One of the first moves now-president of baseball operations Derek Falvey made when he joined the Twins organization in 2016 was convincing Thad Levine to come on board and lead the team with him.

Now, after eight years together, the Twins announced on Friday that Levine, who was the Twins’ senior vice president and general manager, will depart the organization “to pursue new challenges and opportunities, both inside and outside of baseball.”

“I am grateful to the Pohlad family, Derek Falvey and Dave St. Peter for providing me with such a comprehensive leadership opportunity spanning the last eight years of my career,” Levine said in a release. The time is right for me to pursue my next enriching, professional challenge. I will forever cherish the friendships that I have made in the Minnesota Twins organization and throughout Twins Territory.”

Levine has long been a buzzed about name in the industry for other team’s top jobs and last year, he interviewed with the Red Sox for an opening atop their baseball operations department.

Prior to joining the Twins, Levine spent 11 seasons as an assistant general manager for the Texas Rangers. He also spent six seasons working in the Colorado Rockies’ front office.

The decision comes on the heels of a disappointing end to the 2024 season that saw the Twins undergo a late-season collapse and eventually miss the playoffs.

That collapse had already cost four coaches — hitting coaches David Popkins, Derek Shomon and Rudy Hernandez and assistant bench coach Tony Diaz — their jobs. Now, the Twins will be embarking on a replacement for Levine, as well, as the shakeup within the organization continues.

“Thad’s impact on the Minnesota Twins cannot be overstated,” Falvey said in a release. “He has been a true partner and leader, always striving to elevate the organization and care of the people around him. Thad helped create a strong team culture, one focused on excellence and collaboration, that will continue well into the future.”

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