That reality has since ceased to exist. Minority investors were brought on to eat up debt that poor business decisions by the Pohlads dumped into the franchise. A trade deadline selloff this year cut substantial payroll considerations for the future. No move was more significant than paying the Houston Astros $30 million to make Carlos Correa and the rest of his contract go away.

It’s hard to believe that the front office, or ownership for that matter, are done though. More trades this offseason make sense considering their strategy, and payroll will take a dip even further.

Metrodome-level spending to continue for Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins still have two prominent trade chips this offseason. And, both of them are in line for substantial paydays. Pablo Lopez is set to make $21.75 million each of the next two seasons, while Joe Ryan should get more than $6 million via arbitration. The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman sees the possibility of each being moved as more than plausible.

If the Twins are looking to shed more payroll, López and Ryan are basically the only remaining ways to do so in a major way. If the Twins are looking to add more prospect capital for a rebuild, López and Ryan are their two most desirable remaining trade chips.

Aaron Gleeman – The Athletic

In moving Lopez and Ryan, the Twins payroll (currently projected around $95 million) could get to something near $70 million. A number they haven’t been as low as since 2009. Even if they don’t get there, numbers in the $80 million-range like they were in years 2013 and 2014 are beyond probable. Gleeman then got into the numbers.

At this point, I’d be more surprised by a payroll over $140 million than by a payroll under $100 million.

Also, keep in mind: MLB’s median payroll is about $165 million this season and will likely rise above $170 million next season. Relative to MLB as a whole, the Twins have already been spending at Metrodome-era levels the past two seasons.

Aaron Gleeman – The Athletic

That level of spending should be mocked by the rest of the league itself. Major League Baseball told the Athletics they had to spend money this season in order to remain eligible for revenue sharing. Minnesota isn’t going to be that dire given their recent payrolls. However, coming in close to 50% of the median payroll is a joke.

MN Twins reaping what they have sown

Attendance for the Minnesota Twins this season will again fail to crack 2 million. In fact, they’re destined to see a number so bad it will be on par with the 2001 season. That team was coming off a 93-loss campaign, and this team will most likely surpass 90 losses as well.

Of course, the crowds are all a direct reflection of the choices that the Pohlad family made following the 2023 playoff run. Missteps by ownership have only been exaggerated with continued lack of action from the front office.

Small crowd at Target Field for the Twins-White Sox game tonight. pic.twitter.com/afIoyruk5O

— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) September 2, 2025

The MN Twins season ticket fanbase is likely somewhere around 6-8,000. That number will also dip this offseason and leave crowds looking sparse next year as well. Further reductions to the payroll won’t bring fans back, and continued miscalculations to renew fan interest seem more likely than not.

Related: Top MLB Insider Floats Possible Rocco Baldelli Replacements…

It’s a disappointing and dark time to be a Twins fan, but it was all avoidable and instead has become a reflection of self-inflicted missteps.

Meanwhile, the New York Yankees are back in the American League Championship Series. Per usual, their roster is among the most expensive in baseball. That’s been a practice the Yankees have executed for years, sometimes more successfully than others. One player who paid off for past Yankees teams, was GOAT slugger, Gary Sheffield, from 2004 to 2006.

Bringing on Sheffield helped the Bronx Bombers sweep the Minnesota Twins in the 2004 ALDS, which started the streak of 13 straight playoff losses vs the Yankees; a streak that is yet to be broken. These days, Sheffield’s son, Gary Sheffield Jr., works in baseball media.

Gary Sheffield Jr. fires stray at Minnesota Twins

And on Twitter Sunday, Sheffield Jr astutely points out that fans should not have to apologize for their teams spending money. The fans who should be mad are those of teams that refuse to spend. Teams like the Twins, which have mega rich owners who value tiny profit margins over winning.

Don’t know who needs to hear this but never apologize that the billionaire who owns your MLB franchise chooses to spend their money on players and it happens to be working this year

Turn heads towards the mega wealthy that choose to sit on their hands during free agency 🙂

— Gary Sheffield Jr. (@GarysheffieldJr) October 13, 2024

As mentioned, Sheffield Jr.’s dad played three seasons with the Yankees. Gary Sheffield was a nine-time All-Star who generates a solid Hall of Fame case, even to this day. While the son didn’t play at the highest level, he certainly knows a bit of ball.

Related: 3 Rich People Who Make Sense as New Minnesota Twins Owners

There is no salary cap in baseball. The only people capable of telling a front office they can’t stockpile more assets are the owners who pay those executives. Unfortunately, in both free agency and at the trade deadline, the Pohlad family did exactly that, and it cost Minnesota a spot in these playoffs.

