Will the Minnesota Twins make any needle-moving trades between now and the 5:00 pm (CT) MLB trade deadline on Tuesday? That is the $35 million question.
The Twins have plenty of needs, but finding a trade partner is proving difficult since the Pohlads won’t sign off on any deal that adds additional salary to the team’s books for this season. So that will make negotiations much more difficult.
MLB to subsidize Minnesota Twins?
The longtime owners cut $35 million from Minnesota’s player payroll during the offseason. Now, they reportedly refuse to spend another dime to add talent before the deadline hits.
But could a “temporary lifesaver” agreed upon by Major League Baseball and the MLBPA jog some loose change from the pockets of the Pohlad family? That’s what commissioner Rob Manfred hopes, after the MLB announced that they are taking $75 million out of the luxury tax pool and using it to subsidize teams that have taken revenue hits via regional television deals that have gone sour.
Teams sweating finances because of their reduced TV revenue because of their RSN agreements being dropped or lowered got a temporary lifesaver this week when the union agreed to permit commissioner Rob Manfred to distribute about $75 million from their luxury tax proceeds to teams in need, maxing out at $15 million for individual teams.
“We believe this agreement should positively affect the player market by softening the impact of revenue declines, by increasing the number of clubs who have monies to spend, and by undermining the ability of clubs to weaponize recent developments in RSN markets,” the union said in a memo to players, according to The Athletic.
Bob Nightengale – USA Today Sports
Should this news give Twins fans hope?
So, these subsidies are meant to make open up the trade deadline floodgates a little bit. Some teams will get as $15 million. We do not know how much the Minnesota Twins are set to receive, though.
The Twins are 4.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians for 1st place in the American League Central. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Royals are playing well and nipping at the Twins’ heels, just two games behind them.
Related: One Twins Trade Target May Have Priced Himself into Their Trade Deadline Plans
A quick peak at the Wildcard standings shows Minnesota clinging to the No. 2 WC . The Royals hold down WC3 and the Red Sox, Mariners and Rays are all within shouting distance. In other words, there is still a lot to be decided in the AL between now and game 162.
Will the MLB’s new TV revenue subsidy change the minds of the Pohlads? Well, that is literally why this money is being doled out, so you’d sure hope so. At the same time, we don’t know how much out of the $15 million they will get and I’d be 0% shocked to see them pocket whatever welfare the league hands over. We will know one way or another in about 36 hours.
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