The Minnesota Twins are in a high degree of flux. Cost-cutting measures that took place last winter were instrumental in the team’s late-season collapse in 2024, and ownership is openly welcoming the prospect of selling the organization.
While the Twins front office vowed not to cut payroll again this offseason, the organization is reportedly still listening to offers for several of the team’s top talents.
Minnesota could find itself sinking to the near-bottom of the American League Central in 2025, with only the woebegone Chicago White Sox there to break their fall.
If the Twins are not going to be contending, the need for a top-flight closer is not as great. To that end, Nat Gordon mused on the Boston Red Sox-related podcast “Play Tessie” that Minnesota could be enticed into a swap of Jhoan Duran for Beantown starting pitcher Kutter Crawford.
Gordon went as far as mentioning that the cost-conscious Twins could include former Red Sox catcher Christian Vasquez back to Boston in the deal in order to save on his $10 million salary.
Minnesota’s starting rotation could be served by adding Crawford to its young staff in the place of Chris Paddack, whom the Twins are reportedly also interested in dealing away.
The trade would save Minnesota on the likely sizable arbitration awards that Duran is likely to receive in upcoming offseasons to assist in keeping the team payroll in its comfortable $120 million range.
Crawford, who allowed an MLB-worst 34 home runs in 2024, has become more expendable after the Red Sox acquired Garrett Crochet from the White Sox.
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