The low budget movie is fun to root for once or twice but there’s a reason Game of Thrones cost over $1 million an episode to film. Greatness is expensive.

You want better players? Invest in them come winter meetings or re-sign the players already contributing https://t.co/dWmcsg0Fdq

— Gary Sheffield Jr. (@GarysheffieldJr) October 13, 2024

Sheffield Jr is 100% correct

Payroll isn’t everything. The Cleveland Guardians are also playing in the American League Championship Series despite spending even less than the Twins. It makes the path a much more difficult one though, and Minnesota should have been in a situation where supplementing All-Star Carlos Correa made sense.

Don’t expect the Twins to spend more in 2025 either. Ownership has suggested they won’t further reduce the payroll. At $130 million though, there’s little room to add. Luckily, the Pohlads announced their intent to sell the franchise.

Related: 4 Surprising Minnesota Twins Non-Tender Candidates

While that’s good news for Minnesota Twins fans, in the future, it means even less motivation for the Pohlads to spend money short-term. Here’s to hoping whoever buys the Twins not only has a ton of money, but they also like continuing to support their investments.

But they fell short of the MLB Postseason, thanks to a 28-38 record, after the All-Star break, including a 7-19 finish since September 3. Earlier on Sunday, news broke that the Twins were moving forward with Rocco Baldelli as their manager for the 2025 season.

Minnesota Twins say they aren’t cutting payroll for 2025

That’s not the only intel coming out of Target Field, after game 162. According to Dan Hayes (The Athletic) the Minnesota Twins do not plan to cut player payroll again this offseason, after chopping $30 million from the talent pool last winter.

Team source said the #MNTwins don't anticipate further payroll cuts for the 2025 season after reducing the budget by $30 million this past offseason.

Twins spent about $130m this season.

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) September 29, 2024

I suppose this is good news, given recent concerns among Twins insiders that more payroll could be taken out of the budget for 2025. Of course, it’s worth wondering whether or not we should believe what Dan’s sources are telling him.

Remember, Joe Pohlad tried the ‘up-front and honest’ method this time last year, when he went on record announcing his plans for budget cuts to the fanbase. That, of course, didn’t go over very well.

Related: Minnesota Twins Fan Kicked Out and Banned from Target Field for Anti-Pohlad Sign

So, it possible the Minnesota Twins ownership group learned their lesson. Maybe they will cut payroll, maybe they’ll leave it around the same. One thing is for sure, they wouldn’t tell us one way or another, this time around.

Speaking of executive president and the face of ownership, Joe Pohlad, he told reporters today that, like Rocco Baldelli, the president of baseball operations, Derek Falvey, is also safe.

Minnesota Twins lopped off nearly $30 million

We knew the Twins had cut about $30-$35 million, depending on who you asked. On Wednesday, thanks to Dan Hayes (The Athletic), we got the exact amount that Joe Pohlad demanded president of baseball operations, Derek Falvey, cut from the payroll between the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

With the team’s TV rights deal in flux, ownership ordered that payroll be cut by $27 million, which would limit what they could do for a roster primed for another postseason run.

Dan Hayes on the Minnesota Twins payroll

Despite soaring fan interest, and the increasing payrolls in recent seasons, the Minnesota Twins pulled back. 2023 saw a payroll surpass $150 million for the first time in franchise history. The organization was finally getting on board with being near league average. They were rewarded by a postseason run further than anything they had experienced in recent memory.

Payroll killed the Minnesota Twins trade deadline

Although they were in on Toronto Blue Jays starter Yusei Kikuchi, Minnesota’s only move was adding middling reliever Trevor Richards. Kikuchi went for a massive prospect return, and dollars alone wouldn’t have made that deal make sense. Other options couldn’t be explored though, as adding anything to the bottom line was virtually a non-starter.

Quick ⚾️🪡🧵for #MNTwins fans about new reliever Trevor Richards…

Let’s start here: He has one of the coolest pitches in baseball & it sorta stabilized his career.

pic.twitter.com/0WhwneQFwQ

— Chris Black (@DownToBlack) July 30, 2024

The bullpen needed a left-handed reliever. Instead of getting one, the Twins front office was forced to settle for a right-handed arm with reverse splits. For the Pohlad’s, the key was that Trevor Richards is only owed around $700,000 the rest of the way.

Joe Pohlad has spoken publicly about needing to “right-size” the business. The Minnesota Twins are not the only business venture the family is invested in. They also acquired the team for about $30 million, and it’s valuation now starts in the billions.

Related: Report: Minnesota Twins Tried to Trade for Yusei Kikuchi

After selling off the Carousel Motor Group recently, it could be understood that the Pohlad family is failing in other business ventures. It’s unfortunate that the baseball team gets to be the hedge fund they pull from to make up for that. Fans are the ones who suffer.

Don’t worry though, the decision to continue holding back was rewarded by the Pohlad’s lining their pockets. MLB announced a $15 million subsidization of team’s impacted by television issues.

Like the deal they renegotiated with Bally Sports for the season, those funds go unspent. A $27 million decrease, combined with the $15 million addition, and the one-year TV deal assumed around $38 million, the Pohlad’s should net something like $27 million off the top.

Related: Twins TV Deal Official; Sides Move to Hide Terms of New Contract from Fans

Last week, they went crawling back to Diamond Sports Group, even signing on for another year without a direct to consumer streaming option, something they promised to fans they wouldn’t do. After signing their new deal with Bally’s, you’d think the Pohlads would feel bad about their inability to come through, yet again, for fans.

Joe Pohlad confirms Minnesota Twins still plan to cut payroll

It had already been reported that the Twins were still planning to move forward with their payroll cutting plans, even after inking the new deal with Diamond Sports Group (Bally). But if you were hoping (like me) that those were just offseason smoke screens, you’ll be sorely disappointed (yet again) to hear/read what Joe Pohlad said to Jason DeRusha (WCCO Radio) on Tuesday.

In summary, you can drop any hope that the Minnesota Twins will make themselves a welcoming emergency landing spot for any of Scott Boras’ remaining superstar free agents.

DeRusha: ‘If a Carlos Correa level free agent was interested in signing with the Twins, is there flexibility to pull the trigger on a big money player?’

Pohlad: “Uhh… no…. no. The reason I say no is because we’re going to live pretty much where we are at right now. But what I will say about some flexibility is, you know, when Derek [Falvey] and his team think there is the right opportunity in front of us, we don’t live hard and fast by a specific number. That said, we’re not going to go out and spend $30 million on a player right now. So the players that are out there right now that, probably, a bunch of fans are talking about, we’re not in the market for those players.”

Joe Pohlad – Twins Executive Vice President (WCCO Radio)

Twins can be just like Tampa Bay Rays and… Baltimore Orioles?

Joe pointed to the mid or small market teams in the AL East that find their way into contention, like the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles. While the last decade of Rays baseball and Billy Bean’s Athletics are always championed by those who love smaller payrolls in smaller markets, trying to be like the Orioles is a new one. Baltimore made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2016.

“In today’s game, there are a number of different ways to win. You see that both with the Tampa Bay Rays, with the Baltimore Orioles having lower payrolls and turning out very successful products on the field, but also investing in other areas of the business. That is just something that we are doing. But without a question, the television situation is having an impact on our business. But beyond that we’re just trying to right-size our business. That’s playing into it as well.”

Joe Pohlad – Twins Executive Vice President (WCCO Radio)

You’d like to believe that letting down those same people whose passion has flipped their cute little sports investment from 20 years ago into a billion dollar side hustle would matter to them, especially after they finally gave us one good season, following 20 years of misery.

Related: Twins’ Royce Lewis is a Dark Horse AL MVP Candidate

One option would have been to back off of their ridiculous plan to cut player salaries. Like, ‘Hey, we’re sorry we screwed that streaming thing up again. How about if we sign Blake Snell/Jordan Montgomery/Cody Bellinger for one year to make up for it?’ But, of course, that’s not going to happen.

And let’s not just make this about pleasing fans, even though that should be much more at the forefront of Joe Pohlad’s mind, but it would seemingly make a lot of business sense too.

When you own an investment that has skyrocketing in value at a rate that few other large assets have over the last decade, it would make sense to pile more money back into it, right? Especially in sports, where winning games can heavily affect your popularity and bottom line…? But what do I know, I’m just a dumb Minnesota sports fan, right?

Between a two-year, $13 million deal with outfielder Hunter Renfroe that @Feinsand reported earlier today and the Wacha deal that @ByRobertMurray was on top of, the Royals now have committed $105 million in free agent dollars to Renfroe, Wacha, Lugo, Stratton, Smith and Hampson.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 15, 2023

Kansas City Royals Offseason Spending Spree

After being outspent by the Minnesota Twins by around $60 million in 2023, the Royals are now projected to spend within about $20 million of the Twins in 2024. And that’s before Minnesota makes many of their cost-saving roster changes.

Remember, Derek Falvey announced that the Twins are hoping to make payroll cuts this offseason and, outside of losing Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda to free agency, those have yet to happen. Max Kepler ($10 million), Jorge Polanco ($10.5 million), Christian Vazquez ($10 million) and Kyle Farmer (est. $6.2 million) are all still on the roster.

Related: Twins Aren’t the Only MLB Team Cutting Payroll and Blaming TV Revenue

MLB Insider Jon Heyman says Kansas City is probably done in free agency, for the most part, but still plan to be active in the trade market, etc. In other words, they may not be done. So it’s possible they finish very close to what the Twins are spending in 2024.

Does that guarantee the Royals will win more games? Absolutely not, and the projections still say they probably won’t. But what it does indicate is this. Other teams in the AL Central see Minnesota’s cost-saving proclamation as an opportunity to jump up and try to steal a weak division.

Why are the Minnesota Twins cutting payroll then?

Which, as I’ve written about before, invites questions about why Derek Falvey and Twins decision-makers made their payroll cutting plans public knowledge in the first place. But as the offseason plays out… I see their reasoning unfolding right before our eyes.

The Pohlads realized, early on this offseason, that the American League Central’s biggest annual spenders, the Chicago White Sox, were going into rebuild mode for this offseason and into next summer.

Related: TV Blackouts Will Not Exist in Minnesota Twins New Broadcasting Age

The White Sox had $175 million in player salaries on their books in 2023 (ended up being $162 million after selling some assets at the trade deadline). As of Friday afternoon, they are currently projected by Spotrac.com to spend just $118 million in player payroll in 2024. That’s a $57 million difference.

Pohlads aren’t interested in being AL Central big spenders

Well, the Pohlads saw an opportunity in their division rival ramping things down. But unlike the opening you and I might have seen — step on the gas and fully consume one of the weakest divisions in baseball — they saw it as a chance for the Twins to remain competitive, probably make the playoffs AND still save a bunch of money.

They’re probably right too, because they are heavy favorites to win the AL Central, projected to win the division by five or more games, according to FanGraphs.

As of now, it almost makes you wonder if AL Central owners are colluding to keep costs down. If the Twins can clear $25-$30 million in salary like they are hoping, then all five teams in the division will have dangerously similar payroll balance sheets for 2024. If I had to guess, I’d say they all end up right around $125-$130 million each.

Reckless Speculation: Is it possible that Jerry Reinsdorf, who also owns the Chicago Bulls, is sick of spending $10’s of millions more than the Twins, just to lose more division crowns than he wins?

Maybe he finally went to the Pohlads and offered a truce to keep payroll down, in order to help competitive balance and stop what was starting to be an AL Central arms race? Who knows… I’m not an insider.

Read all of our offseason Minnesota Twins blogs

Broadcast revenue means a lot to MLB team budgets

TV/streaming revenue is a large chunk of a mid-market team’s yearly revenue. Most teams rely on their broadcast rights money, combined with ticket, concessions and in-stadium merchandise sales, just to break even on the year.

Related: Twins GM Thad Levine Interviewing for Red Sox PoBO Job After Derek Falvey Said No

That’s why making the playoffs, this fall, was such a big deal, after the Pohlads shelled out a franchise record $159.6 million in total 2023 player payroll (the $155M number below does not account for what Spotrac has labeled “Buried Minor League Salaries” but their actual payroll standing vs other teams is unaffected).

Cash Payrolls for the 2023 #MLB Postseason Teams

4. Rangers, $247M
5. Phillies, $245M
6. Dodgers, $238M
7. Astros, $236M
9. Blue Jays, $213M
10. Braves, $206M
16. Twins, $155M
19. Brewers, $124M
21. Diamondbacks, $117M
22. Marlins, $101M
27. Rays, $79M
28. Orioles, $71M

— Spotrac (@spotrac) October 2, 2023

Generally speaking, ticket sales and other revenue generated from home playoff games goes directly into the pockets of MLB owners. Straight profit, homie. Ownership needed a payoff, after stretching a previously limited payroll budget to amounts the organization had never been comfortable spending in the past.

Revenue uncertainty could affect Twins 2024 payroll

But now, Twins fans are starving for more postseason victories, after experiencing a small amount of success this October. Revenue uncertainty, however, could get in the way of improving the roster, in order to achieve more playoff success. As President of Baseball Operations, Derek Falvey, has admitted.

“That’s the reality of our offseason. It’s not just for us. It’s for other clubs, too. That’s a piece of information we’re going to have to navigate. It’s a factor that there’s lack of clarity on TV revenue. That’s a fact, that’s no secret to anybody. That plays a role [in payroll decisions], just like all of our revenue sources play a role, to some degree.”

