NASHVILLE — The Boston Red Sox hired away Justin Willard, the Twins’ pitching coordinator, marking the biggest news for the Twins on a slow-moving first day of baseball’s Winter Meetings.

Neither the trade nor free-agency markets have picked up much this offseason, leading to a relatively quiet day for the Twins on Monday.

The Twins have yet to add a major-league player to their roster this offseason, though they have lost some — free-agent pitchers Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda and Emilio Pagán have already signed elsewhere — but when they do, it’s very possible that their most impactful acquisitions come via trade rather than free agency.

“It’s probably the market we’ve always been pretty active in,” Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. “… Obviously we made some significant trades last year. I think it’s always going to be a factor for us. Ultimately a little different than maybe some of the free agents this year, for sure.”

The Twins have a number of needs to address in one way or another — starting pitcher, center field, perhaps a right-handed bat — but as Falvey noted, there have yet to be position players signing multi-player deals. In other words, the market is still where it was on the position player side as it was the day free agency started in November.

The Twins, who are expected to cut payroll from last year’s, which was around $155 million, could have a couple of position players they opt to try to move — like second baseman Jorge Polanco or infielder Kyle Farmer, for example — but all seemed quiet on Monday.

“I think there’s been a lot of interest in a number of different players on our team,” Falvey said. “… We’re still trying to figure out the landscape around free agents, trade partners and otherwise. I think we’re still in that early feeling-out phase. It feels weird to say that in December, but that’s just the way it is now.”

Another thing they’re feeling out is an uncertain television situation.

Their contract with Bally Sports North has reached its conclusion and they are likely to receive far less in television revenue than in years past (a deal that was among the lower ones in the major leagues to begin with), which will impact some of their offseason moves, as well, though Falvey said it hadn’t changed their approach to preparing for these meetings or the offseason in general.

“We’re always trying to be opportunistic, think of where a trade matches, where there might be opportunities to invest in a way that will help us get better,” Falvey said. “We’ve always kind of been a team that waits out some of the market, in some spaces, and waits to see how things shake out to some degree. The team isn’t made at the end of the winter meetings.”

Tickets on sale Wednesday

The Twins announced Monday that tickets to TwinsFest, spring training and regular-season games will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis and Pablo López are among Twins players who will be on hand for TwinsFest, which will be a two-day event again this year starting with TwinsFest Live! on Jan. 26 at The Fillmore. Saturday’s events will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Target Field and will feature autograph sessions, Q&As, games, photo opportunities and more. The Twins also will run youth clinics on Saturday.

In an effort to boost the fan experience, the Twins are focusing in on selling tickets in main level and outfield mezzanine for home games from April 8-25. Fans with season tickets on the upper level will receive a complimentary seat upgrade to move down in an effort to pack the lower bowl.

Related Articles

Byron Buxton healing well, Twins optimistic about his return to center field

Twins name new (and familiar) play-by-play announcers: Cory Provus on TV, Kris Atteberry on radio

Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda reach deals elsewhere; Twins to get draft pick for Gray’s departure

Longtime Twins announcer Dick Bremer given lifetime achievement award

Twins legend Joe Mauer of St. Paul debuts on Hall of Fame ballot