Every spring, there are a few MLB clubs that double as second chances - landing spots for veterans trying to prove they've still got something left in the tank. In 2026, the Minnesota Twins are shaping up to be one of those teams.
After dealing away nearly half of their big-league roster at last year’s trade deadline, the Twins entered camp with more questions than answers - especially when it comes to the bullpen. The club moved on from its most reliable late-inning arms, and what’s left is a wide-open competition for relief roles. That uncertainty may not thrill the fanbase, but for pitchers like Julian Merryweather, it’s the kind of opportunity that could revive a career.
Merryweather, a six-year MLB veteran, is heading to Fort Myers on a minor-league deal with a non-roster invite to spring training, per a report this week. He elected free agency back in November after wrapping up the season in Triple-A with the Brewers, and now he’s hoping to pitch his way back into a major league bullpen.
If the name rings a bell, it’s because Merryweather has been around the block. He debuted with the Blue Jays in 2020 and has racked up 152 big-league appearances since then.
After three seasons in Toronto, he was DFA’d and picked up by the Cubs, where he spent the next few years bouncing around the NL Central. His last stint in the majors came with Chicago, where he posted a 5.79 ERA over 21 outings last season, striking out 15 and walking 11.
That performance wasn’t enough to stick. He was scooped up midseason by both the Mets and Brewers - two teams chasing playoff spots - but couldn’t quite find the form to force his way back onto a big-league roster.
Now, at 34, Merryweather is betting on himself. The Twins’ bullpen picture is as unsettled as any in the league, and that’s exactly the kind of environment where a veteran with something to prove can make noise. If his offseason work pays off and he shows flashes of the stuff that once made him a promising late-inning arm, there’s a real lane for him to crack the Opening Day roster.
Minnesota’s front office isn’t shy about giving guys like Merryweather a shot. And with the bullpen in flux, the door is wide open. All that’s left is for him to walk through it.