The Twins’ offseason guidelines contains discovering a right-handed hitting outfielder and a primary baseman, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey instructed reporters (together with Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune). Regarding the latter want, Nightengale writes that workforce nonetheless has curiosity in bringing Carlos Santana again for one more stint within the Twin Cities.
Santana signed a one-year, $5.25MM free agent take care of Minnesota final winter, and at age 38 delivered probably the greatest all-around seasons of his 15-year profession. Santana hit .238/.320/.420 with 23 house runs in 594 plate appearances (translating to a 114 wRC+) and displayed excellent protection at first base, incomes him his very first Gold Glove. Whereas his hard-contact numbers remained beneath common for the second straight 12 months, Santana nonetheless made lots of contact and averted strikeouts, whereas drawing his customary giant share of walks.
Between these numbers and his off-the-field presence in Minnesota’s clubhouse, it’s straightforward to see why the Twins would need him again. Re-signing Santana for a comparatively modest increase additionally appears possible, as regardless of his manufacturing, groups are prone to zone in on Santana’s age as a motive to not commit an excessive amount of cash on one other one-year deal. There’s additionally the truth that 2024 was basically a bounce-back for Santana after he posted a 94 wRC+ and a couple of.3 mixed fWAR over his earlier 4 seasons, so this final 12 months is perhaps considered as an outlier.
Santana had 3.0 fWAR in 2024, a quantity topped by solely six hitters in this winter’s free agent class. Santana tied Christian Walker with a 3.0 fWAR and each had been forward of Pete Alonso’s 2.1 fWAR, to check Santana to the 2 prime first-base names. Evidently, Walker and Alonso will nonetheless command a lot bigger contracts than Santana, and Santana’s market won’t totally develop till the larger free brokers (and commerce targets) have landed on their subsequent groups. The Twins’ pre-existing relationship with Santana may give them an in, however Santana has additionally drawn curiosity from the Mariners, one other of his former golf equipment.
Turning to the Twins’ wants on the grass, Minnesota’s preferrred right-handed bat could be a nook outfielder, in a position to complement left-handed hitters Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach. Nightengale means that Austin Hays is perhaps a match, as hitting coach Matt Borgschulte is aware of Hays from their shared time along with the Orioles.
In search of out solely a platoon bat will restrict the value tag on a brand new acquisition, which once more matches for a Minnesota workforce that doesn’t have a lot out there in payroll house. Technically, the Twins would possibly first have to maneuver some cash, as their projected $142.1MM payroll (estimate from RosterResource) is over their $129.6MM payroll from final season, and Falvey has already stated that Minnesota will probably be spending at the same stage in 2025.