The Twins’ offseason checklist includes finding a right-handed hitting outfielder and a first baseman, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey told reporters (including Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune). In regards to the latter need, Nightengale writes that team still has interest in bringing Carlos Santana back for another stint in the Twin Cities.
Santana signed a one-year, $5.25MM free agent deal with Minnesota last winter, and at age 38 delivered one of the best all-around seasons of his 15-year career. Santana hit .238/.320/.420 with 23 home runs in 594 plate appearances (translating to a 114 wRC+) and displayed outstanding defense at first base, earning him his very first Gold Glove. While his hard-contact numbers remained below average for the second straight year, Santana still made a lot of contact and avoided strikeouts, while drawing his customary large share of walks.
Between these numbers and his off-the-field presence in Minnesota’s clubhouse, it is easy to see why the Twins would want him back. Re-signing Santana for a relatively modest raise also seems feasible, as despite his production, teams are likely to zone in on Santana’s age as a reason to not commit too much money on another one-year deal. There’s also the fact that 2024 was essentially a bounce-back for Santana after he posted a 94 wRC+ and 2.3 combined fWAR over his previous four seasons, so this last year might be viewed as an outlier.
Santana had 3.0 fWAR in 2024, a number topped by only six hitters in this winter’s free agent class. Santana tied Christian Walker with a 3.0 fWAR and both were ahead of Pete Alonso’s 2.1 fWAR, to compare Santana to the two top first-base names. Needless to say, Walker and Alonso will still command much larger contracts than Santana, and Santana’s market might not fully develop until the bigger free agents (and trade targets) have landed on their next teams. The Twins’ pre-existing relationship with Santana could give them an in, but Santana has also drawn interest from the Mariners, another of his former clubs.
Turning to the Twins’ needs on the grass, Minnesota’s ideal right-handed bat would be a corner outfielder, able to complement left-handed hitters Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach. Nightengale suggests that Austin Hays might be a fit, as hitting coach Matt Borgschulte is familiar with Hays from their shared time together with the Orioles.
Seeking out only a platoon bat will limit the price tag on a new acquisition, which again fits for a Minnesota team that doesn’t have much available in payroll space. Technically, the Twins might first have to move some money, as their projected $142.1MM payroll (estimate from RosterResource) is over their $129.6MM payroll from last season, and Falvey has already said that Minnesota will be spending at a similar level in 2025.
I think Santana gets a surprisingly large contract. Hes the guy everyone thinks they can get cheap and get good production from. Some team will offer him a big salary and perhaps multiple years.
Santander would fit so well
Twins should be able to get Santana and Hays for $10-15 million combined. Santander on his own will cost almost twice that
Please do so I can stop hearing that small sect of Yankees fans that wants him. The dude is 39l8, he’s gotta break down at some point!
Twins stocking up for their move to AZ?
That’s not how this works, that’s not how any of this works.
Already one team there that can’t get funding for its stadium.
Everyone’s interested in everyone but my grandmother…
Luis Matos of the Giants would be a great fit for the Twins.
He swung for the fences in 2024 and it hurt his production; 2023 is a better rep of who he is. He’s got power but not quite enough for Pac Bell; he would do great in Minnesota’s park as it’s easier for right handed power. And he’s a pre arb player so he won’t hurt the payroll.
I have no idea on the Twins return but Matos is blocked in SF so may as well flip him for something.
I don’t know how blocked Matos is. The Giants will protect Yaz from lefties and Ramos and Lee will need days off. Plus, players get hurt. It’s not hard to see a path to 350-400 PA foe Matos with the Giants if they keep the status quo. McCray might take some PA away, but not if he keeps striking out at close to a 43% rate.
There are some players whose productivity remains consistent but their salary/valuation goes down year over year despite the consistency.
I feel like Santana has earned himself at least 2 years/$15M.
Personally, i find larnach and wallner redundant in the samr outfield, but minnesota cant afford to replace one. I like the idea of bringing in hayes and/or even carlson and since both have potential upside. Fine with santana, with josh bell as a fall back. Any other money they have (or prospect capital) should go towards the bullpen and rotation depth. I think offensively things could go well enough that the twins can compete, but the pitching will be key.
1 thing id like to see is make dh a split between correa and buxton to try to keep both healthy.
How many walks would he need to make the hof?
All of them.
They probably wouldn’t be looking if Buxton could stay even remotely healthy. That shipped along time ago and won’t be back before the end of his contract.
I bet it’s difficult as millionaires to cut payroll. What a tragedy. It’s even more difficult when one trade piece is an overpaid defense-minded catcher with no plausible backup catcher in sight and the other trade piece is an injury-prone pitcher coming back from TJ surgery.
I’m sure Minnesota was looking to add Juan Soto, too. Probably made him a “competitive offer” but they just couldn’t come to an agreement. No clue what’s going on in the Twins’ front office. Falvey doesn’t seem to have any sense or urgency despite the payroll over expected numbers.
The Mets have Marte for you guys and we’ll pay $10 mil of the contract for a RP
Let the re-signings begin.
I believe this will be Starling Marte’s new home. RH platoon/fill-in at 1B/OF/DH.