The Minnesota Twins made a lineup decision when choosing to decline Josh Bell’s $10 million mutual option for 2027.

The Twins owed Bell a $1.25 million buyout, and he enters free agency. The MLB Players Association’s updated list confirmed his status after Friday’s option decisions. A reunion remained possible, but Minnesota no longer had a returning veteran assigned to those at-bats.

The club should use that opening to reconsider how it fills designated hitter.

Signing another full-time DH would directly replace Bell’s role. Sharing the assignment among returning hitters could give manager Derek Shelton more choices, particularly with several outfielders competing for regular work.

That approach deserves an evaluation before the Twins commit to another bat whose primary contribution would come without a defensive assignment.

A Shared DH Role Could Keep More Hitters Involved

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton.…