Minnesota Twins Rumor Roundup

Madison Bumgarner

The Minnesota Twins missed out on Zack Wheeler, who many viewed as their top target in free agency. According to Andy Martino of Sportsnet New York, they are now shifting their focus to Madison Bumgarner. The 30-year-old lefty has been incredibly reliable over the course of his career, never posting an ERA over 3.90 in his 11 big league seasons. Bumgarner will likely get less money than Wheeler, but he is still expected to command a hefty price tag. The Twins have money to spend and appear to be at the beginning of a potential championship window, though, so they should be in on Bumgarner until the end. The Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees appear to be their main competition for his services.

Josh Donaldson

The Twins are searching for a corner infielder to replace C.J. Cron, who was recently non-tendered. One option they are exploring is third baseman Josh Donaldson, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The addition of Donaldson would allow the Twins to move Miguel Sanó to first base. This is a move that many view as necessary to improve the team’s defense. After slashing .259/.379/.521 and winning NL Comeback Player of the Year, Donaldson will not come cheap. He would be a good fit in the lineup and on the field, though, and would likely only require a short term deal. Many teams are interested in Donaldson. Those teams are the Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

Yoshitomo Tsutsugo

While Bumgarner and Donaldson fill immediate needs, the Twins are also looking at replacements for potential trade candidates. Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports that the Twins are interested in Japanese slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo. Tsutsugo has hit at least 28 home runs in his last four seasons in Japan. He has experience at both corner infield and corner outfield positions. The Twins could presumably plug him in as a replacement for C.J. Cron at either first or third base. They could also use him as a corner outfielder in the event of a trade. This might be the more likely scenario since he has played mostly outfield recently. The White Sox, Blue Jays, and Tigers appear to be interested in Tsutsugo as well.