Report: Twins sign Josh Bell to 1-year, $7M deal
The Minnesota Twins agreed to terms with first baseman Josh Bell on a one-year contract that includes a mutual option for 2027, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Bell's deal is worth $7 million in total value and will pay him a base salary of $5.5 million in 2026, according to Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune. The mutual option contains a $1.25-million buyout if it's not exercised, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
Bell, 33, is expected to split time between first base and designated hitter in 2026. He was the Washington Nationals' primary DH last year, making 33 appearances in the field while slashing .237/.325/.417 with 22 home runs and 63 RBIs across 533 plate appearances.
The Twins are hoping he'll add some pop to the middle of their order and can potentially flip him for prospects at the deadline if the team struggles again. Bell's presence also allows multi-positional players Edouard Julien and Kody Clemens, who split time at first base down the stretch last summer, to move around the diamond.
Originally a second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011, Bell is a lifetime .256/.341/.443 hitter with 193 homers and 676 RBIs across parts of 10 big-league seasons with seven teams. Bell was an All-Star with the Pirates in 2019 and won a Silver Slugger in 2022.