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Twins exercise 2024 options on Max Kepler ($10 million) and Jorge Polanco ($10.5 million

November 3, 2023 GMT

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Minnesota Twins' Max Kepler connects for a double in the first inning of Game 3 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jordan Johnson)

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins exercised their 2024 club options on outfielder Max Kepler and infielder Jorge Polanco on Thursday, their two longest-tenured players.

Kepler will make $10 million and Polanco will make $10.5 million next season. Both players had a $1 million buyout, but their productivity this year made those prices market bargains for Minnesota. The Twins signed both players as 16-year-old international free agents in 2009, with Kepler from Germany and Polanco from the Dominican Republic.

Kepler batted .260 with an .816 OPS with a team-high 24 home runs in 130 games as the regular right fielder for the Twins in 2023. He had a .926 OPS in 66 games after the All-Star break for the AL Central champions. Kepler is 12th in Twins history with 153 home runs over nine major league seasons.

Polanco came back from a knee injury to hit .255 with 14 home runs and a .789 OPS in 80 games this season while playing second base and third base. He has the most home runs (112) by a switch-hitter in Twins history, over his 10-year major league career.

The Twins have another club option on Polanco at $12.5 million for 2025.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB