After 40 years of ownership of the Minnesota Twins, the Pohlad family announced Thursday that they plan to sell the team.
The Twins enjoyed great success under the family’s leadership. Led by Kirby Puckett, they won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. Since the turn of the century, the Twins have won nine AFC Central titles and qualified for the playoffs as a team. drafted once.
There were frustrations, too — the Twins finally ended an 18-game playoff losing streak last year.
“For the past 40 seasons, the Twins have been part of the heart and soul of our family,” Twins President Joe Pohlad, a third-generation owner, said in a statement. 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 incredible organization – are part of it. We have never taken lightly the privilege of being the managers of this organization.
“However, after months of consideration, our family made the decision this summer to consider selling the Twins. As we enter the next phase of this process, now is the time to make this decision public. »
The Twins have been competitive in recent years. They were 87-75 in 2023 and won a playoff series for the first time since 2002. Manager Rocco Baldelli led the club to three section titles in six years.
But being close to bigger successes is part of the frustration among fans, who wanted the team to take the next step.
After a successful 2023 season, the team faced a loss of revenue from the local television station due to the bankruptcy of the Bally Sports network. Pohlad then ordered a spending cut that amounted to a payroll cut of nearly US$30 million.
The move angered supporters, who have long been frustrated by the family’s conservative approach to payroll spending. The Twins went 82-80 in 2024, missing the playoffs after a late-season collapse.
The Twins began play in the American League in 1961 after the Washington Senators moved to the Minneapolis area.
Pohlad said he recognized the importance of the team to the region and that would be taken into account in the process.
“After four decades of commitment, passion and countless memories, we look forward with care – to our family, the Twins organization and this community we love so much,” he said.