Twins Save Money, But There Is A Cost To Trading Popular Players [OPINION]

I have loved baseball for as far back as I can remember. I am talking three or four years old, gathering baseball cards and making 'dream teams' while watching the Saturday afternoon Game of the Week on NBC.

The good old days.

A NEW WORLD 

Try as I might, my son (who is seven), does not share my love for watching baseball. While he does love playing the sport, it has been a bit of a struggle to get him into watching the Twins on TV with me.. at least for a whole game.

He has, however, gravitated toward certain Twins players and tries to keep up with them throughout the season. His favorite player the last three seasons has been relief pitcher Jhoan Duran.

He was initially wooed by Duran's triple-digit fastball then really became a fan after seeing his elaborate entrance at Target Field.

His fandom intensified when we went to the 2024 edition of TwinsFest at Target Field, where he got to meet Duran himself. Wearing his "59 Duran" shirt he not only got Duran's autograph but also gave the pitcher a signed card of his own that he had brought to swap with his favorite player.

WEDNESDAY'S NEWS 

In addition to lame-duck, cheap ownership, the Twins are in the midst of a disappointing season on the field. That combination of factors led the Twins to hold a fire sale with the intention of dumping salary since the team will not be making the playoffs this season.

Leading up to Wednesday I had been planting the idea of a trade in my son's head. When the trade happened, he was devastated and asked 'why' the Twins would trade someone that throws so fast and is so good. He actually needed a minute to relax after he go so worked up!

That's when it dawned on me that while I can understand the business side of the trade (although trading him two years BEFORE they have to pay him big money is a new level of gross from the Pohlads), kids cannot. While I understand that Duran was traded for players who may (or may not) excel in the future, my son is just upset that his favorite player is gone.

It's hard to get my kid to follow the team when it is essentially just laundry that changes colors from year to year. Gone are the days of Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek and others sticking around for ten years even after -gasp- they've earned a big payday.

WHAT IS THE END GAME?

Trading Duran in the midst of a losing season makes some sense. After all, what is the value of a closer on a bad team with few late close-game situations? At the same time, Duran was under contract for multiple seasons after this one. What happens if the Twins turn out to be better than expected in 2026? Trade for a closer?

By the way, my son's other favorite Twins are Willi Castro and Harrison Bader, both of whom are likely to be traded on Thursday. Buckle up!