The Twins have a path to make first base a lot more dangerous, and it runs through Isaac Paredes.
If Minnesota can pry him loose from Houston, Paredes would slide into the everyday first-base role and give Derek Shelton another bat with real on-base punch near the top of the lineup. The fit makes sense on paper, especially with Josh Bell back in free agency after the Twins turned down their side of his mutual option.
Houston’s situation is messy enough to make Paredes a name to watch. Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reported that Astros general manager Randy Flores said at Tuesday’s GM meetings that the club still has to figure out how Paredes, Carlos Correa, and Christian Walker fit at the two infield corners. The Astros exercised Paredes’ 2027 option on Nov. 2, but Minnesota should be in the mix if Houston decides to move him.
Paredes would also give the Twins some lineup flexibility they don’t currently have. Royce Lewis is the current first-base placeholder if Minnesota tenders him a contract, but Paredes wouldn’t have to lock that spot down every single day.
He logged 15 games at first and 138 at third in 2026, so Shelton could still use Lewis there when needed. On days when Shelton wants to give Lee a break, Paredes could shift to third and Lewis could handle first.
The offensive upgrade is the real draw. Paredes hit .262/.360/.447 with 25 home runs and a 10.8% walk rate in 2026, while striking out in just 13.4% of his plate appearances.
That was about half the strikeout rate Lewis posted while hitting .227/.287/.380. At a position where the Twins ranked 28th in the Majors in OPS last season, according to Aaron Gleeman, that kind of jump would matter.
There’s also a lineup construction angle here. Shelton could bat Paredes second behind Byron Buxton, letting his ability to get on base feed the middle of the order. That would open more chances for Kody Clemens, who supplied left-handed power with 27 home runs in 2026.
Of course, Paredes comes with his own home-run profile to consider. Statcast tracked him pulling 33.5% of his batted balls in the air, a shape that fits Daikin Park’s short left field. Even with that tendency, he still posted a .358 on-base percentage and hit 11 home runs on the road.
First base isn’t the only spot Minnesota has to sort out, either. Catcher remains in play after Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll told reporters at the GM meetings that the club has stayed in touch with Ryan Jeffers, according to Gleeman. Jeffers has until Nov. 17 to decide on his one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer.
If Jeffers leaves, the Twins would need another catcher who can share time with Victor Caratini and help replace the power Jeffers provided with 14 home runs in 92 games.
In Other News...
Trevor Larnach Just Added A New Twist To Twins Trade Talk
Trevor Larnachs offseason took a small turn this week, with the Twins outfielder set for arthroscopic surgery on his left wrist after soreness lingered from the sprain that cost him the final two weeks of the season. It is not the kind of development that changes the bigger picture for Minnesota, but it does add another layer to a winter already shaped by questions about where Larnach fits.
General manager Jeremy Zoll characterized the procedure as minor, and the team does not expect it to affect Larnachs availability for the start of Spring Training. Even so, the timing is worth noting for a player who had already surfaced in trade conversations, including a potential deal with the Astros that never materialized, leaving his status as one more item for the Twins to sort through as the offseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Still Have The Bullpen Need This Rival Just Exposed
The Twins bullpen picture got a little clearer, and not in a way that should make anyone in Minnesota feel settled. Detroit has reportedly moved to add former Twins reliever Emilio Pagn on a one-year deal, a reminder that one of the more familiar late-inning arms in the division is now headed to a rival. For Minnesota, it is another nudge toward the same offseason question that has hovered for weeks: how much more relief help still needs to be added before the group feels trustworthy enough for a full season?
Pagns recent track record is part of why the move matters, because the Tigers are betting on a pitcher whose performance has been uneven enough to leave plenty of room for debate. Even so, the fit is easy to understand from Detroits side, and it only sharpens the Twins own need to keep looking for answers in the bullpen market. The division has a way of turning these kinds of moves into direct comparisons, and this one does not exactly make Minnesotas path any simpler. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Could Target A Bullpen Arm With One Big Roster Catch
The bullpen market picked up another name when Boston moved on from right-hander Zack Kelly, and the Twins could have reason to take a look. Minnesota has been searching for ways to deepen its relief mix, and Kelly is the kind of arm that fits the conversation: a right-handed reliever with enough big-league track record to merit attention, even if he is not a headline addition.
Kellys profile is complicated by the health piece, since he is working back from an elbow fracture and has not yet resumed throwing. Still, for a Twins club that has to weigh upside against availability, the appeal is obvious if the medicals check out. The question now is whether Minnesota sees enough there to make a move before another team beats it to a low-cost bullpen gamble. [Read more 🡒]