The Minnesota Twins’ biggest addition from last year’s free agent class has become arguably their biggest departure. The Twins signed first baseman Carlos Santana for just $5 million last winter, and he performed admirably in his first, and possibly only, season in Minnesota. But if the Twins don’t bring him back into the fold for his age-39 season, how can they replicate his production from the 2024 campaign?
Santana played in 150 games for the Twins last season, hitting .238/.328/.420 (.748 OPS) with 23 home runs and 71 RBI. His superb defense led to a well-deserved Gold Glove honor last week. While we’ll never know the tangible impact of his presence in the clubhouse, he’s widely known as a positive influence on younger players and is well-respected among the coaching staff.
That’s a pretty big shopping list that the Twins will want handy when determining what they need going forward, whether in a reunion with Santana himself or finding another free agent to take his place. With that in mind, here are a few veteran candidates who could make sense as an outside addition to become his predecessor.
Josh Bell
The former top prospect is a few years past his heyday, but even his last two seasons could be classified as mediocre rather than terrible. And Bell’s reputation before that was of a slugging, middle-of-the-order bat that could hit from both sides of the plate.
Bell’s fit as Santana’s replacement would be seamless, albeit with less defensive upside. But a switch-hitting power bat has to look enticing to a team like the Twins that is seeking lineup versatility thanks to so many enticing, young players still relatively unproven in the majors.
The most exciting aspect of Bell’s profile is probably his stellar second half last season, where he hit .292/.379/.506 with a massive walk increase. That level of productivity was roughly 45% better than league average, according to wRC+, and is more in line with his overall clip from his prime seasons. The price could be right for the Twins, who will face financial restrictions.
Paul Goldschmidt
Like Bell, this former All-Star will likely be looking at short-term contracts in this winter’s market. But Goldschmidt’s salary will be higher than Bell should expect. The former MVP is just a year removed from star-caliber play, and his 2024 campaign was similar to Santana’s. The Twins could try to find a way to squeeze another year out of a stellar career for a borderline Hall of Famer, much like they did with Nelson Cruz in 2019.
Goldschmidt would be an everyday player and a massive boon against southpaw pitchers, who he crushed in 2024 to the tune of a 134 wRC+. Even at the ripe age of 37, he would represent a higher ceiling than Bell and incumbent Twins such as Jose Miranda and Edouard Julien.
Could Goldy be enticed with a contract similar to Cruz’s in 2019, where he signed for $14 million with a $12 million club option for the following year? Even if he is amenable to such a deal, how will the Twins find enough wiggle room to accommodate this weighty increase? It’s a fun scenario to dream on, but this one is a considerable long shot.
Justin Turner
It’s becoming my annual tradition to make Turner a free-agent target for the Twins, and the reasons continue to make sense. Is he the same player he was when he was starring in the postseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers? Surely not. But the veteran slugger continues to find a way to be productive year after year, even into his late 30s.
Turner was a productive hitter with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners this past year, even with a notable power decrease. He only hit 11 long balls, but he got on base at a decent clip (.354 OBP) and came through in the clutch (.824 OPS in medium-leverage situations, .754 OPS in high-leverage). His righty bat isn’t a seamless fit on the roster, especially given that he will likely be relegated to first base and designated hitter exclusively (still, he played 33 innings of passable defense at third base).
The bat still plays, at least for now. Turner has had well-above-average production every season since 2013 and would bring another veteran into a mostly young clubhouse. I think now would be a great time to see what he could provide for the Twins, and if not, you’ll see him on this list again next year.
