Thad Levine steps down as GM of the Twins

Thad Levine has resigned from his position as senior vice president and general manager of the Twins, a position he has held since November 2016. The team announced its decision in a press release Friday morning, stating: “After eight seasons of significant contributions and leadership, Thad Levine will leave the Minnesota Twins organization to pursue new challenges and opportunities, both inside and outside of baseball.”

News of Levine's departure comes just days after the Twins confirmed that chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and manager Rocco Baldelli would return in 2025. Levine has worked under Falvey for eight years. The pair led the team to three division titles and four playoff appearances between 2017 and 2023, with the 2023 club finally ending the franchise's 18-game postseason losing streak.

However, the 2024 season ended in disappointment, as a 13-27 record in the final 40 games of the season pushed the Twins out of a playoff berth and into fourth place in the AL Central. While injuries and lack of production played a large role in the team's decline, a slow offseason and a quiet trade deadline also played a large role, during which Falvey and Levine did little to improve the club. It's hard to say how much of the blame lies with the front office rather than the owners for forcing the team to take pay cuts. Regardless, it's not hard to understand why Levine was willing to look for new opportunities elsewhere. It's possible that the Twins didn't want him back either, but the press release portrays it as Levine's decision. Furthermore, one would think that Falvey would also be looking for a new job if owner and CEO Joe Pohlad were to take over running the Teams would be dissatisfied. Falvey and Levine's contacts were expected to expire at the end of the 2024 season.

Before joining the Twins, Levine served as assistant GM for the Rangers for several years. More recently, he has taken on leadership roles throughout the league; The Twins gave him permission to interview with the Phillies in 2020 and the Red Sox in 2023. Other teams that have shown interest in Levine in the past include the Mets and the Rockies. Interestingly, however, he ultimately dropped out of the running for all of these jobs himself.

If Levine wants a new job in baseball, he should have no trouble getting one. He will certainly be a candidate for any open “head decision maker” positions in the league. It's less clear whether he would be interested in taking another job where he was just a stand-in, such as with the Giants. San Francisco is looking for a GM to replace Pete Putila and work under the new president of baseball operations Buster Posey. The fact that Levine chose to remain under Falvey for so long despite other options suggests that he prioritizes his work environment over his status. Maybe the Giants' larger payroll will convince him to give the Bay Area a try.