Offseason Moves Other Teams Made That the Twins Should’ve Made Instead

By Javan Olmscheid | Jan 17, 2026 (rewritten)

With pitchers and catchers set to report for Spring Training in less than a month, it’s hard to describe the Minnesota Twins’ offseason as anything other than deeply underwhelming.

The most notable addition so far has been Josh Bell, who is expected to serve as the team’s primary first baseman. Beyond that, the Twins have done little to address their most glaring weakness: a bullpen that was effectively dismantled at the 2025 trade deadline, when the front office dealt away its five best relievers.

Minnesota did make an early offseason trade for Eric Orze, who appears likely to be on the Opening Day roster. But that move alone does little to ease concerns for a fanbase that has watched the organization slash payroll, sell pieces, and offer minimal reassurance that contention remains the goal.

12 Offseason Moves the Twins Should’ve Made

To be clear, just because a player signed a deal with another team doesn’t mean they would have accepted the same contract from the Twins. Given the organization’s recent payroll cuts, deadline sell-offs, and lack of sustained success, Minnesota is not an especially attractive destination in free agency right now.

Still, that doesn’t mean the Twins were powerless. Plenty of reasonable, mid-tier moves were available — and many of them would have significantly improved the roster.

Mets Sign INF Jorge Polanco — 2 years, $40 million

This was the type of signing that would have immediately re-energized the fanbase.

Polanco may have been expensive at $20 million per year, but he remains a proven middle-of-the-order bat and a familiar face in Minnesota. He could have fit into the lineup at first base, designated hitter, or even second base if the Twins wanted to move Luke Keaschall elsewhere.

It may not have been a perfect fit, but it would have been a statement — something Twins fans have been waiting to see since the 2025 sell-off.

Pirates Sign 1B Ryan O’Hearn — 2 years, $29 million

This is not meant as a knock on Josh Bell, but Ryan O’Hearn would have felt like a more exciting and reliable acquisition.

After early-career struggles, O’Hearn has developed into a consistent offensive contributor. He could have stepped in as the Twins’ everyday first baseman and complemented the team’s right-handed core of Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis, Ryan Jeffers, and Luke Keaschall.

This was a realistic, need-based signing that the Twins simply passed on.

Mets Sign RHP Luke Weaver — 2 years, $22 million

The Twins’ bullpen is in desperate need of stability, and Weaver could have provided exactly that.

While he experienced some inconsistency last season, Weaver has been a key bullpen piece in recent years and brings closing experience. He wouldn’t have replaced everything Minnesota lost at the deadline, but he would have been a meaningful first step toward rebuilding the relief corps.

Marlins Sign RHP Pete Fairbanks — 1 year, $13 million

Fairbanks opted out of his deal with Tampa Bay and landed a sizable one-year contract in Miami.

With his late-inning experience and high-octane stuff, Fairbanks could have immediately stepped in as the Twins’ primary closer. The price tag may have been uncomfortable, but given the current state of the bullpen, it would have been a worthwhile risk.

Cardinals Sign SP Dustin May — 1 year, $12.5 million

Starting pitching isn’t Minnesota’s biggest weakness, but it’s far from a sure thing.

Beyond Pablo López, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober, the Twins are relying heavily on young, unproven arms. Adding a veteran like May would have helped stabilize the back end of the rotation and reduced pressure on developing starters.

Phillies Sign OF Adolis García — 1 year, $10 million

García hasn’t eclipsed a .700 OPS in either of the past two seasons, but the power is still there.

At minimum, he could have served as a platoon bat and provided right-handed pop in a corner outfield spot — an area where the Twins currently lack balance due to their abundance of left-handed hitters.

Six More Relievers Who Would’ve Made Sense

If rebuilding the bullpen was a priority — and it should have been — these were all reasonable options:

• Royals trade for LHP Matt Strahm

• Reds sign RHP Pierce Johnson — 1 year, $6.5 million

• Cubs sign RHP Hunter Harvey — 1 year, $6 million

• Guardians sign RHP Shawn Armstrong — 1 year, $5.5 million

• Braves re-sign RHP Tyler Kinley — 1 year, $4.25 million

• Cubs sign RHP Jacob Webb — 1 year, $1.5 million

None of these deals were splashy. All of them were attainable. And every single one would have made the Twins’ bullpen better than it is today.

The Issue Isn’t Opportunity — It’s Intent

What frustrates Twins fans most isn’t that the team failed to land superstar free agents. It’s that the organization declined to pursue practical, roster-improving moves that were well within reach.

As Spring Training approaches, the question is no longer who the Twins might add.

It’s whether the Twins are truly committed to competing at all.