Related: FuboTV Price, Plans and Bundles: Is It the Right Choice for Minnesota Sports Fans?

Seattle Mariners make Jorge Polanco a free agent

Last offseason Derek Falvey dealt Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners in a move that was necessitated by a limited payroll. Ownership dropped the overall outlay by $30 million, and Polanco became a expendable commodity that was turned into a reallocation of assets. Of course that trade went belly up for everyone, but he isn’t sticking around with the Mariners either.

Jorge Polanco’s $12 million club option for 2025 has been declined by the Mariners, the team just announced. He will receive a $750,000 buyout and becomes a free agent.

Also, Luis Urías cleared waivers and has elected free agency.

— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) November 1, 2024

Seriously, look at this cursed Twins-Mariners trade:

– Jorge Polanco: 93 OPS+, option declined
– Anthony DeSclafani: Surgery, didn't pitch
– Justin Topa: Knee injury, 2 1/3 innings
– Darren Bowen: 6.07 ERA at High-A
– Gabriel Gonzalez: .706 OPS at High-Ahttps://t.co/vPijYHcfR5

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) November 1, 2024

It is possible there was an acclimation process for Polanco, and he simply didn’t settle in with a new team. That said, he’s not getting any younger and did again undergo a surgery to his knee. Issues with his lower body have kept his games played below 118 per season for each of the past three years. It will be fascinating to see what sort of a deal the 31-year-old lands in his first experience with free agency.

Related: Juan Soto… You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance for the Minnesota Twins?

Polanco’s 93 OPS+ wasn’t horrific, but he’s not a plus-defender. It’s probably best he seeks out a one-year deal with an option to make it a bit longer.

Minnesota Twins decline multiple options as well

There was a level of uncertainty regarding what the Mariners would ultimately do with Polanco. There was no uncertainty when it came to the team options Minnesota had on both Manuel Margot and Kyle Farmer. Each were declined as was expected.

Last season the Twins over-extended themselves when giving Farmer a bloated $6.3 million in arbitration. He has been a key part of the clubhouse, but it seemed that the open market dictated a deal that would have been half that amount at best. He struggled mightily throughout much of the season and finished with just an 82 OPS+. At least we’ll always have this fun home run.

Kyle Farmer inside the park HR, yes really pic.twitter.com/9PfDcJJz0F

— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) August 16, 2024

Related: Minnesota Twins OF/1B Alex Kirilloff is Retiring

The Twins needed Byron Buxton insurance in the outfield and opted for Margot as the answer. It was a defendable acquisition that almost immediately went belly-up. He proved to be a bad defender, posted a career-worst 76 OPS+, and goes down as the worst pinch hitter of all-time. Thankfully his $2 million buyout is paid by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Related: 4 Surprising Minnesota Twins Non-Tender Candidates

The next order of business for Minnesota is to place Rule 5 Draft eligible prospects on the 40 man roster. With a payroll destined for $130 million again, Falvey will need to get creative if the Twins are going to improve.

Rocco Baldelli has a decent group of regulars penciled in, but he’ll need to be ok with some of them being jettisoned to acquire additional talent. Rather than just trading players at their floor value for financial reasons, Minnesota must be open to capitalizing on youth as well. Jose Miranda is a key component when looking at that plan.

The Minnesota Twins could move Jose Miranda

The Minnesota Twins selected Jose Miranda in the second round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft out of Puerto Rico. The first round pick that year was Plum High School product Alex Kirilloff. It has been a slow burn for Miranda, but he produced a 112 OPS+ last season. That doesn’t deter Star Tribune beat writer Phil Miller from suggesting he could be moved this offseason.

“His reverse-split ability to hit righthanders keeps him intriguing; Twins figure to see if potential trade partners agree.”

Phil Miller on Jose Miranda for 2025 (Star Tribune)

jose miranda on fastballs in the upper third

2022
.186/.307/.430 22% k%

2023
.132/.175/.237 35% k%

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰
.𝟯𝟯𝟯/.𝟯𝟳𝟱/.𝟴𝟲𝟳 𝟲% 𝗸%pic.twitter.com/XD15HTbsKc

— parker hageman (@HagemanParker) June 2, 2024

The reality is that Miranda plays a pair of positions that Minnesota could make redundant. He has shown to be better defensively at the hot corner than Royce Lewis. He leaves something to be desired at first base, but Carlos Santana likely won’t be back. If Minnesota feels they can get multiple players of need this offseason for him, then Miranda becomes a logical flip.

Related: Ranking: 10 Most Likely Minnesota Twins to be Traded This Offseason

Miranda playing third base is still his most logical outcome, but there will be ripple effects across the Twins rosters. The front office and big league staff will need to reach a conclusion as to how to handle those.

Kyle Farmer could help Minnesota Twins and Jose Miranda

Last season the Minnesota Twins over-extended Kyle Farmer. They wanted him back as a versatile player that provided a substantial clubhouse presence. Instead they got a 32-year-old with an 92 OPS+. Everything that could go bad for Farmer did. That doesn’t change the reality he would like to be back says Miller.

The @Twins Rally Sausage has RETURNED thanks to Kyle Farmer 😮 pic.twitter.com/kS8nuVv50F

— MLB (@MLB) September 11, 2024

“Likely has to take a hefty pay cut to $6.3 million salary to stay. Well, unless he wants a coaching job.”

Phil Miller on Kyle Farmer (Star Tribune)

There’s definitely a world in which Farmer taking a pay cut makes him a more desirable asset than Gold Glove finalist Willi Castro on an arbitration increase. If the Twins are seeking someone with a veteran presence simply to round of the roster, they have more negotiating power with Farmer.

Related: Minnesota Twins May Add a Gardenhire to Their Coaching Staff

Ultimately though, Farmer seems unlikely to be retained from a playing perspective, and it remains to be seen how much weight the coaching aspect holds. For now, the Twins have a few vacancies they must fill on the big league staff.

Kyle Farmer is thankful for the Minnesota Twins

Over the offseason the Minnesota Twins offered Kyle Farmer a $6.3 million contract to avoid arbitration. He is a glue guy in the clubhouse, and his versatility makes him valuable. The market wound up showing that the number was an overpay. It looked worse when he didn’t perform. The eight-year veteran understands all of that.

Kyle Farmer, on starting to pick things up with the bat:

"I'm just thankful they've kept me around and kept giving me shots. … You look at all the guys who were getting DFA'd around the league, and I'm not going to lie, yeah, I've thought about it a few times."

— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) September 11, 2024

Farmer has remained a constant for the Twins. Although his play faltered, he has always shown up. He is always available, always healthy, and always willing. Farmer even played first base for just the 33rd time in his career last week when Carlos Santana became ill.

While talking with a Twins coach last season, it was Farmer’s name suggested as a missing piece from 2022. Someone that teammates could rally around, and a pro that kept others upbeat, was missing for that 78-84 squad.

Per @DWolfsonKSTP on his Scoops podcast today, the #MNTwins never considered DFA'ing Kyle Farmer to make room for Lewis.

That absolutely follows how they have always operated.

— Ted (@tlschwerz) June 4, 2024

Related: The Minnesota Twins Rally Sausage is Back…and It Brought Offense

It seems unlikely that a team cutting payroll will have room for Farmer next season. For now though, he continues to provide the level of value the franchise has come to expect.

Minnesota Twins experience Kyle Farmer resurgence

For the vast majority of his career Kyle Farmer has been a slightly-below league-average hitter. He is a versatile defender that gets run for being a good guy as well. That hadn’t been the case for the Minnesota Twins this season. 63 games in he owned a .189 average and .557 OPS. A trip to the injured list ensued and Farmer returned on August 9th.

Kyle Farmer motors all the way around the bases 😤 pic.twitter.com/oq8q5rNHr5

— MLB (@MLB) August 16, 2024

Over 28 games during the second half Farmer has been among the Twins best hitters. He owns a .277/.308/.638 slash line. His five home runs have all come in that period. Maybe none of them were larger than the rally sausage-aided three-run blast on Tuesday night. Royce Lewis has slumped. Carlos Correa is on the injured list. Farmer has been called upon for infield duty consistently, and he has gotten the job done.

Farmer’s second-half slugging percentage is almost 100 points higher than his OPS was during the first 63 games this season. His ability to drive the baseball has been on full display and it has come when the Twins have needed him most.

Related: Pablo Lopez Perfectly Explains What the Rally Sausage Means to Twins

From being hit in the face by a pitch, to introducing the rally sausage, Kyle Farmer has seen it all with the Twins. The pairing has been one of commitment to each other, and it’s paying off.

Rally Sausage fuels Minnesota Twins explosion

Cloverdale foods presented Kyle Farmer a meat package for doing a partnership with the North Dakota based company last year. Among the offerings was an Original Tangy Summer Sausage. That meat morsel made it’s way into the Twins dugout earlier this year and sparked a necessary 12-game winning streak. The sausage seemed to have run it’s course. A Prince home run celebration was a worthy replacement. Now it’s back with a vengeance.

It’s the SAUSAGE! pic.twitter.com/ul0c3KGRC9

— Ted (@tlschwerz) September 11, 2024

In more than just a coincidence, the Twins brought back the rally sausage and Kyle Farmer went yard in his first at bat. The Twins infielder hit his fifth home run of the season, and all of them have come in the second half. “Unprofessional baseball” didn’t hit home after Minnesota lost again on Monday. Still seeking a change, an unofficial mascot is next in line.

The sausage has been through the ringer since previously appearing in the dugout. No longer a member of an edible food group, it has taken on a different form. MLB beat writer Do Hyoung Park is not willing to hold it in the same regard at this point.

The rally sausage looked about as absolutely foul, rank and disgusting as you'd expect, and I'm so glad they have extra wrapping around it.

It was my first time actually seeing it in person and it was just tucked under a plastic cover in a small cardboard box. God help us all. https://t.co/zRHkhbMKPs

— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) September 11, 2024

The staying power of the rally sausage in round two is up for debate. Matt Wallner felt it’s power for the first time on Tuesday. He has been among the Twins best players since rejoining the big league club.

Four hundred forty four feet for Matthew John Wallner, who looked like he sniffed the sausage when he got to the dugout

Where were you when rancid meat saved the 2024 Minnesota Twins season pic.twitter.com/EDLWsq6toc

— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) September 11, 2024

The Minnesota Twins needed a refreshing feeling to take over the dugout. It’s odd that it seems to have come from something so foul, but it really doesn’t matter at this point. Royce Lewis never got to experience the rally sausage either, and his recent skid could potentially be halted by feeling its healing powers.

Related: Checking in on Minnesota Twins Plummeting Playoff Odds…

Minnesota is in line to get back Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa soon. It remains to be seen if their presence will trump that of the almighty meat. Whatever helps propel them into October is welcomed.

Kyle Farmer back… Brooks Lee off the Minnesota Twins active roster

Brooks Lee, according to multiple reports, is no longer on the Twins’ 26-man active roster, meaning he is likely the corresponding move to Farmer’s activation. According to Bobby Nightengale (Star Tribune), he is going on the injured list.

Kyle Farmer is on the active #MNTwins roster and in the starting lineup. Brooks Lee is not. No word yet on move.

Pitcher Scott Blewett has been added to the bullpen as well.

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) August 9, 2024

Entering this weekend series, the 23-year-old‘s batting average is down to .253, his OPS a disappointing .642 (81 OPS+). Lee has dealt with back issues all season, and he was not in the lineup for Minnesota’s last two games of their series in Chicago.

Brooks has suggested that his back issues could cause problems throughout his career. Or, at the least, for the foreseeable future. In more bad news, Twins No. 2 starter Joe Ryan is going on the injured list and his stay won’t be a short one.

Joe Ryan tricep injury now a grade two strain; Scott Blewett added to bullpen

The tricep injury that he and the Twins thought was minor, has turned out to be a grade two strain, meaning he will be out for weeks/months, putting his availability for the playoffs in question.

Joe Ryan has a grade 2 teres major strain. He’s down for a considerable period.

Brooks Lee is headed to the IL too. #MNTwins

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) August 9, 2024

The Twins also have a new pitcher coming to their bullpen. Scott Blewett is a 28-year-old reliever with only 8 total innings of big league experience. Also of note, he hasn’t pitched on an MLB mound since 2021, with the Kansas City Royals.

In his 8 career innings, Blewett has a 3.83 ERA and 147 ERA+ and 1.875 WHIP. Blewett has been a consistent option out of the bullpen for the St. Paul Saints all season. I don’t know if anyone has told him… but that’s a brutal last name to have for a relief pitcher.

Scott Blewett is back in the big leagues for the first time since 2021 with the #KCRoyals.

He has a 3.66 ERA with 52 K in 51.2 IP for the @StPaulSaints this year.

— Ted (@tlschwerz) August 9, 2024

Audra Martin (Bally Sports North), who sang God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch recently, is reporting that reliever Brock Stewart will have season-ending arthroscopic surgery to repair his shoulder. Frustrating end to a frustrating season for the 32-year-old righty, who had such high hopes entering the summer.

It’s true that Farmer’s bat has fallen off the face of the earth after a strong debut Twins season, where he finished with a respectable OPS+ of 100. Now Farmer’s OPS+ has cratered to a career-worst 50, far below average.

While Farmer has received limited opportunities (97 plate appearances), he currently holds a batting average of just .165 entering the Twins game today. He has just 14 hits this season, the fewest on the Twins roster.

Yet, while it may seem like Farmer has suddenly developed a phobia for hitting, believe it or not, he’s far more afraid of Chewbacca, and we have the video to prove it.

Related: Twins Will Reportedly Buy Before MLB Trade Deadline, Well… Maybe Just Rent

Kyle Farmer’s reaction to Minnesota Twins Star Wars night is a gem

Friday was Star Wars night at Target Field as the Twins hosted the Texas Rangers and snuck away with a 3-2 win. But before the Twins could emerge victorious, the players got a sneak peek at some of the Star Wars characters in costumes.

While several reactions were noteworthy, including Jhoan Duran’s, none stood out more than Kyle Farmer, who looked like he needed diapers after this exchange with a Bailey Ober-sized Chewbacca.

Kyle may never recover from Star Wars night from 2024 pic.twitter.com/IxDGF5LSNk

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) May 25, 2024

We also couldn’t help but notice how chill Steven Okert was, who admittedly “didn’t see that coming,” yet the Twins lefty reliever was unphased. Farmer knew what was coming and he still lost it.

Credit to the Twins social media team for providing fans with some great content, but Farmer probably wishes MLB would just give up on the Star Wars nights already; his heart can’t take any more.

Related: Why MLB Hasn’t Equipped Umpires with PitchCom Like Carlos Correa Wants

Related: What are the Minnesota Twins Waiting For?

Outside of signing relief pitcher, Josh Staumont, the Twins have done pretty next to nothing for the last couple months. At the start of the MLB offseason, we were told by president of baseball operations, Derek Falvey, that he’d be shopping veterans like Jorge Polanco (2B), Max Kepler (RF) and Kyle Farmer (IF), all of whom play positions that have exciting young talents ready for big league roles.

Will Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler and Kyle Farmer be at Spring Training?

But it doesn’t seem like Falvey is overly concerned about pushing out the old, in favor of more playing time for the future. Minnesota’s PoBO sat down with Dan Hayes (The Athletic) and admitted the Twins are in no hurry to make their moves. And if that means taking this exact roster into Spring Training, then that’s what they’ll do.

“One of the things I’ve gotten more comfortable with, and more used to, is the reality [that] there’s no bow [to put] on an offseason [where your team] shows up in spring training and you’re good to go. It’s not been like that for as many years as I can remember, at this point. We’ll continue to evolve the way our roster looks, the way we think about it, probably going into camp. That’s just a reality of our situation and where we are.”

The Athletic

But let’s be real. High-ceiling prospects like Edouard Julien, Brooks Lee and Matt Wallner are all beating the door down looking for more MLB at-bats in 2024. And as of now, it could be argued that none of the three have MLB roster spots available.

Minnesota Twins facing at major 2024 roster logjam

As long as Jorge Polanco is healthy and on roster, he will be the Minnesota Twins’ 2nd baseman. With Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis already occupying the left side of the infield, Julien would be left fighting with Alex Kirilloff for innings at 1st base and as the team’s designated hitter. And good luck finding a role for Kyle Farmer, outside of paying him $6 million to be a great dugout/clubhouse leader.

Related: Minnesota Twins Sign Top-10 International Prospect, Daiber De Los Santos

Matt Wallner? Yeah, he might slide in as Opening Day left fielder, even if Max Kepler is in a Twins uniform and playing in right field. But Wallner would be far from a shoe-in for 500+ at-bats, as long as Max is still on roster. There aren’t enough to go around with Julien (DH), Alex Kirilloff (1B, DH, OF), Kepler (RF) and others all needing innings.

Are Twins decision-makers really going to suppress the growth of their most important prospects, because they are stubborn on their asking price for aging veterans they no longer have future plans for? Falvey says yes, because until another team offers a requisite package with proven big league talents that can make the Twins better in 2024, they aren’t interested in making a deal.

