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Former MN Twins Infielder Back on the Market
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- Former MN Twins Infielder Back on the Market
Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
How the Minnesota Twins attack the offseason remains to be seen, but if they care to be competitive they'll need to go out and spend money. Currently projected for a payroll south of $100 million , they have ample room to spend in order to just reach league average.
A key focus for Derek Falvey has to be the bullpen . That unit was gutted at the trade deadline , but thankfully it's a place he's proven capable of building previously. There isn't a ton of room on the dirt, but former infielder Jorge Polanco is back out there as well.
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Jorge Polanco is now a free agent, again
Minnesota traded Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners prior to the 2024 season. It didn't go well for anyone involved and Polanco was back on the open market. He signed a one-year deal with Seattle again in 2025, and after a strong postseason performance, he's looking to parlay the production into a multi-year payday.
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In his second year with the Mariners, Jorge Polanco posted a .265/.326/.495 slash line . The 134 OPS+ was a career high, and he more than earned his $7.75 million deal. The Mariners would have loved to have him back at $8 million, but the 32-year-old wants to cash in.
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Polanco hit three big home runs for the Mariners during the postseason, and none were bigger than the two blasts he got against Tarik Skubal in the Division Series. He's never been much of a fielder , and Polanco spent the vast majority of his 2025 as the Seattle designated hitter. Health concerns are real, but the 138 games played this year is a feather in his cap too.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Polanco get a two or three year deal that winds up paying him north of his $8 million option on an annual basis.
More former Minnesota Twins on the move
The offseason always includes lots of shuffling. That happens on both the coaching and player front. Tuesday the Chicago White Sox hired Derek Shomon and Zach Bove for their hitting and pitching coaches. The Atlanta Braves then grabbed former pitching coach Jeremy Hefner to assume that role with them on Wednesday.
#Braves hired Jeremy Hefner as pitching coach. Hefner, 39, spent past 6 seasons with Mets , who had MLB's 6th-best ERA in that span. They also hired Antoan Richardson , 42, as 1st-base coach. He spent past 2 seasons in that role with Mets and was also OF & baserunning instructor.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) November 5, 2025
On the player side, after being traded at the deadline , Harrison Bader declined his mutual option with the Philadelphia Phillies .
It's no surprise, but Harrison Bader yesterday declined his side of a $10 million mutual open for 2026. He's a free agent: https://t.co/vHgW9VH3WT
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) November 5, 2025
Bader was making $6.25 million in 2025 , and clearly believes there's a multi-year deal on the table to decline the $10 million payday. He was paid $10 million in 2024 on a one-year deal with the New York Mets.
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After an 86 OPS+ in New York, Bader rebounded with a .277/.347/.449 slash line and a 117 OPS+ this season. He played exceptional outfield defense again, and could get a multi-year deal heading into his age-32 season.
It would have been fun to see Bader back for the Twins, but a robust market will undoubtedly price him out of their range.
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