At the trade deadline, we saw the Twins front office send away ten players. It was a shift from being in the mix of the playoff race to a full-on rebuild. The front office’s decision was the final act of an alarming freefall.

The Twins had a dismal 51-58 record entering the deadline. They were languishing 12 games out of first place in the AL Central. Their offense was anemic, sitting near the bottom of the league in hits (23rd), RBIs(23rd), and batting average(22nd). The pitching staff did not offer much help either, with the 22nd-best ERA in the league. They had a dreadful 11-17 record in one-run games, showcasing their inability to come out on top in critical moments. The season really spiraled after a key injury to pitcher Pablo López in June, which sparked a skid the team couldn’t recover from.

In the middle of it all, an injured Byron Buxton flew to Cleveland to be with his depleted team. As other players looked for answers, the star center fielder dropped a powerful message: “It’s part of baseball. Like, this is the business side of it,” he said. “Just because we go through these tough roads or whatever, it is what it is. We’ll be better once we get on the other end of it… At the end of the season, we’ll talk a little bit more, but I ain’t going nowhere.”

Buxton signed a seven-year $100 million extension with the Twins in late 2021. Most importantly, that deal came with a full no-trade clause. Even prior to the firesale this season, he made his intentions known. At the All-Star break, he said, “I’m a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life.”

But Buxton’s career, so far, has a frustrating injury history. In the span of eleven seasons, he has only played more than 100 games twice. However, the 2025 season was a prime example of how much he could contribute when healthy. Before a ribcage injury sidelined him, he had a batting average of .282 with 59 RBIs, 17 stolen bases. He was the sole bright spot on a failing team.

While Buxton’s unwavering loyalty serves as an anchor for the Twins, is the ship worth saving in the first place?

The Great Minnesota Firesale

The Twins front office, led by Derek Falvey, moved swiftly, responding to the team’s collapse. They first moved Chris Paddack to a division rival. Then, they traded their flame-throwing closer, Jhoan Duran, to the Phillies. On deadline day, they completed seven additional trades, sending out relievers Brock Stewart, Danny Coulombe, Griffin Jax, and Louis Varland, along with outfielder Harrison Bader and utility man Willi Castro.

The clubhouse was shocked. Catcher Ryan Jeffers said, “It’s a hard pill to swallow, but maybe a reset was needed.” He added, “We were curious to see how far the front office would go, and they decided to go really far. The dominos just kept falling. It just kept coming. It felt like it never ended.”

The biggest move was sending shortstop Carlos Correa back to the Houston Astros.  This was a total salary dump. The Twins agreed to pay $33 million out of the $104 million that remained of his contract.

“A lot of guys who were on our ‘23 run aren’t here anymore because of the trades, so that hurt,” pitcher Bailey Ober said. “The business side of baseball sometimes shows its ugly face sometimes. It was surreal watching what happened.”

Manager Rocco Baldelli clarified he is optimistic about the move: “We’re here to win, let me be clear. The locker room looks different, the team looks different, the lineup is different, but let’s go to work.”

Outlook on the Minnesota Twins is not so bright at the moment. The team has a mixture of aging veterans, underdeveloped prospects, and minor league players. The remainder of the 2025 season is now about understanding who has potential for the future.

From a financial perspective, the team is in a good position compared to other teams in the league. The only players with guaranteed contracts are Buxton, Pablo López, and Justin Topa. This leaves the front office with significant money to spend. However, the unresolved ownership situation looms over everything.

How do you see the Twins shaping up going forward?