Where we left off last year
2025 season: 44 points, 8th in the Western Conference, 17th in MLS
Specifically, we left off with the Timbers being played off the park en route to being eliminated by San Diego FC in the first round of the postseason.
Generally, we left off with another disappointing year in Portland. The club finished eighth in the West, right in what I’m now dubbing The Portland Timbers’ Zone: they’ve finished between eighth and 10th in their conference four years running. Kristoffer Velde provided a spark after he arrived as a Designated Player in the summer transfer window, but the talent bleed from losing Evander to FC Cincinnati, Jonathan Rodriguez to injury and Santi Moreno to a transfer tirade proved to be too much.
How much more mediocrity will be tolerated in Portland?
What changed in the offseason
Notable arrivals:
- Cole Bassett, CM: With David Ayala’s move to Inter Miami (and with a general need to upgrade in central midfield, anyway), the Timbers sent at least $2.65 million to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for Bassett. Having averaged just over five non-penalty goals per season over the last three years, Bassett will bring valuable box-arriving from midfield and doesn’t have any major holes in his game. The 24-year-old will be a key player for Portland.
- Alex Bonetig, CB: If at first you succeed, try, try again? That’s how it goes, right? The Timbers smashed their Finn Surman signing out of the park when he joined from the A-League in 2024, so Portland went back to the Australian well in signing Bonetig. The 23-year-old has 4,000 minutes under his belt and could end up competing for starting minutes with the Timbers.
