The Minnesota Twins have brought in a familiar name with big-league pedigree, signing former All-Star right-hander German Marquez to a minor league contract.
Marquez, 31, was designated for assignment by the San Diego Padres last week after struggling to a 5.26 ERA across 13 appearances, 10 of them starts. According to The Athletic's Dan Hayes, the Twins moved quickly to add him to the organization, and Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that Marquez will report to Triple-A St. Paul.
For Minnesota, this is a bet on a pitcher who once looked like a steady rotation anchor. During his first full six seasons with the Colorado Rockies, Marquez made 29 or more starts five times and established himself as a reliable starter. His peak came in 2018, when he logged a 3.77 ERA with 230 strikeouts in 196 innings while taking every turn in the rotation.
The numbers from his Rockies years still show what kind of run he put together. From 2017-19, Marquez collected 10.5 of his 14.6 bWAR since debuting in 2016.
His path hasn’t been smooth lately. Tommy John Surgery sidelined him for most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and he finished his last year with Colorado in 2025 with a 6.70 ERA over 26 starts.
There’s at least a possible opening in Minnesota if things break right. Marquez could end up in the Major League rotation while ace Joe Ryan is on the injured list, though it may take another injury for him to push into the Twins’ top five.
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