Twins Face New Trade Dilemma After Trevor Larnach Surgery

With the announcement that Trevor Larnach was undergoing wrist surgery this week, the offseason questions just got bigger for the Minnesota Twins.

Minnesota Twins left fielder Trevor Larnach Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Twins finished the 2026 season with a 77-85 record. That put them in the middle of the American League Central standings, well behind the expectations the team had beginning the year.

That performance highlighted several difficult roster decisions that were going to have to be addressed during the offseason. Now, one of the trade chips that looked to be very valuable on the market has taken a hit.

Minnesota’s general manager, Jeremy Zoll, revealed that outfielder Trevor Larnach is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his left wrist Friday, November 13.

There was already a known issue with Larnach’s wrist, as he finished the season on the injured list due to a wrist sprain. Clearly, the hope was that the wrist would heal with rest, but that didn’t happen.

Zoll described the procedure as a cleanup and said the organization didn’t expect it to affect Larnach’s availability for spring training or the beginning of the 2027 season.

While the Twins may be confident in his return timeline, the new announcement brings up questions about what the team will do with Larnach in the future.

Larnach’s Surgery Could Complicate Twins Trade Plans

Minnesota Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There was already plenty of trade talk swirling around Larnach before the news of the injury surfaced. Now, all of that could be in jeopardy.

The 2026 season was good to the 29-year-old where he batted .269 with a .352 on-base percentage, .436 slugging percentage and 13 home runs over 122 games.

Minnesota was in possession of a valuable left-handed hitter. The trouble was that the organization’s outfield picture was changing, and he didn’t really have a guaranteed spot with regular playing time next year.

That’s what made the trade talk much more realistic.

Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez both reached the Major Leagues in 2026 and made an impression on what they could mean to the team in the future.

Byron Buxton is clearly a significant part of Minnesota’s lineup if he returns healthy and ready to play from his hip surgery.

The Twins already had pressing needs like the pitching staff, and Larnach was a logical trade chip given the somewhat crowded outfield.

Now the Twins are going to have to reassess what the surgery does to Larnach’s value on the market.

Minnesota Still Has Important Decision Coming

Minnesota Twins left fielder Trevor Larnach Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There’s another layer to this complicated situation. Larnach is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility before possibly becoming a free agent after the 2027 season.

That creates another decision for Minnesota.

Larnach is a productive part of the offense, and particularly so against right-handed pitchers. He slashed .284/.365/.454 against righties in the 2026 season.

MLB Trade Rumors projected his salary to be $6.3 million through arbitration. So, does his production justify his salary if he is no longer guaranteed an everyday role? Well, that’s something Minnesota is going to have to address, and maybe sooner than later.

Obviously, they could tender him a contract and then continue to shop the trade possibilities. The decision could also be to keep him to provide insurance while allowing the youngsters to develop.

The surgery doesn’t eliminate any of those options. Literally, everything is still on the table. The injury just complicated something that looked like a pretty simple situation to begin with.