The Minnesota Twins are no longer for sale, executive chair Joe Pohlad announced Wednesday on behalf of his family. And Wednesday's news that the Pohlad family will retain ownership of the team may strike another nerve with fans, already reeling from a trade deadline sell-off that all but gives up on the 2025 season, and a disappointing 2024 where it seemed the team was cutting corners despite on-field success.
After winning their first playoff series in 21 years in 2023, ownership announced they were cutting payroll by $30 million. Then, just a couple weeks ago, they gutted the roster by 40% at the MLB trade deadline. Some moves may have made sense, with contracts coming due, and some big dollars for players that you can at least make an argument didn't deliver on.
Does that mean the Twins will conduct team business in much the same way going forward? Joe Pohlad addressed as much in the statement they sent out Wednesday morning.
“We see and hear the passion from our partners, the community, and Twins fans. That passion inspires us," Pohlad said. "This ownership group is committed to building a winning team and culture for this region, one that Twins fans are proud to cheer for.”
But it's clear from fan reaction they aren't buying it - yet at least. Comments made to the Minnesota Star Tribune also poke a hole in ownership's commitment to building a winning team through spending money.
The Pohlad family is reportedly $400 million underwater on the franchise, according to a March report in The Athletic. The COVID-19 pandemic didn't help. Major issues with television distribution and the money associated with that didn't help. Joe Pohlad confirmed that "investments in fan experiences" at Target Field also contributed.
Adding two more limited partners and that money as part of the announcement they're keeping the team conceivably could help, and Pohlad also acknowledged that the new investors come with a plan to pay down that debt.
That doesn't bode well for spending more on players, and the dumping of salaries in July pushed a narrative to the forefront: money trumps winning right now.
Whether that is true, or not, only time will tell. But Bob Nightengale, a former Twins beat writer and now a baseball insider for USA Today, believes similar player moves may occur this offseason. Nightengale believes the Twins will listen to offers and "baseball people" are already planning on it.
"I do think people in baseball think that, (Joe) Ryan and (Pablo) Lopez will be gone as well," says Nightengale. "If they do that, you know, that just adds to the fire as far as Twins fans being upset. I thought, you know, once the Pohlad's sold, they would have an increase in sales just because I think people want new ownership. So this won't go over well at all."
Nightengale says there are other players to watch too, including catcher Ryan Jeffers, and yes, even Byron Buxton, even though Buxton has a full no-trade clause and has said he isn't "going anywhere." Carlos Correa also had a no-trade clause but waived it in order to be sent back to Houston.
"Byron Buxton is from the Atlanta area," says Nightengale. "I'm sure if Atlanta came, or the Twins came over and said, 'would you waive it for Atlanta?' It'd be hard for him to say no to something like that. So at least he's in complete control of what he wants to do."
“I don’t think we could have imagined a better outcome than where we landed."
That was what Joe Pohlad told the Minnesota Star Tribune on Wednesay. Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse, speaking to WCCO's Chad Hartman, said he doesn't buy it.
"You know, Joe, I've been at this a long time, and owners don't always tell the truth," said Reusse. "But, this is a problem. The lie detector would have went through the roof on this son of a gun. So I don't think he ever wanted to sell."
Reusse added that this could rank up there as one of the more unpopular decisions in Minnesota sports history.
The Twins began the season ranked 17th in player payroll at a little more than $142.8 million, but their trading spree last month lopped about $26 million from that figure.
Trading Correa to the Houston Astros was a pure salary dump that reunited the three-time All-Star with his original team. The Astros inherited $70 million of the more than $103 million that remained on his contract. The Twins received minor league relief pitcher in return, Matt Mikulski, a 26-year old that has only made it as far as High-A ball in the Astros system.
Financial analysis earlier this year by Forbes valued the franchise at $1.5 billion, ranked 23rd in MLB. Sportico ($1.7 billion) and CNBC ($1.65 billion) pegged them higher.
Carl Pohlad, a banking magnate and the late grandfather of Joe Pohlad, purchased the Twins in 1984 for $44 million.