Despite being quiet on the free agent and trade market this offseason, the Twins’ biggest move could come in the for9m of a new owner. On Friday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic wrote that a league source describes potential buyer Justin Ishbia as a “very, very serious” candidate to buy the Twins. This news comes a month after Ishbia was first rumored to be interested in purchasing the Twins in mid-December.
Potential New Owner Could Aggressively Pursue Minnesota Twins
A league source described Justin Ishbia as a “very, very serious” candidate to buy the #MNTwins and believes he has the funds needed. Team’s estimated value is between $1.5-1.7 billion.https://t.co/4fQXtOmJ6y
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) January 17, 2025
Part of the Process
On January 7, Hayes reported that one of his sources, who had been briefed on the sale, believed the Twins would be sold by opening day, noting the “robust market.” Forbes lists the Twins’ worth as $1.5 billion, while Sportico lists them as $1.7 billion. The current owners, the Pohlad family, are only the second owners in Minnesota’s franchise history. Carl Pohlad bought the Twins in 1984 for $44 million. Hayes’ source revealed that the owners expressed pleasure with the level of interest and set a goal to pick a winner before Opening Day.
Only six clubs have sold since 2012, with the most recent being the Baltimore Orioles in March 2024 for $1.725 billion. As Hayes noted, “[the] New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, and Miami Marlins have been purchased since 2017.” All clubs recently sold (except the Royals) have a fairly stable stadium situation. Like them, the Twins have spent 15 seasons at Target Field and have reported wanting to extend their lease with the stadium through 2059. Having a solid situation with their stadium only adds to the urgency for potential buyers to complete a deal as soon as possible.
Roster Impact
Many, including Dan Hayes, don’t expect the Twins to venture far from their projected $134 million payroll. Even with the idea that a new owner would be willing to spend more on payroll than the current Twins owners, something like that would not immediately occur. As the Twins roster projects, they still have a clear shot at winning the division in 2025. It all stems from their ability to keep their core players healthy such as Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis, and Joe Ryan. If Pablo López can return to his 2023 form, he can solidify a young staff that will need him as an anchor.
Several variables that seem to be holding the Twins back from adding to their roster. However, the Twins have the pieces to stay relevant in 2025 despite the challenge of navigating an offseason not knowing who the new owner will be. While new owners will be a breath of fresh air for many Twins fans, they must be patient and wait for the process to play out.
Main Photo Credits: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
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