Delmon Young’s Trade May be the First of a Major Roster Shake Up for the Twins

At 52-67 and 11.5 games out of first place, the Twins might finally be starting to look to the future. Monday’s trade of Delmon Young to the Tigers may be the first domino to fall, as there are several holes the team must address in the offseason.

With both Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer both set to be free agents in the offseason, we can expect the outfield to have a different look next season. With Ben Revere and Denard Span expected to play regularly, there will be one outfield spot to fill. My feeling is that the Twins will re-sign either Kubel or Cuddyer, but it will be difficult to resign them both. My guess is that they will make every effort to resign Cuddyer for all of the versatility he brings.

The Twins should be set at catcher, as well as first and third base, with Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau healthy, and Danny Valencia with a full season under his belt.

The Twins could use an upgrade at either second base or shortstop. Tsuyoshi Nishioka has had a difficult time adjusting to the major leagues and second base has been filled with inconsistent play and injuries.

Perhaps the biggest area of need for next season is the bullpen. Glen Perkins has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing group. Joe Nathan appears to have recovered from Tommy John surgery, but will probably have to take a significant pay cut to return next year. Matt Capps surely won’t be returning and the Twins could use a few veteran arms to help take pressure off of the rookies that have been used this year.

Simply put, the Twins will have money to spend this off-season, and I fully expect them to spend it.