A surprising twist in MLB ownership drama unfolded as Justin Ishbia suddenly dropped his pursuit of the Minnesota Twins, setting his sights instead on the Chicago White Sox.
The move left the Twins organization "stunned" and scrambling to regroup, sources told The Athletic. Ishbia, who already owns a piece of the White Sox, is now looking to take control of the team from long-time owner Jerry Reinsdorf.
It’s quite a turn of events. Just weeks ago, Ishbia seemed close to buying the Twins from the Pohlad family, who’ve owned the team since 1984 when Carl Pohlad picked it up for just $44 million.
The timing couldn’t be more interesting for both teams.
For the Twins, who announced they were exploring a sale just months ago, this means going back to square one. They might even decide not to sell at all – something we’ve seen recently with both the Angels and Nationals.
The White Sox situation is equally fascinating. Reinsdorf bought the team for a mere $19 million in 1981. Today, Forbes values the franchise at $2.05 billion, making it the 15th most valuable team in baseball.
The Twins, by comparison, are valued at $1.46 billion, ranking 21st in MLB.
Ishbia’s no stranger to pro sports ownership. Along with his brother Mat, he’s part of the Phoenix Suns’ ownership group, having bought into the NBA team in late 2023.
While the original plan was never to have new Twins ownership in place by opening day, talks had progressed enough that a change seemed possible this season. Now, Chicago’s South Side might be where Ishbia makes his next big move instead.