Twins are not interested in your prospect trade packages

Sources inside the organization have made it very clear to Hayes. They do not want a package in return for any of their available veterans. Bring them a high-caliber starting pitcher, center field help or both. Otherwise, keep your phone in your pocket and have fun picking through what’s left in the free agency scrap pile.

Multiple team sources said the Twins won’t simply dump the salaries of Polanco, who’s set to earn $10.5 million this season with a $12 million club option for 2025, or Farmer, who avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $6.3 million contract earlier this month. Nor is the team looking to move either player or outfielder Max Kepler, who will make $10 million, for prospects. The Twins instead are looking to swap need for need, which means the club could head to spring training or even into the season with one too many infielders.

Dan Hayes – The Athletic

Related: Timberwolves, Wild Streams Officially Coming to Amazon Prime; Twins’ Future Still in Flux

It’s not surprising that Derek Falvey has become very comfortable with waiting out the MLB offseason. It’s something the Twins have been doing for the last few years. Correa was signed in early-January last year and Luis Arraez was traded less than two weeks later. Michael A. Taylor and Donovan Solano were both brought in very late in the offseason process, too.

And don’t forget about the Taylor Rogers for Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagan trade, which happened in April 2022. In other words, something will probably get done. It could happen today, tomorrow or after the Twins convene in Fort Myers, but there are moves coming down the chute eventually.

The biggest news, so far, has come from important pieces of the 2023 puzzle, like Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda, leaving in free agency. Unfortunately, none of this surprising.

Related: Derek Falvey Admits Twins Plan to Cut Payroll Next Season

Twins president of baseball ops, Derek Falvey, told us a few weeks ago that he’s been instructed by ownership to cut payroll going into the 2024 season, something fans and media should not accept as reasonable, no matter what TV revenue unknowns the organization might be up against.

Nonetheless, my job is to live in and write about Minnesota sports reality, no matter how depressing it might be at times. And this MLB offseason, that means acknowledging the high unlikelihood of the Twins making any major upgrades to their roster through free agency.

Minnesota Twins will rely on trade market for offseason upgrades

Instead, Falvey and his front office will try to fill Sonny Gray’s shoes in the starting rotation, along with help at CF and 1B, via the offseason trade market.

The Twins are looking to add a starting pitcher, at least one who could compete with Louie Varland for the fifth spot in the rotation, and a center fielder. First base is another position the Twins will explore an external addition with Alex Kirilloff and Jose Miranda coming off shoulder procedures.

Bobby Nightengale (Star Tribune)

Related: 4 Starting Pitchers the Minnesota Twins Should Target in Trade Talks

But you have to give something to get something. And that’s where the announced payroll cuts come into play. Derek Falvey and his general manager, Thad Levine, have been tasked with upgrading their roster, or at least keeping it competitive, while paying less for talent.

To do that, the Twins front office will have to kill about nine birds with three stones over the next few months. Their plan? The front office hopes/believes they have veteran infielders, outfielders and a catcher, who other teams will find as worthy starting pieces in trade negotiations.

Falvey plans to use those veterans, four of them in particular, as trade bait to swap out talent at organizational positions of strength, in exchange for an influx of talent in areas of more need.

Minnesota Twins Trade Pieces Ranked by Market Value

If successful, they hope to improve their team overall, while also cutting payroll. But that’s not all. The Twins have MLB-ready talent waiting to break through in both the infield and outfield so making the right swaps this winter would also allow more playing time and development opportunities for blossoming youngsters.

Kyle Farmer walks it off for the Twins pic.twitter.com/MhJ3V4tnmG

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) April 7, 2023

Related: Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler Drawing More Trade Interest, as Twins Wait…

Will Falvey’s plan work? We’ll find out soon enough. But, in theory, they do have veterans, some of which are on very team friendly contracts, who should be able to net a positive trade return. Here are the four veterans Falvey is shopping this week at MLB winter meetings, ranked from most valuable to least valuable.

Most Valuable: 2B – Jorge Polanco: 1 Yr ($10.5 million) ^{+’25 Club Option ($12M)}

Jorge Polanco is 30 years old and still has a lot of baseball left to play in his career. His contract ($10.5 million) is very reasonable for a gold glove caliber 2nd baseman who is guaranteed to give you .750-.850 points of OPS at the plate every season.

