Top MN Twins Salary Next Season Won’t Play for Team

The Major League Baseball postseason continues to rage on. Of course the Minnesota Twins season ended nearly two weeks ago, and any chance they had at October baseball ended in July when they parted out nearly 40% of the roster.

After their most successful postseason run in decades, the Twins slashed payroll by roughly $30 million. Ownership hasn’t spent more significantly since that 2023 season, and 2026 should check in with one of the lowest payrolls since Target Field opened.

Because the Pohlads have become synonymous with bad business decisions, it seems fitting that their most expensive asset next season may not even be on the roster.

Carlos Correa dead money to haunt Minnesota Twins

It’s possible that the Minnesota Twins trade both Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan this offseason. In fact, after the Pohlads ordered a salary dump at the deadline, it’s almost likely. Lopez is set to make $21.5 million, with Joe Ryan projected for $5.8 million in arbitration. Both of those deals are team-friendly, but not to an ownership group looking to dial back further.

Despite his adamant claims that he wants to remain in Minnesota, those sort of moves would have to test the resolve of Byron Buxton. He has a no trade clause, but the franchise not intending to win could change his willingness to uphold that. If his $15 million deal is moved, then Carlos Correa becomes the bad guy once again.

Was it worth eating $33 million to save $71 million? It could be, if the Twins actually reinvest the $20 million they saved in each of the next three years. But if that money isn’t reinvested above and beyond what they would have spent anyway, then all the trade accomplished was not rostering Correa.

And here’s a sad hypothetical to consider: Will the $10 million Correa blank space end up being the Twins’ third-highest “salary” on the 2026 payroll? It sure seems likely. In fact, if they were to trade López, the blank space could be the second-highest salary after Buxton.

Aaron Gleeman – The Athletic

As The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman points out, dumping Correa’s salary is only a good thing if the Pohlads reinvest it. That they saved future dollars shouldn’t matter to fans, and seeing the team pay $10 million for no one and have that be one of the most significant salary commitments would be disappointing.

It really doesn’t matter that Correa was bad (.704 OPS) and took the first chance he could to leave. It matters that Minnesota’s ownership would decide that doing nothing to replace, or better his production, is an ok outcome.

Correa’s contract becomes measuring stick for MN Twins

By adding up all of the Twins assumed salary commitments for 2026, Gleeman cam up with a figure in the mid-to-upper $80 million range. If that’s where they wind up, they won’t have signed a single free agent for more or anything close to the $10 million they’ll send to the Astros for Correa.

A payroll below $90 million would be third-lowest in Target Field history. The new stadium was supposed to bring an increased willingness to spend, but that has largely been non-existent. Accounting for inflation, the Pohlads have been closer to Metrodome-level outlays more often than they haven’t.

Right now the Twins have the 22nd-lowest salary commitments for 2026. There’s not much reason for them to spend $120 million just to add some depth fodder. Either they actually try and push spending back closer to 2023, or everyone on the roster becomes expendable and the final receipt is laughable.

You can probably assume which way seems more likely at the moment.