The Twins already had enough roster questions to sort through after a 77-85 finish in 2026. Trevor Larnach’s wrist surgery just added another one.
Minnesota general manager Jeremy Zoll said the outfielder is set to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left wrist Friday, November 13. Larnach had already ended the season on the injured list with a wrist sprain, and the club had hoped rest would solve the issue. It didn’t.
Zoll called the operation a cleanup and said the team does not expect it to affect Larnach’s availability for spring training or the start of the 2027 season.
That matters because Larnach had become one of the more interesting names in Minnesota’s offseason picture. Before the surgery news, there was already trade chatter around the 29-year-old, and the wrist issue now clouds that market.
Larnach put together a solid 2026 season, hitting .269 with a .352 on-base percentage, .436 slugging percentage and 13 home runs in 122 games. He also did damage against right-handed pitching, posting a .284/.365/.454 line in those matchups.
The problem for the Twins is that his production now has to be weighed against a changing outfield. Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez both reached the majors in 2026 and showed what they could mean down the line. Byron Buxton, meanwhile, remains a major part of the lineup if he comes back healthy after hip surgery.
That leaves Minnesota with a crowded picture and other needs to address, especially on the pitching side. Larnach had looked like a natural trade chip because of that squeeze, but the surgery forces the front office to reassess how much value he still carries.
There’s also the contract angle. Larnach is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility before potentially becoming a free agent after the 2027 season. MLB Trade Rumors projected his salary at $6.3 million through arbitration.
So the Twins have a decision to make: tender him, keep him as insurance while the younger outfielders continue to develop, or keep exploring trade possibilities. The surgery doesn’t shut any of that down. It just makes a straightforward situation a lot messier.
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