Twins chairman Tom Pohlad didn’t leave much room for interpretation on Thursday: being merely “competitive” is no longer good enough.
In an informal media session in Minneapolis, Pohlad said the organization understands that payroll investment has to be part of the equation if the Twins are going to reach the level they want. He also made clear that even a playoff berth in 2026 would not be the finish line.
“We might have a magical year this year, but a $100 million payroll is not going to get the job done for trying to accomplish the kinds of things we want to accomplish,” Pohlad said. “We’ve got to be competitive consistently.
And that’s a baseline. And then we’ve got to be willing to make investments and make bold moves that allow us to be successful in the playoffs.
“I think the barometer for success in the past has been, ‘Let’s just try to be competitive.’ The barometer for success going forward is, 'Let’s win a championship.' And that’s going to require us to make decisions, whether it’s at a Trade Deadline or in the offseason, that look probably pretty different than decisions we would have made in the past.”
Pohlad, who became the club’s primary owner in December, spoke with reporters on Thursday morning and covered a broad range of topics. But with the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline looming, questions about spending and roster direction naturally sat at the center of the conversation.
He stopped short of laying out any deadline blueprint, which made sense with 3 1/2 weeks still to go. Circumstances can shift quickly, the right deal may never materialize, and there’s no reason to tip your hand publicly. Still, there’s little sign the front office or ownership is interested in repeating the kind of selloff the Twins made in '25.
Pohlad also voiced strong support for general manager Jeremy Zoll.
“I think JZ’s done a phenomenal job,” he said.
And he didn’t hide the bigger message aimed at fans who have been waiting to see real commitment from ownership. Pohlad framed the challenge in blunt terms: investment has to come first, but it only matters if it leads to wins.
“This is a ‘build and they will come’ situation,” he said. “The fans are not going to come back based on words.
They're going to come back once they see investment in the team and success on the field. I know that.
“Early on, I may have made comments like, 'We've got to build a business that can support more investment on the field.' Well, to build the business, we've got to win.
And to win, we've got to put a better product on the field. There does need to be an upfront investment made.
But when we make an investment, we have to be successful. We have to [expletive] win.
If we do that, then people will come and it will all work.”
In Other News...
Twins May Have Just Answered Their Biggest Catcher Question
The Twins used the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, giving the organization a high-end prospect at a position that has been a constant question mark in the system. It was a notable choice on its own, and it carried extra weight because Minnesota has not spent a first-round pick on a catcher since Joe Mauer, a reminder of how rarely the club has gone this route at the top of the draft.
Lackey arrives with the kind of profile that made him one of the most intriguing names on the board, with some evaluators seeing a possible five-tool catcher and other clubs surely weighing him as well. His college track record and scouting grades help explain why the Twins were willing to make the move, and why this pick feels like more than just another premium selection, even if the real test will come once he starts climbing the ladder in pro ball. [Read more 🡒]
Twins May Be Forced Off Their Draft Plan At No. 3
With the third overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, the Twins look positioned to land a premium talent, but the shape of that board could push them in a different direction than the one they might prefer. Minnesota has been linked to shortstops Grady Emerson and Roch Cholowsky, along with catcher Vahn Lackey, and the early read is that the club is leaning toward college players rather than Emerson, whose path would likely take more time.
Keith Laws latest read on the class only adds to the uncertainty, since the Twins may have to react to how the first two picks and the clubs ahead of them break. If Cholowsky is there, he could be the obvious fit, but Minnesota may not get that clean a choice, and the possibility of a pivot to another college bat or arm is very much alive as the draft order starts to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]