Jorge Polanco robbing Aaron Judge with the glove, too. He's just doing it all. pic.twitter.com/WXX9dYQMDQ

— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) April 26, 2023

The biggest thing working against Polanco on the trade market is his recent health history. After three straight seasons where he played over 91% of their games from 2019 through 2021, Jorge played just 104 games in 2022 and 80 in 2023.

Trading Polanco makes sense on the Twins side because they have middle infielders ready to take over as starters, specifically Eduard Julien. But phenom 2022 draft pick, Brooks Lee, could be ready to report for big league duty as early as spring training, as well. With Carlos Correa at SS and Royce Lewis at 3B, Polanco is the odd man out.

As far as value, Polanco and Kepler will probably attract similar trade packages. But the club option on Jorge gives him slightly more value than Max.

#TwinsDailyDebate

There's plenty of chatter among #MNTwins fans about how Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco must be traded this winter.

Just how much trade value do they have right now?
Which teams might be interested? pic.twitter.com/1RRk4hvZ5Y

— Twins Daily (@twinsdaily) December 3, 2023

Close Runner Up: RF – Max Kepler: 1 Yr ($10 million)

The Max Kepler trade speculation has gone on for multiple offseasons but it appears as if Derek Falvey is finally ready to let his favorite German outfielder go.

The Twins have a lot of young depth in the corner outfield, including Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner, among others. He’s 30-years-old (almost 31), on the final year of a team friendly deal and he’s coming off the best season of his career.

Max Kepler is your new #MNTwins home run leader.

His team-leading 18th gives him three straight games with a homer and ties the game off Paul Sewald in the ninth. pic.twitter.com/6HkFS7LJZg

— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) August 6, 2023

Kepler hit .260 in 2023, up .24 points from his career average. His .816 OPS was up .63 points from his career OPS of .753. This is the highest Max Kepler’s trade value has been since the offseason between 2019 and 2020, when he was 4 years younger and coming off of his only season comparable to 2023.

It’s highly unlikely Kepler duplicates that kind of productivity and there’s no point in losing him for nothing. Max is a great defensive outfielder too, and that will surely be missed, but his gold glove caliber defense also boosts his trade value.

Related: Cory Provus Named Twins New TV Play-by-Play

Sometimes you have to cash in on an investment before it hits its expiration date and that’s what the Twins plan to do this offseason with Kepler.

Less Valuable: C – Christian Vazquez: 2 Yr ($20 million)

It’s impossible to know how much Christian Vazquez helped the Minnesota Twins reach the playoffs and win a series in 2023. He started a lot less games than expected, in part due to his poor offensive production and in part due to the emergence offensively of Ryan Jeffers.

There are other teams across the league who will still see a 33-year-old World Series champion catcher as a valuable addition to their starting roster, even if he never ends up being the offensive weapon he once was.

Christian Vazquez steals strikes👀

This would give some of those anti "glove-jerkers" on Twins' Twitter an aneurysm lol pic.twitter.com/YIEh6PtsNq

— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) April 4, 2023

Is he worth what Polanco and Kepler are? No, but $10 million for a reliable catcher you know can handle any pitching staff thrown at him, is value enough to net a positive return.

Least Valuable: IF – Kyle Farmer: *1 Yr ($6.2 million)

^{*Final Year of Arbitration}

Kyle Farmer is 33 years old and still hasn’t made it out of arbitration, showing how big league caliber starters who get a late run at professional baseball can often get caught up in the arbitration system so long that they’re nearly at retirement age by the time they get to negotiate their first free agent contract.

Related: Twins and Bally Sports North are Done; Wolves and Wild are Next

Still, at $6.2 million (projection) Farmer is a steal for any infielder needy team who could use a veteran on roster who has seen some shit. Kyle Farmer is a career .250 hitter who cares more about the locker room than his at-bat count and he’s still a very solid infield glove anywhere you want to slot him in, including shortstop.

Kyle Farmer walks it off for the Twins pic.twitter.com/MhJ3V4tnmG

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) April 7, 2023

Remember, Minnesota brought Farmer in before they signed Correa to his massive contract. The plan in 2023 was for Kyle to play the majority of shortstop, until Royce Lewis proved ready to go. There are other teams waiting for developing infielders, who need a worthy stop-gap in the meantime.