The Minnesota Twins were one of the biggest surprises of the 2017 season, as coming off a 59-win season no one expected them to compete for a playoff spot.
They wound up finishing 85-77 though, which was good enough to earn them the second wildcard spot in the American League, although they eventually lost to the New York Yankees in the Wildcard game.
With a solid young core of players, the Twins may just be a piece or two away from being a legit threat in the American League. It appears they feel that piece is a starting pitcher, as they have pursued the best free agent currently on the market this offseason, Yu Darvish.
In addition to the Twins, other contenders like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and Houston Astros have also shown interest in Darvish.
While the Twins may be viewed as a bit of a longshot compared to the other teams if Darvish is prioritizing winning a World Series, according to Buster Olney of ESPN, people throughout the league believe the Twins have a real chance at landing the four-time All-Star:
There are folks with other teams who believe that the Twins have a real shot to sign Yu Darvish. They've got a ton of payroll flexibility, they have a rotation need, and they're well-positioned to compete in a weakened AL Central in the next few years.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 19, 2018
Darvish was traded to the Dodgers at the non-waiver deadline last year, and despite struggling mightily in the World Series, he has expressed desire in coming back to Los Angeles.
The Dodgers are prioritizing getting below the luxury tax threshold though, so the price tag on Darvish would likely need to drop for the Dodgers to get seriously involved. That may not happen though as the Yankees have already offered him a contract and the Twins seem to be willing to give him the nine-figure contract he is seeking.
The Twins have yet to meet with Darvish, but with pitchers and catchers set to report for Spring Training in less than a month, a resolution on who he signs with could come sooner rather than later.
