Just when it seemed like the Detroit Tigers had a monopoly on offseason drama in the AL Central, the Minnesota Twins stepped in and said, “Hold my bat.” With spring training just around the corner, the Twins have shaken up their front office in a big way-parting ways with president of baseball operations Derek Falvey, who had only recently been elevated to that role.
Now, let’s be clear: the Tigers still have their own storm to weather. The ongoing arbitration standoff with ace Tarik Skubal isn’t exactly a footnote.
It’s a tense, uncomfortable situation, and it’s not ideal to have any friction between a front office and its star pitcher-especially this close to camp. But at the end of the day, Skubal’s still expected to take the ball on Opening Day, anchoring a rotation that puts Detroit firmly in the AL contender conversation.
Meanwhile in Minnesota, things are unraveling in a way that feels less like a bump in the road and more like a full-on detour.
The timing of Falvey’s departure is particularly jarring. This is a guy who not only survived the fallout of a disappointing 2025 season-one that saw the Twins miss the playoffs and trade Carlos Correa back to Houston-but was also entrusted with hiring Rocco Baldelli’s replacement after the longtime manager was let go.
Falvey had the keys to the offseason, shaping the roster and setting the direction for 2026. Now, less than two weeks before pitchers and catchers report, he’s out.
That kind of move doesn’t exactly scream “stability.”
Stepping into the void is general manager Jeremy Zoll, who now assumes control of the team’s baseball operations. Owner Tom Pohlad insists the Twins are still aiming to contend this season, but let’s be honest: teams with serious postseason aspirations don’t usually blow up their front office right before camp opens. It’s a move that raises more questions than it answers.
This all comes after a stretch where the Twins have struggled to find consistency or direction. They stood pat at the 2024 trade deadline and paid the price, missing the playoffs.
Then came the teardown-Correa gone, Baldelli dismissed, and now Falvey following him out the door. It’s been a turbulent two-year stretch for a team that, not long ago, looked like it had the pieces to be a perennial playoff presence.
So, if you’re the Tigers, you’re not exactly celebrating-but you might be exhaling a bit. Yes, the Skubal arbitration situation is a headache.
It’s the kind of off-field tension you don’t want heading into a season with high expectations. But compared to what’s going on in Minneapolis, it feels manageable.
Because while Detroit’s drama centers around a contract hearing, the Twins are reshuffling the very foundation of their baseball operations. That’s not just noise-it’s a seismic shift. And it’s happening at the worst possible time.
For now, the Tigers can focus on preparing for a season where they’re expected to compete-and compete seriously. Skubal will be on the mound, the rotation looks strong, and the roster is built to win. Meanwhile, the Twins are left trying to convince everyone that their house isn’t on fire, even as the smoke pours out the windows.
And for once, the chaos isn’t coming from Detroit.