The Minnesota Twins’ 2026 season ended Sunday afternoon with a 6-4 win over the Texas Rangers at Target Field, and the attention now shifts to what the roster looks like when 2027 rolls around. For the most part, it should look familiar. But a few key names are headed for free agency after the World Series, and Minnesota has some choices to make.
Ryan Jeffers is the biggest one.
The catcher is set to hit the market after a season that included 2.8 bWAR, an .814 OPS, 14 home runs and 56 RBI in 92 games. That’s a strong line on paper, but the second-half dip that followed his return from a hamate bone fracture could dent what he can command. Minnesota will also have a real need behind the plate, since Victor Caratini is the lone catcher on the 40-man roster once the offseason starts.
The Twins could try to keep Jeffers, and there’s a good chance they at least make him a qualifying offer. MLB Trade Rumors projects that number at $23.1 million, which would be a hefty one-year price tag.
Still, the club would probably be fine if it got Jeffers back for one more season, especially with top catching prospect Vahn Lackey still in the minors and possibly closer to helping in 2028. Jeffers could take the QO, but the more likely path is that he looks for a multi-year deal somewhere else.
Prediction: Jeffers turns down QO from the Twins and signs a multi-year deal with another team.
Josh Bell is also on the way to free agency unless Minnesota becomes the first team in more than a decade to exercise a mutual option. He gave the Twins a productive season at the plate, hitting .255/.319/.419 with 21 home runs and 96 RBI. The bat played, but the fit is complicated.
Bell’s defense at first base is shaky enough that he profiles more as a designated hitter, and that creates a roster squeeze. Minnesota wants at-bats for Byron Buxton, Luke Keaschall, Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez, and carrying a primary DH next year would likely take regular playing time away from one of those outfielders. Re-signing Bell for another year wouldn’t be a disaster, but the roster math points another direction.
Prediction: Bell signs with another team.
A.J. Minter is another free agent after arriving from the New York Mets on July 31 in the deal that sent infield prospects Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani to New York.
He made a strong impression in Minnesota, putting up a 2.78 ERA with 21 strikeouts across 22 2/3 innings. He brings 10 years of big-league experience, a 3.15 career ERA and a World Series ring.
Minnesota should be looking hard at its bullpen after last offseason’s misfire, and the relief group is in better shape this time around with Jeff Hoffman, Tommy Nance and Yoendrys Gomez coming back after midseason additions. Even so, the Twins still need more help there.
The final name in this group is left-hander Danny Coulombe, who signed a one-year deal with the Twins over the offseason. He finished with a 4.33 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings.
He had some strong stretches, but the rough outings piled up too. In the end, the sense here is that Minnesota will move on.
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Royce Lewis Suddenly Has More Than One Twins Problem
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Marek Houston has added another layer to that discussion. The shortstop prospect has been performing well in the minors and is moving closer to an MLB debut, which gives the Twins another potential in-house option at a position that could force some shuffling. For Lewis, the issue is no longer just getting back on track at the plate. It is also whether the organizations next move at shortstop changes the way it views his future. [Read more 🡒]
Former Twins Star Loses Latest Postseason Chance At Worst Time
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Instead, utilityman Otto Kemp will take Arraezs place on the roster, leaving the Phillies to adjust their postseason plans without one of their more reliable bats. For Minnesota fans, its another reminder of how quickly a familiar name can be pulled out of the spotlight, with Arraezs latest playoff opportunity slipping away before the series even begins. [Read more 🡒]