Minnesota Twins Can Strengthen Their Defense By Signing Braves Veteran

The Minnesota Twins could make a huge splash this offseason after they sat out of the playoffs for the third year in a row and finished third in the AL Central. 

An intriguing option in veteran second baseman Mauricio Dubón is available now that his one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves expired following the conclusion of the season.

Even though the Twins have a few promising young infielders including Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee and Kaelen Culpepper, it wouldn't hurt for them to have a veteran presence who can help mentor them.

Dubón wrapped up his lone season with Atlanta slashing .276/.321/.399 while owning a .719 OPS. Moreover, the 32-year-old drove in 73 runs and launched 12 homers, proving that he can not only hit for power, but also advance runners as needed.

Defensively, he recorded six outs above average which kept the Braves in numerous games this season. While Dubón frequently played second base, his versatility and willingness to take on other positions were amazing to see this year.

His home run robbery against former Brave Freddie Freeman during Game 3 of the NL Division Series comes to mind. Although Atlanta still lost 3-1, Dubón's play in left field gave them the chance they needed to avoid a shutout in the fifth inning when he scored off a groundout by Drake Baldwin.

While the Braves will have a decent shot at re-signing Dubón, Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll would be wise to make him a competitive offer, especially now that owner Tom Pohlad promised a payroll increase for 2027. 

Besides this year, Dubón's track record goes back to his three full seasons with the Houston Astros. He batted .269 in 2024, but regressed to .241 the next year, prompting the Astros to ship him off to Atlanta in exchange for infielder Nick Allen.

Evidently, he thrived with the Braves and will rightfully garner a ton of interest from Minnesota and other teams in the league. Anything more than a three-year deal could come back to bite Minnesota, so they must be careful to not overpay.

But for the right price, Dubón just might be the spark that the Twins need both in the infield and the batter's box. 

Signing Dubón can't be the only thing Minnesota does though. Pitching is another area that Zoll will need to address with right-handed ace Joe Ryan due for an extension soon and relievers Taylor Rogers and A.J. Minter testing the free agent market.