After Paul Molitor took the Minnesota Twins from a 103-loss club to the postseason in one year, it would appear to be a slam dunk that the Hall of Famer would return as manager.

The Twins’ front office wants Molitor back in 2018, “but there was still work to be done to make that a reality,” reports Mike Berardino of the Pioneer-Press.

The 61-year-old guided the Twins to an 85-77 record and their first trip to the playoffs in seven years, where they lost to the Yankees in the AL wild card game on Tuesday. He is likely the heavy favorite to be named AL Manager of the Year.

Money could be an issue. Berardino reports Molitor’s current three-year deal that expired after this season was worth less than $4 million over three years. Former manager Ron Gardenhire, who won six division titles, reportedly was making $2 million a year when he was fired after the 2014 season.

La Velle E. Neal of the Star Tribune also reports that Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine want Molitor back but says the possibility of some changes to the coaching staff may be one reason a new contract has not been completed.

- Doug Mittler