The Twins are heading into the offseason with a clearer financial path than they’ve had in a while, and Tom Pohlad has already signaled payroll should go up. That opens the door to some real additions. But the qualifying offer market has complicated two of the most obvious fits.
Right-hander David Bednar and first baseman Jake Bauers both landed the $23.15 million qualifying offer, which means Minnesota would have to give up draft compensation to sign either one. The Twins can still chase them, but that price tag changes the calculation for a front office that has to decide whether the upgrade is worth the cost.
If the Twins want a cheaper route at first base, Ty France makes a lot of sense. He’s coming off a strong bounce-back season with the San Diego Padres, putting up 3.6 fWAR and a .295/.363/.502 slash line with 21 home runs and 72 RBI in 133 games. That’s a major step forward from his 2025 season, when he posted 0.9 fWAR and hit .257/.320/.360 with seven homers and 52 RBI across 138 games split between Minnesota and the Toronto Blue Jays.
France also gave the Padres elite work at first base. He logged +8 Outs Above Average and +15 Defensive Runs Saved in 1,030 1/3 innings, a huge turnaround after being a below-average defender in 2023 and 2024. He had already earned his first career Gold Glove Award in 2025, and he backed that up this year by staying sharp in the field while getting his bat back on track.
The contract projections tell the story of why he’s such a realistic fallback. MLB Trade Rumors has France at two years and $32 million, which feels rich.
ESPN is more conservative, projecting a one-year, $13 million deal. If that number is the one that holds, the Twins should absolutely be in the mix to bring him back.
The bullpen side of the equation points to a similar kind of pivot. Bednar would be one of the best relievers available, but the price could be too steep even before the qualifying offer penalty enters the picture.
ESPN projects him for a three-year, $60 million deal, and that’s a lot to commit to a reliever. Minnesota should look, but the better fit may be Raisel Iglesias.
Iglesias is older - he’ll be 37 in January - but he also looks like the more manageable target. ESPN projects him at one year and $14 million, a high number for a reliever but far less risky because of the term. He also just turned in an excellent season for the Atlanta Braves in 2026, making his first career All-Star Team while posting a 2.55 ERA with 34 saves and 64 strikeouts over 60 innings.
With the Twins expected to spend and the qualifying offer market narrowing the field, France and Iglesias stand out as the cleaner alternatives if Minnesota decides not to pay the extra cost for Bauers and Bednar.
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