The Minnesota Twins are about to embark on a quite pivotal offseason in their franchise's history, at least in recent memory.
After the team sold at the 2025 trade deadline and put all their stock in the future, that future is here. Prospects like Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez have debuted, and now it's time for the front office to add pieces to support both the young core coming up and the current cast of characters making up the core of the roster.
One thing is for certain: general manager Jeremy Zoll and his team have their work cut out for them this offseason importing free agents from one of the weaker classes in recent memory. Let's look at the three free agents that would fit the Twins perfectly and help bring them back to October.
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Brewers in 2026 were a renaissance and are in the midst of plugging for their first championship in franchise history. The breakout season that 1B/DH Jake Bauers is having is among the biggest reasons. In 2026, Bauers had a 143 wRC+ with a career-high 26 home runs and 86 RBIs.
It was a career year for sure, and that could be a detriment to him because this level of production was never posted. If I were the Twins, I would try to sign him to a short-term deal with opt-outs and see if they can capture lightning in a bottle in the form of the NLCS MVP.
New York Yankees pitcher David Bednar. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
When thinking of the best closers in baseball, it's fair to say that Bednar cracks at least the top 10 on that list. For the Yankees after some early struggles in 2026, Bednar converted 35 out of 39 saves while posting a 2.47 ERA. Of the relievers on the market, Bednar is one of, if not the best.
The Twins won't be the only team hot after Bednar's services, with the Yankees expected to give him the qualifying offer, according to the New York Post . Still, if Bednar hits the open market, the Twins need to be hot after his services. The closer position for the Twins should be in question going into 2027, which makes Bednar the perfect fit.
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Gregory Soto. Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The biggest need for the Twins this offseason is releif pitching , even beyond closer. Enter Gregory Soto. 2026 with the Pittsburgh Pirates was not a bad season, one where he posted a 3.63 ERA in 67.0 innings of work, which is better than the three seasons prior.
Soto would be sort of a reclemation project for the Twins. Someone who has experience as a closer and pitching high leverage innings, but that should not be his role going into 2027 if the Twins were to sign him. Strikeouts were also an issue in the Twins bullpen in 2026, and Soto would bring a 27.7% strikeout rate and a 43.6% ground ball rate. The Twins need to make some of these savvy signings to be successful, and with a solid track record, Soto should be worth a look.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/twins/onsi as Ranking the Three Best Free-Agent Fits for the Minnesota Twins .
