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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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In the context of Major League Baseball ownership groups, the Minnesota Twins are a throwback.
The team has remained under the control of the Pohlad family for 40 years, a period that's seen the franchise win World Series in 1987 and 1991. After a dry spell, the Twins re-emerged as one of the more well-run small market teams in the game.
Now, the Pohlad era could be drawing to a close.
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The Twins announced on Thursday that their owners have intent to explore a sale of the franchise.
"For the past 40 seasons, the Minnesota Twins have been part of our family's heart and soul," Twins Executive Chair Joe Pohlad said in a statement on behalf of his family. "This team is woven into the fabric of our lives, and the Twins community has become an extension of our family. The staff, the players, and most importantly, you, the fans – everyone who makes up this unbelievable organization – is part of that. We've never taken lightly the privilege of being stewards of this franchise.
"However, after months of thoughtful consideration, our family reached a decision this summer to explore selling the Twins. As we enter the next phase of this process, the time is right to make this decision public."
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The Twins underwent an immediate turnaround after turning over their front office to Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey and General Manager Thad Levine in 2017. In eight seasons since, Minnesota has posted only two losing records, won three division titles, and ended a 19-year-long drought without a postseason victory.
The team has had success in spite of its market size before. From 2001-10, the Twins never posted a losing record while claiming six division titles. However, they only won a single postseason series (in 2002). The franchise is still looking for its first World Series title since 1991.
In 2024, Minnesota finished 12-27 to fall out of Wild Card contention, a collapse that cost Levine his job.
More News: Late Collapse Costs American League General Manager His Job
Earlier this week, Major League Baseball announced it would take over production of Twins television broadcasts, along with those of two other teams (the Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers).
Against this backdrop of revenue certainty, the Twins' frugal approach to player spending makes sense. Their $131 million payroll in 2024 (per Spotrac) ranked 19th in MLB and represented a $25 million decrease from 2023.
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