Report: Twins Renew Sale Process, Pohlad Family Seeking At Least $1.7B in Deal

The Minnesota Twins are reportedly renewing the process to sell the team after billionaire Justin Ishbia abandoned his pursuit of the Twins for the Chicago White Sox in February.

Per The Athletic's Dan Hayes, Ken Rosenthal and Brittany Ghiroli, the Pohlad family, which has owned the Twins since the 1980s, "is believed to be seeking at least $1.7 billion" for the club.

According to The Athletic, Minnesota has talked to one interested buyer and "deemed a $1.5 billion valuation a non-starter."

As the Twins prepare for a potential sale, a handful of factors could present obstacles in the process. The Athletic noted the size of Minnesota's market and potential for future profitability as challenges along with the club's significant debt.

Additionally, the Twins are more than $425 million in debt, one of the largest sums in the majors. That debt could lead to the Pohlad family presenting a higher asking price, thus decreasing interest in the club.

Forbes and Sportico estimate the Twins to be worth between $1.46 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively. The walkaway number from a sale would be significantly smaller if the buyer is willing to take on the club's debt, though The Athletic noted that is unlikely to happen.

According to The Athletic, MLB hopes the Twins can find a buyer local to Minnesota, though that might be a difficult task considering the size of the market. The league also wants the team to sell at the highest valuation possible to boost the values of other MLB franchises.

The Athletic also reported that executive chair Joe Pohlad prefers to keep his position after a potential sale.

Another possible wrench in the sale of the Twins is the fact that the club is not as profitable as others in recent years. Minnesota leases its ballpark from the city, meaning less revenue than teams who own their stadiums. The Twins have also had fewer fans in attendance in recent years and lost their regional sports network money.

According to The Athletic, a sale is likely not imminent, and "it wouldn't be unusual" if the Pohlad family decided not to sell the team entirely as the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels did in recent years.