Are Drastic Changes Ahead For Twins This Winter?

Minnesota Twins could be making changes with Joe Mauer due $23 million for the 2015 season, plus four pitchers and Kurt Suzuki combining for $36 million.

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With more than $59 million of their 2015 payroll due to just six players, the Minnesota Twins will be one of several baseball teams having to make drastic moves during the offseason in order to reach a projected mark of $86 million.

“The 2015 payroll is likely to be much closer to the $86 million the Twins ultimately spent in 2014 than the franchise-record $113/million they paid out in 2011,” according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Joe Mauer alone is slated to make $23 million next season, as he is just past the midway point of a eight-year, $148 million contract that will keep in in Minnesota thru the end of the 2018 campaign. The 31-year-old played in just 120 games in 2014, hitting a career-low .277 with just four homers and 55 RBI.

Pitchers Ricky Nolasco ($12.25 million), Phil Hughes ($8 million), Glen Perkins ($.5.543 million) and Mike Pelfrey ($5 million) and catcher Kurt Suzuki ($6 million) are locked for the 2015 season.

The Twins’ primary target could be veteran reliever Jared Burton, who struggled to the tune of a 4.36 ERA while finishing with a 3-5 record. Burton is due a $3.6 million team option, but it is likely the club will pass on it and pay him a $200,000 buyout clause. Minnesota could then also offer Burton a lower contract.

Three other relievers — Brian Duensing, Tommy Milone and Anthony Swarzak — could also be on the way out if the Twins decide not to offer arbitration to them.

Much of the problem facing the Twins is the sharp drop in attendance at Target Field. Minnesota drew just 2,250,606 this past season, marking the fourth straight year attendance has fallen since the club attracted 3,223,640 for Target Field’s initial season in 2010.

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