this spring."

Since last year's trade deadline, Buxton and Ryan have been discussed in potential trades. Despite trading away 10 core players from the major league roster in the days and hours leading up to the deadline last July, both Ryan and Buxton stayed in Minnesota. Those rumors picked up again during the offseason, though no movement ever came to fruition.

Ryan told The Athletic's Dan Hayes earlier in February that after the team decided against trading Lopez or Buxton, he was "really happy" to be back in Minnesota. Buxton has always stated his desire to be in Minnesota, brushing off trade rumors last July. But when asked about the constant rumors this offseason, he expressed displeasure that nobody from the organization shut them down.

“All it takes is for somebody at the top to go to the media: ‘We’re not trading you.' Trade rumors stop," Buxton said last week.

In the months since he took over as the controlling owner of the Twins, Tom Pohlad has been adamant that he wants them to compete and that he's not interested in selling assets. How much is that stance now tested with the team's ace being lost for the season?

"Could it happen down the line, by the deadline? Certainly could happen if the Twins don't contend," Rosenthal reasoned. "And I'm still having a hard time seeing how they will contend. Now, they're in the forgiving AL Central. That will help. But the Tigers should be really good. The Guardians always seem to figure it out. The White Sox are improving. And the Royals, they see themselves as a contender as well."

If 2026 gets off to a rough start for the Twins, as many expect, Ryan and Buxton will undoubtedly be headlining trade rumors again.