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Report: Pohlads could take Minnesota Twins off the market after Ishbia surprise

The Friday night bombshell may come as bad news to fans who are hoping for change.

Joe Nelson

Feb 8, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns minority owner Justin Ishbia speaks to the media during an introductory press conference at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Feb 8, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns minority owner Justin Ishbia speaks to the media during an introductory press conference at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There appears to be a chance that the 41-year reign of the Pohlad family owning the Minnesota Twins is not going to end after news broke Friday that prospective billionaire buyer Justin Ishbia pivoted from showing interest in the Twins to instead putting his money into the AL Central rival Chicago White Sox.

According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, the sale process is still moving forward but the Pohlads "could also pull the team off the market if its price isn’t met."

Forbes recently valued the Twins at $1.46 billion while Sportico gave the franchise a $1.7 billion valuation.

The unexpected turn of events comes after months of speculation that Ishbia, whose brother, Mat, is the majority owner of the NBA and WNBA franchises in Phoenix, was a serious contender to purchase the Twins from the Pohlads.

While previous reports have suggested that there was "robust" interest in the Twins from all over the country, Ishbia has been the only potential buyer publicly identified.

It's not wait-and-see mode for the Twins and their fans, who have been waiting with bated breath since the Pohlads announced last October that they would be exploring a sale after four decades operating the MLB franchise.

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Joe Nelson
JOE NELSON

Joe Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in Minnesota sports journalism. Nelson began his career in sports radio, working at smaller stations in Marshall and St. Cloud before moving to the highly-rated KFAN-FM 100.3 in the Twin Cities. While there, he produced the popular mid-morning show hosted by Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen. His time in radio laid the groundwork for his transition to sports writing in 2011. He covers the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins for On SI.

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