The Twins have already started trimming the roster, but the bullpen picture is still wide open.
Minnesota moved left-hander Anthony Banda and infielders Aaron Sabato and Tristan Gray off the 40-man roster, sending all three into free agency. Banda’s exit wasn’t exactly a shock. He was shaky when he pitched, and his 5.03 xFIP was the worst mark of any reliever who threw at least 30 innings.
The Twins had other reasons to move on, too. Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan are projected to be back in the rotation at the start of next season, which means at least a couple of starters will need to shift into relief roles. Banda also dealt with a left lat strain that required surgery on July 9 and ended his 2026 season.
Gray’s case was far simpler. The 30-year-old finished with -0.7 bWAR in 66 games, hitting four home runs and driving in 29 runs. Sabato barely factored at all, going 0-for-6 with three strikeouts in just six at-bats.
Now the focus turns to what comes next, and the bullpen is where the real decisions sit.
Minnesota has room to work with, and there’s a strong argument for adding another arm. Banda’s departure opens a path for Taylor Rogers, another free agent. Rogers led the Twins’ bullpen with 65 appearances and finished with a 4.33 ERA and a 5.18 xFIP, which was second-worst in the group behind Banda.
Even with those numbers, Rogers still brings a useful look against left-handed hitters. He hasn’t been much of a strikeout arm, but he finished in the 98th percentile in Hard Hit% and cut his inherited runners scored percentage from 56.2% in 2025 to 29.7% in 2026.
At the same time, Minnesota is trying to sharpen the relief mix, and A.J. Minter may simply be the steadier option.
After arriving at the trade deadline, Minter made 25 appearances for the Twins following a very consistent run with the New York Mets. He posted a 2.78 ERA, the best on the staff among relievers over his 22 ⅔ innings.
Kody Funderburk gives the Twins another left-handed possibility. His work against lefties backs that up: in 110 matchups, he allowed the second-lowest wOBA at .273, trailing only Minter at .246.
If Minnesota looks outside the organization, two names stand out. Adrian Morejon would be an ideal way to bolster the left side, though he is expected to draw plenty of interest. Raisel Iglesias is the other intriguing fit, and he could step into the closer role even if Jeff Hoffman is ready to pitch on Opening Day next season.
Bryan Abreu also remains in the conversation, and a deal for him could still happen. But the case for Iglesias is simple enough: proven experience, and the kind of presence that could stabilize this bullpen.
In Other News...
Twins Just Opened A New Question At DH
Minnesotas offseason began with a clean little roster reset, and one of the first openings is at designated hitter. Josh Bell, who spent this past season as the clubs primary DH while also filling in at first base at times, is now a free agent after the Twins declined his mutual option. It is the kind of move that does not close the door on a reunion, but it does put one of the teams more familiar bats back on the market.
The same day brought another contract decision with a longer horizon attached to it, as the Twins moved on from Joe Ryans 2027 mutual option while keeping him under club control through arbitration for 2026. For now, the bigger short-term issue is Bells spot in the lineup and whether Minnesota wants to shop for a different answer there, or see if the market and its own plans line up again before spring. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Suddenly Have A Rotation Decision Fans Will Notice
Michael Kings decision to decline his 2027 player option has put one of the markets more intriguing arms on the board, and the timing makes him worth watching for teams still sorting out their pitching plans. The right-hander can first negotiate exclusively with the Padres for a five-day window before he is free to talk with every club, and that has naturally raised the question of whether the Twins should even consider getting involved as they evaluate their rotation depth.
King has been one of the more effective starters in baseball over the past three seasons since arriving in San Diego from the Yankees, which is exactly why his name comes up when teams start looking for stability at the top and middle of a staff. Minnesota is not widely viewed as a likely landing spot, but the Twins have enough uncertainty on the mound that a proven arm like King would at least fit the profile of the kind of swing that can change a winter, even if the path to making it happen still looks long. [Read more 🡒]
Twins May Have A Cheap Answer To Their Bullpen Problem
The Twins keep looking for ways to patch together the middle innings after a wave of free-agent departures thinned out their bullpen depth, and one possible answer could come from the trade market rather than the open market. The idea is simple enough: use a lower-tier pitching prospect to bring in a reliever with some upside, someone who can handle leverage without forcing Minnesota to spend heavily or rearrange the rest of the roster.
Any such deal would have to clear a few obvious hurdles first, starting with a medical review and a close look at salary commitment, because the appeal here is tied as much to cost control as to performance. The Giants, meanwhile, have their own reasons to consider moving a pitcher whose future value is still in play, which is why this sort of bullpen swap could make sense for both sides if the health picture checks out. [Read more 🡒]