Among the best of those outfielders to spell Buxton for Minnesota was Michael A. Taylor. The twelve-year veteran spent this season with the Chicago White Sox. After experiencing that level of futility, he has announced his retirement.

Michael A. Taylor hangs up his cleats

In 2023 Byron Buxton was limited to designated hitter duties only. Michael A. Taylor signed with Minnesota as depth, but wound up playing 129 games. He was the every day centerfielder, and helped that team end a decades-long postseason drought. After more than 1,200 major league games, he’s calling it a career.

Micheal A. Taylor officially announced his retirement.

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) September 28, 2025

Across 133 games for the Chicago White Sox this season, Taylor posted a .199/.256/.366 slash line. Despite being 34 years old, he still was worth seven DRS (defensive runs saved) and three OAA (outs above average).

During 2023 with the Twins, Taylor owned a 93 OPS+ and had the second-best season of his career. He had a .720 OPS and his 21 home runs were a career-high.

Minnesota had desires to keep Taylor in 2024, but after paying him $4.5 million the year before, didn’t want to bank on another career year or pay the freight for previous performance. Instead he got $4 million from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Twins then pivoted to a massive mistake in the form of Manuel Margot.

This season Taylor reached 10 years of service time which gives him access to a fully-vested, life-long pension plan. That’s a decent consolation prize for sitting through a 59-102 season for the White Sox. He did start the final game of Chicago’s season to end his career on the field.

Minnesota Twins looking to spend… on Adam Duvall?

According to Dan Hayes (the Athletic), the Twins may be eyeing some free agent names that baseball fans might actually recognize. Among the speculated targets is 35-year-old outfielder, Adam Duvall, and others.

“One possibility is a reunion with Taylor, who is still available in free agency. Another name they’ve considered is Adam Duvall, who can play all three outfield spots and posted a 119 OPS+ last season in Boston when he earned $7 million. The team may also look at veteran utility man Kiké Hernández, though they already have Willi Castro and Nick Gordon on the roster.”

Dan Hayes – The Athletic

Adam Duvall emerges as one of the top free agents this offseason. Despite being 35 years old, his impressive track record includes being a former All-Star (2016) and Gold Glove winner (2021). Last season, he showcased his productivity in 92 games for the Red Sox, tallying 21 home runs, 58 RBIs, and an .834 OPS.

Related: Rocco Baldelli May Have Talked Twins Front Office Out of Trading Max Kepler

Known for his versatility, Duvall can effectively play all three outfield positions and excels against right-handed pitching. He had an .863 OPS last season against righties and could be the perfect platoon option for Byron Buxton, to start the season. Additionally, his postseason experience, including winning the World Series in 2021, which adds valuable depth to his profile.

Fenway Park was MADE for Adam Duvall! 🔥#MLBCentral | @markdero7 | #DirtyWater pic.twitter.com/bim4XP6AnS

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 28, 2023

Hayes also suggests Kiké Hernández as another potential option the front office is investigating, though he notes that Nick Gordon and Willi Castro are already on the roster and seemingly fit the same role. It’s even possible we see the return of Michael A. Taylor.

Adam Duvall was also highlighted alongside Brandon Belt in a recent MLB.com article, where they were identified as best fits for the Minnesota Twins. While Belt, a 36 year-old first baseman, could offer productivity to the Twins lineup, Duvall appears to be a more feasible option at the moment.

Twins Aren’t Done Yet?

It was initially reported that the Twins weren’t expected to make any significant moves this offseason, due to uncertainty surrounding their TV deal for the next season. But they’ve already cut that salary. Now, they’re looking to spend a little bit and, depending on how these TV talks play out, the cash they have on hand to spend could go up even more.

This report certainly flies in the face of what the Twins were trying to sell to reporters at Twinsfest, that they’re so confident in Byron Buxton’s knee that they are comfortable rolling into the season with only Willi Castro and Austin Martin as his backup plan, in case of injury.

Related: Byron Buxton Extremely Confident He’s Ready for Center Field Duties Again

Rocco Baldelli made it clear that he’d expect some more fireworks before the start of the season at the end of March. Will it be Duvall or any of the other names mentioned above? Time will tell. There are plenty of names out there still, and it will be intriguing to see who the Twins ultimately choose.

The Twins are acquiring OF Michael A. Taylor from the Royals for LHP Evan Sisk and RHP Steven Cruz, per source.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 23, 2023

Who is Michael A. Taylor?

A below average hitter (.241 BA, .677 OPS) who clearly has a lot of upside on defense, Taylor is the perfect backup center fielder for an oft-injured Byron Buxton, especially when you factor in the games Buxton will play at DH next season.

Taylor has played in over 800 MLB games and sat in the batter’s box for over 2,700 plate appearances. He played most of his career with the Washington Nationals but got a lot more playing time in his two seasons with the Royals.