It is not out of the question that the Twins will re-sign Michael A. Taylor.
This winter, nothing much has happened in Minnesota because the Twins have not made any kind of major move. To be fair, the Twins signed Josh Staumont, a former Royals reliever, as a free agent, but that was the only move they made.
Although Minnesota has signed a few players to minor league contracts, each of those agreements has been low risk with the possibility of great reward. Nothing has lived up to the fans’ high hopes for the team, which actively aimed to improve its roster in order to pursue the most successful postseason run in two decades.
While trading Max Kepler and/or Jorge Polanco is at the top of everyone’s list of things we all expect to happen, there are some moves that appear to be in limbo. If the market settles this month, the Twins may still make a deal despite having a smaller payroll.
The Twins’ greatest need right now is in pitching, but centerfield is not far behind. While it may be difficult to replace Sonny Gray, it might be possible to fill a center field void by bringing back the player who filled it the previous season.
Twins have the option to sign Michael A. Taylor again in the offseason.
As Michael A. Taylor considers his free agent options, the Twins are still a possible destination, according to FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray.
“The Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres are among the teams interested in the 32-year-old outfielder, so a reunion between Taylor and the Twins should not be ruled out,” Murray wrote.
Murray also mentions that the Los Angeles Angels have talked about signing Taylor, indicating that many teams are considering doing the same this winter. Although the Twins’ past relationship with him may help them stand out from the competition, that seems like bad news for them.
If Taylor made the decision to go back to Minnesota, there would be familiarity on both sides. Unexpectedly, he established himself as the Twins everyday center fielder by taking over for Byron Buxton in the field after the latter’s injury last season.
Although there is no guarantee that Buxton will fully recover this season and be able to resume his center field duties, it is a possibility. Taylor would be going back to what he believed he was getting into when the Twins traded for him the previous season, even if Buxton is healthy.
His price tag was one of the reasons it seemed like he was practically gone. One could have assumed that his stellar season of supporting Buxton would translate into a nice free agent contract. While his market value may be outside the Twins’ comfort zone, that has not happened yet, it does not mean it won’t. Taylor currently projects an AAV of about $7 million, which is a bit high given the Twins’ meager resources but still manageable.
While there is undoubtedly competition for Taylor, there is still a chance that he returns to Minnesota, which is more than supporters had anticipated coming into the offseason.