Derek Falvey (via The Athletic)

Most of the band is still together, but there are 2024 question marks that will play heavily into projected success next season and, because much of the 2023 roster is expected to return, a lot of their payroll is already locked up, even if it’s not technically on the books yet.

Related: Byron Buxton Undergoes Knee Procedure; Plans to Play Center Field for Twins in 2024

How much money do the Minnesota Twins have to work with?

According to a recent deep dive into the Twins’ estimated 2024 payroll situation by insider, Aaron Gleeman (The Athletic), the Twins have anywhere from $110-$120 million theoretically allocated to the roster, as it stands entering the 2023-24 offseason.

That includes guaranteed and projected dollars, but not pending free agents… like 2023 Cy Young candidate, Sonny Gray. With the TV/streaming rights and revenue uncertainties hanging over the team’s offseason, a large financial commitment to the 2024 roster this offseason may be unrealistic expectations

“When the offseason begins, the Twins’ baseline payroll is between $110 million and $120 million. Assuming they’re planning to have a self-imposed payroll in line with this year’s $159 million — no sure thing given their expiring television contract and murly local broadcast revenue picture — that would leave between $40 million and $50 million to spend. But the TV situation looms large.”

Aaron Gleeman – The Athletic

If Gleeman’s figures are right (they always are), signing Sonny Gray to the $25-$30 million per season contract he’s worth, would, all by itself, put Minnesota’s 2024 projected payroll near their 2023 franchise-record setting number of $159.6 million.

Normally, I, along with most of “Twins Territory” would be well justified in demanding the Falvine and the Pohlads, not only bring Gray back, but capitalize on last summer’s momentum with an offseason aggressiveness that proves they’re ready to hang with some of the above-average payroll clubs around the league.

If a $175 million payroll can lift you from Wildcard winner to World Series contender, you do it, right? Well, maybe not, if you cannot find $60 million worth of yearly revenue that has usually come via a TV and streaming deal with Bally Sports that no longer exists.

Stay tuned… and read all of our Minnesota Twins blogs!

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Now that the dust has settled on the Major League Baseball non-tender deadline, the Minnesota Twins payroll sits at around $85 million (according to this Google Doc roster tool you have to try) for 2021. Letting Eddie Rosario, Trevor May, and Sergio Romo walk off to free agency, saved around $22-$25 million.

In 2020, the opening day payroll was around $140 million so hopefully this offseason is just getting started. Personally, I believe the Twins are going to end up with another payroll around $130-$140 million for next season. Others think there could be a 10%-ish reduction, which would bring it down to $125 million.

When last asked, Pohlad himself said that the losses accrued in 2020 don’t necessarily equate to the Twins taking a step back spending-wise in 2021.

Twins owner Jim Pohlad on 2021 payroll: “I don’t think the fact that we lost money in 2020 [is] the driver for what we are going to do in 2021.” But what if fans can’t attend again? “There is uncertainty. We are going to have to figure out an ‘uncertainty discount,’ and we will.” https://t.co/oOeHzq4nJM

— Phil Miller (@MillerStrib) October 30, 2020

Let’s mess with some numbers

If the budget is in the range of $130M-$140M, then the Minnesota Twins have enough money to sign one of the big-money starting pitchers still on the market.

Let’s say Falvey and Levine get Cruz back for $15 million and a couple relievers for $5 million each. You can take your pick between him and Rooker but I’m going to throw Kirilloff in left field. There, our starting lineup is done and we haven’t even hit $110 million yet.

I’m not saying the Twins will end up with Trevor Bauer (though I expect them to make a push), but there are pitchers in the next tier who the Twins can definitely afford and will likely be in contact with. In fact, I’ve targeted four starting pitchers that I would love to see them chase.

Okay, Blake Snell is more of a dream scenario, but the Twins have the resources to make it work. This free agency class isn’t very good for a team like the Twins, whose holes are mostly in the pitching department.

Nelson Cruz matters to this conversation… but doesn’t.

If Cruz leaves then things get interesting on offense too, but his departure wouldn’t hurt Pohlad’s pocket. Filling the DH spot with someone other than Boomstick would most likely save them money. He’s the most expensive DH on the market. The new one wouldn’t be as good as Cruz either (most likely), but that’s for another blog.

Adding a guy like Tanaka or Paxton would still leave plenty of room to fill out what would be a really good roster. The question is… will the Twins do it?

See for yourself. Fill out the Minnesota Twins roster how you see fit, HERE.

Cooper Carlson | Minnesota Sports Fan