Minnesota

Twins

Rodriguez missed the end of the season because of a torn ligament in his right thumb, and Twins general manager Derek Falvey called the operation a “clean up job.” Rodriguez is considered one of the best outfield prospects in the sport, and assuming good health, it’s not out of the question he makes his MLB debut in 2025. The 2026 campaign seems like a more realistic ETA for now, but the upside suggests he could be worth the wait.

It’s some procedural routine housekeeping for the Twins as they’ve jettisoned a quartet of relievers on the periphery of their 40-man roster at the outset of the offseason. There’s a strong possibility they all wind up electing free agency in search of new opportunities.

This one comes as little surprise since Alcala was a dependable workhorse last season for Minnesota, compiling a solid 3.24 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 58/20 K/BB ratio across 58 1/3 innings (54 appearances). The hard-throwing 29-year-old has the stuff to pitch in high-leverage spots, but there’s almost zero path to fantasy relevance with the Twins at the moment. He’ll be a free agent next offseason, which might open some doors to save chances.

Farmer will receive $250K as part of a buyout and is now a free agent. Injuries limited the utility man to 107 games in 2024. He hit .214 with five home runs and 25 RBI last year. Farmer on a $6.5 million salary was simply a luxury the Twins couldn’t afford. He’s likely to catch on with another team given his positional versatility and track record against left-handed pitching (career .812 OPS vs. LHP).

The 26-year-old announced his retirement from baseball on his Twitter account Monday morning, saying, “After nine seasons in professional baseball, I’m announcing my decision to step away from the game today...In my nine professional seasons, I’ve encountered numerous injuries, which led me to search for new ways to overcome the pain. These challenges have taken a toll on me mentally and physically; over time, I’ve realized that my passion for playing the game has shifted. Baseball demands an ‘all-in’ approach, something I’ve brought to every season. However, I can no longer give it the total commitment it requires.” A one-time top prospect, Kirilloff struggled through injuries and finished his career hitting .248 (198-for-799) with 40 doubles, five triples, 27 home runs, 116 RBI, 62 walks, two stolen bases, 92 runs scored, and a .721 OPS in 249 career games across four seasons.

“Our family reached a decision this summer to explore selling the Twins,” Pohlad said. “As we enter the next phase of this process, the time is right to make this decision public.” The Pohlad family has owned the Twins organization for the past 40 years, so it would be a major change for an organization that is in a bit of turmoil right now with Major League Baseball announcing that they will be broadcasting Twins’ games themselves next season. Carl Pohlad purchased the team from Calvin Griffith for $44 million back in 1984 and could be solid for over $1 billion this offseason. What that means for the team’s payroll and roster decisions is anybody’s guess.

Levine spent eight years as Twins GM, working under president of baseball operations Derek Falvey. He interviewed to become the head of Boston’s baseball operations last year, only to remove himself from the process before a choice was made. Long well thought of around the game, it’s unlikely that he’ll be a free agent for long, unless maybe he wants a break.

Ober escaped with a sub-4.00 ERA, finishing 12-9 with a 3.98 ERA. All of the runs today came on James McCann’s homer in the fifth. Ober exited after the inning having thrown just 74 pitches. While the ERA was a bit disappointing, Ober finishes the year fifth in the majors with a 1.00 WHIP and 15th with 191 strikeouts. He definitely returned ample value based on where he was picked this spring.

Lewis spent June looking like one of MLB’s best players, but it’s been quite a struggle for him since he returned from a strained adductor in July. He winds up at .189/.255/.267 in September and .211/.275/.357 in 226 plate appearances during the second half. His full-season line is .233/.295/.452 with 16 homers in 325 plate appearances. The good news is that he did manage to stay in the lineup throughout the second half. One imagines he’ll bounce back if he remains healthy, but health is such a question mark that it’s going to be hard to recommend him in the top five rounds of 2025 drafts.

Dobnak was DFA’d on Sept. 16 after allowing five runs in 7 2/3 innings for the Twins. He’ll be DFA’d again in the offseason, but since he’s still owed $3 million next year, he’ll remain with the organization.